Village Earth, in partnership with STARIC Nepal, is offering its flagship training course

Participatory Practices for Sustainable Development

Watch the PPSD Webinar presented live online January 8th, 2009

Using a framework of rights-based development, this course will provide participants with the tools to enhance community participation in regional/cluster, multi-sector, integrated, and intermediate development projects. This course explores both the theory and practice of community-based development, focusing on practical tools and skills for cultivating indigenous leadership, mobilizing communities for collective action, accessing resources, and developing long-enduring community-based institutions. Through dialogue, activities, case studies, and other exercises, participants will learn how to work with community members to identify their vision for the future and create the relationships, institutions, and appropriate technologies to move towards it. The techniques taught in this course are based on best practices in participatory, bottom-up approaches to development proven effective throughout the world by Village Earth and our partner organizations.

Location: Hotel Goodwill, Patan, Nepal (just outside of Kathmandu)

Dates: February 2nd - 13th (The course will break Saturday and Sunday, February 7-8.)

Who should attend?
Development practitioners, project directors, and volunteers working with local or international NGOs, government officials, funding agencies, community leaders, extension workers, and relief workers making the transition to development (or post disaster reconstruction) will all benefit from this course. This course is open to everyone who would like to attend (irrespective of academic or professional background).

What is required to attend?
The course will be offered in English only. Village Earth and STARIC Nepal encourage participants with no funding to seek sponsorship in their respective countries, as we are currently unable to provide sponsorship for our training services. Tuition and Registration information follows:

Tuition:

• For residents of Nepal, other SAARC countries or other countries who are considered low or medium on the UNHDI or employees of locally based NGOs
  - $375 (Nepal Rs 30,000) tuition + refreshments
  - $625 tuition plus shared accommodations + meals (12 days)
  - $700 tuition plus single accommodations + meals (12 days)
  
  
• Residents of North America/EU/Australia or employees of internationally based NGOs
  - $500 tuition + refreshments
  - $750 tuition plus shared accommodations + meals (12 days)
  - $825 tuition plus single accommodations + meals (12 days)
  
  *A $100 USD non-refundable registration fee due in order to reserve your spot in the training and is included in the prices quoted above. The remainder of the course fee is due by January 14, 2009.
  

How to register:

• If registering within Nepal please contact:
  STARIC Nepal
  Jwagal, Kupondole Laltipur.
  PO Box: 2433 Kathmandu Nepal.
  Tel: 977-1-5522398, 6222332 or 5535210.
  Email: staricn@vianet.com.np
  
  
• If registering from outside Nepal:
  

1. Complete the online application form.
   
   
   
   
2. Submit course fees. A completed form and fees are required to hold a spot at the training. Payment can be made using Google Checkout or PayPal* online, using a credit card by phone +1-970-491-5754 , bank wire transfer**, or by check drawn on a US bank. At this time you may also decide to reserve accommodations (shared or single) through us, or you are welcome to arrange your own accommodations.
   
   *For those interested in paying through PayPal, you can make your payment to our account at csvbd@villageearth.org.
   **Please contact Nancy at nancy@villageearth.org for instructions on how to pay by bank wire transfer and other payment options.
   
   For those wanting to pay with Google Checkout, please choose from the drop down menus below:
   
   For residents of SAARC countries or other countries who are considered low or medium on the UNHDI or employees of locally based NGOs:
   

   $100.00 - Registration Fee Only (Balance Due by January 14) $275.00 - Remaining Balance - No accommodations $525.00 - Remaining Tuition Payment plus Shared Accommodations $600.00 - Remaining Tuition Payment plus Single Accommodations $375.00 - Full Tuition Payment - No accommodations $625.00 - Full Tuition Payment plus Shared Accommodations $700.00 - Full tuition Payment plus Single Accommodations $250.00 - Shared Accommodations Only (if tuition already paid) $325.00 - Single Accommodations Only (if tuition already paid)

   
   
   For Residents of North America/EU/Australia (or those countries listed as high on the UNHDI) or employees of internationally based NGOs:
   

   $100.00 - Registration Fee Only (Balance Due by January 14) $400.00 - Remaining Balance - No accommodations $650.00 - Remaining Tuition Payment plus Shared Accommodations $725.00 - Remaining Tuition Payment plus Single Accommodations $500.00 - Full Tuition Payment - No accommodations $750.00 - Full Tuition Payment plus Shared Accommodations $825.00 - Full tuition Payment plus Single Accommodations $250.00 - Shared Accommodations Only (if tuition already paid) $325.00 - Single Accommodations Only (if tuition already paid)

   *Click here for UNHDI List
   
   For more information about registering outside of Nepal, please contact Nancy Murray, nancy@villageearth.org, +1-970-491-5754 (All registration is done online. No need to send your CV or any other registration information.)

Why should you participate in a course with Village Earth?
Village Earth is one of the world's leading development training providers for practitioners in the field. Our training facilitators have practical experience working in communities as well as academic backgrounds in international development which gives our courses a good mix between practice and theory. This course has been offered at sites around the world and continues to be highly rated by past participants.

"I recommend participation in the PPSD course for all development practitioners who would like to add a new dimension in their practice. It is an excellent course not only for practitioners but also for funding agencies, community leaders, and development project managers."
--Prem Chand, Deputy Director, International Rescue Committee, Azerbaijan

Some topics covered in the course include:

• Comparison of Development Approaches
• Basic Principles of Community-based Development
• Community Empowerment and Mobilization
• Creating Resource Access Structures
• Activities to Assess Power Dynamics
• Bottom-up Strategies for Regional Development
• Community and Resource Mapping and Clustering
• Participatory Learning and Action Activities (including PRA)
• Community Organization and Capacity Building
• Participatory Strategic Planning
• Appropriate Technology Generation
• Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation

For more information, please contact Nancy Murray, nancy@villageearth.org, +1-970-491-5754

CANCELLATION POLICY :  We reserve the right to cancel the workshop due to circumstances beyond our control or in the event we do not meet a minimum number of registrants by the deadlines above.  Any fees paid prior to the deadline dates above, less the $100 non-refundable registration fee, will be refunded in the event of a cancellation.  If preferred, any fees already paid can be used toward a future workshop scheduled to take place within one year of the original, canceled workshop. Cancellations, initiated at the request of the applicant, after the registration deadline will result in a 50% refund of fees paid above the $100 non-refundable registration fee.

Upcoming Training Programs

COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION INTENSIVE WORKSHOP

When:  February 24-27, 2008
Where:  Colorado State University, Fort Collins

REGISTRATION OPEN
(Deadline to register is February 3.)

For more information contact Nancy Murray (nancy@villageearth.org) or +1-970-491-5754.