In the previous pages, we have described a Theory of Ownership for the methodology that we use when we accompany communities. This material is essentially a translation of our process (CLCP) and our way of working (SALT) into a Theory of Change framework.
This is a different exercise. It seeks to define a Theory of Change for the Constellation. This requires us to ask what are the preconditions for us to reach our dream. What are the things that we need to have in place in order to reach our dream. And that is the exercise that we started in our Theory of Change Workshop in October 2015.
What follows is based on the output from the workshop. If you want more details of the workshop, you can download "160113 Theory of Change for the Constellation.docx" from the bottom of this page.
Theory of Change for the Constellation
Here is the dream of the Constellation:
The Constellation is made up of communities that aim for Life Competence through the practice of SALT. Our dream for the Constellation in 2050 is that we will live in a world where communities take action based on their strengths to realise their dream. They inspire others when they connect to learn and to share and for mutual support.
In the Theory of Change Workshop that we had in November 2015, we came up with a set of long-term outcomes for the Constellation. I have reorganised these a little to come up with this set of long term outcomes that we are working towards in the Constellation:
Individuals believe that they can influence their own lives and the life of their communities.
Communities draw on their own strengths to make the changes that matter to them.
The world recognises that Local Response is part of the solution to global, national and local challenges.
Public and private organisations support Local Response.
All of us have access to the tools and methodologies that support Local Response.
This set of statements (or something like them) seem to me to preconditions for our dream to be realised. They feel as though they are the building blocks that lead to our dream— set of intermediate steps.
Comments about these preconditions
Individuals believe that they can influence their own lives and the life of their communities.
In the Constellation, we are convinced by our own experience that this belief must come from personal experience. It is not by being told these things that we understand them. People will come to understand that there are many interests in the world that seek to persuade us that they will look after our problems for us.
The role of the Constellation is to provide resources so that people and communities do take charge of their own lives. The Constellation will encourage people to share their experience and will provide a platform for those experiences.
Communities draw on their own strengths to make the changes that matter to them.
I don’t have anything to add to the previous comment. This is, and has been, at the heart of what the Constellation does.
The world recognises that Local Response is part of the solution to global, national and local challenges.
Our own experience is telling us that this is happening. There is a recognition that for many challenges people can give leverage to the application of information, technology and money. (And this recognition comes from the understanding that the money directed at challenges cannot be increased, or even sustained, for ever.) At the moment, the multinational organisations are groping towards the people issue. They want “to engage”, “to involve” or even “to empower”. This is a long way from ownership, but it is a start.
The role of the Constellation is to continue to push in this direction.
Public and private organisations support Local Response.
It feels as if this is the next step in the struggle. It is a long way off. But we are moving into the world of influencing policy at a range of levels. The ultimate justification will always be that Local Response facilitates change (and thus reduces costs). We are entering the world of SEEP (Stakeholder engagement and evidence uptake plan) that was introduced to us by 3ie.
The role of the Constellation is to begin the process of thinking about SEEP systematically and it is one of the practices (Practice 6) in our Work Programme for 2016. What we do will not look like the 3ie SEEP programme, but it is a good place to start.
All of us have access to the tools and methodologies that support Local Response.
We have a process (CLCP) and a way of working with that process (SALT) that addresses the challenge of Local Response. We now have to make it available universally and free of charge in a way that attracts, interests and engages people.
The role of the Constellation is to explore different ways to present this material in a way that people want to use it. It is the remit of Practice 2 in this year’s Work Programme and Budget.