Our current systems are not fit to meet the scale of challenges that communities are facing. What could we learn and how could we collaborate for more sustainable and regenerative futures? What if… the breakdown of systems and structures around us opens opportunities for transformation?

We’re told that communities don’t feel heard, or that they lack opportunities to inform and participate in their own future activation and regeneration. I also hear that GEDSI practitioners feel alone, stressed, disillusioned with ever increasing workloads and the churn of the system – leading to burn out.

The concept ‘community of practice’ is underpinned by an assumption that learning is a social process rather than a passive act of knowledge transfer. I am deeply inspired to build a ‘community of practice’. The ‘who’ being – ‘my’ community of development peers, working with under-represented communities. The ‘what’ is strengthening our skills of embedding social inclusion – the ‘ how’ includes a repertoire of resources: experiences, stories, tools, ways of addressing recurring problems — in short, sharing, unpacking and building upon our shared practices.

Here’s a quote from one of the learners…

Earlier in the year International Water Centre supported myself and colleagues from The University of the South Pacific and Solomon Islands National University to take part in this 6 week course diving into diverse SOGIESC and development. Relevant to anyone working with or alongside communities in the development and humanitarian space. So many learnings, challenges to the way we practice, and chances to explore topics in a safe environment. Lana Woolf is a gentle and generous facilitator. Recommended!

Rosie Sanderson – Engineer & Project Officer – WASH & Waste at International WaterCentre

Upcoming Public Workshops