Whose voices matter? Evidence-based approaches to identify locally-driven solutions in education development

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

International development programs often profess the principle that local problems require locally-driven solutions. However, by design, donor-funded programs often end up prioritizing externally-defined and top-down solutions to issues without concerted effort to obtain local input. The reasons for this are varied, and include: programs design and delivery by external experts, funding mechanisms requiring organizations to respond to calls for proposals in a short time, rapid timelines in project delivery, and because of funder strategies and focus. However, when the rubber hits the road, locally-driven solutions organically become the keys that lead to overall program success. So, in early program design, how to we as practitioners intentionally build in approaches to obtain locally identified solutions with our program participants and especially from those who are marginalized by their society and the systems? In the case of education development, there are several tried and tested processes, many derived from health programs. These approaches rely on understanding local systems, identifying the right people to involve and foster collaboration between them1 , identifying “leverage points2 ”, and establishing a culture and process to finding common ground3 .
Despite having established processes, careful thinking and planning are required to successfully identify the right people to involve and the issues that are priority to solve in their context.
This panel session will present three cases where successful mechanisms have been embedded in donor-funded programs to obtain and support locally-driven solutions to issues of education access and quality with a special focus on solving the issue of inclusion of classically marginalized populations in education:
The DR Congo case : Derived from the organization’s methodology, the project used a 3-step process rooted in systems thinking; comprising a conflict scan, determination of a key problem statement to resolve, and a Whole System in the Room workshop focused on the problem statement to identify solutions and a realistic action plan to implement them.
The Mali case: The organization’s asset-based community development approach focuses on community-based development based on the principles of: appreciating and mobilizing individual and community talents, skills, and assets (rather than focusing on problems and needs); and, community-driven development rather than development driven by external agencies. The project followed a process compromising of working with community municipality to gather the necessary information on the communities and their important stakeholders to be included in the asset mapping and community sensitization process.
The Malawi case: The project uses adaptive management to engage stakeholders at every level in defining and removing the barriers to education for the most marginalized adolescent girls. Girls, their families, teachers, and community access data to critique the project’s impact on learning outcomes, attendance, and girls’ safety. They develop and apply solutions in their own learning centres, and share the results on a termly cycle which informs wider project adaptation.
The Mongolia case: The organization began tackling discrepancies between youth access in 2016 through its Program in which participants designed and implemented projects that addressed key areas in need of support such as the environment, poverty, and anti-corruption. Following the success of these projects, alumni called for more localized, shorter trainings while maintaining a focus on socially excluded communities. This led to the creation of the “Ideas into Action” design sprints. This locally-led model provides a streamlined framework through which youth analyze local issues, devise potential solutions, and then bring these solutions to action all during fast, two-day workshops. In the process, youth use human-centered design principles to rapidly learn local decision-making processes, identify key networks, and design youth-led initiatives that addressed the core challenges their community members face.
1 James E. Austin, The Collaboration Challenge: How Nonprofits and Businesses Succeed Through Strategic Alliances (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000), 62,
2 Meadows, Donella H. 1997. Places to Intervene in a System, Whole Earth Catalogue
3 Weisbord, M.R., Janoff, S. Future search: Finding common ground in organizations and communities. Systems Practice 9, 71–84 (1996).

Sub Unit

• General Pool

Chair

• Samantha Ross, Link Education International

Individual Presentations

• Adaptive Management in community-based education - Harold Kuombola, Link Community Development Malawi

• Mongolian Youth lead community improvements - Alexandra Levy, World Learning

• Increasing educational offerings for marginalized populations through the Community Asset Appraisal process - Brenda Sinclair, Winrock International; Marie Madelene Kassogué, Groupe d'Animation Action au Sahel Mali

Discussant

• Brenda Sinclair, Winrock International