Education, Mentoring & Leadership
EXPERIENCE & PROJECTS
Games for the Sustainable Development Goals (“Games for the SDGs”)
Where: Namibia
Role: Game developer and Depth Facilitator
Client: Self-driven and then funded by various funders
Developed a game series called “Games for the SDGs” for various targets groups to understand complex systems and enhance awareness and agency towards the active implementation Sustainable Development Goals (at individual, household, institutional, community, political and other levels). Developed games content and yearly curriculum, focusing on outcomes-based education and critical thinking and systems thinking as the foundations for learning (active-based). Trained 6 young professionals in depth facilitation and simulation learning to take over and carry on hosting the games. One of these did his Masters Thesis on the games. Started as self-funded and by the last year was fully sponsored and in high demand. Three institutions from different countries (Sudan, Belgium, Australia) contacted us for templates and guidance on how to run similar games.
Timeline: November 2017 until February 2019 (it is still ongoing without me)
Links: One of the Lessons Learnt Reports, News item, Journal Article: Mangundu R and Braby J. 2019. Games for Sustainable Development Goals Namibia: Towards Youth Engagement in Achieving Sustainability. Solutions Journal. 10:3. https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/article/games-sustainable-development-goals-namibia-towards-youth-engagement-achieving-sustainability/
Design of two civic education games (Multi-party Democracies and national elections; local government decision-making) for capacity building around civic participation
Where: Namibia
Role: Advisor and Oversight
Client: Namibia Institute for Democracy
Oversaw the development of two civic education games for the NID calendar for the (then) upcoming Namibian elections.
Timeline: January 2019
Youth and Sustainability Programmes
Where: Namibia
Role: Advisor and Project Lead
Client: Self-driven, self-funded and for Physically Active Youth Centre
Running sustainability curriculum programme with the Physically Active Youth Centre in Shandumbala, Katutura. Various youth mentorships and proposal development support, including through National Youth Council.
Timeline: 2016 until 2018
Links: Physically Active Youth Programme Website
Namibian Youth Coalition on Climate Change, African Youth Initiative on Climate Change
Where: Namibia
Role: Advisor (Founder)
Client: Initially Government of Namibia, then self-driven
Founded the Namibian Youth Coalition on Climate Change, including organising workshops, conferences, and communications strategies and materials. Was elected as Deputy Coordinator and Programme Director of the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (2012-2014), which included communications and education strategies for youth engagement and empowerment on climate change issues. Since 2016, supporting as advisory to both, including through technical and financial.
Timeline: 2011 until 2016
Training young Namibians on the energy sector - sustainable options to meet Namibia's rising energy demand
Where: Namibia
Role: Lecturer
Client: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
Conducted a half-day seminar for graduates on development in Africa in the face of climate change, analysing different global development challenges and dilemmas, and focusing on innovative development options.
Timeline: June 2015
Developing full concept note and programme to mainstream the Sustainable Development Goals into the curriculum framework and capacity building of lecturers at the Namibia University of Science and Technology
Where: Namibia
Role: Advisor and Curriculum Content Developer
Client: Department of Instructional Technology, Namibia University of Science and Technology (unpaid)
Developed a curriculum package including a three day workshop for curriculum developers, as well as a course (online and seminars) to mainstream sustainability and the SDGs into NUST, through training lecturers to teach in the course work, as well as integration into the NUST curriculum framework.
Timeline: October 2016 until October 2017
Programme Advisory Committee: Bachelor of Regional and Rural Development Honours
Where: Namibia
Role: Advisor
Client: Namibia University of Science and Technology (unpaid)
Served on the advisory committee for the Honours Programme on Regional and Rural Development. This included support and advice on the curriculum, reading list, practical teaching methods and field methodology.
Timeline: 2018 until 2020
Biodiversity Management Masters of Science Programme on 'Integrated Land Use, Water and Biodiversity Management' Module
Where: Namibia
Role: Lecturer
Client: University of Namibia (unpaid)
Built the curriculum, reading list and lectured a course on systems thinking, tools for integrated land use, water and biodiversity management, including ecosystem services and their economics. Included running course form start to finish, including exam questions, practical thesis supervision and marking.
Timeline: March until April 2016, March until April 2018
Guidance and leadership of the Environmental Auditing Schools Project of Natuye – Small Grants Programme
Where: Namibia
Role: Guidance and Advisor
Client: UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme
Ran an environmental auditing competition for high school environmental clubs of Namibia. Gave guidance on competition idea and concept, as well as advertising strategies, facilitated the one day workshop for winning schools (developed content and ran workshop), guided monitoring and evaluation of winning environmental audits at schools, wrote an issue paper for the UNDP on the project.
Timeline: April 2013 until November 2013
Design and implementation of a climate change youth action programme and outreach strategy
Where: Namibia
Role: Project leader
Client: Government of Namibia
Led the entire project from start to finish (a team of 25 people and acquired roughly 100 volunteers). Networked and mobilised national youth groups – with particular reference to gender, youth and climate change. Coodinated two pilots with demonstrable and sustainable impact and upscaling in other regions. Conducted multiple training sessions on climate change. Fostered relationships with high-level youth leaders and champions. Organised the National Youth Conference on Climate Change (content and logistics) – led a team of 25 people and brought together volunteer youth groups and the National Youth Council. Founded the Namibian Youth Coalition on Climate Change. Co-developed the website and all social media and coordinated all mass media communications through media advisories, press releases and interviews. Co-developed a youth video. Led the development of the Youth Action Plan and Outreach Strategy. Designed and developed a national high school climate change competition (selecting judges, designing calls, leading selection process, content, advertising, etc). Coordinated and implemented various other outreach activities. Design of various flyers and innovative and creative outreach materials. Mobilised entire nation of youth on climate change (e.g. the National Youth Council now prioritises climate change, and held the National Youth Week on Climate Change in 2012 and has set up a separate department on climate change).
Timeline: January 2011 until September 2011
Communications Strategy for the National Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture Strategy (Namibia)
Where: Namibia
Role: Communications Specialist
Client: Gobabeb Research and Training Centre
Identifying challenges and opportunities in information sharing and uptake, reviewing best mechanisms that lead to changed practices. Analysing constraints, barriers, challenges in the policy and management arena. Developing outreach training to local farmers and materials; developing content for high-level event including information package. Developing the communications strategy for the PGRFA Strategy for Namibia. Providing updates and lessons learnt of PGRFA Strategy development process.
Timeline: March 2015 until July 2015
Expert Support to the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication
Where: Global (included extensive travel)
Role: Expert Support to Global Chair
Client: IUCN Commission on Education and Communication
Expert support to the Global Chair, included day to day management of the work plan of the CEC, extensive travel, facilitation of meetings and training sessions in all parts of the world, facilitating the Steering Committee, developing and implementing global/national communication strategies, proposal development and more. Developed the South and Meso America Engagement Strategy, including facilitating two engagement meetings in Costa Rica and Ecuador, mobilising members to develop member-driven project proposals on Nature Value campaigns (at regional and country level) toward Aichi Target 1 work. Developed annual work plans as well as annual reports as part of monitoring and evaluating the work. Held multiple master classes on communications and nature valuation (including in Colombia at an Environmental Film Festival, training of protected areas staff in Colombia on communication versus enforcement, in Switzerland for IUCN Councillors, in Ethiopia for Government leaders, developed and hosted various side events at the World Conservation Congress in South Korea, including for the IUCN Gender Unit, and being invited as a panelist on the future world leaders panel hosted by the World Business Council on Sustainable Development).
Timeline: 2012 until 2015
Training NBSAPII Africa Country Leaders on effective communication and influencing strategies
Where: Ethiopia
Role: Trainer
Client: UN Convention on Biological Diversity
Presented in plenary and led a session on communication at the Regional Workshop for Africa on updating National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Timeline: Feburary 2012 until March 2012
Terminal Evaluation of the Communication and Awareness Strategy of the National Coastal Conservation and Management Project
Where: Namibia
Role: Evaluator
Client: NACOMA
Led the team on the terminal evaluation on impact made by communications strategy. Reviewed all relevant documentation, communication and awareness strategy and implementation activities; developed questionnaire; identified key stakeholders and target groups; designed and led the field survey to all coastal regions; coordinated the collating, analysis of survey results; writing of comprehensive assessment – with detailed evaluation criteria.
Timeline: October 2011 until December 2011
Namibia Climate Change Ambassadors Programme: development of information packages and targeted awareness raising and training to decision-makers and practitioners on climate change adaptation
Where: Namibia
Role: Advisor
Client: Government of Namibia
Guided, advised and supported the lead consultant in the entire programme. Supported the selection of Ambassadors and liaised directly with Ambassadors (made up of decision makers and technocrats in the public and private sector). Developed the facilitators agendas for the first two training modules, after which the lead consultant used these as templates for the final two modules. Co-facilitated sections of the training modules (100 climate change ambassadors). Presented at the modules and conducted training sessions on communication. Developed and administered the Ambassadors Blog. Reviewed and edited the information packages for the Ambassadors.
Timeline: January 2011 until May 2011
Compilation of five regional climate change adaptation information toolkits
Where: Namibia
Role: Advisor
Client: Government of Namibia
Provided guidance and advice throughout design and development process of all toolkits; creative direction into radio advertisements; development of facilitation programme on Training of Trainers of the toolkits in all regions; co-authored a paper on lessons learnt. Gender was of particular importance in this project.
Timeline: January 2011 until July 2011
Development of the Education for Sustainable Development Policy and Implementation Plan of Namibia
Where: Namibia
Role: Reviewer and Editor
Client: University of Namibia
Critical review of both the ESD National Policy as well as the Implementation Plan.
Timeline: October 2017
Review of the Educircles Programme of UNICEF
Where: Namibia
Role: Oversight and Advisor
Client: UNICEF
Oversaw my employee who conducted interviews and review of the Educircles Progress of UNICEF in southern Namibia (learner based approach to education).
Timeline: October 2017
High School Teacher
Where: England, South Africa, Namibia
Role: Teacher
Client: Various Schools
Taught highschool level learners science - including curriculum development, lesson-planning, outcomes-based learning, learner-led education, among others.
Timeline: 2007