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.
Stories from the field
SALT Conversations for Gender Equality
Villagers of Kandgaon weaved their dream for children and youth with the facilitation of the Avani team on the 4th of April 2023. An 11-year-old girl said: “I am very happy with this process, adults need to listen to us, and children need to have a say in the functioning of the village.” The elected female head assured that she will involve children in future conversations.
Patient and Community-led Response to NCDs at the Civil 20 Integrated Holistic Health Summit in India
Rituu B. Nanda was at the C20 Summit in Faridabad from the 7th to the 9th of April 2023. She presented the above poster about the work on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in India.
Go Girl Kenya Turning One Year Old and Still Counting!
“While we did the self assessment training, we shared stories of change amongst the facilitators. From those stories, we realised that it is the little things that add up to the big picture eventually. A good example is the story of a family that we visited. Their relationship was rebuilt, and they linked our facilitator to other families that had been facing the same issue as them. It makes us happy when we receive such calls from the community! ”
Aaliyah Busolo Quintonne, L’Afrikana