Fundamentals of Systems Thinking
Meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The liveability of our cities. Equitable social and financial institutions. They’re all complex challenges and they all require a different approach. These are challenges for change-makers who deeply understand complexity. Systems thinking gives us powerful ways to engage with messy situations.
In this introductory course, you will discover the fundamentals of system thinking by understanding how to recognise complexity. This will lay the foundation for discovering practical tools to improve the seemingly intractable problems of today.
About this course
Do you ever reflect on the challenges of today and imagine options for better futures? As we increasingly recognise the complexity of our world, the challenges we face require new approaches.
What we need are ways of thinking that can effectively work with complexity, such as systems thinking. Systems thinking gives us tools, approaches and skills to deal with messy, complex situations, both professional and personal. It opens pathways towards more sustainable futures.
In this introductory course, you’ll learn how complicated situations are vastly different from complex situations or projects. This will equip you to take the next steps to experiment with systems thinking tools in later modules where you’ll apply them to the messy situations faced by you, your organisation or your project.
The full course will help you understand the value of systems thinking when engaging with challenging real-world situations. You'll learn about the ways of thinking, sensing and being in the face of a complex world.
The course content represents 20 years’ collective UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) knowledge and expertise, which builds on the inspiration of a large number of systems thinkers. Our team of 70 researchers and 35 postgraduate students continue to innovate and apply systems thinking tools and approaches to improve real life complex situations.
The full course structure will deal with the following areas:
1. Reality is messy: What types of situations are we dealing with? (Part 1)
2. What is a complex system?
3. Strengthening our systems thinking
4. Worldviews and paradigms: looking deeply into ourselves and our societies
5. Apply systems thinking in your world
Cost: Free online
Dates: Anytime, takes 3-5 hours in total
Location: Online here https://open.uts.edu.au/systemsthinking.html
Registration: https://open.uts.edu.au/systemsthinking.html
Urban Resilience Asia Pacific Conference
Description: How can vulnerable neighbourhoods in fast-growing cities become more resilient to disasters and climate change? Join practitioners, researchers and decision-makers from all disciplines to explore the key themes of innovation, information, infrastructure and institutions in the context of an increasingly urbanised Asia Pacific.
Date: 7 – 8 November 2018
Location: Colombo Building, University of New South Wales, Kensington Campus, Sydney
Register: View registration information here.
ADDC Practitioner Interest Forum ‘Disability Inclusion: Sharing Stories of Change’
ADDC are holding a Practitioner Interest Forum to provide an opportunity to connect and learn from shared stories of what is working well to include people with disabilities in development work.
The morning will include case studies from TEAR Australia’s Photovoice study on inclusion of people with psychosocial disability in rural India and Nepal, and World Vision Australia’s economic development project reaching people with disabilities in Sri Lanka. During the facilitated small group discussion, all attendees are invited to share their own stories of disability inclusion in their work.
Date: 20 July 2018, 9am – 12.30pm
Location: Oxfam offices, 132-138 Leicester St, Carlton Victoria
Cost: $15 to cover event costs (please bring cash, receipts will be issued)
RSVP: Contact Lucy Hodson on [email protected] (please advise of accessibility or dietary requirements)
Master of Evaluation or Graduate Certificate in Evaluation.
Evaluate with confidence and make a meaningful difference with a qualification from Australia’s leading university. Taught by a team of leading academics and industry experts, the University of Melbourne’s Evaluation program is designed to suit busy professionals who have varying levels of experience with evaluation. While the course caters to a broad range of contexts, it also provides discipline specific expertise for international development specialists working across health, humanitarian aid and sustainability.
Whether you’re looking to forge a new career in evaluation or to build your leadership capacity in an existing international development role, the Master of Evaluation will enable you to influence change through your career.
Dates: January, April, July & October intake dates.
Location: Online delivery
Cost: Master of Evaluation $25,728. Graduate Certificate $12,864.
Registration details: Download a course guide here or call + 61 3 8344 0149 (AEST: Mon – Fri 8am-9pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm).
Using Systems Thinking to Design Your Collaboration - working with Complexity
At ACFID we believe that the SDGs can be transformational and as such we are focusing on:
- Thinking systemically
- Working collaboratively
- Reporting on impact, and
- Going beyond business as usual.
Collaboration for Impact is now offering a number of workshops this year on this topic. This can be complementary to the new ACFID Toolkit developed with Collaboration for Impact, CSIRO and ACFID members. ACFID believes that this workshop offering is very applicable to our members who are wanting support and ideas around programming with complexity, such as implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. This workshop is open to all sectors in Australia but is applicable to the international and domestic actors alike. You should attend this workshop if you are:
- Involved in, leading or thinking about initiating a collaborative response to a complex challenge
- Developing policy to better respond to complex challenges
- Funding collaborative change processes
- Playing a role enabling collaborations to develop their thinking and practice
- Evaluating the impact of collaborative change processes
Date: 3 Jul 9.30am - 4 July 5.00pm 2018
Location: Canbrra
Cost: Early bird $675 + GST, Full ticket $750 + GST
Registration: You can register for this event.
RedR Australia
RedR Australia are holding a number of courses throughout the year, including:
Active Armed Assailant Awareness Training:
Active Armed Assailant Attacks are on the rise and are occurring more frequently in both international and domestic contexts with greater numbers of casualties. This course will seek to address situational awareness which can assist in identifying possible indicators leading up to attacks. It will also explore options and techniques to survive an Active Armed Assailant Attack and detail what to expect and how to interact with First Responders on the scene. The course will examine both physiological responses and decision making processes, as well as the underlying physiological and cognitive responses of the individual and others likely to occur during and after an attack.
The course is run in partnership with trainers from RedR Australia, Real Response (Tactical First Aid) and the Mandala Foundation and is co-facilitated by Victoria Police Counter Terrorism Command.
Dates: 24 to 25 July 2018
Location: Mount Macedon Victoria
Registration: Register here
Essentials of Humanitarian Practice (EHP): The Essentials of Humanitarian Practice provides foundation knowledge for working within the modern humanitarian system and for responding to an international crisis that involves a global response. This course provides participants with an understanding of the complexity of the international relief system and the legal framework for humanitarian assistance. We introduce the characteristics of natural disasters and conflict-induced emergencies and the requirements for an effective humanitarian response, highlighting some of the dilemmas faced by humanitarians and aid workers. Participants will learn about the various United Nations agencies that respond to disasters and the roles these agencies play in coordinating responses for various sectors such as health, water and sanitation and logistics. They will discover how international non-government organisations work with these agencies to share information and data and to avoid duplication and ensure humanitarian aid reaches those who need it and doesn't cause harm. Attendees are given an opportunity to put the knowledge gained into practice and to explore the team skills required to work effectively in the field.
Dates:
07 Feb 2018 - 12 Feb 2018
18 Apr 2018 - 23 Apr 2018
05 Sep 2018 - 10 Sep 2018
07 Nov 2018 - 12 Nov 2018
Location: Face to Face, residential (Dookie, Victoria)
Registration and cost: https://www.redr.org.au/training/humanitarian-training/our-courses/essentials-of-humanitarian-practice/
Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT): Humanitarian workers are increasingly exposed to challenging, insecure, remote or hostile environments due to lawlessness, political instability and armed conflict, so there is a compelling need for them to be adequately prepared for any dangers they may encounter. Sexual harassment, interactions with aggressive armed combatants, day light robbery and traffic accidents are realistic threats for humanitarians and aid workers. All field workers should be adequately prepared for these events and be proficient in establishing and maintaining telecommunications, whether working in a safe or hostile situation. Conscious of the varying needs within the sector, RedR Australia seeks to address the concerns of a range of organisations and individuals and their insurance providers. These include relief, development, research and advocacy organizations, operational agencies and agencies that are not directly operational but provide support to community based organisations and locally based NGOs. RedR Australia's HEAT course includes integrated Tactical Casualty Emergency Care (TECC) training by Real Response. Real Response will cover the theory and practical emergency medical training management of ballistic, penetrating and blast injuries as well as a range of airway management, triage, bandaging and self-care skills. Commercial and improvised bandaging and application of tourniquets will be taught, to ensure students leave with the ability to apply these lifesaving interventions in nearly any environment with limited resources. Participants will receive a TECC Level 1 certificate issued through Real Response. The course content is recognised through Committee for Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (C-TECC).
Dates:
14 Feb 2018 - 18 Feb 2018
26 Apr 2018 - 30 Apr 2018
12 Sep 2018 - 16 Sep 2018
14 Nov 2018 - 18 Nov 2018
Location: Face to Face, residential (Dookie, Victoria)
Registration and cost: https://www.redr.org.au/training/humanitarian-training/our-courses/hostile-environment-awareness-training/
Water Sanitation and Hygiene in Emergencies (WASH): In any humanitarian crisis, communities need access to safe drinking water, adequate sanitation and hygiene. Water borne diseases are major killers in disasters and complex emergencies, where large populations are displaced and/or moving or where local water infrastructure has been destroyed by an earthquake, typhoon or bombing. Effective intervention can reduce the spread of disease, alleviate suffering and ultimately save lives. When local emergency response workers understand how to apply basic Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) strategies, more lives can be saved. This course introduces participants to the WASH sector in emergencies and the international SPHERE standards that apply as well as how the sector is impacted and supported by other sectors in an international emergency operation.
Dates: 06 Oct - 12 Oct 2018
Location: Face to Face, residential (Dookie, Victoria)
Registration and cost: https://www.redr.org.au/training/humanitarian-training/our-courses/water-sanitation-and-hygiene-in-emergencies/
Humanitarian Logistics in Emergencies (HLE): Logistics is at the heart of all emergency operations. It encompasses the movement of goods and equipment, the relocation of disaster-affected people, transfer of casualties and the movement of aid and relief workers and volunteers. Approximately 60 - 70% of funding in each emergency is spent on logistics, highlighting the need for effective and efficient systems. Providing humanitarian logistics training to local emergency response workers is an effective part of disaster preparedness planning. If you are looking to build a career in the humanitarian sector, logistics is an in-demand skill.
Dates: 21 Oct - 26 Oct 2018
Location: Face to Face, residential (Dookie Victoria)
Registration and cost: https://www.redr.org.au/training/humanitarian-training/our-courses/negotiation-for-humanitarian-responders/
Any questions? Need more info? Contact the RedR Australia Team:
+61 03 8341 2622
Women's Build 2018 in Nepal - Apply now!
Check out Habitat for Humanity's Women's Build 2018 in Nepal - featuring a keynote from Lily Thapa, who provided a real highlight of the ACFID National Conference in 2017.
The Humanitarian Financing landscape - realities and emerging trends for NGOs
Learn about the changing humanitarian financing landscape with the ICVA network. Watch the video here or the full recorded webinar here.
Careers in Aid Work
The Australian Red Cross' Careers in Aid Work (CAW) is an essential introduction for those seeking work in the humanitarian aid sector.
Discover how your skills and experience are relevant to the sector, where networking or development opportunities exist, and how to get your foot in the door. Our trainers will help you unpack the realities of finding employment, and explain how you can best present yourself to potential employers. For more information and upcoming course dates around Australia (Jan to Apr 2018), see here.
Introduction to Humanitarian Response
The Australian Red Cross' Introduction to Humanitarian Response (IHR) will give you a unique insight into how aid works in practice. Learn from Australian Red Cross professionals about how legal frameworks, minimum standards and coordinated programing all contribute toward alleviating suffering in times of disaster or crisis. For more information and upcoming course dates around Australia (Feb to May 2018), see here.
International Humanitarian Protection Training
Aid workers are responsible for protecting the safety, dignity and rights of those they assist, whether material, physical or psychosocial. Understanding the theory and practice of protections should be seen as essential for work in the humanitarian sector. International Humanitarian Protection Training (IHPT) will help build your understanding and skills in applying protection practices to your work. For more information and upcoming dates (May 2018), see here.
Capacity Development Across Cultures
Capacity Development Across Cultures (CDAC) delves into the theory and practice of cultural intelligence, teaching you how to approach a professional role overseas or within a culturally diverse environment in Australia. This course explores capacity building through cultural understanding, and combines theoretical approaches to inform real life scenarios. The practical nature of this training ensures you walk away confident in your ability to conduct your work in any cross-cultural context. For more information and upcoming dates (May 2018), see here.