A curriculum model for a community development approach to community-based rehabilitation

Community-based rehabilitation (CBR) is not a new concept but has become the focus for groups such as the World Health Organisation and other international aid agencies in facilitating the availability of rehabilitation services in developing countries throughout the world. Although much of the literature debates institutional versus community-based services and auxiliary versus fully trained personnel, little information is available to address the curriculum issues relating to training personnel to undertake CBR activities. The purpose of this paper is to present a curriculum model for preparing and implementing short programme workshops to encourage the development of CBR in different cultural settings. The curriculum model has foundations which are firmly rooted in curriculum and educational theory and concepts. It provides a flexible adult learning approach to introduce the broad concepts of CBR, providing the participants with culturally relevant, concrete, practical tools to allow the implementation of CBR activities. The workshop model has been used successfully with participants from diverse or homogeneous backgrounds.