Journey So Far

An Enriching Experience for Change Agents, A Rewarding Journey for Bala Vikasa PDTC

For over two decades, Bala Vikasa People Development Training Center (PDTC) has been at the forefront of empowering change agents and advancing community-driven sustainable development practices globally. With a steadfast commitment to excellence, we’ve cultivated a legacy of impact, equipping professionals and organizations with the tools and knowledge to drive meaningful change in communities worldwide. Our journey reflects continuous growth, innovation, and a deep-seated dedication to fostering sustainable development.

Trainings on Leadership Skills, Strategic Planning (SP), Program Monitoring and Evaluation (PME), Asset Based Community Development (ABCD), Results Based Management (RBM), Appreciative Inquiry (AI), Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Resource Mobilization (RM), Development Communications (Dev Com), Development Documentation, Accounting and Financial Management, Social Entrepreneurship and CSR for NGOs, Certificate Courses on Community-Driven Development (CDD) are all part of the training Calendar every year and were added one by one over the course of time (as shown here) in response to the development sector’s evolution, needs and requirements.

2002
Launched Certificate Course in
Community-Based Development
  • Inauguration of Bala Vikasa PDTC

  • Launch of 6-Month Certificate Course in Community Based Development(CBD) For Field Coordinators

2003
Residential Training Programs for Development Professionals, Community Leaders, Cooperatives Begin
  • 2-3 Three Day Residential Training Programs Begin On Community-Driven Development Topics For Development Professionals

  • Training for Community Leaders begins. First training covers Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)

  • Capacity Building Of Grassroots Cooperatives
2004
Overseas Participants Begin to Attend Training Programs at Bala Vikasa PDTC
  • Seminars and Training Programs on Asset Based Community Development (ABCD), Strategic Planning (SP) Results Based Management (RBM), and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)

  • Indian Partner Organizations of Léger Foundation attend trainings on Results Based Management(RBM)

  • First delegation of overseas participants attends training

  • First issue of Sharing Series published

2005
Launched Diploma Course in Community-Based Development
  • Training programs expand coverage to include Social Analysis, Organizational Development, Financial Management, Accounting, Development Communications

  • Asian Partner NGOs of Léger Foundation attend Training on ABCD and RBM

  • 1-Year Diploma Course in Community Based Development (CBD) launched
2006
Training of Panchayat Raj Institution (PRI) Members Begins
  • Capacity Building Of NGOs on Program Design and Management, Organizational Development and Resource Mobilization begins

  • Capacity Building of Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRI) Members begins. Participants of National Institute for Rural Development (NIRD) Training programs visit

2007
Coverage of Training Areas Expands to Include Many Contemporary Development Topics
  • Topics like Rural Livelihood Interventions, Gender and Development, Non Formal Technqiues for Communications, NGO Governance, Role of PRIs in Rural Development, Women’s Rights, Role of NGOs in Community Development, Development and Social Equity, Primary Health, and Personality Development topics covered in Training Programs and Seminars

2008
Launched 4-week certificate course on Community Driven Development
  • Bala Vikasa PDTC’s flagship 4-Week Certificate Course on Community Driven Development (CDD) launched for national and international participants. The course introduces development professionals, from all over the world, to time-tested and proven CDD approaches, tools and best practices. It also demonstrates their use-case by showing them in live-action as part of Bala Vikasa CDD Programs

  • New training programs on Community Driven Sustainable Development (CDSD), Gender Mainstreaming, Rights Based Approach to Development, Conflict Resolution launched.

  • A delegation of South Asian NGOs participated in the CDSD training.

  • Customized Trainings based on the learning needs/requirements of NGOs began. The first was a training to Staff of DNSSS on Gender.

  • A dedicated Mutimedia Unit to leverage communication and multimedia tools for knowledge creation and dissemination was opened with development communications specialists.

2009
First Training for Trainers (ToT) Organised
  • The frequency of the Certificate course on Community-Driven Development (CDD) increased to two times per year. Number of participants and number of countries being represented began to expand.

  • The first Training of Trainers (TOT) Workshop was organized to enhance the training outcomes of development agents involved in various capacity building activities done as part of their projects. TOTs have been ongoing since then.

2010
New Training Modules Introduced in CDD
  • The Certificate course on Community-Driven Development (CDD) began to be organized thrice every year. Additionally, a shortened version of the course with a duration of one week was launched.

2011
Launched Overseas Trainings in CDD
  • The Certificate course on Community-Driven Development (CDD) began to be organized thrice every year. Additionally, a shortened version of the course with a duration of one week was launched.

  • Upon requests from CDD Alumni to conduct the certificate course for their colleagues and partners back in their country, the first Overseas CDD training was organized in Bangladesh in joint collaboration with Village Education Resource Center (VERC)

  • Customized Trainings on CDD Approaches and Tools were organized for CARE and LYON both NGOs working in Sri Lanka
  • Trainings on Data Collection, Management Information Systems (MIS), Basic Computer Usage were initiated to keep up with the monitoring and evalution needs of Donors and NGOs.

  • Coaching classes on subjects covered in Master of Social Work (MSW) and Bachelor of Arts were organized for staff and community-level development workers to help them pursue and achieve Post Graduate degree, specially in Social Work, with greater motivation.

2012
PDTC Celebrates 10 years Anniversary
  • A 2-Week Certificate course on Community-Driven Development (CDD) was launched in addition to 4-Week and 1-Week long courses and continues to receive national and international participants every year.

  • Overseas CDD training organized in Sri Lanka in joint collaboration with CARE for their partner NGOs

  • Seminar on Building Model Villages presents Bala Vikasa’s approach and track record in building model communities through pro-active community participation and grassroots leadership

  • Training on Leadership Skills is extended to students of MSW.
  • Students of Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from Maharashtra visit for orientation on CDD and Field Exposure in addition to other MSW Students.

  • Bala Vikasa PDTC Celebrates its 10 Year Anniversary in the presence of its founders, senior leadership, partners, staff and community-level stakeholders

2014
New Training Topics Introduced
  • Customized Training Program on Community Driven Rural Development (CDRD) organized as part of NIRD’s Training Program for National and International Participants.

  • Overseas CDD training organized in Nepal in joint collaboration with SAP – Nepal

  • Advocacy, Social Mobilization, Social Entrepreneurship, and Video Documentation included in the list of trainings for development stakeholders

  • Seminars organized on Climate Change, Advocacy, FCRA and the Community Water Purification Plants. Workshop on leveraging Social Media for NGO Promotion organized.

2015
Bala Vikasa continues to grow consistently
  • Overseas CDD training organized in Myanmar in joint collaboration with Karuna Maitri-Caritas

  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability becomes an important training area for development stakeholders.

  • Seminars on the Relevance of CSR for NGOs, Social Justice for Widows, Current Trends in Development Sector and Growth Opportunities, Role of Social Media organized

  • Customized Trainings on CDD Approaches and Tools organized for partners of Stromme Foundation, NIRD and Partners in Health and Development (Bangladesh)

  • MBA Students from Schulich School of Business visit for orientation on CDD and Field Exposure for the first time and continue to come every year. MBA students from local college follow.

2016
  • Customized Trainings on CDD Approaches and Tools organized for Caritas Bangladesh, Madhya Pradesh Social Service Society, Reliance Foundation, Vidiyal Deshpande Foundation, and BREDS organized

2017
  • Customized Trainings on CDD Approaches and Tools organized for Caritas Bangladesh, Madhya Pradesh Social Service Society, Reliance Foundation, Vidiyal Deshpande Foundation, and BREDS organized

2018
  • Implication of GST and Income Tax for NGOs included in training areas

  • Four CustomizedTrainings and Field Exposure visits on Community Driven Rural Development for NIRD’s National and International Participants organized

  • Customized Trainings on CDD Approaches and Tools organized for Deshpande Foundation, Dalit Bahujan Resource Center, and ITM organized

2020
Adopted Virtual Training Platforms
  • Customized Trainings on Community Driven Rural Development and Field Exposure Visits organized for NIRD’s National and International Participants.

  • New training programs on FCRA Ammendment Act, Social Return On Investments (SROI), Case Study Writing added to training calender.

  • All training programs began to be delivered virtually owing to restrictions on social gatherings and lockdowns amidst the COVID pandemic. Online training programs were received well by many and have become a regular mode of training, wherever possible.

  • Workshops for NGOs on COVID Prevention and Management were organized to understand the gaps in information around COVID-19 in rural areas and the discussions were taken up for action to develop IEC materials relevant and responsive to community needs

2021
International Seminars Organised
  • 6 Seminars on CSR Opportunities for NGOs see an attendance of over 300+ people from 270+ Social Service Societies

  • Global Conference on Invisible Women, Invisible Problems organized to discuss discrimination against Widows and deliberate necessary community and development actions

  • Four Indo-Pacific International Seminars organized in Partnership with US Consulate General on Social Entrepreneurship, Importance of Education and Skills in Nation Building, Role of Youth in Climate Change and Social Change.

  • 4 CustomizedTrainings and Field Exposure visits on CDD Approaches and Tools organized for Rayalseema Development Trust (RDT)

2022
Launched NGO Incubation
  • Celebrated 20th Anniversary

  • The NGO Incubation program kick started with 15 NGO partners in partnership with Partnering Hope Into Action (PHIA) Foundation and Sattva Consulting. The participants actively engaged in a 10-day training program with modules focusing on Resource Mobilization, Program Delivery, Monitoring and Reporting and Organisational Development.

  • Appointed as one of the Kshamata Kendras (Regional Training Institute) of National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) for Telangana to create awareness on HIV. Supported by the Telangana State AIDS Control Society (T_SACS) and Solidarity and Action Against The HIV Infection in India (SAATHII), PDTC provided blended training programs in creating AIDs awareness among target intervention groups.

2023
Appointed as Regional Coordinator for G20-C20
  • Appointed as the regional coordinator for Civil 20 (C20), the official engagement group of G20 providing a platform to Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to voice out people’s aspirations to the G20 Nations. The Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM) led the Working Group on ‘Delivering Democracy – Retrospects and Prospects’ and Bala Vikasa is its South India Coordinator.

  • Organised an Asia Pacific Conference on ‘Building Hope in the Post Pandemic World’ in partnership with the Brisbane Institute of Strengths Based Practice, Australia.