Khanya-aicdd: Understanding and applying the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach

Deadline: 30 April 2009

Khanya-African Institute for Community driven Development (Khanya-aicdd) in partnership with the University of the Free State’ Centre for Development Support, is conducting a four-day certificate course on Understanding and applying the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach from 25-28 May 2009 in Johannesburg.

Aim of course

The world is currently going through a food shortage crisis, and in Africa in particular people’s livelihoods are compromised by a number of factors, including global warming and conflict. Despite increases in growth rates in Africa in the last 10 years, inequality has risen and levels of poverty are stubbornly high. A key priority for actors in development is ensuring that people’s livelihoods are secured, involving people in designing their own poverty intervention strategies that take into account of people’s circumstances with relevant and responsive support and funding from government. This means that creative approaches are needed to look for inclusive growth which improves the livelihoods of poor people.

This training will help participants to understand some of the latest thinking about how the development system must be transformed to ensure that livelihoods of the poor are improved, and how the sustainable livelihoods approach can be utilised to achieve the designed impact in the improvement of people’s livelihoods.

Course overview

The programme covers three main elements of the sustainable livelihoods approach:

• Understanding livelihoods using the SL framework
• Understanding the implications of the SL principles for inclusive development
• Seeing how to apply the 6 governance issues related to applying the SLA to improve the way development systems respond to the needs of poor people
• Participants applying these elements to see the implications for their work

The theory is introduced and participants will reflect on the implications for their work. The programme will be complemented by field–based training, such as in Community-Based Planning, also accredited by University of the Free State

Learning Outcomes

• Explain the concepts related to sustainable livelihoods
• Apply appropriate tools for carrying out sustainable livelihood assessments and for analysing and interpreting the results and applying it in their work ; and
• Understand different ways that livelihoods can be enhanced

Academic Credits

NQF level: 5
Notional hours: 120
The certificate can be used to proof Recognition of Prior
Learning (RPL).  This recognition is dependent on the institution there the applicant will apply for RPL.

Course Format
The course will use participatory methodologies and small group work to draw on the experience of participants and assist them to apply the theory to that experience. Participants will be required to review and discuss readings in small groups.

Who can participate?
The course is targeted at practitioners, consultants, and  advisers from development agencies, and government departments, wanting to understand the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) and how to apply it in their work.

Dates: 25-28 May 2009

Venue: Johannesburg

Cost:  R4 500.00 (VAT inclusive). This amount excludes accommodation and meals. The course fee covers tuition, refreshments, and lunches.

Participants are responsible for their own accommodation, meals (except lunches), and travel costs and will have to arrange their own accommodation and travel to the course.

Accommodation: A list of Hotels and B&B’s near the training venue will be made available.

Registration: You are required to fill in an application form and send it to the email address indicated below Application forms can be downloaded from our website or contact Matshweu Machedi for the application form.

Enquiries: Matshweu Machedi, tel: 011 642 5011, fax: 011 642 6093, email: admin@khanya-aicdd.org

For more information on Khanya-aicdd, click here.