Learning about learning in the disaster risk reduction sector Advances in research, methodologies, CECHR collaborations and impact Jennifer Rao-Williams
j.s williams@dundee.ac.uk
Learning about learning in the disaster risk reduction sector
Research Aims:
1. What are the tools and processes people use for developing and sharing their learning in the DRR sector 2. How we can design learning opportunities to best achieve DRR efforts
Disaster Risk Reduction focuses on: “reducing exposure to hazards, lessening vulnerability of people and property, wise management of land and the environment, and improving preparedness and early warning for adverse events� (UNISDR, 2016). In a nutshell, the sector includes individuals involved in planning, preparing and responding to crisis, but it is an ever evolving practice.
DRR Historically
DRR Contemporary
DRR Historically
DRR Contemporary
Includes: • Community and voluntary sector • Private sector
• Public sector • Householders and communities
Learning landscape of DRR is constantly under change Third Sector • Increasing welfare demands • Increasing support role for public sector • Stronger role in devolved policies • Increasingly fewer resources yet • Growing user base and need
Private sector • Increasing public pressure (infrastructure) • Statutory obligations met with • vulnerable infrastructure • Growing client base and need • Increasing requirement from other sectors to engage
Householders and community members • Increasing welfare restrictions for the poorest / most vulnerable in communities • Less public sector support • Growing levels of triple disadvantage yet • Increasing awareness that the efforts and • resources of householders are required
Public Sector • Increasing demands • Restructure of two major public (pivotal cat1) • Decreasing finances • Growing awareness of uncertainty • Policies which are increasingly localised and attempt to • reorganise capacities / responsibilities (Engagement Bill, Christie Commission)
Why focus on learning?
As the awareness that we inhabit a world which we cannot predict nor fully understand increases so does the consensus that we need to develop new ways of thinking for a new climate. Learning is at the crux of DRR efforts.
Why focus on process? As a result of this increasing awareness, new ways of learning in environments of complexity are emerging at across different scales (from householder to policy maker). There is however little evidence to understand what learning processes exist which underlie these new environments, but this is important to understand, because different kinds of processes can lead to different kinds of change, i.e. transformative or incremental change.
Household and community
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Third sector
Public sector
Who is learning? What is being learnt? Why is learning occurring? How is learning occurring? How do certain processes contribute to transformational change?
Private sector
Scottish Borders Climate Resilient Communities
The project will work in three communities which aims to help the Council and local communities learn together about the challenges of addressing climate disadvantage and how resilience can be enhanced. • Exploring climate disadvantage • Exploring diverse and complex factors that affect vulnerability • Develop understanding of how new pathways towards new and different futures can be realised • Help identify and lead to implementation of concrete actions • Examine critical policies that hinder or encourage change and resilience
w4 w3 w2 w1
The learning journey framework tracks the learning which occurs throughout each phase of the project so not just through the workshops
Scottish Borders Climate Resilient Communities • • • •
Cross community learning Reconciling different stakeholder groups Chance to build on existing initiatives Cross agency learning
“I think it was understanding the wider elements because my job is predominantly focused on flooding therefore I don’t get involved in things like emissions and water scarcity to me is not something that I deal with at all so its sort of widening that outlook and trying to get that wider picture and tying up all the different links.”
“I think really from an estate point of view I was just quite interested to listen and learn actually. I saw it as an opportunity to see what the issues potentially were that people might be able to help with, but mainly if there were opportunities to work with as a party to try and achieve the aims of the communities that might be benefitting the estate, whether that’s financial or not.”
From across all these collaborations, this research is better able to understand the learning processes of DRR efforts broadly, and how these link to different kinds of change, but it also allows us to take a much more closer analysis as to what the contribution of projects like the Scottish Borders Resilient Communities has for learners across different scales and wider DRR efforts.
Thank you