principles, pedagogy
CREA has been conducting institutes and trainings since 2002. We have learned, adapted, discontinued, and re-imagined many of them based on the shifting needs of feminist movements. Some of the principals that have stayed consistent throughout our approaches to capacity building and institutes include:
Learning from the roots up
CREA does not shy away from the fundamentals of feminist theory. CREA’s Institutes attempt to build the theoretical understanding and analytical capacity to have a deeper awareness of the roots of social injustice and exclusion, and from there, to develop more effective and informed strategies for change.
Aiming for the second line of leadership
From its conception, CREA institutes placed an emphasis on the ‘second line of leadership’ by targeting the practitioners and activists that plan and implement programs. This is both a means of ensuring that feminist analysis can be absorbed throughout organisations, and also to help address the much needed issue of power within groups, as second line workers often have fewer opportunities to attend such courses compared to heads of organizations.
Plural and diverse faculty voices
CREA aims to connect participants to high quality international and national faculty, including the leading thinkers and activists in each field.
Global to local focus
Our primary audience will always be global south activists, and to connect local struggles, this also means broadening horizons by connecting activists to global feminist discourses and struggles.
Movement Building
The institutes attempt to expose participants to some of the more cutting-edge examples of social change practice. Given the increased “NGO-ization” and “projectization” of social change practice, we attempt to bring back a focus on building the collective power of oppressed people to construct and pursue their own agendas of change – hence the focus on movements and movement building.
Building a reading habit
We trust that participants have the capacity to read and absorb academic and theoretical writing.
Linking theory and practice
We emphasize the importance of informed action – to build conceptual clarity before strategizing in specific contexts or work areas.
Learn with the head, the heart and the gut
We believe in multiple modes of learning – including through the powerful medium of film.
Continuous change
We welcome opportunities for continuous participant feedback so that our institutes can grow stronger.