The Community Life Competence Process

The Community Life Competence Process

The Community Life Competence Process (CLCP) and SALT

Ownership means that the community decides on the action that it wishes to take and it takes that action

 

  • We propose a systematic step-by-step methodology that allows the community to take ownership of their challenge. We call this the Community Life Competence Process (CLCP). Facilitators accompany the community as it moves towards ownership of their challenges with an appreciative approach that we characterise by the acronym SALT (Support, Appreciate, Listen-Learn,Transfer).
  • CLCP is a form of learning cycle where a community takes action and learns from its experience. That learning becomes the basis for another round of action and learning.
  • The cycle goes on indefinitely: there is no end point.
  • The steps of the learning cycle allow a community to divide what can feel a frightening challenge into a set of specific and manageable steps.
  • As the community moves through the process, each step documents progress, but the real measure of ownership lies in the depth of discussion, the consistency of engagement, and the joy of achievement that accompanies each step.

Our way of thinking : SALT

We call SALT our mode of interaction with communities. We think of SALT as the DNA of The Constellation.

S

S is for Stimulate, Support

A

A is for Appreciate, Accompany

L

L is for Listen, Learn, Link

T

T is for Transfer, Team, Trust, Transform

In SALT and CLCP we have a unique and powerful combination

  • While we consider CLCP to be an effective learning cycle, our experience tells us that on its own it would not consistently open the door to change. We support communities as they apply CLCP with the SALT approach.
  • The appreciative approach supports the community through the hard work, and the setbacks that they will inevitably encounter as they apply the steps of the learning cycle. We have found the SALT approach to be effective to stimulate and to support the community as it works through the steps of CLCP.

“Anyone who has worked on a learning cycle knows that the challenge is to sustain the momentum.

So SALT kick starts the learning process and then it supports it through the hard work to Life Competence. I am beginning to think that in SALT and CLCP we have a very beautiful and powerful combination. To discuss the relative importance of one over the other is to miss the point“.

Emmanuelle Bricq

Stories from the field

Facilitating a Global Learning Festival (GLF) for We Lead in Maputo, Mozambique

Facilitating a Global Learning Festival (GLF) for We Lead in Maputo, Mozambique

Exploring our strengths, our diversity and our commonalities as human beings; Learn Visits to local community groups; a Market Place that showcases good practices and eventually reflections on what could be set up in the future. Over the years, The Constellation keeps developing its signature elements as our teams are facilitating Learning Festivals with old and new partners.

In February, a team of The Constellation facilitators took on the challenge of organising and facilitating the Global Linking and Learning Festival for 70 persons in Maputo, Mozambique: staff, partners and rightsholders of the HIVOS We Lead programme.

The Global Fund for Children (GFC) Knowledge Fair: A Unanimously Acclaimed Event, Co-created by Participants

The Global Fund for Children (GFC) Knowledge Fair: A Unanimously Acclaimed Event, Co-created by Participants

In Kolhapur, Maharashtra, from the 20th to the 22nd of May 2023, a Knowledge Fair was held bringing together representatives of the villages of Pirwadi, Vashi, Nandwal, Kandgaon, and Kerli, where the Avani organisation led SALT conversations for the past two years, Indian organisations who also facilitate SALT-CLCP (Rural Aid and Purnata from West Bengal, Faith Foundation from Meghalaya) and the GFC. Avani organised the event with the GFC’s support.

Communities Acting Together to Control HIV (CATCH) in Botswana

Communities Acting Together to Control HIV (CATCH) in Botswana

The CATCH approach is a community driven response. The approach uses the SALT method to drive the community response to HIV and other health related matters. The approach has acted as an effective catalyst for the implementation of the National Community Mobilization Strategy.

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