New Diploma: Integrated Adaptation, DRR, & Rural Development—May 17

OL 440 Diploma Program: Integrated CBA, DRR, and Rural Development
CSDi is launching a diploma program of online field courses integrating community-based adaptation to climate change, disaster risk reduction, and rural development—on May 17.

These courses begin by introducing basic climate change concepts, participatory disaster preparedness, and mainstreaming them with rural development—and develop as participants identify local community vulnerabilities, identify risks and hazards, investigate appropriate solutions, design participatory M&E plans, develop full projects, launch and manage them.

To earn a diploma in Integrated CBA, DRR and Rural Development, simply complete four required, sequential foundation courses, then select four elective courses of your choice for a total of eight courses. With a wide variety of electives, you are able to tailor the diploma program to meet your needs and interests.

Upcoming Online Development Courses: May 2011

STEP 1. Enroll in the first course of this series: OL 341.
Required Foundation Courses. These four courses are taken in sequence prior to enrolling in elective courses.
 

	341 Community Based Adaptation 1: Gain an insight into contemporary methods of developing community based, sustainable, impact-oriented projects. Gain practical field tools and develop a range of skills: facilitating participatory needs assessments and DRR assessments, designing projects, and evidence-based activities. Develop a real project in real time.
	342 Community Based Adaptation: Planning for Impact. July 19 – August 29. Imbed impact into your adaptation project design with a powerful set of management tools. Log frames, detailed budgets, timelines, compelling fact sheets, M&E plans, outcomes and impact. These tools will communicate to donors and stakeholders exactly what you are trying to accomplish and can be used for effective management of the project once funded.
	343 Community Based Adaptation 3: The Community Focus. September 6 – October 31. What does climate change adaptation mean at the community level? What practical tools are available today for communities to use in adaptation and in DRR? Conduct a baseline survey including climate vulnerability, risk assessment, an adaptation capacity analysis, and gain an understanding of local knowledge of a changing climate and of coping strategies. For practitioners who wish to begin working now at the community level to successfully adapt to the challenges that face us.
	344 Community Based Adaptation 4: Sustainable Implementation. November 8 – December 19. How do you launch and implement a community based adaptation/DRR project? The importance of community engagement and project co-management. Developing skill sets for your community to use in the adaptation process. Learning tools: monitoring & evaluation. Community empowerment during project hand-over. Sustainability, follow-up & mentoring

Elective Courses. Enroll in four of these elective courses.
After successful completion of the four prerequisite courses above, you will be invited to enroll in elective courses. Select four electives of your choice to tailor the diploma program to meet your needs and interests.

OL 303. Food Security, Nutrition, and Starting Home Gardens 1
OL 304. Food Security, Nutrition and Managing Home Gardens 2
OL 224. Participatory M&E
OL 345. Community Based Disaster Risk Assessment, Preparedness and Management
OL 346. Small Island Developing States and Climate Change
OL 326. Developing Livelihood Resilience in your CBA project.
OL 332. Water Conservation and Management in your CBA project.
OL 333. Improved, Integrated Agricultural Practices for your CBA project.
OL 334. Incorporating REDD+ and Forest Stewardship into your CBA project.
OL 202. Impact Analysis

Community Based Adaptation brings together those working in the fields of disaster risk reduction, community development, and climate change science. Community Based Adaptation draws on participatory approaches and methods developed in both disaster risk reduction and community development work. CBA needs to start with community expressed needs and perceptions, and have poverty reduction and livelihood benefits, as well as reducing vulnerability to climate change and disasters. In practice, CBA projects look very like ‘development as usual’ and it is difficult to distinguish the additional ‘adaptation components’.
IIED: PLA Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change.

Expanded information on elective courses.

Find out more about this Online Diploma Course.

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Learn how to develop a community centered, impact oriented project.