Reflective Playful Learning Program: "Playing We Learn to Prevent" through the Riskland Game in education centres and communities

Summary

Disaster risks are increasing in the communities of our provinces, mainly as a result of the increasing exposure of people to extreme natural phenomena and the human intervention on various natural environments that exist in our communities.

Disasters affect schools that are vulnerable and located in risk areas, and experience has shown us that they are not prepared for emergencies. Events show us that we continue to have children in unsafe schools and it is a priority of the government to develop actions aimed at reducing risk. For this reason, CEPREMID works in a comprehensive manner with children and adolescents in risk reduction.

We carry out reflective leisure activities, divided into a theoretical and a practical stage (playful), and focused on risk reduction management in everything related to disasters: health, environmental promotion and awareness, preservation and conservation of natural resources.

The activities were financed by CEPREMID, with the support of the regional organisations in some aspects and the volunteers of the Civil Defence of the province where the activities were carried out.

The duration depends on the school calendar and lasts up to 2 months in a province.

Process

This was an integral task in which all participated in every activity: MINERD risk management technicians, the teachers and the Civil Defence volunteers, who provided their experience and knowledge of the local actors. The local government accepted the findings and all informed authorities were in full agreement and satisfied with the results. Formal meetings were organised with the main actors: Regional Department for Education, from its management level to its technical level and the local Civil Defence. The MINERD Risk Management Technicians were coordinated with the directors of the different centres involved. The technical staff and management of CEPREMID joined the regional risk management technicians.

One of the relevant characteristics is the fact that the education centres were chosen by the risk management technicians of the regional offices and the Civil Defence of the provinces. Since they were located in risk areas and this represented a high vulnerability, all the activities were inclusive.

The vulnerability and risk conditions of the communities were studied, as well as the knowledge of historical registered records and the information and experiences of local events narrated in the Civil Defence, which was the responsibility of MINERD Risk Management Technicians.

Impact

These practices are now continued on a regular basis. The technical risk management personnel of MINERD, teachers, counsellors, coordinators, psychologists, Civil Defence volunteers, and School Police were used in the learning process, and other contributions included the use of transport from local institutions, including both Civil Defence and MINERD. The project continues in the schools.

In a positive way, the response to events that occurred where the program took place has been satisfactory, according to the local authorities.

Other

Since the beginning of the program in 2010 until now, approximately 500 activities have been carried out in around 800 education centres and community institutions of the provinces of Dajabon, San José de Ocoa, Nagua, Samaná, La Vega, Espaillat, Santo Domingo Province and the National District.

Summary

Process

Tell us about the extent to which the CBDRM intervention was ‘owned’ by the community. Were local skills and knowledge used? What was the role of the local government? How were the CBDRM activities coordinated? By whom?

To what extent were the most marginalised and at-risk groups included in the CBDRM process? Focus on women, children and youth, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. Are there any other marginalised groups in your society who were included in the CBDRM activities?

Were the CBDRM activities adjusted in any way to account for changing priorities and/or contexts in the community? If so, how? Think about mechanisms to monitor changes and learn from the activities, and who this monitoring and learning is coordinated by.

Impact

Please reflect on how well the initiative has been able to continue beyond the end of the programme. To what extent were local resources used for the CBDRM activities? How long since programme completion have the CBDRM practices continued?

Please describe how lives have changed since the CBDRM project. Think about different people’s levels of resilience and vulnerability.

Other

Please provide us with any other information you think will highlight the sustainability of your particular CBDRM project. Feel free to add relevant pictures, photos, graphs or anything else that may highlight the sustainability of your project.