FAQ
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WHAT IS THE JUSTICE BASED APPROACH?
The Justice Based Approach (JBA) is a framework for humanitarian, development, social change, and environmental justice work that fills the gaps in and improves upon human rights based approaches. It represents a modern critique of how change happens and is based on five key change theories: radical systems, alternative models, everyday activism, living democracy, and brave accountability. United Edge developed the approach to embody its vision for a more just world, and it is already being put into practice by over 1700 people from over 500 organizations across more than 70 countries who have attended the flagship Justice Based Approach Foundation Course. Through JBA we can become leaders of change not only in our work but also in our lives. To find out more about JBA, download our FREE Justice Toolkit.
YOUR COURSES SOUND GREAT! WHAT EVIDENCE DO YOU HAVE OF THEIRÂ IMPACT AND PARTICIPANT SATISFACTION?
United Edge believes in the power of evidence-based decision-making, so we rigorously monitor and evaluate our courses through a modified Kirkpatrick training evaluation model. We systematically collect information at three key points -- during a course, immediately after a course, and 3 months after a course. This information is used not only to show what is working, but even more importantly to improve the course and its approach.
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We’re proud to report that so far:
98% of participants would recommend the training to others working for social change
89% of participants feel able to put their beliefs and passions into action in everyday life
98% of participants are satisfied or greatly satisfied with the training content and facilitation
76% of participants have used aspects of the Justice Based approach in their work since finishing the training
95% of participants agree or strongly agree that the training helped them see things in a new way
In addition, participants have rated us an average of 6 out of 7 for Good Value for Money and 6.1 out of 7 for Relevance to Their Work. These are just a few of the many metrics we use to collect evidence on the effects of our courses.
We also collect stories of change from participants to show the qualitative difference the training makes in their work and lives. Visit our testimonials page to find out more!
I/MY ORGANISATION IS UNABLE TO PAY BY BANK TRANSFER OR CREDIT CARD. IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE WAY FOR US TO PAY FOR THE COURSE?
Bank transfers and credit card payments are our preferred methods of payments. When a course takes place face to face, in exceptional circumstances, we are able to accept cash payment on the first day of the training. In such cases, we prefer to be paid in US$. We can accept a limited number of payments per training in the local currency. If the available payment methods are going to be problematic for you, please do get in touch as we are always happy to help find a solution to your particular case.
I AM UNABLE TO PAY THE COURSE FEE. DO YOU OFFER ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE?
We proudly offer a limited amount of financial assistance to help cover part of the fee for people who may otherwise find it difficult to join the course. This is typically reserved for local or national organisations and not usually offered to international organisations. In rare cases, we are able to provide full assistance to attend, but this is extremely limited.
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Financial assistance applicants will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. To apply for financial assistance, please contact us. Note that we cannot guarantee that we will be able to offer you a financial assistance. If you are a local or national organisation having budget difficulties, we recommend you contact one of your international partners or donors first to see if they can help before you apply for financial assistance from us.
Since 2017, we have provided over $100,000 worth of financial assistance to participants, ensuring that grassroots and local organisations with limited funds and big aspirations could develop their work for greater impact and positive social change.
DO YOU OFFER DISCOUNTS FOR GROUPS?
We offer a 10% reduced rate for groups of 10 or more people attending the same course together (or 5 or more for the Strategic Foresight workshops). Individuals in groups do not all need to attend from the same organisation.
We have had groups of 10 or more participants attend from one single organisation, as well as donors or international organisations funding their partners and grant recipients to attend. We have found that when groups of colleagues attend our course together, they benefit from a shared experience and vision that makes it easier to put the approach into practice in their everyday working lives.
WHO DOES UNITED EDGE BANK WITH?
As an organisation committed to justice, we are working hard to ensure that every aspect of our work is done in an ethical and just way. Deciding whom to bank with was a significant part of this process for us when we first began, because nearly all conventional banks invest money in socially and environmentally harmful ways. That is not a system we want to support.
We are proud to bank with Triodos Bank, one of the most ethical banks in the world. Triodos Bank only invests its money in initiatives that have positive social and environmental impact. This means that the money you entrust to us in our courses or other services will itself also be part of making the world a better place.
I DO NOT WORK FOR AN ORGANISATION AND I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN A COURSE AS AN INDIVIDUAL. IS THIS POSSIBLE?
Yes! The course is just as relevant to independent individuals, activists, volunteers and consultants as it is to people currently employed in a company or organisation.
ARE YOUR COURSES ONLY FOR HUMANITARIAN AND DEVELOPMENT WORKERS, OR PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR AN NGO OR CHARITY
No! Although the majority of our participants come from these types of organisations, the content of each course or workshop is relevant to everyone! No matter if you work for a private limited company or a big business, a cooperative or a union, a public sector institution or governement -- or if you are self-employed, and independent activist, a teacher, doctor, lawyer, or even a truck driver -- you will find personal growth in our courses and workshops. We design each learning opportunity so that the content of the lessons can be contextualized individually and applied to any work or life setting. We've had participants from every walk of life, many different professions, and just about every age group, and we'd love to have you join us if you are interested in making the world a better place.
WHAT LEVEL AND DEPARTMENT OF STAFF IS THE COURSE RELEVANT FOR?
At every course, we have participants that come from every department and level of staff, from entry level participants to seasoned leaders and directors. The content is relevant for all levels of staff and will inspire you to transform your work and life, no matter what department you work in -- including programmes, operations, fundraising, communications, advocacy, human resources, finance, admin, logistics, and more.
For each course or workshop, we have guidance on the event's page about the most relevant type of person that could benefit, but we warmly welcome everyone who wants to learn and grow!
WHERE AND WHEN ARE YOU RUNNING THE COURSE?
Check out our events page for the latest news and dates!
In addition, we are always looking for opportunities to bring the course to new locations. If you would like us to bring the course to a location near you, please let us know! We are also available to run courses privately for whole teams or organisations, and we also offer other training, coaching and mentoring services, as well as taking on consultancies for like-minded organisations.
WILL I BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE COURSE IF I HAVE SPECIAL ACCESSIBILITY NEEDS?
Differently-abled participants are welcome and encouraged to attend. We work hard to make our course accessible to everyone, regardless of different physical or mental abilities. When you book your place, we will ask you for more information about your specific needs. We'll then work with you to do all we can to make reasonable adjustments to the course to ensure that you can participate in the course.
WHAT LANGUAGE IS THE COURSE DELIVERED IN?
At present, all of our public courses are delivered entirely in English. This is something we're looking to explore in the future because although using English makes our courses and workshops most accessible to global audiences in the world today, we also recognize that the reason for this accessibility is the massive scale of colonial injustice.
We deeply welcome diverse accents and dialects of English and work hard to make sure that people with a reasonable grasp of the language will be able to make the very most of our events. Many of our trainers have experience and qualifications in teaching and training non-native English speakers, and we believe in using simple English as much as possible to make it easy for everyone to engage. If you think this will be an issue for you, please contact us to discuss your needs before booking.
WHAT RESOURCES DO I NEED DURING THE COURSE?
For our online courses, you must have reliable internet and a computer with a working microphone and webcam. You might want a notebook, but it is not essential because you will be sent notes after you have completed the course. For our in-person events, you'll be provided with everything you need.
I NEED TO CANCEL MY BOOKING. WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?
You can find the full terms and conditions of course bookings here.
If you cancel after submitting the booking form, you will be required to pay a cancellation fee.
For cancellations received 10 working days or more before the start of the course - you must pay 25% of your invoice.
For cancellations received less than 10 working days and more than 48 hours before the start of the course - you must pay 50% of your invoice.
For cancellations received 48 hours or less before the start of the training - you must pay 75% of your invoice.
For cancellations received after the start of the course or "no shows" - you must pay 100% of your invoice.
No reduction or refund is available for non-attendance or part-attendance, and you will be required to pay the full price of the course in such circumstances if you do not cancel in advance.
If you are no longer able to join the course that you booked, you may:
send another person in your place for no extra charge
transfer your registration to another course date at no extra charge
pay the course fee according to the cancellation policy
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Please get in touch if you need to cancel or if you have any questions.
If you believe there has been a misunderstanding in your registration or there are exceptional circumstances that required you to cancel, please get in touch. We are always happy to discuss alternative solutions in such situations.
I CAN NO LONGER ATTEND THE COURSE I HAVE BOOKED. CAN I ATTEND AN ALTERNATIVE COURSE?
We will do our best to transfer your booking to a different date if space is available. If no space is available, the above cancellation policy applies. Please contact us to discuss this further.
I HAVE A GREAT IDEA THAT CAN MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE IN THE WORLD. WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT COLLABORATING WITH UNITED EDGE?
Great! We are always looking for new opportunities to put our values into practice to make the world a better place! If you send us an email to info@unitededge.net or connect to us on our Facebook Page, we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.