Learning to Live Together: Using Distance Education for Community Peacebuilding

This book from the Commonwealth of Learning includes a range of community peacebuilding experiences from across the Commonwealth that have been applying open and distance learning (ODL) approaches. The case studies are organised to provide insights into the challenges as well as the kinds of interventions that have worked and how they can be built upon. They are intended to demonstrate that ODL can be an effective and efficient way to involve many of the people most affected by conflict in being part of its prevention, mitigation, and resolution.

In 2005, Commonwealth Heads of Government affirmed the importance of countering violence and conflict through the promotion of respect and tolerance among people of different cultures, religions, and races and focused on community-level or neighbourhood initiatives, particularly dialogue facilitated by those with knowledge of mediation and negotiation, media - like community radio - that is accessible and focused on mitigating conflict, and youth involvement. ODL for non-formal education includes the use of community radio, self-learning text, DVDs, the internet, and other mobile technology. In order to examine Commonwealth community peacebuilding experiences that have been applying ODL approaches, the book:

• explores peacebuilding definitions and approaches that include civil society;
  
• provides an overview of what ODL looks like - in both formal and non-formal education - and illustrates how it is suited to peacebuilding work in communities;
  
• provides insights into post-conflict communities and countries in Africa, including experiences of empowering young people, women, and others;
  
• offers experiences from Asia on how ancient cultural practices can be used to generate change on the one hand, but how they can also keep women marginalised in some circumstances;
  
• focuses on the experience of a First Nations community in Canada where the opportunity for e-learning for community members was instrumental in changing the negative patterns of behaviour in the community and facilitated positive change for young people; and
  
• focuses on experiences in the Pacific, including women-operated radio stations, empowering youth to develop ODL materials for e-learning, and using ODL approaches for drama to teach learners about alternative conflict resolution approaches.

Some brief communication-related examples include:

1. Bush Radio, South Africa, a multi-lingual station, was established to ensure that "communities who [were] denied access to resources [can now] take part in producing ethical, creative and responsible radio that encourages them to communicate with each other, to take part in decisions that affect their lives, and to celebrate their own cultures." Its "Township Heroes" programme is a "socially responsible strategy" to not only address incidents of crime but also discuss the "underlying causes" that lead young people into criminal activity. "Community Law", "Taxi Talk" - which initiated dialogue between 'taxi gangs', hosted public debate, and worked for collaboration and peace within this group, and "Prison Radio" are further programmatic examples.
   
2. People First Network (PFnet), Soloman Islands, focuses on the promotion and facilitation of "equitable and sustainable rural development and peacebuilding", providing basic email services and FM radio that is affordable and accessible to low-income users.
   
3. "Alternative Living Theatre, Bangladesh, uses folk drama and reviving the traditional "Pot Songs", which are focused on peace, harmony, prosperity, and development, and engage local people... in promoting human rights with a focus on reducing violence against women, (including domestic violence), reducing the trafficking of women and children, leadership development, building women’s organisations, civic awareness and voter education, and democracy and governance."
   
4. "The Peace Foundation Melanesia (PFM) has trained hundreds of village leaders to act as facilitators, mediators, and negotiators of conflicts at the community level. A key component of this foundation is the "Healing of Memories" seminar, which includes locally-based workshops that explore indigenous approaches to conflict resolution and examine peacebuilding themes such as restorative justice.... Additional programmes of PFM are the Peace and Good Order Committees. These are often utilised to supplement local judicial and police institutions, which face issues of capacity, legitimacy, and effectiveness."

"The book points to the still preliminary but innovative use of ODL approaches in transforming structural conflicts at the community level."

1. The development of a "neutral, shared learning space" in the Yekooche First Nation community in Canada "provides individual community members with a space inside of the community where they can learn, ensure a community vision, promote cultural values, sustain current support systems, and maintain a sense of place and ties to the community."
   
2. In Jamaica, the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) provided peacebuilding messages through dancehall and reggae culture in communities and schools; ROOTS FM radio station facilitated the Mek We Talk cross community network, which "encourages ordinary citizens to talk to each other about their experiences, sharing their pain and finding their common heart."
   
3. In Trinidad and Tobago, the Toco Foundation connects rural communities and focuses on promoting communal values and cohesive living through: agro-tourism; a "Young Farmers' Project"; community radio (Radio Toco 106.7 FM); a wildlife conservation programme; a computer training; distance learning and multimedia centre; and a social service delivery unit.

The authors argue for increased assistance and expansion of infrastructure for ODL. The book concludes with lessons learned from the case studies:

• Projects must: be designed through a collaborative approach with the community and take community needs into account; focus on building expert capacity (training local people to become the trainers); have a strong and sound knowledge base in order to be effective and constructive for the community; and be based on a proactive approach, meaning that they anticipate the importance of an issue and can therefore identify future opportunities.
  
• Projects need to ensure confidentiality and build trust. Building trust between opposing factions necessitates a commitment to high standards and accountability.
  
• Drama and storytelling can be powerful tools to bring people together and to distance emotions from difficult, sometimes painful, situations.
  
• In order to be effective, projects need to be sustainable, flexible, and holistic.
  
• Projects should focus on the engagement of young people and women, often under-represented in formal peace negotiations, and ensure that they are key facilitators and participants.