Dr Deanna Kemp and Dr Warwick Browne of CSRM recently conducted an intensive four-day community relations training course for Mongolian mining companies. The training was held in the capital Ulaanbaatar and was hosted by the Mongolian-based non-government organisation the Responsible Mining Initiative (RMI) with funding support from The Asia Foundation and the World Bank. This delivery model represents an innovative approach to NGO-company collaboration for the specific purpose of industry capacity-building.
Thirty mining industry representatives from both foreign and Mongolian-owned exploration and mining companies attended the training. Participants were from a range of professions including community relations, human resources, geology and administration. The training provided an overview of key community relations concepts, tools and methods, such as engagement and dialogue techniques, as well as community relations management systems, social profiling, baseline assessment, impact assessment and operational-level complaints and grievance mechanisms. There was also consideration of some of the ethical challenges of the work.
The training was designed to encourage interaction between participants and incorporated a variety of teaching methods, such as role plays, group exercises, brainstorming and dialogue practice. The final ‘closing circle’ feedback session was encouraging with participants affirming the need to put what they had learnt into practice. The group will also endeavour to form a national network of community relations practitioners.
The trainers were assisted by Isabel Cane who is a PhD student being jointly supervised by UQ’s Anthropology Department and CSRM. Isabel is conducting field work on gender and mining in Mongolia, having lived and worked in Mongolia at various times over a number of years. Isabel receives an industry top-up scholarship from BHP Billiton and in-country logistical support from Ivanhoe Mining.
If you would like more information, please contact Dr Deanna Kemp on d.kemp@smi.uq.edu.au