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

Voice Multi-country grantees take action towards a joint dream

Voice Multi-country grantees take action towards a joint dream

The Constellation has facilitated the Linking and Learning journey where those grantees grew from focusing on their own particular cause to taking action towards a joint dream. The Constellation used and adapted its strength-based SALT approach (Support, Appreciate, Learn and Transfer) and several tools from its Community Life Competence Process for accompaniment. At the closing of the Voice project, a strong sense of solidarity exists between the parties, the journey is not yet at an end.

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.

Join the journey, learn the walk
and contribute to building a better world

PARTNER
Become a partner and build resilience in your own organization or community
LEARN
Become a change maker in your own community
SUPPORT
Help communities to be autonomous