Working with Couples: Prevention Strategies Deep Dive

Learn about prevention of Intimate Partner Violence through programmes that work with couples and how to apply this strategy in your context.

Applications close on 21st October

Working with Couples: Prevention Strategies Deep Dive

Learn about prevention of Intimate Partner Violence through programmes that work with couples and how to apply this strategy in your context.

Applications close on 21st October

Course Overview

Couples programmes have resulted in large reductions in Violence against Women (VAW) and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) among participants. Working with Couples: Prevention Strategies Deep Dive offers a deep dive into key elements of what makes working with couples an effective strategy to prevent VAW and IPV. This self-paced course will help you develop a detailed understanding of programmes that work with couples and understand what is required to design and implement these programmes in a specific context. 

The course will also offer an opportunity to co-learn with other practitioners working in this space through live sessions led by Ritha Nyiratunga. Ritha is a Senior Associate at the Prevention Collaborative and has played an instrumental role in the design and implementation of the Indashyikirwa programme. The programme has been proven to reduce violence among intimate partners in Rwanda.

Who is this course for?

Working with Couples is designed for programme managers, technical leads, and practitioners who have some experience with VAW prevention programming. You want to understand more about programmes that work with couples to enhance their relationship skills and prevent IPV. It is also open to researchers and other practitioners who are interested in learning more about working with couples to prevent IPV.  

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the rationale for working with couples to prevent IPV 
  • Understand the history of couples based programming, including concerns over its appropriateness for addressing IPV
  • Identify the risk and protective factors that are addressed by this prevention strategy
  • Identify the key components of  evidence-based couples programmes to prevent IPV 
  • Explain how these interventions seek to foster change and reduce VAW and IPV
  • Summarise evidence on the effectiveness of these programme interventions
  • Articulate key considerations and learnings about how to design, adapt and implement such programmes 
  • Reflect on how this strategy is applicable in their context

Sessions

This course has 5 sessions: 

  1. Course introduction
  2. Why work with couples?
  3. Unpacking the ‘Working with Couples’ strategy
  4. Applying the strategy 
  5. Course Conclusion

These interactive sessions are designed to walk you through the various facets of working with couples to prevent VAW using relevant programme examples along with practical considerations for applying this strategy in your context.

Format

This is a self-paced course designed to be completed within a total of 3 to 4 hours over the duration of 5 weeks. You will also be invited to two live, facilitated sessions at the beginning and end of the course period. These live sessions are designed to offer space for discussion and co-learning with other course participants. 

Please note that the course will open for a limited time between 25th October and 30th November 2022. Once you register, you will receive an email from us confirming your registration for the course. We will also share details for the live sessions and other updates about the course.

Schedule

Applications open: September 19, 2022

Applications close: October 21, 2022

Course opens: 25th October 

Opening live session: 2nd November 

Closing live session: 23rd November 

Course closes: 30th November 

This course was developed by the Prevention Collaborative. The Prevention Collaborative strengthens the capacity of key actors to design, deliver, and advocate for cutting-edge prevention programmes, informed by research-based evidence, practice-based learning, and feminist principles.

Applications close on 21st October