2.1. Participatory Learning and Action Methods

bring them into the consensus but insiders and outsiders; so how an outsider can actually come and interact with the insider because one has to build a trust and that is where local authorities, local agencies, whether it is a church, whether it is a municipal authority, how they play an a vital role in bringing an interaction between an insider and outsider. (Refer Slide Time: 28:50)

This chunk emphasizes the importance of building trust between community members (insiders) and external agents (outsiders). Trust is essential for effective collaboration. Local authorities and agencies, including religious institutions or municipal bodies, can facilitate this connection. Their familiar presence can help outsiders gain acceptance within the community. Trust-building is a crucial first step in participatory learning and action methods.

Imagine a new student in a class who feels nervous about making friends. The teacher, serving as a trusted figure, introduces the student to others, helping to break the ice. Similarly, local authorities act as 'teachers' for outsiders, guiding them on how to interact with the community.

So, how to facilitate the CBDRM; the entry points, an international NGO when they try to approach the community, it was very difficult to work with the community because both are from different cultures and different power setups and different targets and different expectations. (Refer Slide Time: 29:13)

Facilitating CBDRM involves understanding the community's unique cultural and power dynamics. When NGOs engage with communities, they often encounter differing expectations and cultural practices, which can create barriers. Recognizing these differences and establishing mutual goals is crucial for effective collaboration and action planning.

Think of two groups trying to organize a community event. One group may want a festival, while the other prefers a sports competition. Without understanding each other’s expectations and cultures, they may struggle to work together. It's essential for them to find common ground to move forward.

So, creating an entry point, this is whereas I said to you, the entry; the local authorities have to play an important role, how one can able to build bridge partnerships between these and the agencies which are coming to help them and which the beneficiaries who are going to work with them... (Refer Slide Time: 29:13)

Local authorities serve as critical intermediaries who can help in establishing relationships between external agencies and community members. Their knowledge of local dynamics allows them to facilitate partnerships effectively. This step is crucial to ensure that the aid provided is relevant and tailored to the community's needs.

Imagine a bridge connecting two islands, where one island represents the aid agencies and the other represents the community. The local authorities act as engineers, building that bridge to ensure safe and effective passage.

One is the spatial, which is talking about the mapping and modelling, this is very useful in risk and vulnerability assessment, it can be used to identify hazards and dangerous locations, what community already know about this. You know, the identified areas affected by erosion, loss of vegetation or pest infestation and identify vulnerable groups and capacities and assets within the community. (Refer Slide Time: 30:11)

Spatial analysis involves mapping and modeling to assess risks and vulnerabilities within a community. This method allows participants to visualize hazards and identify areas that are particularly vulnerable to environmental threats. By leveraging local knowledge, communities can better understand their risks and the capacities they possess.

Consider creating a treasure map where landmarks represent resources and threats in a community. This 'map' helps community members to visualize where to focus their efforts in reducing risks.

The second aspect is a nominal which is the collecting, naming or listing, it can collect information about communities and their environment like for instance, we are talking about who are the beneficiaries, who are the what kind of crops they have lost, how much... (Refer Slide Time: 31:25)

Nominal methods refer to gathering and categorizing information from community members. This can include listing beneficiaries, documenting lost crops, and establishing coping strategies used during crises. Such structured data collection helps in understanding community needs and assessing the impact of past events.

Think about making a class list of favorite fruits to identify popular options. By knowing who likes what, it becomes easier to plan a fruit party that everyone enjoys, similar to how communities identify their needs and preferences for disaster planning.

The temporal; so putting all these events in a sequence, whether it is through personal and ecological histories, disaster timelines, disaster visualization... (Refer Slide Time: 31:25)

Temporal methods involve organizing events chronologically to examine how vulnerabilities change over time. This can be achieved through disaster timelines and seasonal calendars, which reveal patterns and highlight past mistakes. Understanding the history of vulnerabilities allows communities to prepare more effectively for future challenges.

Consider tracing the timeline of a sports tournament. Each season’s performance builds on past experiences, and similar to a community, recognizing previous challenges and successes can enhance preparation for future events.

Ordinal; when we say ordinal, sorting and comparing and ranking because this is where we can identify the most vulnerable individuals and households. (Refer Slide Time: 32:19)

Ordinal methods focus on ranking people or situations based on their vulnerability. This can help prioritize where resources and support should be allocated. By identifying the most vulnerable groups, communities can ensure that assistance is directed where it is needed most.

Imagine a lifeguard at a beach deciding who to rescue first based on how urgent the situation is. By ranking needs, resources can be used effectively to save the greatest number of lives.

Numerical, which is talking on most of the economic aspect of it; counting, estimating, comparing and scoring and methods of this kind could be used in assessing disaster losses... (Refer Slide Time: 32:42)

Numerical methods involve quantifying losses due to disasters. This includes counting damages to infrastructure and livelihoods. By converting losses into numbers, communities and agencies can more easily understand the impact and plan appropriate responses.

It’s like a family calculating their monthly budget. By counting income and expenses, they can understand how much they can save. Similarly, communities need to tally losses to determine the resources required for recovery.

Relational; this is often related to how we link and how we relate, how different facilitators understand that how different parts of the community relate to one another and how they identify the power structures... (Refer Slide Time: 33:25)

Relational methods focus on understanding how different elements of a community interact and how power dynamics influence these relationships. Identifying these connections can help in recognizing the underlying causes of vulnerabilities and disparities within the community.

Think of a family tree that shows how relatives are interconnected. Understanding these ties helps to appreciate each member's role in the family, just as understanding community relations helps to address issues effectively.

In fact, the one of the important challenges how to integrate the CBRDRM with official development planning; this is a good case which they have given about Bhandari and Malakar... (Refer Slide Time: 35:21)

Integrating CBDRM (Community-Based Disaster Risk Management) with formal planning involves collaboration between disaster management and local government entities. This ensures that community-level insights influence larger development plans, thus enhancing resilience.

Consider a community garden that requires both volunteer labor and support from the city for water supply. To thrive, both community efforts and municipal resources need to harmonize, just as CBDRM requires collaboration with official planning.

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