The Institute for Sustainable Development.

The ISD, a training institute for participatory development, will provide training services targeted towards the various stakeholders in community development, including community members, government officials (including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), oil company employees, other CBOs and NGOs and students. Our aim is for the ISD to be a centre of excellence for research and training in participation; around which a network of rural, community owned and managed training/resource centres or 'living universities', will function.

Current curriculum has been developed from PNI Nigeria's Community Foundation model successfully pioneered in Akassa, (Bayelsa State) and successfully adapted in Akwa Ibom and Rivers States. This model has proven to be workable, successful and also highly popular within participating communities. These foundations, are also ideally placed to 'train' other communities in the processes they have undergone to achieve that successful status. To assist in multiplying knowledge, skills and commitment to participatory community development, the ISD intends to engage these Community Development Foundations as "living universities" where possible to deliver experiential based capacity building required by communities and other stakeholders throughout the delta and beyond.

The Institute for Sustainable Development takes the processes and lessons learned 'in the field', and develops training programmes designed to promote, facilitate and strengthen participatory community development. It promotes behaviour and practices that are accountable, democratic, and equitable.

Central to the ISD are the 'living universities'.

These 'village classrooms' demonstrate successful participatory development and effective self governance being fostered in Akassa Kingdom, Obobo-Nkoro and Eastern Obolo. The 'living universities' use the village as a classroom and the villagers as trainers of people from other communities who want to learn how to help themselves. However the ISD is not only targeting other communities; training will cover the vast field of sustainable participatory development theories, practices and methodologies for:

• Community members
• Community Based Organisations, NGOs, other associations and churches;
• The oil industry and other private sector industries;
• Donor agencies;
• Local, State and Federal Government legislators and extension staff; and,
• University students, graduates and researchers

In 2005, the ISD established the 'living university' of Akassa together with the Akassa Community Development Foundation. Introductory courses in Participatory Community Development (involving 3 days in Akassa) have been conducted for community members from the 32 Local Government Areas in Bayelsa state. In this course, facilitators drawn from the community, explain what they have achieved and how.

In 2006, the ISD developed a second 'living university' located in the Eastern Obolo local government area in Akwa Ibom State.

The ISD is central to the continued success and expansion of the PNI's Coastal Development Initiative: a multi stakeholder supported, multi agency implemented project aiming to expand participatory community development though the most remote and marginalised communities along the Nigeria Coast, creating a "corridor of peace"

Click to view recent Progress Reports.