Event: Community Based Economic Development (CBED) Strategies: Learning and Sharing Seminar

Open Learning and Sharing Seminar looking at Community Based Economic Development strategies, to be held the 1 December, 9:30 am till 12:30am in Port Elizabeth.

The Seminar is presented through the partners in the Thina Sinako supported Community Based Economic Development project, that has been implemented in the Baviaans and Ikwezi Municipalities in the Cacadu District. 

The Seminar is intended as a forum to share lessons and strategies relating to enabling Community Based Economic Development that have emerged from the experiences of the CBED project, and for all stakeholders engaged in promoting and supporting Pro-Poor Community Based Economic Development to share ideas.

At present the format of the seminar will include presentations from the Baviaans and Ikwezi municipalities, as well as from Khanya as the project facilitators, with ample opportunity for questions and discussions. The presentations will focus on the processes and tools, rather than specific content relating to the area. In addition, any institution wishing to share related learning’s through making a presentation is welcome to contact us.

Some of the key lessons and ideas for reflection that will be expanded on at the Seminar include:

• General community based planning (CBP – as used in many IDP processes) does not necessarily lead to community based economic development.  A different strategy and approach is needed when the outcome is stimulating the emergence of local businesses, rather than, for example, identifying the need for schools or clinics. This has a range of implications, for example looking at how planning for IDP’s is carried out within the expectation of creating CBED initiatives.

• Community based planning without medium to long term, regular, localized coaching support for the projects and businesses that emerge from these processes is ineffective.  A vital part of planning is therefore to ensure that there is capacity institutionally for ongoing, regular on the ground coaching support once the planning is complete, and implementation begins. Without this implementation support, the planning process can create expectations that are unlikely to be met, disempowering the communities that were involved and building increased resistance to and resentment of planning processes and the institutions involved.

• The institutional structures for coordinating and supporting LED and CBED are varied, and a one-size fits all LED forum approach is not necessarily effective or realistic. A combination of options, structures and processes can create far more cooperation, by-in and results.

• Conventional SMME support systems and services most often are not working for community based businesses, or in communities with a mindset of dependency. The SMME systems need to constructively work with creating successful business people, as much as creating successful businesses. 

Any person who would like to attend is welcome. Those who should find value in the seminar include:

• Appropriate staff and representatives in municipal structures.
• NGOs and CBOs engaged in community economic development planning or support.
• District, Provincial or National State institutions engaged in community based economic development initiatives.