Practising Community-led Development (DEVT90044)

This subject involves the study of development practice. It focuses on ways in which development practitioners can work effectively with communities to achieve development outcomes. To begin, we consider the assessment of local needs and the methods available to achieve a proper understanding of local priorities. Then we examine examples and case studies (including from Aboriginal organisations in Australia) that illustrate ways of working effectively with the community, including community action and mobilisation, partnership building, engagement with government and other stakeholders and the ethics of working with communities. We move on to consider how best to attract and mobilise resources, including communicating through project design documents and proposals. We explore Indigenous perspectives on development projects, including the work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations in Australia and from Latin America, addressing project governance and decision-making, cross-cultural considerations and the scope and nature of project achievements when viewed from a local perspective. The final session addresses questions of innovation in development practice and looks at recent developments in processes, concepts and methods. Along the way, extensive use will be made of real-life case studies, stories and the voices and opinions of people working on practical development projects, especially practitioners and community members. The challenges and compromises faced in tackling complex economic, social and human development issues are discussed throughout the subject. The subject encourages a high level of interaction and students will engage in participatory learning methods and group work (although all assessments will be individual).