As many development practitioners will attest, we’re living through turbulent times. Faced with growing political unrest, dwindling budgets, and a general sense of burnout, development work can feel like an uphill battle at times.
To tackle this problem, Natalie Cunningham, Senior Lecturer at GDI, is launching a new Flexible Learning Pilot titled “Developing Resilience in Turbulent Times”. Designed for busy lifelong learners (i.e., working practitioners keen to develop their skills), the course will be available online and allow participants to work through material in their own time. By the end of the course, learners will be equipped to better manage their own resilience, develop stronger professional relationships that can withstand intense pressure, and appreciate some of the systemic issues impacting individual and organisational resilience.
The programme will be offered free of charge to pilot participants. All we ask is that you provide feedback on your experiences, participate in evaluative focus groups, and help us make the programme as effective and valuable as possible for future learners!
Am I eligible?
We’re currently recruiting development practitioners from across the world to take part. The course will operate at a postgraduate (i.e., master’s) level, so we would generally expect participants to have a first degree. However, the course will also suit experienced professionals with over seven years’ worth of experience in the development sector.
We would naturally require buy-in from organisational leaders or managers before enrolling a new student on the course. So, if you’re interested in getting involved, do raise the opportunity with a relevant colleague.
What will the course include?
The course will include three units:
- Managing my own resilience: This unit will include practical advice about developing individual resilience, including health and wellbeing tips. It will also go into some of the biology and neuroscience underpinning such advice, as well as the psychosocial aspects of resilience.
- Being resilient with others (social resilience): This unit focuses on interpersonal dynamics, including how to manage tensions, have difficult conversations, and manage conflict. As well as providing knowledge about how interpersonal stress affects our resilience, the unit will offer practical tools and techniques for developing resilience in social spaces.
- Using resilience skills within and across organisations: Finally, this unit will broaden the content to include systemic issues such as power, politics, and organisational culture. We will explore theories surrounding organisational resilience and look at how leaders can boost resilience within their teams.
How much time will I need to commit to the course?
There are no timetabled lessons, as you’ll work through the content in your own time. The programme will consist of three units, with two months to complete each unit. A unit will require around 50 hours of engagement (or six to seven hours per week).
Get in touch to get involved
Feeling inspired to boost your resilience and try something new? Get in touch with Natalie (natalie.cunningham-3@manchester.ac.uk) to discuss next steps or fill out an expression of interest form. We will organise an initial discussion about your involvement, with no obligations attached.
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