Workshops for organisations who would like to prepare
people planning to work abroad in development cooperation
MOTIVATION
Why choose to work abroad?
There are a myriad of different motives which people may have for working abroad in development cooperation. They include wanting to help others, getting to know another culture, seeking adventure or gathering work experience.
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In order to avoid disappointment during your period of work abroad it may be useful to think in advance about whether your expectations are realistic and whether you have the right skills to make a meaningful contribution.
The seminar MOTIVATION should help you evaluate your own expectations and skills in relation to the possible requirements in the potential working place. This information should help you make a decision as to whether working abroad would be the right thing for you and then whether your focus should lie in helping or rather just in learning.
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CHALLENGES
Dealing with difficult situations while abroad
Many people are confronted with similar situations during their work experience abroad: it can happen that the tasks don’t relate to your expectations or that you face problems working together with your team. At the same time situations can come up in day-to-day life where you may not know what to do.
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In the workshop CHALLENGES potential situations are broached using role-play and constructive solutions are sought. The aim is to prepare for difficult scenarios you may face and to look for creative ways of handling them.
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REPORTING I
The effect of pictures and text
During holidays a lot of people take pictures and write about their experiences. Pictures and texts convey messages that we are often not aware of. These can either strengthen or weaken stereotypes about developing countries.
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In the workshop REPORTING clichéd pictures and texts are critically questioned and alternatives are developed.
The goal of the workshop is to understand that reports can have a strong impact and to learn about possibilities for reporting in a differentiated way.
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REPORTING II
During work placements abroad in development cooperation
During work placements abroad in developing countries reports are usually part of the daily routine. Despite good intentions these are often very clichéd and harm the dignity of the persons concerned.
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The workshop REPORTING is about analysing different case studies and developing alternatives. The participants will deal with clichéd images and get to know alternatives for reporting.
The aim of the workshop is to get to know different ways of reporting which realistically portray people’s lives in developing countries and which take into account diverse voices and perspectives.
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HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
Origin and strategies
People have always tried to to find a way to survive. However, It is a relatively new phenomenon in human history that rich countries want to fight poverty in other countries.
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The workshop HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION is about the origin of the idea of the worldwide fight against poverty and the strategies that were adopted over the course of decades.
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DEVELOPMENT
Who is in need of development?
Who is in need of “development”? Societies in which poverty prevails? Societies that endanger the planet with their wasteful way of life? Or both?
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The term “development” is controversial as it is based on the one-sided assumption that poor countries ought to develop, while wealthier countries are already developed.
Although there is less poverty in high-income countries they do not live up to their supposed role model function: Through their wasteful way of life they endanger the planet and they benefit more from “developing countries” than they help them.
The workshop DEVELOPMENT addresses different viewpoints on “development”.
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MEASURING DEVELOPMENT
How is a country’s development evaluated?
How is “development“ measured? Economic factors such as gross national income are used as standard indicators for the degree of development of a country.
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This approach is increasingly brought into question as it says little about well-being, justice and a sound environment. In the meantime the notion is being adopted more and more that development is a multifaceted phenomenon and also that dimensions such as education, life expectancy or inequality should be considered.
In the workshop MEASURING DEVELOPMENT the theme of what a person needs to develop will be explored. On this basis three different methods of measurement of development will be introduced.
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MEASURING POVERTY
Extreme and multidimensional poverty
Today still 9.6% of the world population live in extreme poverty. This means that they can no longer afford the necessary nourishment and the vital requisites of everyday life. The UN has set the goal to eradicate poverty and hunger worldwide by 2030.
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In the workshop POVERTY two of the most common methods for measuring poverty are introduced. According to the World Bank, extreme poverty is present when a person has to survive with less than 1.90 USD per day or 57 USD per month. The UN for its part has proposed to measure not only financial means but also different other dimensions of poverty such as health and education.
The aim of the workshop is to understand the most common methods for measuring poverty.
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