Learning and Discernment Resource...Learning and Discernment Resource Introduction ensure that...

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Learning and Discernment Resource

April 2010

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents................................................................................................... 2

Learning Together ................................................................................................. 6

Purpose of the Learning and Discernment Resource................................... 6

Action Learning for local level programme teams....................................... 6

Learning Sessions ............................................................................................. 6

Action Learning Tools...................................................................................... 8

Role of the Team Leader or ADP Manager................................................... 9

Goals and Process for National Office Learning ........................................... 9

Role of IPM Regional Coordinators .............................................................. 10

Spiritual Discernment.................................................................................... 11

Programme Assessment Phase.......................................................................... 14

Scripture Search Module – God’s Presence and Work.............................. 14

Scripture Search Module Assessment Phase: Where are We?................. 16

Guidelines for Learning Check-ins................................................................ 19

Guidelines for Learning Focus Session – (Assessment Findings) .............. 20

Guidelines for Learning at the End of Assessment..................................... 22

Sharing the Learning with National Office Colleagues .............................. 24

Step 1: Who Are We?.......................................................................................... 26

Scripture Search Module ............................................................................... 26

Guidelines for Learning at the end of Step 1............................................... 28


Step 2: Who Are You? ......................................................................................... 33

Scripture Search Module On Reaching the Most Vulnerable – Part I ...... 36


Introduction

Scripture Search On Reaching the Most Vulnerable – Part II................... 38

Guidelines for Learning Check-ins................................................................ 40

Guidelines for Learning Focus Session – (Process Step 2.1)...................... 42

Guidelines for Learning at the End of Step 2 .............................................. 45


Step 3: What is Already Being Done?................................................................ 51


Guidelines for Step 3 Learning Check-ins.................................................... 53

Guidelines for Learning Focus Session (Process Step 3.2)......................... 55



Step 4: What More Can Be Done? ..................................................................... 62


Guidelines for Step 4 Learning Check-ins.................................................... 64

Guidelines for Learning Focus Session – (Process Step 4.3)...................... 65



Step 5: What will we do together? ..................................................................... 72


Guidelines for Step 5 learning check-ins ...................................................... 73




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Introduction



Step 6: Who Will Contribute What? ................................................................. 89


Guidelines for Step 6 learning check-ins ...................................................... 91





Sharing the Learning with National Office Colleagues ............................ 101

Step 7: How do we manage together?............................................................. 103

Scripture Search Module ............................................................................. 103

Guidelines for Step 7 learning check-ins .................................................... 107

Guidelines for Learning Focus Session (Process Step 7.1)....................... 108


Guidelines for Learning Focus Session (Process step 7.3) ....................... 112

Guidelines for Learning at the end of Step 7............................................. 112


Step 8: How do we transition together?.......................................................... 118

Scripture Search Module ............................................................................. 118

Guidelines for Step 8 learning check-in...................................................... 122


End of Step 8 Learning Event...................................................................... 125

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Introduction

Appendix I........................................................................................................... 129

Action Learning Tool Guidelines...................................................................... 129

Other People’s Views (OPV)....................................................................... 129

Mind Map ....................................................................................................... 131

Consequence and Sequel (CAS) ................................................................. 133

Action Reflection Learning Planning (ALRP)............................................ 135

River of Life (ROL) ....................................................................................... 138

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Introduction

Learning Together

Purpose of the Learning and Discernment Resource

This resource is available to all programme sites using the Handbook for Integrated Programming. It offers learning guidance for team leaders, development facilitators and other local level programme staff as they organise and participate in the action learning sessions. It also helps National Office staff supporting the local programmes as they follow the learning progress in the programmes and actively participate.

It contains:

Scripture Search Modules designed to support discernment of God’s presence and work throughout the Critical Path

Guidelines for programme learning sessions (see below)

Guidelines for learning around each step of the Critical Path

Action Learning Tools: description and suggested use

Action Learning for local level programme teams

Action learning is an important process in programmes implementing Guidance for Integrated Programming. It ensures a structured space for programme staff to reflect on and learn from on the shared experience with community partners. Action learning also supports the programming process itself and leads to continuous improvement in practice. While there are many definitions of action learning, the definition used here is simple. Action learning is a structured reflection and learning process using actual experience as the source of the learning. “Essentials of LEAP” (LEAP 2nd Edition) describes Action Learning and Action Research within a World Vision development programme as: “a cycle of planning, action and reviewing the action. Experience is continually recycled. Earlier experiences and data are revisited in light of new data; new action is planned in light of what went on before and all experiences are systematically reviewed and evaluated.”

Learning Sessions

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It is essential to have a systematic and progressive learning process. Systematic learning enables programme staff to reflect on and document learning frequently enough to


Introduction

ensure that learning impacts their programme quality. Guidelines for learning sessions utilise a rhythm of reflection and continuous improvement through:

Use of specific action learning tools (included in Appendix I)

Questions to be addressed

Suggested ways to capture and share learning

The learning guidelines are organised into session types:

Learning Check-Ins: 1 hour

Guidance for learning check-ins is given at the beginning of each step of the Critical Path. The guidance includes learning activities around the focus of that particular step. These learning check-ins can be scheduled as a part of regular staff meetings or

Learning Focus Sessions: 1 – 2 hours

Each step of the Critical Path has particular elements that are important for a learning focus session. These are highlighted in the guidelines for each step, referenced by the process numbers and suggested activities are included. These sessions can be scheduled as a part of staff meetings or as a special team-learning event.

End of Critical Path Step Learning Event: 1 day

The questions included in the ‘Looking Backward, Looking Forward’ section of the Handbook for Integrated Programming are highlighted in the guidelines for this event with suggested activities for considering these and other questions. Additionally, there are suggestions for documenting and sharing the learning.

It’s going to be important, for the organisation’s learning around the development model that you document:

Adaptations for the process used for each step

Your use of the tools in the Programming Toolkit and any additional tools you may have used.

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Guidelines for documenting this process are included for each step of the Critical Path.


Introduction

Important Tip:

The IPM model emphasises working with partners, rather than an emphasis on World Vision as designer and implementer of programmes. For this reason, learning sessions often suggest including both potential partners and working partners as important contributors to the learning process.

When scheduling times for learning, selecting times that are convenient for everyone will help ensure that your learning process is robust and reflects many points of view. Gathering those individuals and groups who are active collaborators is also an excellent way to enhance the WV team’s perceptions of how the process is going and contributes to continuous improvement of relationships and development activities.

As needed, technical specialists, Regional IP Coordinators and National Office staff can customize the Learning and Discernment Resource to ensure that questions and activities are appropriate for each site.

Action Learning Tools

Complete guidelines for using the following action learning tools are included in Appendix 1 of the Learning and Discernment Resource. They are integrated into the learning guidelines for the learning sessions as a resource for team learning. They are also an invaluable resource for development facilitators as they work with community partners. Their use during team learning events helps everyone become familiar with them and contributes to increased capacity to use them effectively in daily work.

Action, Reflection, Learning and Planning ARLP structures individual or small group discussions and encourages detailed reflection, learning and planning. Questions in four stages (action, reflection, learning and planning) uncover what happened in a given experience and lead to productive changes for future activities.

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Consequence and Sequel CAS is a tool that promotes structured long-term thinking and helps groups consider sustainability issues in a project or plan. This is a tool for looking ahead to see the short, medium and long-term consequences of an action, plan, decision, rule etc.


Introduction

Mind Map Mind maps offer a group process to share diverse ideas and connections. Participants visualize, summarize and represent relationships and connections between ideas, concepts or plans around a central topic.

Other People’s Views OPV focuses on the other people involved in a decision, proposed plan, rule, action etc. It provides a format to consciously and deliberately look at other viewpoints to assess impact.

River of Life River of Life is a pictorial representation of experiences or relationships. It demonstrates how they have shaped or influenced each other.

Role of the Team Leader or ADP Manager

The team leader is responsible for scheduling the learning sessions, shaping the activities to meet the needs of the team and the programme and capturing and sharing the learning. When possible, staff members can take the responsibility for specific learning activities to cultivate their facilitation skills and open the learning space for shared leadership.

Either the team leader or a designated staff member should take the responsibility for capturing the learning after each session. It is the team leader’s responsibility to ensure that the learning is shared appropriately at the end of each step of the Critical Path with the National Office and with others in World Vision who need feedback on the model and on the progress of the programme. Guidelines for sharing this learning are included in the session guidelines.

Goals and Process for National Office Learning

The NO point person works together with the National Learning Coordinators (or staff members with dedicated time for learning from the programmes) to ensure that there are appropriate opportunities to learn from and with the programmes. The following tasks for NO staff will help facilitate this learning loop.

Facilitate, support and gather learning from the pilot sites, particularly the ‘end of Critical Path step’ learning event

Synthesize the learning and share with National Office staff

Attend and help facilitate the learning discussions in National Offices

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Encourage programme team leads to share their learning with other entities in WV


Introduction

Role of IPM Regional Coordinators

The regional coordinators will be receiving periodic learning reports from the National Offices and synthesizing them for the Global Centre team, noting trends, questions and areas of interest. These reports will contribute to model refinement, effective competency development support and overall coordination of support from the Global Centre IPE team. They are also available for orientation and capacity building.

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Introduction

Spiritual Discernment

The Critical Path, a process that WV local-level staff members walk through together with local partners. guides local level staff as they operationalise IPM.

A spiritual discernment process that recognizes God’s ongoing presence and work in communities supports this journey along the Critical Path. Prayer and reflections based on the study of Scripture and listening to the children, the poor and partners are key elements of this discernment.

Spiritual Discernment Resources

Scripture Search modules for the steps of the Critical Path include modules on God’s Presence and Work, and Assessment as well as Steps 1-6. Scripture Search modules support WV staff as they practice personal and team discernment and facilitate the development processes and activities in the community and with partners.

Scripture search methodology can also be employed to help WV staff integrate the practice and the discipline of prayer and the study of scripture. This process is done primarily in connection with issues and values that emerge out of regular development learning experiences in programmes and projects. Critical to the success of Scripture Search are:

Selection of biblical stories or texts that have significant similarities with the current issue or event. In Scripture Search, it is very important to be sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit in looking for appropriate passages.

Engaging questions from the current situation that set up a living dialogue between the Scripture story and current reality. The meaning of the scriptures is

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Introduction

illumined in the actual practice of Scripture Search. Three basic questions guide the study of the Scripture:

1) What are the similarities between this experience in biblical times and our experience now? This leads to contextualization, or putting the present situation into the Word of God.

2) What light does that biblical experience shed on our current experience? This leads to prayerful reflection on the significance of meaning of the present situation in light of the Scriptures.

3) As individuals and a group, what we should we do about these insights? This leads to actualization, or saying and doing things that bring the present situation into closer harmony with the biblical experience.

The Seven Step Method for Bible reading is also a helpful resource for local programme staff and for use with faith based partners. Developed by the Lumko Institute of South Africa, it enables group receptivity to the Scriptures before group planning or a meeting.

The basic question that guides the seven steps is: What does God want to say to me? To us? The practice of listening to God’s Word and opening oneself to being guided by God creates a culture where more Christ-like thinking and acting occurs on a daily basis.

The Seven Steps of this process are:

1) Invite Jesus to be with us as we listen and reflect.

2) Have everyone turn to the selected passage, and ask someone to read it aloud.

3) After the reading of the passage, each person selects a word or short phrase that is meaningful to him or her and shares it aloud. Ask the group to say each shared selection slowly three times in their hearts before going on to the next.

4) Share a time of silence for several minutes. This is a time for listening, not praying or thinking. It is a time for allowing God to reveal something to you about reality. It is a time for practicing open receptivity to God’s work and word in daily life.

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5) Individuals again share words or phrases that touched them personally during the time of silence. This is a time of simple sharing, not a time for discussion or preaching.


Introduction

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6) Discuss the tasks facing the group, and report on what happened with previous tasks. This is a time of practicing accountability for previous plans, and agreeing to plans for the next time period.

7) The final step is spontaneous prayer, and a final closing hymn or chorus or prayer that everyone knows.

Lectio Divina or “Praying the Scriptures” is one foundation for the Seven Step method. It is a very ancient practice. In Lectio Divina, “we discover that there is no place in our hearts, no interior corner or closet that cannot be opened and offered to God.”


Assessment Phase

Programme Assessment Phase

To begin the learning process as a team, two scripture search modules are included for the start up and assessment phase. Devotional times can be scheduled during the first weeks of your programme start up and assessment phase or during the re-design phase if your programme is in re-design. To deepen these reflections and incarnate the insights in daily work, continue to share spiritual insights related to the scripture during your learning sessions.

The first module accompanies exploration of God’s Presence and Work as you begin the Critical Path.

The second scripture search module focuses on the Assessment phase.

Scripture Search Module – God’s Presence and Work

Critical Path – Foundation

INTRODUCTION

The scene in this story is a body of water merely fourteen miles long and seven miles wide, yet it is a small-scale model of the whole earth to us as we come to Jesus in faith. We are confident that this is a meeting of today, in the twenty-first century, not just a quaint two thousand year old story that took place on the Sea of Galilee. And the main characters in the story are not just Peter, James and John in an encounter with Jesus. You and I are there representing our worldwide partnership. These remarkable realizations can be so because as World Vision staff members …

…we approach the Bible not just as individuals but also as a community of people who together seek to know and do God’s will. As a community we pray every day that God’s kingdom will come on earth (that day) and God’s will be done in our world (that day) as it is in Heaven all the time. So together we turn to the Bible to illumine us. (From “A Biblical Framework for Transformational Ministries of World Vision)

Our Prayer

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“On this occasion we are concerned to know, Oh God, of Your presence and work, right now, not just in a specific area of our assigned ministry, but in the whole worldwide scope of World Vision’s calling. How shall we discern through our prayers and scripture meditation that You are with us and directing us on any day in any place on the planet to be engaged in the work of Your kingdom that is bringing in a new world?” Amen.


Assessment Phase

Background

In every program, every project, and every ministry episode that World Vision undertakes across the globe we will seek evidence of how God’s Spirit is already at work there-- through prayer, through what God is saying in circumstances and through the community, through confirming words of scripture. We will grow in our confidence in the discernment process when we look back to this encounter with Jesus today, along with Peter James and John. We will consider three things in the story: THE CALLING, THE CATCH and THE CONFESSION.

Read the Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Once while Jesus* was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ 5Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ 6When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ 9For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ 11When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

Points to Ponder and Discuss

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THE CATCH has symbolism that the disciples would reflect on whenever they needed to discern where and when to act in unity with God’s presence and work. Peter was a fisherman while Jesus was a carpenter. A professional fisherman would feel foolish letting down nets in deep water in broad daylight. Additionally, deep-water fishing was done at night. Reluctantly Peter follows the strange order of Jesus to let down the nets. Amazing results followed. The strain of the catch almost broke the nets and other boat crews had to be called to help them pull in the fish. In World Vision’s work, contributing to the child, family and community well being, the good results promise to be abundant.

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Assessment Phase

The place and timing of each of our engagements must be ultimately God’s decision and we take note from the story that God is already at work there and simply allows us to add our witness to his work.

Reflection What are some of the lessons in verses 4-7 about the importance of our entering only where God wants us to work with Him?

THE CALLING: This was not their first encounter with Jesus. He had begun to win their confidence and they had heard his call to follow him already. But Peter’s first love was still the art of fishing and the fishing industry. Peter still had his doubts. He could still call Jesus “Master” (a term of respect), and he could still put up an argument that he knew better than Jesus, a carpenter, when it came to fishing skills. Yet, in spite of doubts, he gave Jesus’ word higher priority than his own experience. Suddenly he must have caught a first glimpse of Jesus’ vision for the world.

Jesus presented a compelling vision, using assuring terms (“Do not be afraid”) and familiar pictures (“you will catch”), and a challenging goal (“people”). He [Jesus] cast his vision in one sentence of 11 words! (John Maxwell).

At this point Peter is transformed by seeing the wisdom, power, and awesome sovereignty of Jesus! Now he addresses Jesus as “LORD”! Now he becomes 100% sold out to the King and to the kingdom vision.

Reflection What are the implications for our work in communities when we become likewise “sold out” to Jesus’ calling upon our lives?

The CONFESSION: We heard Peter change his reference from “Master” to “Lord.” We saw the emotional and physical effects the exposure was having upon Peter. We heard the deep confession Peter made to Jesus (verses 8-10). We listened to the re-assuring words of Jesus to Peter. And finally we witnessed the radical decisions Peter and the others came to (verses 8-11)

Reflection Try to imagine yourself in Peter’s situation: How does this make you feel? What response would you feel compelled to make when you suddenly realised WHO is present with you in the narrow confines of your boat? What applications can we draw from this in our work in IPM?

Scripture Search Module Assessment Phase: Where are We? INTRODUCTION

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‘Where Are We?’, assessing the realities in the context, is underway. The following section of the Nehemiah story functions like an accelerated LEAP process. It is part of


Assessment Phase

ongoing learning, evaluation, assessment and planning that started when God called Nehemiah to lead the project and continued until the wall was completely rebuilt.

NEHEMIAH 2:4-18

Nehemiah Sent to Judah

4 Then the king said to me, “What do you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5Then I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ graves, so that I may rebuild it. 6The king said to me (the queen also was sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a date. 7 Then I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may grant me passage until I arrive in Judah; 8and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, directing him to give me timber to make beams for the gates of the temple fortress, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the gracious hand of my God was upon me.

9 Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent officers of the army and cavalry with me.

Nehemiah’s Inspection of the Walls

11 So I came to Jerusalem and was there for three days. 12Then I got up during the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I took was the animal I rode. 13I went out by night by the Valley Gate past the Dragon’s Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 14Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool; but there was no place for the animal I was riding to continue. 15So I went up by way of the valley by night and inspected the wall. Then I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. 16The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing; I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest that were to do the work.

Decision to Restore the Walls

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17 Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burnt. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer suffer disgrace.’ 18I told them that the hand of my God had been gracious upon me, and


Assessment Phase

also the words that the king had spoken to me. Then they said, ‘Let us start building!’ So they committed themselves to the common good.


What preparation does Nehemiah take in verses 4-9 to lay the foundation for the program of rebuilding the wall of the city?

What were the compelling facts in Nehemiah’s narrative (verses 11-16) which led the people to respond to the dilemma?

Reflection The IPM Critical Path begins with the presence of God and His presence and action are shown to be foundational to the critical path. How does the story of Nehemiah demonstrate that seeking God’s presence at every point is key to understanding the context?

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Reflection When we really seek the Lord as Nehemiah did, the assessment can indicate a “Go” or “No Go”. Now comes the challenge of unity in obeying the Lord as in verse 18. What kinds of threats typically arise that can still derail our obedient action to God’s direction?


Assessment Phase

Guidelines for Learning Check-ins

Focus

What are we currently learning in our work on assessment? You may want to explore the following areas:

Information gathering challenges during the assessment process

Roles and responsibilities: do we need to change our current way of sharing the work?

Areas of interest for further exploration

Learning about the context that is going to shape the way we work

Learning that needs to be shared with the National Office

Preparation

What time will we set aside for this?

What materials do we need?

Who will lead the session?

What are the specific questions or areas we will address?

Recommended Process

Action Reflection Learning Planning Tool –

Action - What is currently happening – describe it in detail: Who is involved? Who is doing what?

Reflection - What is helpful? What are the challenges? What strengths and weaknesses do you see? How is the process helping us achieve our assessment goals? What more do we need to be doing?

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Learning - What values or practice will help ensure our success as we go forward? What aspects of the context we are learning about will help inform our work?


Assessment Phase

Capturing the Learning

You may want to save the reflections gathered in the learning check-ins so the team can refer to it and revisit issues and questions as necessary.

Guidelines for Learning Focus Session – (Assessment Findings)

Focus: Assessment Findings

What are the significant findings from our work on assessment? Explore the following areas:

Partnering context: Groups currently working in the programme area. Stakeholders who may possess important information that can inform our assessment process. Government duty bearers and their roles.

Child well-being: Assessment data about child well-being issues in the area. Any conflicting trends noted in data collected. Areas for further exploration.

Vulnerability: Based on assessment data, aspects of vulnerability that will need further exploration

Other areas of interest for further exploration


Learning that needs to be shared with the National Office

Preparation



Recommended Process

Open the session by asking each of the team members to share a significant finding they have discovered in the assessment phase or in interactions with community members. They should include how they learned it, who they learned it from and why they believe it is significant.

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Findings mindmap: Create a mindmap of the areas that are currently being assessed. Put ‘Assessment’ in the center box and the areas being assessed in the linking


Assessment Phase

boxes. Ask team members to share findings to date in the areas that are being assessed. When they have finished, lead a discussion on implications they see for World Vision programmes.

Assessment Challenges Mindmap: Create a mindmap with ‘assessment challenges’ in the center box. Ask team members to share challenges in specific areas in the linking boxes. What connections are there? How can they address those challenges? Create a flip chart with a list of the challenges on one side and space to brainstorm solutions on the other. Identify the best solutions and agree on how they will be implemented.


Save your mindmaps and brainstorming flip charts so that they can be reviewed and help inform the learning session at the end of the assessment phase.

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Assessment Phase

Guidelines for Learning at the End of Assessment

Focus: Assessment Process and Findings

What are the significant findings from our work on assessment?

How did we adapt the process outlined in the Handbook for Integrated Programming?

What are the implications of the assessment process for our ongoing work?

Preparation



Who needs to attend?

Where will we hold this?

Recommended Process

Opening: Open the session by asking each of the team members to share a significant finding they have discovered in the assessment phase or in interactions with community members. How did they learn it? Who did they learn it from? Why do they believe it is significant?

Briefly review the learning flipcharts and reflections shared during learning activities during the assessment phase.

River of Life Encouage the staff to participate in a River of Life learning exercise to express how they experienced the assessment process. What were the highlights? Challenges?

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Lead the staff on a ‘plus, minus, interesting’ exercise about the assessment phase. This should their comments on both the process and findings.


Assessment Phase

Post the River of Life and the Plus Minus Interesting input on the wall for reference as the team walks through the next reflection on process and tools.

Process Adaptation and Reflection on Programming Tools used:

Use the high-level process steps above – and refer to the detailed process steps included for each high level process step in the Handbook as necessary. Note any adaptations you made to the process steps included.

Describe the adaptations, referencing the Process # (A.1, A.2.1 etc.) Then respond to the following questions for each:

o Why was this adaptation important?

o What was the additional value the adaptation added to the local programme?

o How will this adaptation impact your ongoing work with the Critical Path?

What was the team’s experience using the assessment tool? You may want to do a ‘plus minus interesting’ exercise to gather this information.

Were there any additional tools used? Describe the tools and their use.

Describe the experience using the Sponsorship Feasibility Tool.

In the detailed process in the Handbook, what worked well?

Is there any section that needs further clarification?

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A.1 WV staff develop

programme assessment plan

A.2 Assessment team negotiates agreement to

perform assessment

A.3 Assessment team conducts assessment and

generates assessment report

A.4 Assessment team submits assessment report to SO and

negotiates agreement to proceed with design


Assessment Phase

Looking Forward

How can you create a space in which community groups and potential partners can continue to inform the findings? Why is this important?

What strategies will you use to communicate the assessment findings in dynamic, respectful and creative ways?

Discernment - What is God Saying?

Create a team mindmap that reflects lessons and applications that have emerged from:

Biblical reflections

Personal and team devotions

Prayer

Through the conversations and the influence of others

Sharing the Learning with National Office Colleagues

Plan how you will share the learning with NO staff members. In some cases, it may be a simple verbal update. In other cases, a written summary will be enough. When a more comprehensive sharing of information and lessons learned is necessary, consider the following as you plan this:

Date

Time

Place

Participants (who needs an in-depth understanding?)

Guiding Questions:

What do they need to know?

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Which tools and methodologies will we use to share the progress, information, concepts and new understanding?


Assessment Phase

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What do we ask them to do to prepare? (reading, questions, reflected experience)

What specific ways can they support us?

Capturing and Sharing the Learning with Global Centre IPE Team

Periodic questionnaires and / or visits from the Global Centre IPE (Integrated Progamming Effectiveness) team will draw on your learning in this end of Critical Path step learning event.


Critical Path Step 1 ‘Who are we?’

Step 1: Who Are We?

Scripture Search Module

INTRODUCTION Who is World Vision in a specific place? Whether asked of global, regional, national or sub-national areas, our core documents help to define us. We give thanks to the Lord for these (Declaration of Internationalization, Core Values, Mission and Vision Statements) and regard them as sacred gifts from God for World Vision. In this Scripture Search, we look at these documents and humbly ask of Jesus, “Who are we, Lord, in your sight”? The answer seen in this light may amaze and shock us! It comes in Jesus’ own words:

Scripture

JOHN 15:7-17

7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become* my disciples. 9As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

12 ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15I do not call you servants* any longer, because the servant* does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.


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It could seem to be the height of arrogance to claim that Jesus’ commissioning words in verses 14-16 -- although they were originally addressed to Jesus’ first followers -- also point to us as World Vision and to you and me personally. How would you answer

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someone who took that view? Express what the claim makes you realize and feel about our high calling? What do the “ifs” in this passage tell us?

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Reflection So “who are we” according to the words of Jesus? What are both the responsibilities and privileges that go with Jesus’ choice of us as his ambassadors? Describe what difference it should make in our ministry for the well being of children, families and communities if we remain true to who Jesus says we are.



Please note: As Step #1 is a short step, learning guidelines are included here for the ‘End of Step’ Learning Event only.

Guidelines for Learning at the end of Step 1

Focus: ‘Who are we’ Process and Implications

What was important in this process?

Who was involved?

What challenges did we face?

What significant things did we learn about World Vision identity in our context?

What are the implications?

How will we ensure that we keep our messages consistent and updated as we continue to work in this area?

Preparation





Recommended Process

Opening: Open the session by asking each of the team members to share a significant shift in their understanding of World Vision’s identify and potential contributions in the programme area. What implications does this shift have for WV’s effectiveness in addressing child well-being?

Devotions: Scripture Search Module ‘Who are we?’ If the staff has already used this scripture search module, that’s fine! They will gain new insights and a deeper understanding as they participate in this devotional again. You may also want to incorporate the World Vision mission statement and / or core values into this devotional time and reflect on how they relate to the scripture passage.

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Review all of the materials developed during this step. Post the message box, communications plan and any other materials developed during this step on the wall so that everyone can see them. Alternatively, you may want to make photocopies of the materials so that everyone has a set.

Any initial observations? Any surprises? What was learned about World Vision as an organisation from this exercise? What was learned about the programme context in this process?

Create a Participation Mind Map that represents all of the groups and individuals involved in the ‘Who are we’ process: National Office Staff, Programme Staff, Support Office, Community Stakeholders, Other. Work together to represent the ways that each group participated: shared information, provided documents, validated messages, shared perceptions, guided the process, challenged the team etc.

Create an Input Source Mind Map that helps the team reflect on how sources influenced the way the final messages and communication plan emerged. For key categories in the mind map, include the assessment tool, NO and RO strategy documents, community perceptions, WV core documents and any other input that may have influenced your work together for this step. Record how each source influenced the messages you created. Consider: What strategies can we use to ensure that our messages are continually updated as the programme progresses? How will these sources play a role in that process? What other sources will influence our messages in the future?

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Process Adaptation and Reflection on Programming Tools

1.4 Programme staff develop

communication

plan and materials

1.1 Programme staff reflect on how WV global essentials, NO strategy and assessment findings shape our

local identity

1.3 Programme staff create

message box

1.2 Facilitator explores perceptions with key community

stakeholders

IPM Critical Path Step 1 “Who Are We?” High Level Process Flow

Use the high level process steps above – and refer to the detailed process steps included for each high level process step in the Handbook as necessary – discuss any adaptations you made to the process steps. You will want the team’s input for the survey monkey questionnaire you’ll be filling out at the end of this step (see the ‘capturing learning’ guidelines).

Record the adaptations, referencing the Process # (1.1, 1.2, 1.3 etc.) Then respond to the following questions for each:




Were there any additional tools used? Record the tools and their use.

How did the sponsorship communication tool help?



Looking Forward: Planning for Step 2

Review your communication plan together. Are there any stakeholders you missed?

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Role-play sharing the messages. Ask team members or NO team members present to play the roles of the identified stakeholders and ask others to engage



in a natural conversation with them integrating the messages you’ve created together. Ask other members of the group to be the observers.

Did the messages communicate?

Did they feel natural?

Were the messages delivered in a way that contributed to an ongoing relationship?

Did they encourage meaningful dialogue?

Agree upon any changes that may need to be made to the messages to make them more useful and authentic.

Create a River of Life using the detailed process steps for Step 2.

Discuss the challenges the team sees, where they may need extra support, roles that may need to be changed or modified.

Consider the competencies the team will need for each part of the step and discuss plans for developing these.

Review the tools that will be used in Step 2. You may want to practice using the Spider Diagram.

Discuss the importance of the Child Protection Policy

Create an overall timeline with roles and responsibilities to be shared at the next staff meeting. Note: Include the staff meetings, learning sessions, competency development work and any other deadlines the team may be facing.





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Prayer



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Discerning what God is already doing in the programme area is particularly important in this step of the Critical Path. While that understanding will deepen over time, an open mind to listen to community members and stakeholders will enlighten conversations and create a space for all groups, including WV staff, to envision life in all its fullness – and pragmatic ways to make that vision a reality!



Date

Time

Place


Guiding Questions:








Critical Path Step 2 ‘Who are you?’

Step 2: Who Are You?

Tip: There are three scripture search modules included for this step. The first one is focused on choosing partners. The second two are focused on working with the most vulnerable. Choose times that will be appropriate for each to share with your team.

INTRODUCTION “Who are the potential partners who are, can be or should be involved in working with the well being of the children in this area?” Four categories of possible partners in the programme area center around government, civil society, churches, businesses and “networks”. Our biblical narratives will cover the entire range.

Jesus was very deliberate in picking his partners. John noted: He “had to” go through Samaria”, which Jews avoided by using another route. “Had to” even though it was a territory hostile to Jews by the minority group that lived there. Probably he had to because as one of his earliest ministry strategies he wanted to strike a blow against ethnic, racial, religious and gender prejudice. The first person he ever told directly he was Messiah was a “loose” woman whom his fellow Jews called a half-breed. But she was a mother and wife (five times over).

She was an extremely intelligent person who had a hungry mind that encompassed history, culture, religion and local village life. Moreover, she was an informal indigenous leader whom Jesus recognized could found the first local church, establish standards for community organization and set trends in transformational development that Christian NGOs seek to emulate to this day! Because she was poor and hungry in heart she would set the definition of “life in all its fullness” in a holistic way that embraced spiritual, material and social realms. Jesus picked the right partner to help him launch his world transformative ministry.

Read the story from the perspective of IPM practitioners learning from the Master some principles in picking the right kinds of partners.

Scripture

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John 4:7-30, 39-42



7A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink’. 8(His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) 9The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?’ (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.)* 10Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink”, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’ 11The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 25Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?’ 13Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’ 15The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.’

16Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come back.’ 17The woman answered him, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, “I have no husband”; 18for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!’ 19

The woman said to him, ‘Sir, I see that you are a prophet. 20Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you* say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.’ 21Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. 24God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ 25The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.’ 26Jesus said to her, ‘I am he,* the one who is speaking to you.’

27Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, ‘What do you want?’ or, ‘Why are you speaking with her?’ 28Then the woman left her water-jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, 29‘Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah,* can he?’ 30They left the city and were on their way to him.

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39Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I have ever done.’ 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there for two days. 41And many more believed because of his word. 42They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of

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what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.’


On the one hand, what facts in the story would lead you to conclude she was a most unlikely choice as a partner for Jesus to pick (Here you would likely see eye to eye with the disciples)? On the other hand try to evaluate the woman from the perspective of Jesus. What in the story would show that the woman was actually the most ideal choice of a partner to bring the kingdom of God to Samaria?

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Reflection Review the WV Mission Statement. As we seek ministry partners, how does our mission “to follow our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” help and guide us?



Scripture Search Module On Reaching the Most Vulnerable – Part I

INTRODUCTION

There are some children whose situations are so challenging that the coalition of partners nearly despairs of effective intervention to bring them to well-being. Cultural, political and economic systems – combined with individual attitudes and experience – can result in severe discrimination and lack of opportunity for the most vulnerable children.

This story illustrates such a situation through the life of one child, but the argument going on indicates that there were unresolved tensions in the society that point to the existence of a much wider issue about vulnerable children than just this one child.

The story takes place when Jesus came down from the Mount of Transformation into a village facing a dire crisis. Let’s join in the confusion.

Jesus Cures a Boy with Epilepsy MARK 9:14-29

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14When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. 15When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. 16He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; and 18whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.” 19He answered them, “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” 20And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.” 23Jesus said to him, “If you are able! -- All things can be done for the one who believes.” 24Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” 26After crying out and



convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. 28When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29He said to them, “This kind can come out only through prayer.”

Points to Ponder and Discuss Opportunities for “life in all its fullness” are very limited, or even impossible, for many of the most vulnerable children in the communities. What do you imagine life was like for this boy before he met Jesus? Reflection In verses 17-18, the father advocates passionately for his son. How does such persuasive advocacy represented by the father work on behalf of or with the most vulnerable today? Reflection In verse 24, the father says to Jesus, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Sometimes we are called to work with the most vulnerable children, in spite of our own doubts, prejudices and fears. What are some of the “heart issues” which WV staff and community partners need to work through as they work with the most vulnerable? Reflection Jesus had already prepared His disciples to handle situations like this. (See Mark 3:13-15). Jesus was very disappointed and gave a harsh rebuke to the disciples in verse 19. What may have been irritating Him about the way the disciples handled the situation? Remember that there was the boy himself, his father, a large crowd and critical religious and community leaders present.

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Reflection From verses 21-29, what is Jesus’ diagnosis and solution and how does it apply to our facing the difficult challenges of reaching the most vulnerable in our time?



Scripture Search On Reaching the Most Vulnerable – Part II

INTRODUCTION

In the Mark 9:14-29 Scripture Search Entitled “On Reaching the Most Vulnerable” we witnessed Jesus’ intervention in the disciples’ failed attempt to cure the epilepsy of a boy. But the picture is not complete until we have considered an example of Jesus’ advocacy to change attitudes of prejudice against people who are excluded or marginalized in communities. Jesus’ teaching involves mobilizing others to take up his cause on their behalf, and invite them to participate in, enjoy and contribute to community life.

By his command to his disciples to invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind to their table (v.13) and the way in which in the parable he makes the householder summon the poor, the cripples, the blind and lame into his house (v. 21), Jesus declared war forever on the kinds of discrimination represented by the Essenes and the Pharisees.

LUKE 14:12-14

12 He said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’

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“The lame and the blind were forbidden entrance into the temple and were likewise excluded from the Qumran community.”—The New Testament Commentary on Luke 14:7-14.

“And let no person smitten with any human impurity whatever enter the Assembly of God. And every person smitten with these impurities, unfit to occupy a place in the midst of the congregation, and every (person) smitten in his flesh, paralyzed in his feet and hands, lame or blind or deaf or dumb or smitten in his flesh visible to the eye, or any aged person that totters and is unable to stand firm in the midst of the Congregation: Let these persons not enter.” (See Leviticus 21:17-23). The New Interpreters’ Bible, Vol. IX, p.287.



In the parable Jesus lists the four groups most often invited and says not to invite them: friends, brothers, relatives and rich neighbors.

Remember, parables are usually making only one important point. The point here is not: “don’t have family/neighborhood gatherings!” But rather, “ don’t have the dinner for your self exaltation and private advantage!

Instead, have the dinner to honor and empower the guests—special guests, indeed!” Then Jesus lists four groups that you should invite--to their great surprise!

The poor The crippled The lame The blind


In the Middle East, having table fellowship with someone meant extending full acceptance. How then does this affect the meaning of the parable and the impact of its the message regarding discrimination against the most vulnerable?

How does Jesus’ teaching in these verses run counter to the ways of the world?

The invitation of God welcomes the outcast. The disciples should display the same sort of mercy (love). What sort of resistance might we face if we follow Jesus’ teaching? What importance then do we place on the promise of blessing in verse 14?

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Reflection Jesus points to concrete actions in this parable, as ways of challenging discrimination. We should also look for concrete actions in communities, which will demonstrate the value God places on vulnerable people. How will these concrete actions impact the most vulnerable and the community?



Guidelines for Learning Check-ins

Focus

What are we currently learning about our programme context, community stakeholders, children and youth and the way the community is organised in our work during the ‘Who are you? step. You may want to explore the following areas:

Challenges during the process for Step 2: creating meeting times and spaces, gaining access, creating meaningful dialogue


Areas for further exploration


What we know about specific groups and stakeholders

Preparation




Recommended Process

Significant Learning. Open the session by asking each of the team members to share a significant conversation or an informal interactions with community members and potential partners. What did they learn? What are the implications of what they learned?

Stakeholder mindmap: Create an ongoing mindmap of identified stakeholders. Put ‘Stakeholders’ in the center box and groupings of stakeholders in the linking boxes. Ask team members to share key findings to date. You may want to create a visual representation for each type of stakeholder for the learning activities in this step.

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Consider:



Who shows a commitment and passion to work for a community where children can thrive?

Who is currently working with children and youth?

Who are working with the most vulnerable?

Who are the trusted and necessary actors in the community, inclusive of informal and informal leaders and duty bearers

o Civil society – including community based organizations, NGOs, traditional authorities, women’s groups and youth groups, FBOs

o Churches of all Christian traditions

o Government – including local government, public services, and facilities related to child well-being and rights such as health, education, water and sanitation

o Private sector – including businesses, private clinics and private schools

o Constituent groups (informal networks, interest based groups, children’s groups, youth groups, clan groups)

Challenges Mindmap: Use the stakeholder mindmap as a reference and create a mindmap with ‘’Stakeholder engagement challenges’ in the center box. Ask team members to note stakeholders that have posed challenges or difficulties in the engagement process. Use the mindmap to brainstorm strategies that will address the challenges.

To help identify the best strategies, you may want to do a plus, minus, interesting exercise for each one.

Closing

Discuss messages you’ve been focused on with each group of stakeholders. Are there additional messages that need to be constructed?

Are children and youth being engaged?

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What about vulnerable groups? What are you learning? What new groups have emerged that you need to factor in to your stakeholder engagement?



Are there community leaders or other groups that you haven’t considered previously?

Review the River of Life constructed at the end of Step 1. Was it accurate? Are there any additional challenges or surprises? Does the team timeline need to be revised or refined?

Guidelines for Learning Focus Session – (Process Step 2.1)

Focus: Choosing a Primary Focus Area

What are the significant findings from our stakeholder engagement process that will inform the choice of the primary focus area?

Child well-being: highest levels of need

Geography: Aligned with government structures

Vulnerability: highest concentration of vulnerable children

Sponsorship: sufficient population to register enough children to cover the first phase of the programme – about five years.

Learning from potential partners and stakeholders that influences the choice

Preparation



Recommended Process

Open the session by asking each of the team members to share an insight on how the community is organised and where the most vulnerable children live. They should include how they learned this and who they learned it from.

Stakeholder Mindmap Revisit the stakeholder mindmaps created in the bi-weekly check-in learning exercise.

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Add in any other stakeholders you have engaged with as well as key learning.



What new groups or stakeholders have been identified that need to be considered?

Who is currently working with children and youth?

Who is working with the most vulnerable?

Who are the trusted and necessary actors in the community, inclusive of informal and informal leaders and duty bearers

Create a new mindmap and use ‘potential primary focus areas’ for the center box. Ask the team to recommend three or four potential primary focus areas. Then note positive characteristics for each in one color, challenging characteristics in another color. Use the following recommended positive characteristics to guide the discussion. In some programmes, there may be more than one primary focus area chosen, with a development facilitator assigned to each.

Child well-being: highest levels of need

Geography: Aligned with government structures and village structures (rural) if possible

Vulnerability: highest concentration of vulnerable children

Sponsorship: sufficient population to register enough children to cover the first phase of the programme – about five years.

Learning from potential partners and stakeholders that may influence the choice

When the team has finished using the mindmap to organise insights on the potential primary focus areas, you may want to use ‘plus, minus, interesting’ to further analyse the potential in each of the primary focus areas. Under ‘interesting’, note what you need to discuss with duty bearers and others before you make final decisions.


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Reflect on lessons and applications that have emerged from Biblical reflections, from listening to what God has been saying through personal devotions, through prayer, team



interactions and through the conversations and the influence of stakeholders in the community. What is God already doing?

Capturing and Sharing the Learning

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You will want to save the work done in this learning session to inform your programme design document and support discussions about the choice of the primary focus area with National Office or Support Office staff.



Guidelines for Learning at the End of Step 2

Session Focus: ‘Who are you’ process and next steps

What have we learned about the groups in our primary focus area?

What have we learned about child well-being in our primary focus area?

What strategies will be effective for increasing the inclusion and participation of the vulnerable groups?

How will we work with the starter group to enhance its effectiveness?

How have the process and the tools been adapted to work within our context?

Preparation





Recommended Process

Devotions: Scripture Search Module ‘Who are you?’

If the staff has already used these scripture search modules, that’s fine! Choose one of the three modules included for this step that seems to be most relevant to your team and work through it again. There will be new insights as they participate in this devotional again. Stakeholder engagement and a deeper perspective on the programme area will enhance the reflections and help team members contextualise the reflections in their daily work.

Review the learning to date through a team River of Life exercise.

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Post the flip charts, mind maps and other learning documentation on the walls in the room. The staff may want to take turns presenting the learning they represent. Ask staff to share their observations.



What were the sources of their learning?

How did the learning contribute to improving their process?

How did the learning contribute to team building?

How did the learning assist them in meeting the challenges they were facing?

How did the learning contribute to successful stakeholder engagement?

After these observations, ask the team to work together to create a new River of Life for Step 2, reflecting the highlights and challenges. You may want to use the process maps in the Handbook to review the recommended processes.

’What we know now’ mindmap: Work with the staff to construct a mind map of the information and insights learned about the priority focus area through the ‘Who are you?’ process. Areas you may want to represent on the mindmap include:

Information and insights gathered on child well-being in the programme area

o Who is most actively involved in child well-being?

o What areas of child well-being are currently being addressed by local groups? What areas seem to be neglected?

Information and insights gathered on civil society groups and potential partners in the programme area

o Which groups are networked and working together?

o Which groups seem to have the strongest organisational structure?

o Which groups are working solo?

o Which groups are linked with government duty bearers?

Information and insights gathered on government involvement and structure in the programme area: health, education, nutrition, other

Information and insights gathered on vulnerability in the programme area

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o With the information you currently have, what are some of the barriers that vulnerable groups are facing?



o What strategies will help the vulnerable groups become fully involved in the process?

o Any missing voices?

o What is the most important insight learned about the vulnerable groups in this step? Discuss: Why it was important. How it was learned. Sources of the insight.

Starter group members and their characteristics

o Who do starter group members represent? Are there any groups that are not represented? What strategies will enable the inclusion of key members in the community who may be missing?

o What advantages and strengths do current starter group members bring to the process?

o What challenges will need to be addressed in ongoing interactions with the starter group?

o Who will be natural facilitators going forward? How can their capacity be strengthened? ‘


IPM Critical Path Step 2 “Who Are You?” High Level Process Flow

2.4 Team leader, DF and local leaders begin to form a starter

group for the primary focus area

2.3 DF holds meetings with groups of children and youth in the primary focus

area to learn more about actors involved with child well-being

2.2 DF holds discussions with local government and other key stakeholders in the primary focus area to learn more

about child well-being

2.1 Programme staff, government and other key stakeholders in the

programme impact area define primary focus areas

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Use the high-level process steps above – and refer to the detailed process steps included for each high level process step in the Handbook as necessary – to discuss any



adaptations you made to the process steps. You will want to capture the team’s input to share with both your National Office and the Global Centre team (see the ‘capturing learning’ guidelines).

Record the adaptations, referencing the Process # (2.1, 2.2 etc.) if that is helpful. Then respond to the following questions for each:




What was the team’s experience using the community engagement tools for Critical Path Step 2? You may want to do a ‘plus minus interesting’ exercise to gather this information.




Stepping back to reflect

Revisit your message box and communications plan created in Step 1 ‘Who are we?’.

Are there any changes you need to make to either the messages or the communications plan?

Looking Forward: Planning for Step 3 ‘What is already being done?’



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Consider doing ‘practice workshops’ as a team before facilitating these with the starter group.

Which members of the starter group do you want to include in the facilitation process?

What is the most effective way to communicate the process and goals of Steps 3 and 4 to the Starter Group?

What strategies will you use to build the commitment of the Starter Group to this process?

How will you manage the skills and capacities of the team members to share the responsibility for this step?






Prayer


Consider the relationships you are beginning to develop in Step 2. Consider a team commitment to pro-actively pray for these relationships as you move forward. If there are relationships in the programme area that may be difficult, invest in those relationships prayerfully to ensure that team members maintain a fresh perspective.


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Date

Time

Place


Guiding Questions:








Critical Path Step 3 ‘What is Already Being Done?’

Step 3: What is Already Being Done?


INTRODUCTION

This step is about building a shared understanding of child well-being and the current efforts of various stakeholders to address the well-being of children. This is an appreciative approach in building on current assets and what has already been started, in whatever form or stage it may be.

Jesus, in the process of training his disciples, put them to a test to empower them and equip them to carry forward his work.

Scripture: Feeding the Five thousand

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.* 22A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 33Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 44Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. 55When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” 66He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 77Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages* would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 88One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 99”There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” 1010Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they* sat down, about five thousand in all.

11Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 1212When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ”Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” 1313So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 1414When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.”

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15When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

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1. What approach does Jesus use to discover where his disciples are in rising to meet a need in a hungry community? (There were “five thousand men”. Children and women were not counted. So we estimate that at least 25,000 people where to be fed.)

2. How is Jesus’ strategy of dealing with the challenge similar to the modern day Appreciative Inquiry approach?

3. What leadership challenges are these stakeholders already capable of rising up to, especially

Philip (verses 5-7)?

Andrew (verses 8-9)?

Boy (verse 9)?

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Reflection How does this story apply to our work in Critical Path Step 3? How does it encourage us? How does it help us see the potential in our starter group members and other community members in the face of great challenges?



Guidelines for Step 3 Learning Check-ins

Focus

What are we learning about child well-being in the primary focus area through our interactions with the starter group in the workshops? How are we functioning as a team?

Challenges


Areas for further exploration

Learning about child well-being that is going to shape the way we work

Learning about the vulnerable groups in the primary focus area

Preparation




Recommended Process

Opening Open the session by asking each of the team members to share a significant conversation they have had with a member of the starter group or in an informal interaction with community members. What did they learn? What are the implications of what they learned?

Reviewing workshop experiences

Use the ARLP action-learning tool to review team member’s experience in the workshops with the starter group. Team members who participated in the facilitation of these workshops may also want to use this tool with co-facilitators after the workshop to review what happened. Alternatively, you may want to invite the starter group co-facilitators to share this activity with you in your staff meeting.

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Activity/Event: Child well-being workshops



Action – What happened in the workshop? Who was most involved? How did you feel? What dynamics did you observe?

Reflection - What was helpful? What were the challenges? What strengths and weaknesses did you see? How did the process help achieve a shared sense of child well-being priorities and challenges in the primary focus area?

Learning - What might you do differently next time? What new insights do you have as a result of the workshops? What values or practices would improve the workshop and promote success?

Planning – How will we improve the process? What are we going do differently? - How will we avoid repeating any mistakes? How will we apply lessons?


The improvements and planning gathered in this session should be recorded and included in your ongoing Learning Documentation.

Sharing the Learning

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If starter group co-facilitators were not present during this session, be sure to share the insights with them and gather their input.



Guidelines for Learning Focus Session (Process Step 3.2)

Focus: Planning the community engagement

What do we need to consider as we work with the starter group on planning this process?

Identification of a planning team

WV team roles and responsibilities

Supporting the social mapping process

Ensuring inclusion of all appropriate groups

Sharing tools and methodologies

Preparation



Recommended Process

Other People’s Views (OPV) Use the OPV tool to think through the challenges the team may face in working with the starter group to facilitate the community engagement process. Development facilitators may also want to use this tool with members of the starter group. If the starter group planning team has already been chosen, you may want to invite them to participate in this session.

Consider all of the stakeholders in the community engagement process including:

o Starter group members

o Community groups who will be part of the community conversations

o Facilitators of the community conversations

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Use the questions outlined in the OPV tool to inform your discussion about each of the stakeholder groups. Think about the investments of time each group will need to make and their motivation.



Discuss strategies that will maximize the positive aspects of the planning process and mitigate any risks or negative aspects. How can you collectively support all aspects of the process -- including sharing of tools and methodologies, social mapping, choosing facilitators and building their capacity?

Sharing the Learning

Share the insights and strategies with starter group members to enhance the planning process.


Focus: ‘What is already being done’ process and next steps

Learning about child well-being and the vulnerable in the primary focus area

Influential and important groups for child well-being in the primary focus area

Child well-being assets in the primary focus area

Review of community engagement plan

Adaptations of the process and the tools for our context?

Planning for Step 4

Preparation




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Recommended Process

Devotions: Scripture Search Module ‘Who is already being done?’ Choose one of the three modules included for this step that seems to be most relevant to your team and work through it again. Note the new insights and deepened understanding. Discuss how understanding Jesus’ views on the most vulnerable influenced their own interactions with these groups. Note specific areas for continued prayer and focus.

Review the learning to date through a team River of Life exercise. Post the initial River of Life for Step 3, flip charts and other learning documentation on the walls in the room. Ask each of the staff members to share one or two observations. Discuss:

The sources of their learning

The contributions of the learning to improvements in their daily practice

The contributions of the learning to building their competencies

The importance of the learning process in equipping them to meet the challenges they were facing

The contribution of the learning to successful interactions with the starter group

After these observations, ask the team to work together to create a new River of Life for Step 3, reflecting the highlights and challenges. You may want to use the process maps in the Handbook to review the steps.

Review the ’What we know now’ mindmap created during Step 2. Revisit and refine the following areas based on the work done together in Step 3:


o Groups most actively involved in child well-being

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o Areas of child well-being currently being addressed by local groups



o Areas that seem to be neglected


o Groups networked and working together

o Groups working solo

o Groups linked with government duty bearers



o The barriers vulnerable groups are facing

o Strategies to help the vulnerable groups become fully involved in the process?

o Any missing voices?

o Additional insights about the vulnerable groups


IPM Critical Path Step 3 “What is Already Being Done?”

3.1 Starter group deepens its understanding of child well-being and

vulnerability, and analyses stakeholders in the primary focus area

3.2 Starter group plans community engagement

3.3 Starter group prepares facilitators to engage

community, and finalises community engagement plan

Use the high-level process steps above – and refer to the detailed process steps included for each high level process step in the Handbook as necessary – to discuss any adaptations you made to the process steps. You will want to capture the team’s input to share with both your National Office and the Global Centre team (see the ‘capturing learning’ guidelines).

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Revisit the stakeholder engagement process in Step 2 and the formation of the starter group. Given what you know now, are there potential partners that will need to be intentionally engaged that are not currently a part of the process?

Are there any changes you need to make to either the messages or the communications plan you developed in Step 1?

Looking Forward: Planning for Step 4 ‘What more can be done?’




Will team members need extra support during the community engagement process to meet starter group expectations?

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Are there any areas in the community engagement plan developed by the starter group that need to be reinforced or strengthened before implementing the plan?



Are there ways the team can help build the motivation of starter group members and facilitators to engage fully with this process?

What are some potential ways to help the starter group celebrate when this is over?

What extra support will development facilitators and starter group members need to prepare for the summit?

How can all team members acknowledge the importance of the community conversations and encourage full participation by the selected community groups?

How can team members contribute to child well-being awareness among community members during informal conversations with community members in the primary focus area?






Prayer


Reflect on moments when team members discerned God actively at work in opening doors, encouraging transparent conversations and fostering inclusion during the workshops and the planning for the community conversations. Were there surprises? Were there relationships that were strengthened through prayer? New insights?

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Consider the importance of endurance through obstacles and difficult moments. How does an active spiritual life contribute to this endurance? How does a shared commitment to prayer and discernment contribute to endurance?



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Date

Time

Place


Guiding Questions:








Critical Path Step 4 – What More Can be Done??

Step 4: What More Can Be Done?


INTRODUCTION God is present and working in a community in partnership with people to help them:

Identify the gaps in child, family, and community well- being

Work to address these gaps and

Sharpen vision and priorities for improving and sustaining the well-being of children in the area, especially the vulnerable.

The biblical definition of well-being is “Shalom.” It means a right relationship with God, with self, with others and with the environment. We find a great biblical illustration of this in the advice of Jeremiah to the Jewish exiles after King Nebuchadnezzar had forced these refugees to leave their homes in Judah and march 1000 miles from home into captivity in Babylon.

Scripture

Jeremiah 29:1-14 29These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2This was after King Jeconiah, and the queen mother, the court officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the artisans, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.

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3The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah sent to Babylon to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. It said: 4Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. 8For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let the prophets and the diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that



they dream, 9for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, says the Lord.

For thus says the Lord: Only when Babylon’s seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. 12Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. 13When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, 14I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Lessons for us in the story

The refugees longed to return home but God had sent them there as punishment for their repeated disobedience. It was to be a long stay, around 70 years! Remarkably, God wanted them to appreciate some good in Babylon and to contribute to it by making Babylon’s relatively prosperous life better. This would take place by sharing the Jewish community’s family life, prayer life and work ethics.


1. The Jewish exiles were to be in the midst of Babylon living out and exemplifying the Shalom of God in the community and in business life. As you read verses 4-7, consider: “How will the well-being displayed in Jewish family life contribute to child, family and community well- being in their new home?”

2. Read verse 7 and 12-13. These verses talk about the importance of prayer that accompanies their life in Babylon. Learning from this, what is the role of prayer ministry in identifying and working at the gaps in child, family, and community Shalom.

3. We know from other Old Testament Stories that the Jewish exiles made a great contribution to a better life for children, families, and communities through their work ethics and servant leadership roles. Outstanding examples are Daniel, who became an advisor to Kings as well as Nehemiah, who rose to the third highest rank in civil government.

Reflection What assurance does this give that God is going ahead of us to prepare key partners to work alongside us?

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Guidelines for Step 4 Learning Check-ins

Focus

How is the community engagement process going? What are we learning? What are the unexpected findings?

Challenges during the community engagement process: supporting the coordination, supporting the facilitators, problem solving logistics

Roles and responsibilities: is there any additional help needed for starter group members?

Learning about child well-being that is going to shape the way we work

Preparation




Recommended Process

Opening Open the session by asking each of the team members to share a significant conversation they have had with a starter group member, a community conversations facilitator or in informal interactions with community members. What did they learn? What are the implications of what they learned?

Community Conversations. Use the Plus Minus Interesting (+-?) action-learning tool to discuss the current challenges and the progress of community conversations. Areas to explore include:

o Capacities and confidence of the facilitators and documenters for the community conversations

o Logistics and communication

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o Engagement and attendance by the groups identified for the community conversations



o Awareness among all community members that the conversations are taking place

o Particular focus on engagement with the most vulnerable and with children’s groups

o Starter group participation and motivation

o Interesting insights shared in the community conversations held to date

o Challenges in collating and synthesizing findings

After exploring these areas, discuss strategies to improve any areas that need strengthening. Note the areas that are going well and encourage those who are carrying the responsibility for the success of the community conversations.

Guidelines for Learning Focus Session – (Process Step 4.3)

Focus: DF, starter group and potential partners agree with the way forward and share with the wider community

What do we need to consider as we work with the starter group on this process?

Collating and analysing the information

Roles and responsibilities

Supporting the community summit

Assessing inclusion of the most vulnerable

Preparation



Recommended Process

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Planning for the community summit. Create a mindmap to consider how best to support the starter group gather findings, analyse them and share the learning from the community conversations with the community members. You may want to do this same exercise with the starter group planning team. Alternatively, you may want to



invite the planning team to share in this learning session with you. The community engagement tool for the community summit will inform this learning session.


Focus: ‘What more can be done’ process and next steps

Learning about child well-being and the vulnerable in the primary focus area

Influential and important groups for child well-being in the primary focus area

Significant priorities to address for child well-being in the primary focus area

Adaptations of the tools and process to share with others

Planning for Step 5

Preparation





Recommended Process

Devotions: Scripture Search Module ‘What more can be done?’ Ask one of the team members to read the scripture used at the beginning of this module aloud. Ask team members to note the new insights and deepened understanding. How did WV presence within the context of the community conversations positively impact the outcome? What role did prayer and team discernment play in this impact? Why does God choose to work through those who serve Him? Think about the story of the exiles: how did He work through those who served Him? How does He work through us today?

Review the learning to date through a team River of Life exercise.

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Post the initial River of Life for Step 4, flip charts and other learning documentation on the walls in the room. Ask each of the staff members to share one or two observations. Discuss:



The sources of their learning

The contributions of the learning to improvements in their daily practice

The contributions of the learning to building their competencies

The importance of the learning process in equipping them to meet the challenges they were facing

The contribution of the learning to successful interactions with the starter group

After these observations, ask the team to work together to create a new River of Life for Step 4, reflecting the actual highlights and challenges.

Review the ’What we know now’ mindmap created during Step 2 and refined in Step 3. Revisit and refine the following areas based on the work done together in Step 4:


o Groups most actively involved in child well-being

o Areas of child well-being currently being addressed by local groups

o Priorities raised in the community conversations


o Groups working on identified priorities

o New groups identified during community conversations

o Role of government duty bearers on identified priorities



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o The priorities vulnerable groups are facing



o Vulnerable groups impacted by the priorities identified in the community conversations

o Additional insights about the vulnerable groups

o Additional conversations required with vulnerable groups


Use the high-level process steps above – and refer to the detailed process steps included for each high level process step in the Handbook as necessary – to discuss any adaptations you made to the process steps. You will want to capture the team’s input to share with both your National Office and the Global Centre team (see the ‘capturing learning’ guidelines).





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IPM Critical Path Step 4 “What More Can Be Done?”

4.2 Starter group summarises community input and organises primary focus area summit to

develop vision and priorities

4.3 DF, starter group and potential partners discuss and agree on the way forward and share with the

wider community

4.1 Facilitators conduct community conversations about

child well-being

4.4 Starter group

celebrates efforts and solidarity








Consider what was learned in the child well-being awareness workshops in Step 3. How did the learning in the community conversations enrich that learning and shape understanding?

What have you learned about community perceptions of WV during the community conversations activity? Are there additional refinements to the messages or the communications plan you developed in Step 1?

Looking Forward: Planning for Step 5 ‘What is already being done?’

Create a River of Life using the detailed process steps for Step 5. As Step 5 is more complex than some of the other steps, you may want to create individual ‘rivers of life’ for each of the high-level process steps (5.1, 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4) and then combine them into one.

Discuss the challenges the team sees.

o Where will extra support make a difference in the work with the partners and groups?

o Are there any staff roles that may need to be changed or modified?

o Is there technical support that should be called upon from the zonal or national office?

o What are specific areas for prayer?

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What strategies will help partners and other groups stay involved?



How can all team members continue to acknowledge the importance of the community conversations, the summit - and encourage identified groups and partners to acknowledge and strengthen the engagement with the community?



After this exercise, create an overall timeline with roles and responsibilities to be shared at the next staff meeting. Note: Include the staff meetings, learning sessions, competency development work and any other deadlines the team may be facing.





Prayer


Pay particular attention in this discernment exercise to how God was speaking through the lives and hearts and minds of the vulnerable during the community conversations activity. Were hearts opened in the community to the challenges the vulnerable are facing? Were the vulnerable groups themselves welcomed into authentic conversation with other members in the community? Are there concrete action steps that will begin to address these priorities?


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Plan how you will share the learning with NO staff members. In some cases, it may be a simple verbal update. In other cases, a written summary will be enough. When a more



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comprehensive sharing of information and lessons learned is necessary, consider the following as you plan this:

Date

Time

Place


Guiding Questions:








Critical Path Step 5 – What will we do together?

Step 5: What will we do together?


INTRODUCTION The lovely story in Mark 2 can inspire us in dealing with the Critical Path question: What can we do together? Their shared priority in the story was to get a friend who suffered a stroke to Jesus whom they believed could heal and give him needed forgiveness. That was their highly motivating shared priority. That is pretty similar to our shared priority, that is, how to strengthen the resilience of children, their families and communities and reduce the vulnerabilities and risks.

The story had a delightfully humorous side. It must have given every one present a huge laugh, foremost among them Jesus who had a great sense of humor. Imagine yourself in sweaty crowd listening to Jesus’ words when suddenly dried mud, sticks and straw start falling from the ceiling. What will be Jesus’ reaction? Let’s put ourselves into the story:

Scripture

Four Friends Who Worked Together Toward a Shared Priority

Mark 2:1-12

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

2When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. 3Then some people* came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. 5When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’

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6Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7‘Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ 8At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, ‘Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 9Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven”, or to say, “Stand up and take your mat and walk”? 10But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he said to the paralytic— 11‘I say to you, stand up,

javascript:void(0);



take your mat and go to your home.’ 12And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’


1. The houses had flat tops and roofs made of mixed mud and straw. The group would have climbed to the top using the narrow outside stairway. Imagine that you are one of the four who helped their friend get to Jesus for forgiveness and healing. What would it take to motivate you to invent such a bizarre scheme as climbing

up and digging through the roof to let the paralytic’s weight down to Jesus in front of a startled crowd?

How hard would it be for you to recruit three partners?

Reflection What does the story suggest about the roles of collaboration, of innovation (“thinking out of the box”), of determination to reach shared priorities, of initiative and making partnerships work? You may not have to cut open a roof, but what challenges do you anticipate as you relate this with our work with partners in communities?

Active Reflection How can this story help us influence others to work together toward child well-being? Create a role-play using the basic principles of the story but contextualized for your programme area and focused on including children and the most vulnerable.

Guidelines for Step 5 learning check-ins

Focus

What are we learning about our programme context and the appropriate partnering approach? How are the vulnerable children and youth integrated into our work? What are our primary challenges? You may want to explore the following areas:

Challenges during the process for Step 5 include:

o Creating meeting times and spaces

o Gaining access to decision makers

o Creating meaningful dialogue toward action planning

o Designing effective root cause analysis activities

Roles and responsibilities issues include:

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o Identifying the most work intensive tasks



o Identifying where technical expertise from the national or zonal office will contribute to programme objectives

o Identifying areas we may need to change our current way of sharing the work

o Identifying ways to organise our staff resources to maintain momentum?

Learning about the context that are going to shape the way we work

Learning about specific groups and stakeholders

Note: there are several learning focus sessions in this step; the learning check-in activities can be used at the beginning of the learning focus sessions or in a staff meeting.

Preparation




Recommended Process

Significant Learning. Open the session by asking each of the team members to share a significant conversation they have had with partners or groups they are currently working with. What did they learn? What are the implications of what they learned? Are there changes they need to make in their approach as a result of these interactions? Are there implications for capacity building of partners?

Plus Minus Interesting ‘how are we doing?’

Ask team members to choose questions and issues they want to discuss using the Plus Minus Interesting tool. You may want to use the questions and issues listed above or draw them from the team members. At the end of the exercise, create action steps as appropriate.

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Focus: Decision Gate – Choosing the Partnering Approach

What are the significant findings from our community engagement process in Steps 1-4 that will inform the choice of partnering approach? How will we engage potential partners in a discussion that moves us forward? How do we engage the starter group members in this discussion?

Preparation

What time will we set aside for this? Note the two part: walking tour with the most vulnerable as well as partner engagement.


Who should join us to discuss this? - starter group members, potential partners, the most vulnerable (see activity 2)

Recommended Process

‘What we know now’ mindmap

Gather together as a team, inviting starter group members as appropriate, and use the ‘what we know now’ mindmap created in Steps 2-4 learning exercises to make a list of the potential partners to engage in Step 5.

Using the Decision Gate tool, make some initial decisions on what the team feels will be the appropriate partnering approach with each. You may want to create a table that includes the criteria for each decision gate category, the names of potential partners and the CWB issue they address. See pages 81-83 in the Handbook for descriptions of the decision gate categories.

Decision Gate Category

Criteria for Category Potential Partners

CWB Issue

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There may be partners who are clustered around a specific issue but are positioned differently within the categories of the Decision Gate. Their shared commitment to a specific CWB issue is important to note. You will want to plan a time when you can



meet with the potential partners who are clustered around an issue to explore options for working together.

Onion Tool Gather the groups together who are clustered around a specific CWB issue and create space for each group to share their work including:

Membership of the group and beneficiaries of their work

Organisational goals and current plans

Capacity building needs

Use of the Onion Tool (a Community Engagement Tool found on the IPM website) is an effective way to help groups visually represent their work. This creates a way for all groups, regardless of capacity, to meet on common ground.

Note: World Vision staff should also openly share our organisational priorities, sponsorship and what we can offer into the process.

It’s essential that all groups be treated with equal respect. Those that seem to have the least ‘power’ in the community and / or resources will, no doubt, have important connections with and understanding of the most vulnerable groups, for example. Modeling respect for and inclusion of all voices in the community is a powerful tool that can begin to transform the local realities that are negatively impacting child well-being.

After the groups have shared their current ways of operating, open the discussion to modes of collaboration. You can use the diagrams on 85 and 86 to discuss ways WV can help in the process. Groups may want to use these diagrams to indicate their potential roles as well.

If groups are ready to commit to a planning process at this point, you’ll want to decide next steps together.

Note: Given WV’s particular focus on the most vulnerable, if partners are not ready to focus intentionally on these groups, WV staff may decide to create a capacity building and mobilising project on behalf of the most vulnerable. Note the guidance in the Handbook on page 89.

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Note: If there is a group that WV staff feel is an appropriate partner for sponsorship management, the Guidance for Sponsorship Partnering provides



guidance. This would necessitate a separate negotiation and capacity building approach with these partners.


Focus: Root Cause Analysis, Assets and Existing Efforts

Are we hitting the target with our root cause analysis activities? Are we identifying existing assets in the most effective way possible? Are we staying alert to all existing efforts around child well-being in our primary focus area? Are the interests of the vulnerable groups clearly represented? Are their voices being heard?

Preparation



Who should join us to discuss this?

Recommended Process

Plus Minus Interesting

Select the CWB priorities that the partner groups are working on with WV. You may want to invite the partner groups for this exercise, or do the exercise with the team first and then invite the partner groups to share their insights and work.

Create a matrix that lists the CWB priorities that partners are addressing, the ways they have explored root causes and assets, and the documented information that has been gathered to date. See page 90 and 91 in the Handbook for approaches as well as LEAP guidance on root cause analysis.

Using a + - ? exercise, examine each approach. In the ‘interesting’ column, encourage team members and others in the meeting to consider what more they may need to learn through adaptations or through use of an alternative approach.

Have the vulnerable groups have been listened to while doing root cause analysis? Have their assets been considered?

Are government duty bearers being consulted on a regular basis?

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Have local churches and other faith based organisations been consulted?



Is the private sector represented?

Have children and youth groups been actively consulted in some way?

Are informal and ethnic groups part of the process?

Are results consistent or are there areas that need further study?

Mindmap and Roleplay: Implications of Root Cause Analysis and Identification of Assets

Root cause analysis and identification of community assets is essential in the planning process as well as in the construction of the LEAP Programme Design Document. Insights will continue to emerge as the partner groups wrestle with plans, resources and appropriate programme design. At this point, it’s important that the group (WV staff and partners) begins to reflect on what they’re learning to build a shared understanding, foundational to their work together.

Create mindmaps with a child well being priority in the center of each. Ask team members to review current root cause analysis documentation and identify three to four causes of reduced child well-being. Around each of those causes, ask them to identify current assets that may address the cause.

Roleplay:

Divide the group into pairs and ask one member of each pair to play the role of a programme designer or development facilitator. The other member of the pair plays the role of a community member. They may choose to be a government official, a member of a vulnerable group, a pastor, the head of a mother’s group, or a parent, a caregiver, a child, a youth. The DF then opens the conversation with: “this is what we’re thinking is an important reason for … (well-being priority). What do you think? Are we right? Are there reasons for this we haven’t noticed?”

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The value of this exercise is that WV staff and partners are required to examine the results of the root cause analysis from the point of view of the community members, rather than simply as programme designers. This role play can be done any number of times, with staff switching into different community roles. It can also be done asking about assets around each child well-being priority.




Focus: Shared Vision, Objectives and Potential Approaches

Which project model is appropriate for our child well-being priorities?

How can we adapt the project models for our partnering contexts?

What technical expertise do we need to bring in?

How can we present them to partners in an appropriate way?

How will these project models impact sponsorship programming?

Preparation




Recommended Process

Other people’s point of view (OPV): Project Models

Have relevant WV project models on hand to discuss with the team members. Choose those that are directly relevant to the identified CWB priorities that partners are working on with WV.

Create a matrix that lists the relevant project models on one side and work with the team to determine which partners might be interested in each. List those groups next to the appropriate project model.

Ask team members to work in pairs to study assigned project models and be prepared to present a summary of the project model to the team as a whole. They should indicate:

Goals and outcomes of the project model

Basic design

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Available materials



Target beneficiaries

Technical expertise required

Ways sponsored children will benefit

After each presentation, use the questions in the OPV tool to help the group assess the value of the project model to the partners.

How will the group respond to the project model?

What are the short term and long term impacts for the partner group?

What are the costs and benefits for the partners?

How will it support their agenda and interests?

Then consider the following:

Shall we present the project model? If yes, what’s the best approach to do this?

Is there technical expertise that we need to bring in to adapt these project models and help design presentation materials?

How can we ensure that sponsored children are included if we use this project model with the partner?

The learning session should close with decisions about which project models to introduce and the next steps needed to prepare to introduce them.


Focus: Shared Vision, Objectives and Potential Approaches

How can we use available expertise to shape our project plans?

What decisions need to be made?

What are some creative responses to our challenges?

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How do we ensure that sponsorship programming is effectively included in project plans?



Preparation




Recommended Process

Consequence, Action, Sequel (CAS): Sharing our project plans

Host a meeting with partner groups and other interested community stakeholders to review project plans that are in motion. Keep the tone creative and nurturing. This is not a ‘review panel’ but an opportunity to encourage the work of other groups and refine the work of one’s own group.

Introduce the Consequence, Action and Sequel (CAS) tool to the group and ask them to prepare presentations of their plan using the ‘short term, medium term and long term’ categories to respond to the following questions:

What we expect to accomplish around our CWB priority (short, medium and long term)

The impacts we expect on our CWB priority (short, medium and long term)

Possible consequences (short, medium and long term)

Attitudinal changes we expect around our CWB priority (short, medium and long term)

Changes in community dynamics (short, medium and long term)

After each presentation, ask group members to share observations, suggestions and questions.

Questions may include:

How can we help you accomplish your goals?

What challenges do you expect to face? How can we help?

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How will the vulnerable groups be included? Impacted?



How can sponsored children be included? (WV staff)

How will you measure impact?

What project models are you using to address the CWB priorities?

Suggestions may include ways to collaborate with other groups, additional assets, current work that will benefit from this project, community leaders to involve, available capacity building and available technical expertise. There may also be opportunities to present additional WV project models if they will contribute to the overall plans.

At the end of the learning session, after everyone has shared their projects, divide the group into pairs or groups of three and give each a piece of flip chart paper. Ask them to create three visuals of the community (short term, medium term and long term) that reflect the changes these projects will bring.


Focus: ‘What will we do together’ process and next steps

Working effectively with partners on project plans

Creating appropriate roles for WV staff with each of the partner groups

Choosing and presenting project models

Getting ready to create the LEAP Programme Design Document

Adaptations of the tools and process to share with others

Planning for Step 6

Preparation

Who will lead this session?




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Recommended Process

Devotions: Scripture Search Module ‘What will we do together?’ The staff reflected on the story of the four friends who lowered the paralytic through the roof to be healed by Jesus in the scripture search module for Step 5. Revisit the scripture now and reflect on it again in light of the challenges your team faced during Step 5. Where were the surprises? Were there moments when someone in the community broke through to offer an idea for you or another group to consider? How did this story contribute to the ways the team met challenges? What new elements do you see as you read it together again?

Review the learning to date through a team River of Life exercise. Combine all of the Rivers of Life that you’ve done for each of the process steps in Step 5. You may want to post the flip charts, mind maps and other learning documentation on the walls as well. Ask staff to share their observations about learning during this step.


How did the learning contribute to improving their daily practice?




After these observations, ask the team to work together to create a new River of Life for all of Step 5, reflecting the high level highlights and challenges. You may want to use the process maps in the Handbook to review the steps again.

’What we know now’ mindmap: Review the ‘what we know now mindmap’ constructed during earlier steps.



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Consider the process of root cause analysis and project planning done in this step. How did the work done in previous steps contribute foundational knowledge to Step 5? What does this say about the ongoing process of project planning with partners? What is the necessary foundational work?

Action Reflection Learning Planning (ARLP) – Thinking about our planning with partners

Use the ARLP tool to revisit the planning process with partners during Step 5. The questions and reflections will help you improve work with them and identify areas where team members may need to focus on competency development, attend capacity building workshops themselves or work on strengthening relationships with specific groups.

Action: What happened in the planning process (with each partner). Ask a team member to describe it in some detail and share who was involved, what they did, how the group felt and the dynamics that were observed.

Reflection: As a group, think about the process described above. Why did it happen that way? What was helpful? What was not helpful? What strengths and weaknesses were there? What assumptions and values were evident? Who held the power? What will happen if the situation stays the same?

Learning: What would you do differently next time? What new insights have emerged? What practices most promoted success? What practices hindered success?

Planning: What will you start doing differently? Why? How will you avoid repeating mistakes?

The team may want to create some visuals to post in the office of the practices you want to continue doing and practices you may want to start doing. Photos, drawings, mottoes – even songs – can be a great energy boost and help build team spirit.

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World Vision and partners plan shared projects within each primary focus area for each child well-being priority

IPM Critical Path Step 5 “What will we do together?”

5.1 Potential partners explore partnering options and determine partnering

5.2 Partners analyse root causes, assets, and existing

efforts that contribute to child

5.3 Partners develop and agree on shared vision,

objectives, and approach

5.4 Partners draft shared project plan

Processes ongoing throughout Step 5

World Vision plans Sponsorship project with partners

Team lead manages World Vision operations

Use the high level process steps above – and refer to the detailed process steps included for each high level process step in the Handbook as necessary – to discuss any adaptations you made to the process steps. You will want to capture the team’s input to share with both your National Office and the Global Centre team (see the ‘capturing learning’ guidelines).






How did the sponsorship team and input guide the process of this step?


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Are the community priorities identified in Step 4 reflected in the project plans of the partners? What about the inclusion of the most vulnerable? Have they been included in an empowering way? Was there an intentional effort to form a project with the vulnerable if partners were not ready to accept the challenge?

How can you refine messages in the communication plan to reflect the actual plans that are underway and link them to community priorities? Are community members being kept up to date and involved as the plans unfold? Are there intentional efforts to check on community perceptions and correct any misunderstanding? Is there a good understanding of sponsorship within both the partner groups and the community members? Do partners understand the importance of including sponsored children in their programmes?

Look at the outcomes for Step 5 and celebrate the accomplishments of this step!

Looking Forward: Planning for Step 6 ‘Who will contribute what?’

Create a River of Life using the process steps for Step 6.




How can all team members continue to acknowledge the importance of the community conversations, the summit - and encourage identified groups and partners to acknowledge and strengthen the engagement with the community?


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What contributions can WV make to ongoing project plans? Which contributions will be most empowering and inspire further contributions by partners and community members.



How can WV and partners create a climate in which volunteer contributions are empowering and add skills and capacities to those who are volunteering? Have the constraints that volunteers face been considered? How can these efforts be constructed and planned for in a way that makes them sustainable?


After this exercise, create an overall timeline with roles and responsibilities to be shared at the next staff meeting. Note: Include the staff meetings, learning sessions, competency development work and any other deadlines the team may be facing.





Prayer


It is particularly important to dedicate time in prayer for protection for project plans in this initial stage, when they are the most fragile. Listen to partners’ concerns and include them in your time of team prayer. It’s also important to listen to challenges and warnings from community members at this stage as God may be speaking through them to ensure that you consider risks that may have been overlooked.



Date

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Time



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Place


Guiding Questions:








Critical Path Step 6 – Who Will Contribute What?

Step 6: Who Will Contribute What?


INTRODUCTION What will each partner contribute to operationalize the plan agreed on? What external resources may become available to complement internal resources? What of the spiritual resources, including prayer and commitment?

Jethro was an external consultant who stepped forward and advised Moses on restructuring the whole judicial system. The judicial system was, of course, a very important function in the emerging nation. When Jethro came to visit his son-in-law Moses, he was shocked to see that Moses was the one-man judge handling the whole judicial system. He re- designed the system to utilize a multitude of local partners.

EXODUS 18: 13-27

13The next day Moses sat as judge for the people, while the people stood around him from morning until evening. 14When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?” 15Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16When they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make known to them the statutes and instructions of God.”

17Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. 18You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. 19Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You should represent the people before God, and you should bring their cases before God; 20teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they are to go and the things they are to do. 21You should also look for able men among all the people, men who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain; set such men over them as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22Let them sit as judges for the people at all times; let them bring every important case to you, but decide every minor case themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 23If you do this, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go to their home in peace.”

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24So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said. 25Moses chose able men from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people, as officers over



thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 2626And they judged the people at all times; hard cases they brought to Moses, but any minor case they decided themselves. 27Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went off to his own country.

Point to Ponder and Discuss

1. What is Moses’ problem in the story and what does Jethro propose to solve it?

Reflection What principles can be found in Jethro’s criteria for working with partners?

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Reflection How does the story point us in the right direction as we work with partners in operationalising plans agreed for improving and sustaining the well-being of children and their families?




Focus

What are we currently learning about our programme context and the way community partners, children and youth may want to make contributions to new and existing plans? What are we learning about the way the community is organised and the best way to encourage contributions from various groups?

Use the cautions and tips in the Handbook as well as the ‘Looking Backward’ questions at the end of Step 6. These can contribute important reflection areas for learning check-ins. Do include the following areas:

Challenges during the process for Step 6 and modifications that need to be made to plans


Intra-WV communications and LEAP Programme Design Document: how is the progress? Are there other people that need to be involved?

Preparation




Recommended Process

Significant Learning. Open the session by asking each of the team members to share a significant conversation they have had about potential contributions that community members, WV entities or partner groups may be able to make to the ongoing project plans. What did they learn in the conversation? What are the implications of their learning? What follow-up is required?

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Contributions Mindmap



Create a mindmap at the beginning of this step and continue to refine it as you continue through the step. Put ‘child well-being priority’ in the central box and create linking boxes for each priority so that you can record the contributions that are emerging for each child well-being priority. You may want to color code the contributions so that you can distinguish between those that are ‘needed’, ‘promised’ and those that that are confirmed. Additionally, next to each contribution, record the source or potential sources.


Focus: Partners explore and propose resources

What is informing the contributions that World Vision is going to make in shared projects?

How do our contributions reflect our commitment to Child well-being outcomes and the most vulnerable?

How do we know that our contributions will create impact?

Preparation






Recommended Process

Plus Minus Interesting: WV Contributions

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Gather the team members and review the potential contributions that World Vision will be making to shared projects. Include capacity building, financial contributions, facilitation and partner brokering, technical expertise, GIK and any other contributions being considered.



Ask the team to consider the ‘plus, minus and interesting’ aspects for each of the contributions. Consider:

Will the contributions achieve maximum impact?

Do the contributions empower local organisations and allow partners to grow in their own capacity to sustain their plans?

Are there additional contributions that are necessary to ensure success?

Are the contributions realistic? Can they be guaranteed?

Do the contributions match the ‘who are we?’ of World Vision in this programme area?

Do local partner groups consider WV’s contributions as essential to the success of the programme?

Is there a way to create a sequential influx of resources into the programme in order to assess their effectiveness?

Consequence and Sequel (CAS): World Vision Contributions

After the team members have analysed potential contributions, ask them to participate in a CAS exercise to consider how the contributions will impact projects in the short term, medium term and long term. In this case, the ‘long term’ measure should be the end of the programme (10 – 15 years) to inspire reflections around sustainability of the projects. It’s important that WV’s contributions are intentionally targeted to increase sustainability rather than to create a scenario in which the project is unduly dependent on WV and collapses when WV leaves the programme area.

After the team has participated in these exercises, note any revisions or changes to original proposals for contributions.


Focus: Programme Design Document and Registration of Sponsored Children

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What is our plan for building the capacity of child development workers to help with registration and monitoring of sponsored children?



How does our work on the project design document (PDD) reflect our commitments to our partners? What responsibility do we have to share our PDD with them? How do we coordinate our plans together?

Preparation






Recommended Process

Action Reflection Learning Planning (ARLP): Getting Ready for Registering Children

Ask the entire team to gather to share what has been done to date to prepare for registering children. The ARLP tool will be helpful in assessing steps taken, capacity building for volunteers and learning from the dynamics of the interaction with the community members (and partner organisation, if there is a partner organisation who will be assisting with sponsorship management). All team members will have important insights to share and it’s important that the entire team is aware of the process to date and the future activities.

Action: What have we done to date in preparing for the registration of children? Ask one of the team members to describe it in detail, including who has been involved, their responses, and the activities.

Reflection: What has been helpful in this process to ensure community understanding of sponsorship and their full engagement? What has not been helpful? What strengths and weaknesses have been observed in the process?

Learning: What do we need to do differently? What new insights do we have?

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Planning: How will the insights gained influence future plans? What level of team involvement will be important as we move forward?



Other People’s Views (OPV): Preparing the Programme Design Document (PDD)

Share a team reflection around the ongoing process of preparing the PDD. Ask team members who are most actively involved present the progress to date and planned future activities and deadlines.

Use the questions in OPV to think about the impact of the PDD on various groups. Include the National Office, the Support Office as well as local partner groups in your list of stakeholders. Questions for each include:

What response do we expect?

What short term and long term impacts will the responses have?

What are the benefits and costs for each group?

How will the PDD support the agendas and interests of each group?

After this exercise, think about any changes or additions you may want to make to the proposed PDD.


Focus

Partners share final agreements and make needed modifications

Are the agreements aligned with WV’s role in the programme area?

Are the agreements aligned with partner’s stated goals and agendas?

Do the agreements reflect a transparent and equitable partnering relationship?

Are the agreements appropriate for the level of capacity of each partner group?

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Are the agreements clear about contributions, roles, responsibilities and shared resources?



Recommended Process

Consequence and Sequel (CAS): Partner agreements

Host a gathering of development facilitators and partner representatives for each of the child well-being priorities WV is addressing with shared projects. Many will have been in a previous learning event where they shared their emerging plans. This time, they are coming together to celebrate the finalization of plans and share partnering agreements.

Although it may be sensitive for some, the transparency about how WV is working with each partner group and how all groups are working together will help avoid misunderstandings and rumors.

Ask group members to share the ‘basics’ of the partnering agreements they have negotiated together. Their presentations should include roles and responsibilities, shared resources, shared capacity building and technical expertise as well as their overarching goals. Ask them to share how they feel the agreements will strengthen their capacity to work effectively toward CWB.

After the presentations are finished, use CAS to help the group think through how these agreements and subsequent work will impact CWB in the short, medium and long term. Keeping the focus on the impact of the agreements on CWB will help group members think beyond their own well-being to the goal they are all working towards. Emphasize, however, that it’s important in these agreements that the well-being of the partner groups is also crucial if the work is going to be carried forward.


Focus: ‘What will we do together’ process and next steps

Finalizing project plans with partners and coming to agreements

Registering children

Agreeing on resource allocation and contributions

PDD submitted to the National Office

Financial arrangements created for disbursements to local partners

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Shared projects ready to begin implementation phase



Preparation






Recommended Process

Devotions: Scripture Search Module ‘Who will contribute what?’ The scripture search module for Step 6 discusses Jethro’s counsel to Moses when he was overwhelmed with the responsibilities he carried. It focused on the importance of teamwork, shared responsibilities and partnering! Think about the shared journey through Step 6 as you considered how mutual efforts and contributions by many could enhance the work in the programme area. Read the scripture again with your own context in mind. Consider ways in which God looks after his servants and understands the responsibilities they carry. How is this an encouragement? How do we encourage others in the programme area when we actively support their efforts? How do we create sustainability when we allow them to support WV’s efforts as well?

Review the learning to date through a team River of Life exercise. You may want to post the flip charts, mind maps and other learning documentation on the walls as well. Look at the River of Life you created for Step 6 before you began. Ask staff to share their observations about learning during this step.


How did the learning contribute to improving their daily practice?




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After these observations, ask the team to work together to create a new River of Life for Step 6, reflecting the high level highlights and challenges. You may want to use the process maps in the Handbook to review the steps again.



Action Reflection Learning Planning (ARLP) – Thinking about our planning with partners

Use the ARLP tool to revisit the planning process with partners during Step 6. The questions and reflections will help you improve work with them and identify areas where team members may need to work on strengthening relationships with specific groups.

Action: What happened in the planning process (with each partner). Ask a team member to describe it in some detail and share who was involved, what they did, how the group felt and the dynamics that were observed.

Reflection: As a group, think about the process described above. Why did it happen that way? What was helpful? What was not helpful? What strengths and weaknesses were there? What assumptions and values were evident? Who held the power? What will happen if the situation stays the same?

Learning: What would you do differently next time? What new insights have emerged? What practices most promoted success? What practices hindered success?

Planning: What will you start doing differently? Why? How will you avoid repeating mistakes?

Revisit the visuals you created at the end of Step 5. Did they help? Are there new ones you want to add? You may want to think about a local artist you have discovered to create posters from these that can be shared with partners.

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“Who will contribute what?” High Level Process Flow

6.1 Partners review and finalise draft

shared project plan

6.2 Partners explore and propose resources

6.4 Partners share final agreements and make needed modifications


6.3 Partner organisations integrate and agree on shared project plan

and resource commitments

World Vision and partners plan shared projects within each primary focus area for each child well-being priority

•World Vision establishes working relationship with partners to administer sponsorship activities

•Team lead manages World Vision operations







How did the process of registering children go? Are there any changes you’d recommend in the process? Are the partners committed to including them in programming?


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Think about the final project plans and the contributions each will make. Are the community contributions, linked to the priorities identified in Step 4, reflected in the project plans of the partners? What about the inclusion of the most vulnerable? Have the contributions they can make been factored into project plans? If partners were not ready to accept the challenge of working with vulnerable groups, has a project plan designed to build their capacity been included in the PDD?

How can you refine messages in the communication plan to reflect the contributions community groups and members are making to the projects? Are there continual and intentional efforts to check on community perceptions and correct any misunderstanding? Are registered children excited about the role they can play as agents of transformation? Are partners committed to the importance of including sponsored children in their programmes?


Looking Forward: Planning for Step 7 ‘How do we manage together?’

Create a River of Life using the process steps for Step 7.




How can all team members continue to acknowledge the importance of the shared project plans with partners and support them?

What protocols for problem solving will help avoid costly delays and loss of momentum?

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How can you monitor the health of the partnerships you are collaborating with to achieve shared goals?



What will make World Vision a good partner on a daily basis? What can you do together as a team to help ensure that no negative team dynamics harm the work you are doing with partners?


How can the team stay alert to any changes in personnel within the shared projects, or resource issues?

How can WV and partners continue to nurture a climate in which volunteer contributions are recognized?

Consider the competencies the team will need for each part of Step 7 and discuss plans for developing these.





Prayer


As you move from planning to implementation, pray for God’s protection and a steady momentum in what you are doing together. Sustained and regular prayer together for each activity and outcome in shared projects will help maintain their effectiveness. Remember praise for all accomplishments and gratitude for obstacles and difficult moments that are successfully navigated.


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Date

Time

Place


Guiding Questions:








Critical Path Step 7 – How do we manage together?

Step 7: How do we manage together?


“We need to consistencly remind ourselves that what we are doing is not a human action: it’s divine. This is God’s work, not our work. We must be very conscious of that fact because today…people are often carried away by the merely human side of what is to be done, and they concentrate too much on their own work, their own efforts, and even their own desires, fancies and inclinations. All these things are good, but they are secondary, and what is secondary has to remain in second place. What is first is God’s work, God’s Spirit.” Thomas Merton in “Alaska”

Ingredients that make us effective partnership empowerers There was research some decades ago into the mystery of how bees work together. What is it that creates the “community” instinct so characteristic of beehives? The secret was found to lie in a hormone released by the queen bee. Because Jesus’ followers are “partakers of the divine nature” we give away that fragrance when we are rightly attuned to the working of the Holy Spirit. This is a uniqueness the Christian community has to share, not just within the ‘Body of Christ” but in civil society as well. Thus, it is important for us to examine the Bible to enquire what it reveals about partnering.

As we focus our energies in IPM on empowering local groups and entities to work for the well being of their children, families and communities, we soon discover that we are following a strategy similar to that of the Apostle Paul in his mission of world transformation.

Paul never worked solo but rather always as a team, or a partnership. The mission teams led by Paul in the various major cities in the Roman Empire used a strategy of forming “partnerships” or communities or “fellowships” to carry out God’s purposes in those cities. In fact in his letter to the Philippians Paul in his prayer for them uses the word, “koinonia”, which is Greek for partnership:

“I thank my God every time I remember you…because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Being confident of this that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:3-6).

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To locate our story into this Scripture Search story, let’s use our imagination to draw a comparison between Paul’s team and our WV teams engaged in empowering partnerships for ministry. Let the community in Philippi be seen as somewhat parallel to



the partnerships we envision forming to carry out God’s program for child well being and all that accompanies it in multiple community settings. Paul is in prison and realizes he may die there and not be able to go again to Philippi. He must influence them through his writing as well as sending the letter to his assistant, Timothy, who can add face-to-face coaching using the letter. Then Timothy can return with news and feedback. Thus, we have a Biblical example of partnership forming that we can study to be guided by Paul, the master trainer! We are like Paul in another sense. He followed Jesus by example. In turn, his team learned from Paul to exemplify what was being taught. The partnerships in training picked up the pattern and replicated it by, thus reproducing more communities that in turn were able to form partnerships in other contexts. That is the kind of movement we envision. It starts right here, with me, with you, with us as the IPM advocates and front line workers! We can initiate a worldwide movement if we follow Paul’s training diligently.

Philippians 1:27, 28 and 2:2-16

Ingredients of Successful Partnerships

[Ingredient no. One]: WORTHY LIVES IN HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIPS

1:27 Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, 28and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation… 2:2[Make] my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.

[Ingredient Two]: IMMITATION OF CHRIST’S ATTITUDE

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5 In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus.

6 Christ himself was like God in everything.

But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be used for his own benefit.

7 But he give up his place with God and made himself nothing.

He was born as a man



and became like a servant.

8 And when he was living as a man,

he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death—death on a cross. 9 So God raised him to the highest place. God made his name greater than every other name 10 so that every knee will bow to the name of Jesus— everyone in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. 11 And everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and bring glory to God the Father.

[Ingredient Three]: ACTUALIZING LOCALLY CHRIST’S COSMIC SALVATION

12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

[Ingredient Four]: BECOME CREDIBILE THROUGH BEING DIFFEENT

14 Do all things without murmuring and arguing, 15so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world. 16It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labour in vain.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSIONS:

[Ingredient One] WORTHY LIVES IN HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIPS

Make a list of qualities Paul desires to characterize the lives of his team.

What is required of facilitators to enable them to model such before the partnerships and why are these qualities essential to the success of any program, especially those of children’s well being within families and communities?

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What will it require to bring our partnerships up to this high standard and is it really worth the effort?

[Ingredient Two] IMITATION OF CHRIST’S ATTITUDE

In verses 5-11 Paul quotes the lines of what is thought to be a hymn sung in the early churches even before Paul was a Christian

Reading between the lines, what was wrong with the partnership in Philippi that Paul’s team felt needed correcting?

What in the sweeping story of Christ’s rescue provides the remedies?

What keys to success in our facilitation of sustainable partnerships does the hymn roll out before us?

What primarily in the salvation story are essential ingredients that must go into our successful partnership empowering?

[Ingredient Three] ACTIVATING LOCALLY CHRIST’S COSMOS-WIDE SALVATION

R.P. Martin in his commentary on Philippians writes that a definition of salvation in this context is not in personal terms, but in regard to the corporate life of the Philippian church. The readers are being encouraged to concentrate on reforming their corporate life. As a group they are being urged to concentrate on the interests of others rather than having their eyes fixed on their own interests.

Paul refers back to the work of Christ (verses 6-11), in his incarnation, cross and resurrection, which he accomplished for the salvation of people and for the whole created world. In other words “work out our own salvation” means, what God has worked in you (“you” plural), or in you together as a community you live it out. As followers of Christ we are to live out the transforming salvation God is working among us into the socio-cultural context.

What is the Triune God’s role in working with us in helping us do His will?

What would “fear and trembling” that Paul talks about convey to you?

How can these instructions about our partnership first with God and then with others contribute to sustained child well being?

[Ingredient Four] BECOME CREDIBLE THROUGH BEING DIFFERENT

What makes the partnerships that are formed stand out as being very different?

What kinds of impressions is this making upon the surrounding society?

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What’s behind the difference?




Focus

How is the implementation of our shared projects moving forward? What do our monitoring indicators tell us we need to pay attention to? What are the unexpected or unintended consequences (positive and negative) that we need to address? How can we ensure that we are being good stewards of WV resources and the community resources? Do community members recognize the accomplishments? Are we building a momentum toward child well-being outcomes in the programme area? Are there new opportunities that are emerging?

Important! Use the cautions and tips in the Handbook as well as the ‘Looking Backward’ questions at the end of Step 7 for your learning check-in sessions. These can contribute important reflection areas.

Additionally, as Step 7 covers the majority of time spent in the WV programme, you will want to vary the reflection questions and activities in the learning check-ins. Ask team members, partners, youth or community members to design learning sessions based on their expertise with the action learning tools as well as other learning methodologies they may want to use.

If you have external individuals designing and leading the learning, ensure that you take time during a staff meeting to cover the following on a regular basis.

Each learning check in should include:

Challenges in the project plans that are guiding the process with partners, and modifications needed

Roles and responsibilities: do we need to change our current way of sharing the work? Are there frictions between team members because of an uneven allocation of the work? How can team members actively support each other?

Are there other individuals or entities within WV that need to be involved or informed of progress? Additional technical expertise? Additional resources?

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Are there new partners involved in the process? Do we need to make a special effort to establish a relationship with them?



Preparation






Recommended Process

Significant Learning. Open the session by asking each of the team members to share a significant entry in their individual journals or a conversation they have had with partners or community members. If they share a journal entry, ask them to share its significance for them personally and for the work. If it was a conversation or activity, ask what they learned. What are the implications of their learning? Is follow-up required?

Learning Activities Designed by the Team Lead, Team Members or Partners (see note above)


Focus: Partners start shared project and partnership, measure baseline

What specific actions can the DF take that will help the partnerships get started on a strong footing?

How can we ensure that child protection protocols are in place? How do we create our ‘complaints and response’ mechanism?

How do we foster the widest possible engagement will all interested groups and community members around child well-being outcomes?

How do we create mechanisms for disaster mitigation?

Preparation

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Recommended Process

Plus Minus Interesting: Getting Started!

Gather the team members and review the various shared projects that are underway. Given the diverse roles that WV may be playing and the approaches to partnering, getting started in each one may require different actions.

Ask the team to consider the ‘plus, minus and interesting’ aspects for getting started in each of the shared projects. Consider the following aspects:

Will groups need an office or working space? How can WV contribute to this? What venue will be most appropriate? What supplies are required? What challenges will there be?

Are there tools to be shared as groups get started? Project model guidance? Technical expertise?

How can child protection protocols be put in place? Are there anticipated concerns? How can the ‘complaints and response’ mechanism be put in place? (See page 128 in the handbook)

Are there new employees who need orientation? Volunteers?

How can we share agreed upon WV resources and contributions? Are they available? Are there any delays or constraints?

Other

After completing the ‘plus minus interesting’ exercise, examine the input to determine action steps and create a ‘next steps’ plan with team roles and responsibilities.

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River of Life: Planning the Baseline Measurement



Invite the DME specialist or external consultant and provide an orientation of the programme’s journey to date by creating an overarching high level River of Life of the Critical Path. You may want to share the ‘what we know now’ mindmaps and the Rivers of Life of each of the Critical Path steps as well. Discuss the challenges, the partners, the community priorities, the root cause analysis and the assets within the community. The DME specialist will have a copy of the Assessment and the PDD, but seeing the Critical Path process unfold in a River of Life will help her or him become a part of the team and understand community dynamics more fully.

At the end of this session, or in a subsequent session, the DME specialist should fully discuss the process of baseline measurement and gain input and insights from the programme team. Plans, roles and responsibilities should be clearly delineated before the process is started. Ideally, this process should be shared with partners as well. You may want to invite partners to the orientation session and invite them to share their own process of designing indicators, if they have one.


Focus: Sponsorship Programming and Monitoring Registered Children

How is the current capacity of child development workers helping with monitoring of registered children? Motivation? Understanding of the process?

Are the shared projects benefiting registered children? How do we know? How can we improve?

How can we use the Most Significant Change process to learn how our registered children are responding?

Preparation





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Recommended Process

Action Reflection Learning Planning (ARLP): Effective Sponsorship Programming

Use the ARLP tool to assess the sponsorship process to date, volunteer participation and the dynamics of the interaction with the community members (and partner organisation, if there is a partner organisation assisting with sponsorship management).

Action: How are registered children participating in programme activities? Ask one of the team members to describe this in detail, including partner responses, the responses of the sponsored children, the effectiveness of the programmes and monitoring processes.

Reflection: What has been helpful in this process to ensure high quality sponsorship programming? What has not been helpful? What strengths and weaknesses have been observed in the process?

Learning: What do we need to do differently? What new insights do we have?

Planning: How will the insights gained influence future plans? What level of team involvement will be important as we move forward? How do we communicate necessary changes to partners? How can we involve them in the learning process so that they feel a responsibility toward the registered children as well.

Most Significant Change: Learning from the Registered Children

Use the ‘Most Significant Change’ tool (found on the IPM website) to encourage children to share their own stories of transformation as a result of being a part of the sponsorship process. You may want to create a focus on some of the aspects of sponsorship management (letters, gift notification, annual progress reports and sponsor visits) to determine if and how these are a value add to children’s lives and the lives of sponsors. Including partners in these activities can be an important way of creating ownership and interest in sponsored children for them.

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Guidelines for Learning Focus Session (Process step 7.3)

Focus: Review and Evaluation of Shared Project or Partnership

Work with partners to create a learning session to evaluate the shared project using the guidelines found on page 137 in the Handbook.


Focus: ‘How do we manage together’ process and next steps

Monitoring sponsored children

Effective evaluation

Agreeing on project outcomes and impact

Preparing for Evaluation

Preparation






Recommended Process

Devotions: Scripture Search Module ‘How do we manage together?’

The scripture search module for Step 7 focuses on the unique qualities and ingredients World Vision staff bring to partnership building. Revisit the scripture and the initial questions and think about how these qualities and Paul’s example inspired you when you faced obstacles or difficult relationships. What do you think observers have felt as they watched your team work together? How has the team grown? Why has the team grown?

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River of Life Turning Points Do a team reflection on the Rivers of Life you created together. Which ones reflect the most important turning points in the



programme. A turning point is that moment or timeframe in which projects really begin to make significant contributions to child well-being in the area. You may want to post the flip charts, mind maps and other learning documentation on the walls from these turning points as well. Ask staff to share their observations about how their learning contributed to the programme turning points.

Why was the turning point significant?

How did the learning contribute to improved impact on child well-being?

How did the learning contribute to successful partnerships?

After these observations, ask the team to work together to create a new River of Life for Step 7, reflecting the high level highlights, challenges and accomplishments. Ask them to reflect how the relationships between team members and with partners influenced the programme’s life.

Action Reflection Learning Planning (ARLP) – Thinking about the process of working with partners

Use the ARLP tool to revisit the process of working with partners during Step 7. The questions and reflections will help you identify areas that you may want to share with other teams who are beginning or involved in work with partners.

Action: What happened in the partnership process (with each partner)? Ask a team member to describe it in some detail and share key players, their role, how the partnership evolved and the dynamics that were observed.

Reflection: As a group, think about the process described above. Why did it happen that way? What was helpful? What was not helpful? What strengths and weaknesses were there? What assumptions and values were evident?

Learning: What would you suggest doing differently next time? What new insights about working with partners emerged? What practices most promoted success? What practices hindered success?

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Planning: What will you suggest that a new team do differently? Why?



Step 7 “How do we manage together?” High Level Process Flow

7.4 Partners adjust or redesign shared project and

partnership

7.2 Partners implement and monitor shared project and

partnership

7.3 Partners review or evaluate shared project

and partnership

Transition

7.1 Partners start shared project and partnership, and

measure baseline


World Vision and partners perform sponsorship processes

World Vision and partners reflect, learn, and make changes

Team lead manages World Vision operations

E t f t 6






o How did this adaptation impact your ongoing work with the Critical Path?

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Think about the outcomes of the shared projects and the contributions these projects made to child well-being in the programme area. How has the situation of the most vulnerable changed? Are partners committed to the importance of continuing to include them in their programmes? Are the partnerships sustainable, healthy?


Looking Forward: Planning for Step 8 ‘How do we transition together?’

Create a River of Life using the process steps for Step 8. Consider the type of transition you will be doing in Step 8: a shared project, a primary focus area or the entire programme and consider the following:

o Is there technical support that should be called upon from the zonal or national office as you transition?


What strategies will help partners and other groups stay involved in child well-being and on course with plans as WV transitions?

How can you encourage dialogue, possibly through a coalition for child well-being, to leave behind a healthy climate for continued work?

What can you do to ensure that you have helped to embed a culture of learning?

What will make World Vision a good partner during transition? What can you do together as a team to help ensure that team transition dynamics foster a healthy transition?

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How can WV contribute to adequate recognition of volunteer and community contributions in the project, primary focus area or programme?



Consider the particular competencies the team may need for Step 8 and discuss plans for working together to strengthen these.





Prayer


As you move from implementation into transition of a primary focus area, a shared project or the programme as a whole, special prayer for God’s protection for the work is important. The sustainability of all of the efforts in shared projects will depend, to a great extent, on both the quality of work and the sustaining hand of God. Remember praise for all accomplishments and gratitude for obstacles and difficult moments that have been successfully navigated as well.

You may also want to create a shared commitment among team members for ongoing prayer for particular groups or individuals that you recognize as being either vital to the success of CWB in the future (or) particularly fragile as WV transitions.



Date

Time

Place


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Guiding Questions:



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Critical Path Step 8 – How do we transition together?

Step 8: How do we transition together?

Scripture Search Module Jesus needed to consider similar issues to those we face in World Vision as we prepare to transition programmes. His partners were scattering, hiding and grieving over their apparently failed movement. Their hero was dead and buried, as far as they knew. The resurrected Jesus needed to act quickly to gather them back together and orient them to the new situation.

They needed to evaluate their efforts together including the effects that the new reality (Jesus’ resurrection) would have on, for instance, child well being.

How would families and communities and other partners build on the gains of these new realities?

How would communities mitigate against major dangers to sustainability: dangers like persecution, natural disasters, conflicts, and pandemics like HIV and AIDS, but more importantly, the partners’ loss of hope?

How would new groups be attracted into the partnership as the movement matures, building upon this beginning of a whole new world inaugurated through his death and resurrection?

How would they transition to a new ways of working together in different settings?

For us the most celebrated example of the successful transition of a movement from its concept stage into a sustainable, growing society, is the community that Jesus founded. But its beginning did not look promising at first, as chapter 24 of Luke’s Gospel tells us. Jesus needed to act personally and urgently to rescue his trainees and the movement itself from complete disaster.

Asking ourselves whether the work we have been doing with community partners will make it successfully past all obstacles, transitioning into an effective and sustainable instrument of change and renewal makes this Scripture Search very relevant. There are the cautions to be observed and Jesus’ provisions for making the perilous journey of transition successful are important. Let us enter into the story with Jesus and the disciples.

Luke 24:13-51 (The Message)

ACT I: THE SCATTERING

13-16That same days two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was.

17-18He asked, "What's this you're discussing so intently as you walk along?"

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They just stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, "Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn't heard what's happened during the last few days?"



19-24He said, "What has happened?"

They said, "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn't find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn't see Jesus." 25-27Then he said to them, "So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can't you simply believe all that the prophets said? Don't you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?" Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him.

ACT II: THE REGATHERING

28-31They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. He acted as if he were going on but they pressed him: "Stay and have supper with us. It's nearly evening; the day is done." So he went in with them. And here is what happened: He sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them. At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared.

32Back and forth they talked. "Didn't we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?"

33-34They didn't waste a minute. They were up and on their way back to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and their friends gathered together, talking away: "It's really happened! The Master has been raised up—Simon saw him!"

35Then the two went over everything that happened on the road and how they recognized him when he broke the bread.

ACT III: THE EQUIPPING

36-41While they were saying all this, Jesus appeared to them and said, "Peace be with you." They thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared half to death. He continued with them, "Don't be upset, and don't let all these doubting questions take over. Look at my hands; look at my feet—it's really me. Touch me. Look me over from head to toe. A ghost doesn't have muscle and bone like this." As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. They still couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was too much; it seemed too good to be true.

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41-43He asked, "Do you have any food here?" They gave him a piece of leftover fish they had cooked. He took it and ate it right before their eyes.



44Then he said, "Everything I told you while I was with you comes to this: All the things written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms have to be fulfilled."

45-49He went on to open their understanding of the Word of God, showing them how to read their Bibles this way. He said, "You can see now how it is written that the Messiah suffers, rises from the dead on the third day, and then a total life-change through the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name to all nations—starting from here, from Jerusalem! You're the first to hear and see it. You're the witnesses. What comes next is very important: I am sending what my Father promised to you, so stay here in the city until he arrives, until you're equipped with power from on high."

50-51He then led them out of the city over to Bethany. Raising his hands he blessed them, and while blessing them, took his leave, being carried up to heaven.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION:

ACT I: THE SCATTERING

As you listen in to the conversation and walk along with the three what do you observe are elements that added up to the near-collapse of the movement?

What does Jesus do to bring them and the movement back on course toward successful transition?

How will such interventions help keep us from straying off-course when our partnerships experience troubles?

ACT II: THE REGATHERING

While they had “dragged their feet” on the road to Emmaus and urged Jesus not to go on walking in the dark: now they sprint back to Jerusalem in midnight darkness! How do you account for the change in them?

If you were in their place how would you likely have felt and what would have been your first words as you burst into the room where the others were gathered?

ACT III: THE EQUIPPING

Note what Jesus does:

1. Says: “Peace be with you!”

2. Shows them his hands and feet.

3. Proves it is really he and that his body is still a physical body but with supernatural qualities,

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4. Opens their minds to understand the Scriptures.



5. Gave them the message of Christ’s love and forgiveness that is both personal and social, both vertical and horizontal!

6. Assigned them to take it to all nations as their territory

7. Promised to send them the Holy Spirit and power from on high.

8. Ascended to the throne at the right hand of the Father where he (Jesus) “ever lives to make intercession” for them.

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Discuss what the above equipping should mean in terms of successful transition of ‘GOD’S PROJECT OF TRANSFORMATION’ through World Vision into a great movement of partnership building among the nations of the world.



Guidelines for Step 8 learning check-in

Focus

What do we need to consider carefully as we plan for transition of a shared project, primary focus area or the programme? What are the criteria we are using to consider transition and how do we document our responses to those criteria? How do we work with partners to update all transition plans and ensure that they address the current reality?

Use the guidance in the Handbook to contribute to reflection questions for the learning check-ins. Do include the following areas:

Challenges during the process for Step 8 and modifications that need to be made to transition plans

Roles and responsibilities: do we need to change our current way of sharing the work among team members as we focus on transition of a shared project, primary focus area or programme?

What communications need to be given attention: support office, national office, community partners, child well-being coalition members.

Preparation






Recommended Process

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Significant Learning. Open the session by asking each of the team members to share an important experience in the implementation of the shared project, primary focus area or programme. What did they learn from the experience? How will it shape



future work, either in this programme area or in another role within WV? What role has learning played in determining when it is appropriate to transition?

Plus Minus Interesting: Transition Readiness and Challenges

Ask the team to discuss the shared project, primary focus area or programme transition. Consider the transition aspects for shared on pages 152-154 of the Handbook and create a ‘plus, minus, interesting’ flip chart with the team’s input.

When the team has shared their insights on the aspects of transition mentioned there, revisit the transition plans created and decide if there are any changes that need to be made. Additionally, identify the areas in which they need further consultation with partners and other stakeholders and schedule a meeting time with them.


Focus: WV and Partners Reflect and Learn; Report Impact and Share Learning

What are the community perceptions about our work together?

How did our contributions reflect our commitment to Child well-being outcomes and the most vulnerable?

What data do we have about our impact?

What records do we have of our accomplishments?

What’s the story?

Preparation





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Recommended Process

Telling the story: What happened? How did it happen? What comes next?

Gather the team members and partners and discuss who should be present for a learning session around the shared project, the primary focus area or the programme.

Consider:

Who has played important roles?

Who has been impacted by project or programme goals?

Who will have important insights about the overall goals and success or problems in the project, primary focus area or programme?

Who will be able to contribute dynamic stories of change?

Who has connections within the primary focus area to effectively share the learning, be the ‘learning caretaker’?

Who needs to be involved in the learning process to ensure longevity and sustainability of goals and impact?

When you gather the group together, create a dynamic mix of sharing statistics and information on impact with stories of transformation by partners, beneficiaries and other community members.

You may want to encourage a small group to come prepared to present a drama of their interaction with the programme.

You may want to ask a group to create a large ‘scrapbook’ of activities and accomplishments that can be shared with the group.

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You may want to ask a small group to create a storyboard of the history of the project, primary focus area or programme on large flip chart sheets that can be arranged for a gallery walk on a wall. Participants can add in comments and personal memories on cards as they view the storyboard.



You may want to ask several people (children, youth, partners, the vulnerable, government officials, a religious leader, business persons etc.) to briefly share what the project has meant in their lives. Record their comments as a part of the project history.

However you organise this learning event, it’s important that you make every effort to capture what is shared and leave it safely with the relevant partners and / or community members. Additionally, this will enliven any final reports or evaluations you share with the National Office and Support Office.

End of Step 8 Learning Event

Devotions: Scripture Search Module ‘How do we transition together?’ The scripture search module for Step 8 discusses how Jesus’ worked with his disciples to prepare them for the dramatic transition after the resurrection. Look at the principles he used and the steps he took. What similarities do you see as you have moved through this transition process? Discuss your own ‘Act I, Act II, and Act III’

Do a team River of Life exercise for the transition process they experienced in Step 8. Ask staff to share their observations about learning during this step.


How did the learning contribute to improving the transition process?

How did the learning contribute to healthy relationships during the transition process?


How did the learning contribute to sustainability of World Vision’s work?

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Action Reflection Learning Planning (ARLP) – Thinking about our transition with our shared project, primary focus area or programme.



Use the ARLP tool to revisit the transition process during Step 8. This exercise is particularly important if WV is continuing to work in other projects or other primary focus areas as it will support a process of continuous improvement.

Action: What happened in the transition process? Ask a team member to describe the transition process in some detail, inviting others to share their observations. Think about who was involved, what they did and the dynamics that were observed.

Reflection: As a group, think about the process described above. Why did it happen that way? What was helpful? What was not helpful? What strengths and weaknesses were there? What assumptions and values were evident? What elements of the process will help sustainability of World Vision’s work?

Learning: What would you do differently next time? What new insights emerged? What practices most promoted success? What practices hindered success?

Planning: What might you suggest doing differently next time you are involved in a transition process? Why? How will you avoid repeating mistakes?


IPM Critical Path Step 8 “How do we transition together?” High Level

Steps 5 and 6 WV and partners plan

for transition

Step 7 WV and partners prepare

for transition


• Partners continue to improve child well-being as needed

8.2 WV and partners

implement transition 8.3 WV and partners reflect and learn, and report effort,

impact and learning

8.4 WV, partners, and community celebrate transformation and partner

contributions

8.1 WV and partners refine transition goals

and plan

Step 7 WV and partners identify

need for transition

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Use the high level process steps above – and refer to the detailed process steps included for each high level process step in the Handbook as necessary – to discuss any adaptations you made to the process steps. You will want to capture the team’s input



to share with both your National Office and the Global Centre team (see the ‘capturing learning’ guidelines).









Think about the final outcomes and the contributions each will make to ongoing quality of life – ‘life in all its fullness’. How do you create messages in the communication plan to reflect the transitions WV is making? Will you need to check on community perceptions and correct any misunderstanding? Are registered children clear about their new status, if it has changed? Do their parents understand? Are partners committed to the importance of continuing work?

Celebrate your accomplishments!!



Date

Time

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Place



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Guiding Questions:







Appendix I

Action Learning Tool Guidelines

Tool Name: Other People’s Views (OPV)

What is this tool? OPV focuses on the other people involved in a decision, proposed plan, rule, action etc. It provides a format to consciously and deliberately look at other viewpoints to assess impact.

Summary

Purpose Helps participants to be aware of and sensitive to other people's views/agendas.

Teaches participants how to adjust and synergize with other people's view of issues.

Expected Outcome Enhanced decision making

Product Record of the group’s understanding of how multiple stakeholders may be impacted by a decision, proposed plan of action etc.

Facilitator Varies

Audience / Participants Participants who are considering a proposed plan of action or making a decision.

Time needed 30 – 40 minutes

Process for OPV

PREPARATION

Choose a scenario, idea or plan that you wish to discuss with the group

Identify an initial list of stakeholders who will be involved and / or impacted

Materials: flip chart, markers

STEPS Share the focus of the discussion and the initial list of stakeholders

Ask participants to add in additional stakeholders. Alternatively, they can generate the whole list of stakeholders at the beginning of the discussion.

Go through the list of stakeholders and ask participants to consider one stakeholder at a time using a series of questions. Some questions that will be helpful are listed below.

o How will each group respond initially to the plan or idea?

o What short term and long-term impacts might it have?

o What are the benefits and costs for each group?

o How will it support their agendas and interests?

o Other

Record responses next to each stakeholder,

Use this analysis to decide:

o Is it a viable course of action?

o Who benefits from the action?

o Is there a detrimental impact on any one/group?

o Are there approaches that may help all stakeholders to support the action?

LEARNING AND DISCERNMENT RESOURCE 130

o Other


Tool Name Mind Map

What is this tool?

Mind maps offer a group process to share diverse ideas and connections. Participants visualize, summarize and represent relationships and connections between ideas, concepts or plans around a central topic.

Summary

Purpose Mind maps build shared understanding as they create visual communication and an easily remembered summary of any topic. It promotes an analysis of component parts and illustrates their relationships. This is very helpful for building shared understanding of complex topics.

Expected Outcome Aligned holistic understanding and group consensus around the chosen central topic

Product A mind map of the selected topic (see example)

Facilitator It can be used individually, with peer groups or facilitated if it is used in a large group.

Audience / Participants Any group, any size. It is ideally constructed with a small group (less than 8) but can also be used to communicate the topic to a large group.

When to Use It To generate visual representation of related or linked issues and thus aid in organizing, classifying, problem-solving and decision making.

Time Needed 30 minutes


Process for Mind Maps

PREPARATION

Choose the participants and topic that you want to work with.

Materials: Flip charts (for larger groups), multi-colored markers or pens

Notes to Facilitators:

STEPS FOR USE IN A LARGE GROUP Normally people need initial

encouragement to ensure that they are deliberate about thinking beyond the obvious, simple right answer.

Write down the key concept or issue that that the group (s) will be addressing in the middle of a large sheet of paper.

Facilitate a group discussion, asking participants to share the different issues that are associated with the key concept and begin to see how they are linked.

For groups who are not comfortable drawing, it is helpful to agree on some standard symbols.

Use symbols and pictures to help communicate thoughts and ideas. Use lines, colours, arrows or branches to show connections between the ideas generated on the mind map.

Make sure you have a wide variety of pens.

Showing people good examples of mind maps helps STEPS FOR USE IN A SMALL GROUPS

Write the key concept in the center of a large piece of paper so that all groups know what the central topic is for their mind map.

Practice is important to help people be the master of the tool (mind mapping can be used in such a wide variety of context situations that the ability to adapt and use appropriately expands its power.)

Can be used for building logframes

If this is the first time the groups have worked on a mind map, describe the process and show examples. (see process description for use in large groups above)

Break the large group into groups of 4-6 participants. Participants can also work in pairs or in groups of 3. More than 6 participants in a group lessens the level of participation.

Give each group a large sheet of paper (flip chart) and colored pens or markers

Give them 15 – 20 minutes to create their shared mind map

A representative from each group presents the map they have generated


Highlight shared perspectives from the presentations.


Tool Name: Consequence and Sequel (CAS)

What is this tool?

CAS is a tool that promotes structured long-term thinking and helps groups consider sustainability issues in a project or plan. This is a tool for looking ahead to see the short, medium and long-term consequences of an action, plan, decision, rule etc.

Summary

Purpose Examines short, medium and long-term consequences of an action, plan, decision, rule, invention etc. Logframes and strategic thinking.

Expected Outcome Clarified group understanding of long-term consequences.

Focused thinking on the consequence or impact of an activity, event or project.

Preparedness activities

Product

Facilitator This can be an individual, small group or large group process. If it is done in a large group, an assigned facilitator is important.

Audience / Participants Those who are participating in a planning process.

When to use it When considering a plan and interested in understanding potential short, medium and long term consequences.

Time needed 30 minutes


Process for CAS

PREPARATION Identify topic, issue, activity or event that to discuss that is likely to have impact or

consequences over time.

Choose the time frame that you wish to consider

Create a table on a large sheet of paper with three columns. In the example, the time frames are 2 months, 6 months and 2 years. You may choose any time frames that make sense for your activity.

2 months (short term) 6 months (medium term)

2 years (long term)

Note to Facilitators.

Very useful for emerging community based organizations as they begin with micro projects and develop them into macro projects.

STEPS

Share the focus of the discussion with the group

Use the following set of questions, as appropriate, to guide the discussion for short term, for medium term and for long term.

a. What do we expect to accomplish? Used individually, it is a useful

tool for self-learning b. What impacts do we expect?

c. What consequences do we expect? Helps to evaluate vision and / or plans

d. What attitudinal change do we expect? Encourages people to consider

both positive and negative consequences

e. What changes in community dynamics do we expect?

f. What outcomes do we expect? By clarifying our expectations

for a plan, helps to create indicators and ways to monitor

Very useful in considering factors that impact programme sustainability.


Record group responses in the appropriate column


Tool Name Action Reflection Learning Planning (ALRP)

What is this tool?

ARLP structures individual or small group discussions and encourages detailed reflection, learning and planning. Questions in four stages (action, reflection, learning and planning) uncover what happened in a given experience and lead to productive changes for future activities.

Summary

Purpose This can be used for teams and individuals both in WV and in the community. Excellent for using reflective thinking to drive concrete plans as it helps participants formulate detailed observations of events or projects and uncovers not just what happened but why.

Expected Outcome Learning reflections that shape or drive plans.

Product Improvements for future activities

Facilitator This can be done individually, in peer groups or in a facilitated group.

Audience / Participants Those who have experienced a shared activity including IPM pilot teams, community groups, youth groups, formal partnerships.

When to Use It To reflect on an activity or experience(s) in order to apply lessons learned in future plans

After a group has completed an activity and before they document experiences.

Time Needed 1 – 2 hours


Process for ARLP

PREPARATION Select the activity that you want to reflect on (an activity that all

participants have experienced and is also an activity from which you want to learn).

Invite required participants

Note to Facilitators

Materials needed: Flip chart and markers

STEPS Action.

This tool is important in helping people acknowledge that making mistakes is ok as long as we learn from them!

This stage gathers detailed and specific observations that describe the activity.

Key questions:

“What happened? Describe it in detail. ARLP is particularly useful for new initiatives/activities as it helps create an atmosphere in which everyone is expected to work, reflect, learn, and improve plans based on lessons learned.

Who was involved? What did they do?

How did we feel?

What dynamics did we observe?

Reflection.

Success depends on specific and detailed documentation of the activity as seen in the ‘action stage’. This detailed and specific observation will drive quality learning and planning.

This stage seeks to understand or analyse what happened. It is about thinking deeply, considering and probing.

Key questions:

Why and how did it happen?

What things were helpful or not helpful? Very useful for emerging community based organizations as they begin with micro projects and develop them into macro projects.

What strengths and weaknesses did we see?

What assumptions and values did people have?

Who held power?

What will happen if the situation does not change?

Learning.

This stage focuses on understanding, analysis and insights that help improve the activity.


Key questions:

What would you do differently next time?

What new insights do you have?

What values or practice would have prevented failure or promoted success?

Planning.

In this stage, we set goals and determine future applications of our learning.

Key questions:

How will we do it better next time?

What are you going to start doing differently?


How will you avoid repeating mistakes?


Tool Name River of Life (ROL)

What is this tool? River of Life is a pictorial representation of experiences or relationships. It demonstrates how they have shaped or influenced each other.

Summary Purpose River of Life enables users to examine not only what

happened, but also how events may be related and impact upon each other. It facilitates useful analysis and discussion.

Expected Outcome Shared awareness of events and experiences

Product Pictorial representation of the experiences or events

Facilitator Varies

Audience / Participants Participants who share experience in a particular event or scenario.

When to use it When you want to encourage reflection on a specific event or scenario

When participants may not feel comfortable with written responses

For team building in any scenario

Time 1 hour


LEARNING AND DISCERNMENT RESOURCE

River of Live Process

PREPARATION Choose the experience or event for group reflection

If desired, have prepared symbols for them to use

Materials: Large paper, colored markers.

STEPS Share the event or experience that you are going to use for group reflection

Explain to participants that you are going to use a river as a metaphor to represent the event or scenario you have chosen.

Divide into small groups, as necessary.

Ask them to work together to draw a river representing the scenario or event.

Share suggested symbols:

o Direction of river (up/wider=good experience/growth. Down/narrow=negative experience/imitations)

o Crocodiles, rapids, rocks or waterfalls may be difficulties.

o A bend in the river/merging of two rivers may signify a time of significant change.

o A river that is flowing fast, undulating or bubbling may also be representative of rapid change.

o Fish, turtles or other creatures in the water may represent positive resources.

o What is along the bank of the river may represent external forces impacting the experience or scenario.

Ask small groups to share their Rivers of Life. You may ask them to circle challenges in red, insights in blue, major decisions in green, etc.

Discuss viewpoints represented by each of the groups.

Record important insights and lessons learned.

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