Brief description:

During the last few years, a few new insights have been developed within the framework of International development efforts that also are relevant for those concerned about practice, policy, training, intervention, and action research benefiting children and young people. Some of the most promising are:

• Positive Deviance
  This concept refers to the phenomenon that even in the most dire and dismal situations there are people (the ‘positive deviants’) who, almost against all odds have found effective ways to cope with calamity and mishap, and, this is important, in culturally accepted and feasible ways, without external interference. Understanding and drawing on these occurrences are not only most promising but also emotionally rewarding.

• Antidotes to Violence
  Many situations are by their very nature incompatible with violence and as such should be considered as important and gratifying tools in combating violence against children and domestic violence.

• Epistemic community
  When people with serious interests in well-being and healthy development communicate with each other, share their experiences, and learn from each other (in a more or less structured manner), projects and programmes morph into sustainable movements informed and carried by large segments of the population. Establishing Epistemic communities is, therefore, a vital ingredient in moving the best interest centre-stage.

Duration: 1 to 3 days

Course content (non-exhaustive): See brief description

For: Child and youth-focused action-researchers, policy makers, programme developers.