The purpose of this skills program is to enable the learner to operate as a Dam Siltation Network and Partnership Coordinator. A Dam Siltation Network and Partnership Coordinator establish and manage existing dam siltation network communications and initiatives and facilitate further networks and partnerships for the adoption of good land use practices at a catchment level in accordance with relevant legislative and policy frameworks.
A qualified learner will know and be able to:
- Establish, monitor, evaluate and report on existing dam siltation network communications and initiatives for dam siltation management
- Facilitate the further establishment and coordination of networks and foster partnerships in pursuit of effective dam siltation management and adoption of good land use practices at a catchment level.
- Integrate and align stakeholder initiatives and processes within a designated area of responsibility and aligned to relevant legislative and policy frameworks as well as management and implementation plans
Minimum entry requirements: NQF level 3 with 3 years’ experience in community development and/or stakeholder engagement. The typical learners will be those currently employed with experience in integrated water resource management, stakeholder engagement, community development and local economic development.
Rational for this skills programm
Global and local experience highlights the need to establish effective participatory governance institutions if land restoration investment in degraded catchments is to be sustainable in the long term. This entails establishing and maintaining networks that bring together and coordinate the activity of policy makers, policy enactors and land users in order to foster good practices that can reduce dam siltation.
Network and partnership development, as embodied by the National Siltation Management Strategy, includes the need for the development of a seamless and integrated approach to coordination, networking and partnership/stakeholder building that is driven by the NatSilt strategy for Water Management Areas. This is achieved by managing the processes of mobilising people within the diverse communities throughout the nation and ensuring that mobilisation is adequately focused on the key objectives of the Dam Siltation Management Plan. There is currently a shortage of the key and scarce skills required to do this important work. Where work is being done it is conducted by those who have mainly learnt through workplace experience or who have academic qualifications but lack the practical application and hands on practice. Therefore, this particular skills programme focuses specifically on the need to coordinate stakeholder networks and facilitate interaction relevant to dam siltation management and adoption of good land use practices at a catchment level. The Skills Programme: Dam Siltation Network and Partnership Coordinator has been designed to meet the needs and interests of the public and private sector relating to networking and partnership/stakeholder building and will provide the means through which this level of leadership can be built. This include creating (1) a cohesiveness to a group of stakeholders that consist of a vast pool of positions such as managers, decision makers, technicians, environmental officers, SHEQ managers, rangers, farmers and spatial planners; and (2) providing the means through which this level of leadership can be built.
Upon completion, learners may pursue occupations such as Stakeholder Empowerment Officer (Integrated Water Resources Management), Institutions and Participation Manager (Catchment Management), Community liaison officer: Institutional Management, Catchment coordinator (Catchment Management) and Senior planners. In addition, learners may also pursue further studies in:
Community Development Practitioner: NQF Level 5: SAQA ID:97691