Taking a Systems Approach to Change with Young Americans

Johnson Center Dec 8, 2018
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators.
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Systems-change-approach

Giving Compass’ Take:

• This center at the Johnson Center addresses how a more systematic approach to social change will help keep young people excited and engaged for a longer period of time.

• There are other benefits of systems change, but executing on such a strategy requires patience, commitment and active listening. What are the obstacles organizations face in these areas? 

• Here are five steps for contributing to complex systems change.

The ultimate goal of social movements is change. The issue may be saving the earth’s oceans, expanding voting rights, improving a group’s standard of living, or addressing one of the many social ills that exist. The bottom line is that those of us representing a cause want something specific to change. While passionate, enthusiastic young people (18 to 30) often respond spontaneously to the actions we take to inspire them, couldn’t we use a more measured, systematic approach to launching and sustaining our social movements?

Let’s examine taking a systems approach to change in the realm of social causes.

Merriam-Webster defines a system as “a regularly interacting or interdependent group of items forming a unified whole.” The definition says nothing about being constant or restrictive. Systems can, and must, leave plenty of room for passion, enthusiasm, and spontaneity within them.

In a systems framework for addressing social issues, the “interdependent group of items” will fall within segments of what we’ll call the supporter’s journey: awareness, understanding, acceptance, and adoption. Within those segments will be various tactics and measurable milestones leading to outcomes designed to implement ideas in concert and make adjustments as necessary to improve those outcomes.

Read the full article about taking a systems approach to change by Derrick Feldmann at johnsoncenter.org.

Impact Philanthropy is a complex topic, and others found these selections from the Impact Giving archive from Giving Compass to be good resources.

  • This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators.
    Click here for more.
    Grantmakers: Take the Customer Service Challenge

    Giving Compass' Take: • Consultant Kris Putnam-Walkerly discusses how grantmakers should look at things more from a business-to-consumer mindset. • How can we build better relationships through this perspective? Some tips included here are to solicit feedback as a company would in the customer service department. • Here's why more trust between funders and grantees will bring about impact. I am surprised by how often grantmakers see their role as funder, but not as a provider of services for which there are customers. True, the philanthropic customer is different than a business customer. As a foundation, you’re not selling a consumer good, but you are selling ideas, change, and a belief that communities can and should become better. And just as a private business needs customers to buy its products or services to keep its operation going, foundations need customers to buy into their missions and be willing to work as partners to achieve them.

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