WHAT IS A SYSTEMS APPROACH?. Homeless shelters perpetuate homelessness Drug busts increase...
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Transcript of WHAT IS A SYSTEMS APPROACH?. Homeless shelters perpetuate homelessness Drug busts increase...
WHAT IS A SYSTEMS APPROACH?
Homeless shelters perpetuate
homelessness
Drug busts increase drug-related crime
“Get tough” prison sentences fail to reduce fear of violent crime
Job training programs increase
unemployment
IN THE NEWS
WHAT DO THESE STORIES HAVE IN COMMON?
They:
• Address symptoms not underlying problems
• Are obvious and often success in short-term
• Produce short-term gains that are undermined by long-term impacts
• Create unintentional, negative consequences
• Mask our own responsibility for recurrence
Source: Bridgeway Partners
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF “FAILED” SOLUTIONS
When you are confronted by any complex social system … with things about it that you’re dissatisfied with and anxious to fix, you
cannot just step in and set about fixing with much hope of helping. This is one of the sore discouragements of our time.
If you want to fix something you are first obliged to understand … the whole system.
-Lewis Thomas
FIXING NOW VS. IMPACT OVER TIME
Many parts
Doing different things
Working together
Focused on a common goal
A SYSTEM IS
CONVENTIONAL THINKING SYSTEMS THINKING
The connection between problems and their causes is obvious and easy to trace.
The relationship between problems and their causes is indirect and not obvious.
Source: Bridgeway Partners
CONVENTIONAL VS. SYSTEMS THINKING
CONVENTIONAL THINKING SYSTEMS THINKING
Others, either within our outside our organization, are to blame for our problems and must be the ones to change.
We unwittingly create our own problems and have significant control or influence in solving them by changing our own behavior.
Source: Bridgeway Partners
CONVENTIONAL VS. SYSTEMS THINKING
CONVENTIONAL THINKING SYSTEMS THINKING
A policy designed to achieve short-term success will also ensure long-term success.
Most quick fixes have unintended consequences. They make no difference or they make things worse in the long run.
Source: Bridgeway Partners
CONVENTIONAL VS. SYSTEMS THINKING
CONVENTIONAL THINKING SYSTEMS THINKING
In order to optimize the whole, we must optimize the parts.
In order to optimize the whole, we must improve relationships among the parts.
Source: Bridgeway Partners
CONVENTIONAL VS. SYSTEMS THINKING
CONVENTIONAL THINKING SYSTEMS THINKING
Aggressively tackle many independent initiatives simultaneously.
Systems change is the product of a few key, coordinated changes sustained over time.
Source: Bridgeway Partners
CONVENTIONAL VS. SYSTEMS THINKING
The problem is chronic and has defied people’s best efforts to solve it.
Diverse stakeholders find it difficult to align their efforts, despite similar intentions.
People are working on many disparate initiatives at the same time. Promoting certain solutions (e.g. best practices) comes at the
expense of engaging in continuous learning.
WHEN TO USE SYSTEMS APPROACH
THE TRADITIONAL APPROACHBuilding better programs or organizations
Building better programs = making better musicians
THE SYSTEMS APPROACHBringing players together to form an orchestra, which creates a symphony
Current approach is program-driven Each program• Selects its target population• Establishes its own criteria and outcome measures
Result: • Some good programs, but many people unserved • Resources not coordinated• Lack of accountability
SYSTEMS APPROACH TO HOMELESSNESS
A systems approach is not just program-level collaboration but systematic coordination to use all resources better
• Shares a common vision
• Sets clear goals, and has the means to measure them
• Recognizes the role of each part in contributing to the results
• Holds each component accountable
• Makes change over time
SYSTEMS APPROACH TO HOMELESSNESS
Use research to inform decisions and design
Gather data on results and impact
Create services that work for clients, not programs that work for providers and funders
Always keep in mind the Big Picture
KEY ELEMENTS OF A SYSTEMS APPROACH
ROLE OF PHILANTHROPY
Leader/convener Capacity builder Strategic investor Advocate
KEY ROLES FOR FUNDERS
• Bring public and private parties together to address the issue jointly
• Often seen as neutral party
• Speak what is unspoken: costs, turf, failure
• Help generate a shared vision
• Get commitment to an ongoing process
LEADER/CONVENER
ROLE YES AND …
Elected official
Permanent housing with support services and jobs are important.
This takes a long time and it’s expensive – and the community has other immediate needs.
Business leader
It’s important for everyone to have shelter.
Our primary concern is homeless people downtown who hurt business.
Source: Bridgeway Partners
DON’T IGNORE OTHER AGENDAS
ROLE YES AND …
Shelter director
Giving people shelter is humane. The more beds we fill, the more money we get.
Health Care for Homeless director
Homeless people need basic health services outside of the ER.
We have to compete with other providers for limited funding.
Source: Bridgeway Partners
DON’T IGNORE OTHER AGENDAS
ROLE YES AND …
Affordable housing advocate
All people need permanent housing first.
We need to attract people who can afford to pay for housing.
Donor We are committed to helping homeless people.
Our board wants to help people now.
Source: Bridgeway Partners
DON’T IGNORE OTHER AGENDAS
ROLE YES AND …
Concerned citizen
No one should be homeless and shelters provide a humanitarian solution.
I don’t want homeless people living near me. My tax money should go to more pressing problems.
Homeless person
Permanent housing gives me ongoing security.
My community is other homeless people. I don’t know that I can make it in the “mainstream” world.
Source: Bridgeway Partners
DON’T IGNORE OTHER AGENDAS
• Provide information on successful models/best practices
• Help collect and analyze local information and data to establish goals
• Build the system and program capacity to implement change
KNOWLEDGE/CAPACITY BUILDER
• Fund the collaboration and data collection
• Make program investments in keeping with agreed upon goals and outcomes
• Seed proven activities/ approaches that are new in the community
• Be patient and persistent
Use philanthropic dollars to leverage change!
STRATEGIC INVESTOR
• Use position to raise awareness of solutions
• Point to opportunities to expand and leverage public resources
• Call for accountability
• Support small successes within a long-term context
• “Neutral party” status lends credibility◦ With elected officials◦ In the media◦ With the business community
ADVOCATE