Livelihoods Connect - About the Livelihoods Network

The Livelihoods Network promotes collaboration, knowledge sharing and advocacy around livelihoods approaches

The Livelihoods Network does this through convening
face-to-face networking events, advocacy on a forward looking agenda for livelihoods approaches, signposting opportunities where closer collaboration between organisations can increase impact and facilitation of peer to peer support. Recent collaboration between participating organisations has included document sharing, conferences, joint publications, training opportunities, staff secondments and cost sharing. As facilitator of the network, Livelihoods Connect is keen to hear from like minded organisations who can deepen and expand collaboration and knowledge sharing. The network aims to include a mix of practitioner, policy and research organisations from north and south.

Collaborative Working Groups

Advocacy

Based on the wide ranging experience of its members, the Livelihoods Network actively reflects on livelihoods practice and approaches and seeks to keep the livelihoods agenda relevant and progressive. Through its interactions with peer organisations, civil society and governments the Networks finds opportunities to advocate this forward looking agenda and strengthen relationships.

Knowledge Sharing

The Livelihoods Network supports better sharing of knowledge around livelihoods approaches by convening face-to-face networking events (e.g. cross agency practitioners retreat, north-south policy forum), through collaborative working groups, and by disseminating good practices to an international audience. The Livelihoods Connect website is used to promote the Network and support access to its shared knowledge.

Collaboration

The Livelihoods Network aims to broaden and extend collaboration between organisations where this can increase impact. Many members of the Livelihoods Network have been collaborating since 1998. Collaboration partly began within the former Sustainable Livelihoods Resource Group convened by DFID. Over time collaboration has grown beyond that group and most recently came together at the Where Next for Sustainable Livelihoods conference organised by the Bradford Centre for International Development and Livelihoods Connect. Examples of collaboration include:

Policy Research Programme synthesis (ODI, IDS, Khanya, UEA, Leeds)
Migration Hot Topic (Migration DRC)
Newsletter on Gender and Livelihoods (Khanya MRC)
Audio resources (NRI)
Chinese language resources (CIAD)
SL Forum (IFAD)
SL Guidance Sheets (ODI/IDL/DFID)
PIP resources (UEA, ODI)
SL Consultants Seminars (CIDT/DFID)
LC project strategy (ODI, Oxfam, CARE, FAO, IDL, DFID, IDS)
CD ROM on People Centred and SL Training Resources (FAO, forthcoming)
Secondment of livelihoods adviser (DFID)
Distance Learning Guide (CDPR Wye College)
Urban Rural Change Hot Topic (DFID)

Contact

Please contact the Livelihoods Connect Team with your suggestions for participation in the Livelihoods Network at: livelihoods-connect@ids.ac.uk

Organisations

Organisations forming the Livelihoods Network, including examples of collaboration in sharing knowledge of livelihoods approaches with the international community, are:

Bradford Center for International Development - Co-organiser of Where Next for Sustainable Livelihoods conference; Sharing Documents. More information see BCID profile

CARE - Stakeholder for strategic vision for Livelihoods Connect; Documents. More information see CARE profile

Center for Development & Poverty Reduction Wye College - Sharing Documents; Enquiry Desk Support; Distance Learning content. More information see CDPR Wye College profile

Centre for Integrated Agricultural Development - Chinese language translations of SL Guidance Sheets and SL Framework; Case Studies (Centre for Integrated Agricultural Development, China Agricultural University, Beijing). More information see CIAD website

Center for International Development & Training - Seminars for SLA consultants in UK; Training materials. More information see CIDT website

DFID - Project funding; Stakeholder for strategic vision for Livelihoods Connect; Staff secondment;Sharing Documents; Video; Training opportunities. More information see DFID profile

FAO Livelihoods Support Programme - Stakeholder for strategic vision for Livelihoods Connect; Joint production of Training Matrix on People Centred & Sustainable Livelihoods Approaches CD ROM (forthcoming). More information see FAO profile

IDL Group - Stakeholder for strategic vision for Livelihoods Connect; Sharing Documents; Presentations; Tools; Enquiry Desk support. More information see IDL Group profile

Institute of Development Studies - Stakeholder for strategic vision for Livelihoods Connect; Sharing Documents; Synthesis of Policy Research Programme outputs; Tools; Enquiry Desk support; Host institution for project. More information see IDS profile

IFAD - Stakeholder for strategic vision for Livelihoods Connect; Involvement in IFAD SL Forum; Training opportunities; Sharing Documents. More information see IFAD profile

Khanya MRC - Co-editing gender and livelihoods issue of Sustainable Livelihoods in Southern Africa Newsletter; Synthesis of Policy Research Programme outputs; Sharing Documents; Enquiry Desk support. More information see Khanya MRC profile

Migration Development Research Centre - Sharing Documents; Editorial Advice; News Items. More information see Migration DRC website

Natural Resources Institute - In the Field and Making Ends Meet online radio resources; Enquiry Desk support. More information see NRI website

Overseas Development Institute - Stakeholder for strategic vision for Livelihoods Connect; Editorial advice; FAQ content; Guidance Sheets; Sharing Documents, Synthesis of Policy Research Programme outputs; PIP content; Migration Hot Topic Content. More information see ODI Profile

Oxfam - Sharing Documents; Tools; Stakeholder for strategic vision for Livelihoods Connect. More information see Oxfam profile

Overseas Development Group UEA - Sharing Documents, PIP content, Stakeholder for strategic vision for Livelihoods Connect; Enquiry Desk support; Synthesis of Policy Research Programme outputs. More information see ODG UEA profile