Building on Local and Indigenous Knowledges for Community Resilience

How do communities respond to the environmental, economic and equity challenges of today and maintain their sense of identity and place? Participants will explore concepts, strategies and tools for building community resilience from a citizen-driven, culturally-sensitive perspective and analyze innovative experiences for change from diverse contexts. Central to the exploration is valuing and sharing local and indigenous knowledge in ecological management, food security, governance, conflict transformation, cultural revitalization and well-being that enables communities to face shocks and ongoing stresses. Collectively, participants determine how to influence policies, programs and practices that build resilience in their own communities.

Personal benefits

• Strengthen competencies to analyze how different world views influence development and social change;
• Gain a critical appreciation for local and indigenous knowledge;
• Learn innovative strategies for including local and indigenous knowledge in development practice;
• Build skills for integrating local and indigenous knowledge in one’s own practice.

Organizational benefits

• Gain capacity to interact respectfully with indigenous and traditional people;
• Acquire strategies for enhancing program effectiveness and sustainability, and advocating with indigenous peoples on issues of concern.

Who should take the Program?

This program is being offered in collaboration with the COMPAS Africa Network for Endogenous Development, and being hosted by the Institute of Culture and Ecology in Kenya. Invitations are being sent to network partners who are heads of organizations, program developers, directors and senior staff in community-based organizations, and NGOs, who are looking to ensure that their programming is respectful of, and benefits from, local and indigenous knowledge. Indigenous people and those working in solidarity with them are particularly invited.

Scholarships

Funding has been acquired to offer this course – all expenses paid – to applicants from East Africa associated with the COMPAS Africa Network for Endogenous Development. Two special scholarships are also available to enable two Canadian indigenous women to join the course.

How to apply

This course is by invitation only, and selection is being handled by the COMPAS Africa Network. Applications are closed, except for Canadian indigenous women who are graduates of the Coady Institute.

They should visit: coady.stfx.ca/education/knowledges/faq