"Positive Deviance (PD) Practice Workshop"

On November 13, 2015, the "Positive Deviance Practice Workshop" was held at the 6th Seminar on the 13th floor of the Medical Education and Research Building on the Hongo Campus of the University of Tokyo, with the Action Network for Nutrition (NAM) acting as a co-facilitator. Three guests were invited from overseas: Monique Sternin, visiting professor at the Tufts School of Nutrition Science and Policy and co-author of "Power of Positive Deviance, " development consultant Sam Sternin , and Anirudra Sharuma , UNICEF nutrition officer in Nepal . Approximately 50 people from NGOs, consultants, universities, local governments, and private companies participated in the workshop. In addition, we received great support from the PD Network, which is promoting and studying PD in two organizations.

In any community or organization, there are a few individuals or groups who have the same problems and difficulties as their neighbors, and who solve problems better than others by taking "different and unusual actions and ways of doing things," even though they do not have more resources than others. Positive deviance focuses on the fact that there are people who live vibrant and healthy lives through excellent ideas and practices, even in harsh environments such as poverty, disease, and prejudice, and is an approach in which the people involved find excellent ideas and practices and seek solutions. It has been used in over 41 countries around the world to solve various complex and difficult social problems, such as child malnutrition, school dropout rates, hospital infections, child soldier reintegration, newborn and maternal and child health, human trafficking of girls, violence, HIV/AIDS, etc.

In the morning workshop, the concept and definition of PD, as well as the process for its implementation, were introduced, followed by three examples of PD in Japan and overseas. In the afternoon, participants were divided into five groups to discuss the five steps of PD based on case studies. Finally, participants actively exchanged opinions on the problems and impressions they had felt through the exercise. Many of the participants were attracted by the power and mysterious charm of this approach, and it is expected that it will be applied in various ways in the future.