Schuman S. - The IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation (2005)(en)

Reflections about PM&E Based on Stories of Change

The PM&E process of regularly reviewing progress on local initiatives, discussing lessons learned, making new plans, and then reflecting together on accomplishments and change can be a deeply profound experience for a community. These PM&E events provide a practical opportunity for groups to become self-conscious about their latent power. This was certainly the case in Ovsiste; one can easily imagine their excitement as they rehearsed and reveled in their accomplishment. Such discussions enable groups to build a larger story for themselves about who they are as a group and what they can accomplish through their own concerted efforts. These are all based on strong experiential messages that have the potential to alter images dramatically. Ultimately, this is the key to long-term changes in behavior. Therefore, this PM&E approach, with its emphasis on stories of change, is transformative.

The system uses a highly inductive approach in which indicative changes become the basis for drawing conclusions about results. This is valuable when objectives of community development include ideas like increased participation, self-confidence, local responsibility, capacity for problem-solving, and transparency. Such benefits are extremely difficult to evaluate. Rather than being confined to a narrow range of predetermined indicators, this approach is flexible and adaptive to changing circumstances. Of course, it is in sharp contrast to conventional monitoring approaches that are deductive in orientation, begin with a theoretical idea about intended results identified by experts far from the locus of activity, and then attempt to identify indicators of its occurrence (Davies, 1998).

It gives those closest to the activity being monitored, in this case community residents, the opportunity to guide the process by making their choices and interpretations at the beginning of the process rather than at the end. External officials and senior program managers are put into the position of responding to explanations generated from below. Consistent with the aims of community development, the basic monitoring agenda is thereby established from the bottom rather than the top. However, its participatory nature is not limited to the communities; all stakeholders are effectively tied into a single unifying PM&E conversation.

The retelling of stories about selected changes has a modeling effect within communities. Such changes tend to be stories about success, focusing on positive results rather than negative shortcomings. Through feedback mechanisms, best

practices are highlighted and become the primary subject of reflection and appraisal by all stakeholders. The monitoring work thereby becomes a direct contributor to institutional learning at every level of the project.

Possible Uses of Stories of Change in Other Settings

Although this PM&E system has been created and used primarily in international development, it should be easily adaptable to any situation where subgroups are working within a large setting, be they different geographical locations of a company or different departments or sections of a public agency housed in a single building.

Stories of change are also applicable for PM&E of facilitated processes themselves, especially when there is an interest, or a demand, to provide some data on the ultimate impact of such processes. The initial brainstorm about the changes participants have experienced need not be general. In a systematic way, specific topics might be stipulated. Instead of asking a group to come up with four selected changes in an open-ended manner, groups can be asked to make a selection within particular areas—for example, “What are the most important changes that have occurred in the following areas? As a group, choose one change each in the areas of team effectiveness, group initiative and responsibility, capacity for problem solving, transparency in decision making, creativity, and self-confidence?”

By systematically collecting data in these areas, along with stated reasons about why choices were made, a wealth of information is available for drawing conclusions. A mechanism for involving stakeholders from other levels in a review of the stories and providing feedback on their thoughts enables various stakeholders to become involved in a common dialogue. Collective knowledge about the significance of facilitated processes is thereby generated and is shared throughout the organization. PM&E based on stories of change can provide a practical means for enabling institutional learning on any initiative or program.

APPENDIX 24A: PM&E IN THE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME, ETHIOPIA

The Community Empowerment Programme (CEP) took place in five districts, or woredas, in central Ethiopia. The only support that CEP offered was the facilitation of community planning workshops (CPW) where members of local kires, or

villages, met to discuss issues and plan local projects based exclusively on local resources. The tables are quantitative summaries of work in 309 villages. The story that follows is one of 288 that was documented during one PM&E reporting period:

In Jebukie kire in Legehida . . . prior to the CPW the work on clearing springs was done only when clearing was very desperately needed; even then only a minimum amount of work was done. Additionally, no fences were ever built nor had any repair been done. After the CPW, however, we tried to work harder. The work on the springs involved both the construction of fences and continuous follow-up. An example of follow-up by the community was when it was noticed that some pieces of wood had been stolen from the fences around the spring we had built and reported this to the kire leader. The kire leader then called an afersata [judicial meeting] to investigate the crime and the criminal was found. Then we were able to return back the pieces of wood to the kire as a result of the afersata, and the spring fence was repaired.

Why selected by the woreda officials: From this we can see that the people understand that they are responsible for their own development. It indicates that they really feel a sense of ownership in what they planned and accomplished [Bergdall and Powell, 1996, p. 68].

Community Empowerment Programme Workshop Numbers

and Attendance Figures

Source: Bergdall and Powell 1996)

aWomen 24,543 (30 percent); youth 18,678 (23 percent); men 37,472 (46 percent).

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME QUANTITATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, FINAL DATABASE FIGURES THROUGH 15 NOVEMBER 1996

Note: Kires refer to the community groupings in villages that served as the basic operational units around which the Community Empowerment Programme was organized. Woredas is the word used in Ethiopia for districts.

Source: Bergdall and Powell (1996).

APPENDIX 24B: AN EXAMPLE OF STORIES OF CHANGE FROM THE PHILIPPINES

Following are the four stories of change that a community in the Philippines identified during a Barangay Development Council meeting in October 1997 (Bergdall, 1997). Barangays are the lowest level of government administration in the Philippines, like a precinct, and are similar to villages. The PM&E exercise was within the Governance and Local Democracy Project (GOLD) funded by USAID. One of the primary aims of GOLD was to conduct communitywide planning workshops so that local communities could collectively prioritize and plan local projects. Instead of a small grants program, GOLD enabled communities to budget small capitalization funds, which were redistributed to local communities from the central government’s tax revenues. The following stories of change are from the Nagbitin Barangay of the Villa Verde municipality in the Nueva Vizcaya province.

The community now has a “structured guide” to follow for its planning. In the past, planning was only done by a few leaders and it was often haphazardly based on personal favoritism. Most people in the community did not understand how projects were planned and were not consulted about their views. Now, since the “planning and budgeting workshop,” people know about the projects, understand the priorities, and are aware about progress in implementation—or reasons for delay. Consultation has been widespread and everyone now stands behind the community plans. The extraordinary efforts to successfully raise money from community members to complete the multi-purpose slab (that is, a paved area in the center of the community for basketball, which is the national sport in the Philippines, and other community activities) in time for the November fiesta is an example of what has happened because of the new approach to planning: people understood why there were limited community funds and acted to solve the problem.

Reason selected by the community: People have come to realize that everyone can and should be involved in community planning.

Community leaders are serving the community better. Before, community leaders tended to have a narrow political view of their role and often made decisions based more on personal connections than on community-wide development needs. This also often resulted in the chairman being the primary person in charge: he was the one who made major decisions and assigned people to do particular work. If things went wrong, the chairman was always blamed. Now, development priorities

planned by the community are the focus of work and many people are assuming responsibility for agreed upon projects—everyone shares in their success or failure. Outside visitors can see this change by reviewing the budget plan and talking to community members about their knowledge of the plans.

Reason selected by the community: Leaders have a better understanding about their proper functions in participatory development planning and are making sacrifices to serve.

Greater transparency in managing development funds has minimized perceptions of corruption. Before, very few people knew details about development money used in the community. They didn’t know how much money was available or how it was used. Now, because of the planning, all projects are known as well as the amounts and sources committed for each. Expenditures are reported to the community in ways they can easily understand and appreciate. Evidence of this change can be seen by viewing the written reports and financial records which are now kept in an orderly way at the community office (written records were not kept before).

Reason selected by the community: People can see practical results from the use of development funds.

Improved access to health services. Before, people could not depend upon local health services because they didn’t know where or when to go since no regular schedule was maintained. Mothers would have to waste a lot of time and money going to the clinic in town. Construction of the community health center was made a high priority during the “planning and budgeting workshop.” Work has since completed and the center was opened in the past year. Now a regular schedule is maintained by health workers: community members know when and where they can go for immunizations and other assistance. Still there are problems with shortages of medicines, but people no longer have to waste time and money to travel long distances for basic health care. This change can be seen by visiting the health center.

Reason selected by the community: Maintaining good health for the family is one of the most important responsibilities a parent has which means the health center has been a high priority for the community.

APPENDIX 24C: FACILITATING GROUPS AND DOCUMENTING STORIES OF CHANGE

The following procedures provide guidelines for facilitating PM&E Review Meetings with communities participating in the Topola Rural Development Program (Opto 2002).

At three intervals—project commencement, project completion, and six months after completion—facilitators will meet with local project management groups to review progress of local initiatives planned by the community and to spell out next steps. The second and third of these meetings will also provide an opportunity for community residents to reflect on changes that have occurred since becoming involved with the Topola Rural Development Program. Four basic steps are involved in this process: 1) a group brainstorm on changes, 2) selecting the four most important changes, 3) deeper “probing” to more fully understand the selected changes, and 4) documenting four selected changes for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) efforts of the project with other stakeholders.

Step 1: A Brainstorm of Changes by the “Project Management Group”

Members of the group are asked to brainstorm “significant changes” which have occurred since the commencement of the project (or since the last time they did a group reflection on “significant change”). Phrasing the question so that it can be easily understood in Serbian language is crucial. By asking this question, we are attempting to enable participants to think about things that have happened which they think are important. The question needs to be phrased in order to broaden the group’s thinking. Variations in ways to phrase the question might include the following:

•What changes have occurred?

•What have been key accomplishments?

•How have things improved because of the project?

•What difference has the project made in the quality of life for local residents?

In generating the brainstorm, all of these questions can be asked. List these “changes” on a piece of flip chart paper displayed at the front of the room (i.e., a “template”).

Step 2: Selecting the Four Most Important Changes

After a list has been created with several ideas, the facilitator then asks the group to select four. However, instead of making general selections, the facilitator provides

categories for making choices. What has been the most important change in regards to:

•Decision-making in the community?

•Practical benefits resulting from completion of the particular project?

•Trust and co-operation among people benefiting from the project?

•Any other change (an undesignated category)?

The facilitator lists the four categories on a piece of flip chart paper and explains them all before the group makes its selections. After making this introduction, the group is asked to make it selections (one per category).

Step 3: Deeper “Probing” to More Fully Understand the Selected Changes

After making their four selections, the facilitators need to ask some additional questions to more fully understand the nature of the changes selected and to assist in the documentation. The following questions need to be asked for each of the selected changes:

•What was the situation like before this change (or accomplishment)?

•How is the situation different now?

•What is an example or illustration about this change which you would show (or tell) a visitor as evidence of this change?

•Why is this change important? What is the reason for your selection?

A simple template can be created to enable this discussion. It might look like the table on the next page (with the four selected changes placed in the four left-hand boxes).

Step 4: Documenting the Four Selected Changes

At the end of the workshop, the facilitator responsible for documenting the proceedings needs to write paragraphs for each of these four changes. A title phrase or sentence is written to broadly describe the change. A sentence or two then

describes the situation “before,” a sentence or two describes the situation “now,” and a sentence or two describes the “example” of the change. Finally, the reason the community selected this change is added as a separate explanation after the paragraph on “before, now, and an example” of the change.

In writing the paragraph, the facilitator tries to remain as faithful to the actual words used by the community members while also being descriptive enough that other readers outside of the project can understand as much as possible about the perceived importance of the selected change. Once a draft has been prepared, these are reviewed by community residents; modifications are made as needed to accurately reflect the community’s views.