Former teacher with special expertise in international development Bronwyn Fraser joined the Relief and Development Unit of UnitingWorld in October 2009 as Development Education Officer.

Bronwyn, what is Development Education?

I work with Uniting Church schools and communities to build an understanding and good engagement in respectful, partnership-focused effective development. UnitingWorld’s Development Education program aims to engage people in the Uniting Church with issues and challenges associated with situations of poverty, inequality and injustice, and then exploring most effective ways that we can stand with our Church Partners in addressing these issues.

What experiences do you bring to UnitingWorld?

Throughout my time as a high school teacher in Sydney, I travelled internationally extensively to facilitate cultural exchanges between students from Australia with a partner school in Tonga. Based on these experiences I decided to follow a growing call to participate more in international development. My current role allows me to combine my experience engaging young people with my passion for effective international development.

What are some benefits of these experiences?

There is so much to be gained from these experiences for both visiting groups and host communities. I recently facilitated a trip to PNG involving students from Knox Grammar School in Sydney. Upon returning, the students reported that they came away feeling that they had learned so much about PNG culture, their own culture, good development and effective engagement from the time spent staying with their partner community.

Why is Development Education important?

There is so much generosity within Uniting Church communities for people and communities trapped in situations of poverty, but less information readily available on the most effective way to address these issues. I hope to offer important information on effective development approaches to enable Uniting Church communities throughout Australia to make informed choices in responding to poverty by understanding more fully the long term impacts of their support.