Negotiating Coexistence courses focus on the social dimensions of conflicts in biodiversity, i.e. working with and resolving conflicts between individuals and groups of people. Typical contexts include conflicts over access to natural resources, protected and other conservation areas, wildlife, sustainable use and livelihoods. This training equips participants with a solid foundation in negotiation skills and insights into conflict resolution methods for a range of situations, from minor disputes to polarised and intractable conflicts.

 

In these courses participants learn how to deconstruct and analyse complex conflict situations, understand the behaviours of actors involved and become aware of patterns of escalation and how to prevent these. The courses are designed for professionals, government officers, decision-makers, project leaders, students and others in the biodiversity conservation, environment and development sectors who are working directly with, or supervising, efforts manage conflicts about wildlife, natural resources and protected areas.

 

The courses works through analysis, theory, worked examples and practice scenarios. The teaching uses a combination of presentations mixed with case studies, practice, and structured discussions. Simulations and analyses of cases, as well as discussion of the participants’ own experience provide direct application to the needs and experience of participants. By the end of the course, participants are able to:

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• ​Understand underlying causes of a given conflict and know how to identify hidden and underlying drivers

• Identify the level of conflict carry out a situation analysis, knowing symptoms and appropriate response approaches for different contexts

• Be able to design and conduct issue and stakeholder mapping to identify the positions, interests and relationships of the parties involved

• Use key skills in negotiation to manage, de-escalate and address disputes and tensions

• Know when to use third party impartial support and understand how mediation and dialogue processes work

• Know how to engage with communities effectively to build rapport, create co-ownership and enable sustainable collaborations

• Understand how people’s attitudes, behaviour, beliefs, and values are formed and shape interactions between groups of people

• Know how to develop a coexistence strategy or theory of change for project planning and monitoring that includes addressing or preventing conflict

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