The BDRC Learning Circle

Training on Emergency Assessment and Response Planning

Rigorous Module Preparation for DRR Course

10-day Intensive DRR Course for Community Practitioners

Engagement with government-lead agencies and negotiators on climate risks and climate change.

Collaboration on Climate Risk Assessments

Policy Advocacy (SNAP and the DRM Bill)

Collaboration in the Pilot Project Implementation (Case of SAM Ipil and PhilRice)

Background

•Came about as response to need expressed by partners working with disaster-stricken communities

•Mounting demand for disaster response and preparedness as a result of more frequent and more intense disasters

•Non-DMP partners having no choice but to respond


Evolution of the BDRC Learning Circle

I. Meeting of Christian Aid Partners working in Disaster-Prone Areas

Practical and humble intentions:
–Compare notes and learn from each other
–Create mutual support mechanism: joint rapid disaster assessment teams

Identification of further knowledge and skills gaps

Process led to recognition of need to link up with scientific/research/technology institutions


II. Community-Based Organizations Meet Scientific and Research Organizations on Disaster

Leveling-off understanding on disaster risk reduction

Validation of information

Sharing each others needs

Identification of policy issues

Planning joint activities


III. Regular BDRC Learning Circle Sessions

The Learning Circle meets at least twice a year. However, because of jointly planned activities, they are actually able to meet more often.

Now formed clusters for deepening exchange and learning around specialized DRR issues: urban, coastal.

Documentation Project

BDRC Pilot Project 2008-2009: UPSWCD
(University of the Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines)

Project Background

This documentation project is being proposed by the Department of CommunityDevelopment (DCD) as a member of the Learning Circle formed under the BDRC programme of Christian Aid. It is seen as part of the BDRC programme Year 2: The Learning Process, particularly in the process of documenting the community learning processes.

By carrying out the Case Study Writing/Documentation project, the DCD’s specific contribution as an academic organization is to facilitate and enhance the NGOs’ capacity to document their project experiences and to cull out lessons from the partner NGOs’ experiences which can be used for advocacy and theory building.


Project Objectives

General Objective

To document the processes and experiences of Christian Aid partners in their implementation of pilot projects on building disaster resilient communities in different settings (e.g. coastal, urban, terrestrial) in order to draw and disseminate lessons in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) among NGOs, POs, government agencies and development and humanitarian agencies.


Specific Objectives

1. To document, assess and synthesize the methods, strategies and approaches used in DRR in various communities, community development and project settings (e.g., coastal, urban, terrestrial, etc.)
2. To draw out significant concepts, principles, indicators and guidelines on building disaster resilient communities that is grounded on Community Development (CD) perspectives as well as the practical experiences of communities and NGOs
3. To assist NGO partners in determining the appropriateness of indicators used in monitoring and assessing the methods, strategies and approaches in implementing their pilot projects on building disaster resilient communities
4. To prepare learning materials for use in the training of fieldworkers, researchers and grassroots organizations involved in CD and DRR
5. To identify possible areas of collaboration to help strengthen existing DRR and CD programs and initiatives in the Philippines and the region


Project Design

Proposed Design

In this proposed partnership with Christian Aid and its partner NGOs, the Department of Community Development (DCD) faculty envisions the following process:

1. Review of documents - Collection of project proposals, reports, and other documents from Christian Aid and partners

2. Documentation workshop - to develop a shared framework and guidelines for the Case Studies (e.g., on the nature, objectives, target audience, main content and timeframe). The workshop will also provide inputs and exercises to develop/enhance basic research and documentation skills of the case study writers. This workshop will be attended by the Lead Writers who will be contracted/assigned by respective NGO partners. To be designed based on consultation with representatives of CA and NGO partners, the target outputs of the workshop will be a working outline of the case studies and a workplan for completing them.

3. Mentoring and consultation field visits – Selected case study writer/s will be assigned with faculty mentors cum editorial advisers who will assist in the completion of the case studies. While the NGO representatives will be the main writer/s, the faculty mentor will provide editorial input and general advice to help ensure that the objectives of the project are met.
4. Email/Online Discussion/Distance Advise – In between field visits, assigned faculty mentors will provide additional comments and inputs to respective writers via email/online discussions to monitor and help ensure progress of the documentation project.
5. DRR Conference/Workshop – The case studies will be presented in a Culminating workshop/conference where representatives of the NGOs, community-based organizations, LGUs, other CA partners and development agencies will be invited. Other DRR practitioners and experts will also be invited to help draw insights and lessons from the case studies as well as other experiences.
6. Publication – The final output of the project will be a publication containing two main parts: The first part will feature the 8-9 case studies written by NGO partners. The second part will contain articles written by the faculty mentors synthesizing the key concepts, principles, processes, indicators and guidelines on building disaster resilient communities that is grounded on the practical experiences of communities and NGOs.


Expected Project Output

The proposed project will have the following output:

1. A two-part publication featuring (i) the 8-9 case studies in DRR written by NGOs and (ii) analysis and synthesis of DRR concepts, principles, indicators and guidelines written by DCD faculty
2. Enhanced skills on documentation and case study writing among NGO partners

Purpose and Uses of the Case Studies

Based on the above project objectives, the DRR Case Studies could potentially serve several needs and/or uses, including:

1. TO DEMONSTRATE AND INSPIRE - The Case Studies could illustrate and provide evidence to the validity of Community Development and community-based approach to DRR. Likewise, the case studies could help strengthen policy advocacy and advocacy strategies on DRR and CD
2. TO INSTRUCT - As potential learning materials for future DRR courses/trainings, the Case Studies could describe the CD methods and processes used and the bases for their selection, and critically analyze issues and potential implications to CD arising from chosen DRR interventions
3. TO THEORIZE - Amidst the increasing volume of DRR materials available globally, there is still a dearth of materials with a Philippine and so thern development perspective. Hence the Case Studies (including other materials gathered) have the potential to contribute to the development of DRR theory and practice from a Community Development perspective. “DRR theory and practice” here could refer to key concepts, principles, assumptions, models, etc. applicable to Philippine communities and development organizations.


Project Management

The project will be managed and implemented by the Department of Community Development (DCD of the UP College of Social Work and Community Development, through the UP Social Action fo Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (UPSARD), a non-stock nonprofit foundation composed of the faculty and alumni of the CSWCD, with the Dean as Executive Director.

The CD Department will constitute a Project Team composed of faculty members. A Project Leader will be tasked to coordinate, and lead in the design and implementation of all project activities.

CD faculty members will serve as faculty mentors cum editorial advisers to case study writers of respective NGOs. A TOR will be developed between the DCD and the individual faculty member
containing specific tasks and responsibilities.

Christian Aid will provide the funds needed for this undertaking. It will assign a person or persons who will liaise with the DCD for matters concerning project implementation. It will provide access to respective partner NGOs.

Investing Partnerships for Disaster Resilience

In the Philippines, the program engaged Christian Aid partners in a participatory and collaborative process leading to the preparation of the BDRC strategic plan in the Philippines.

The plan includes the formation of the learning circles, the conduct of an intensive DRR course, community-based capacities and vulnerabilities analyses, the preparation of DRR plans and the piloting of DRR projects.

Together with other stakeholders, BDRC strategies, methods and learning experiences will be documented and shared through DRR field schools.Following the planning process is the organization of a Learning Circle that aims to facilitate the learning exchange among and between CA partners, academic and research institutions and other stakeholders in the conduct of a DRR intensive course, community-based capacities and vulnerability analyses, preparation of institutional DRR plans.

Currently, it is composed of representatives from CA, CA partners and academic and research institutions. The learning circle is a recommendatory body to the BDRC. Among the members of the said learning circle are Manila Observatory, some scientists from the UP National Institute of Geological Sciences, UP Los Banos, UP in the Visayas, the UP College of Social Work and Community Development and CA partners like the Social Action Center (prelature of Infanta), Coastal Core Sorsogon, COPE Bicol, PhilNet-Visayas, Unlad Kabayan, CERD Samar, FORGE, MUCAARD, Social Action Ministry (Ipil), CARD Davao, MAHAL in Mindoro and MACEC in Marinduque. The first output of the partnership was the preparation for and the conduct of the intensive DRR course from 14-26 October 2007.