jsrp17-valters_0

jsrp17.valters_0

The Theory of Change approach is becoming a pervasive part of development practice: as an artefact, as a management tool, and increasingly as a common discourse which implementers use to explain and explore their interventions. In this blog post, Craig Valters introduces the 6 key findings of his research and paper.
His research paper continues by providing an analysis of how Theories of Change are used in the day-to-day practice of an international development organisation, The Asia Foundation. They use the approach in three ways: to communicate, to learn and to be held accountable, which each exist in some tension with each other. Creating Theories of Change was often found to be a helpful process by programme staff, since it provided a greater freedom to explain and analyse programme interventions. However, the introduction of the approach also had some troubling effects, for example, by creating top-down accounts of change which spoke more to donor interests than to the ground realities of people affected by these interventions. Ultimately, this paper argues that while a Theory of Change approach can create space for critical reflection, this requires a much broader commitment to learning from individuals, organisations, and the development sector itself.
Check also this <a href="http://oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/the-best-evidence-yet-on-how-theories-of-change-are-being-used-in-aid-and-development-work/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blog post</a> by Duncan Green in responsive to this paper.

A research paper that discusses how The Asia Foundation uses ToC in its organisation. In a blog post the author summarizes the 6 key findings of his research and paper.

Theories of Change in international development: Communication, learning or accountability?

grow-toc-literature-review

GROW-TOC-Literature-Review

In this article, the starting point for GROW’s Theory of Change is the Australian and international research that indicates that employment offers critical pathways out of disadvantage. Therefore, GROW recognizes that understanding the gaps and opportunities that exist for generating and targeting employment (i.e. creating a jobs bias towards more disadvantaged communities) at a systemic level is a critical part of addressing disadvantage.
A primary assumption of GROW’s approach in their theory of change was the fact that poverty and disadvantage is mediated by place and location; and conversely, place was a locus for improving the socio-economic opportunities of both individuals and communities. GROW’s Theory of Change starts from the premise that addressing complex issues requires collaborative and collective action across all sectors.
This report explains the logic that underpins this theory of change and then presents an evidence review relevant to the assumptions embedded within it.

This report explains the logic that underpins the Theory of Change for GROW and then presents an evidence review relevant to the assumptions embedded within it. GROW is an Australian organisation addressing disadvantage through employment.

Evidence to support Theories of Change for GROWs business plan

An animation video by Dorcas International of its Theory of Change. Dorcas is an organisation that is aimed at creating sustainable change by addressing poverty at three different levels &#8211; individual, community and governmental levels.
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An animation video by Dorcas International of its Theory of Change. Dorcas is an organisation that is aimed at creating sustainable change by addressing poverty at three different levels - individual, community and governmental levels.