I find the idea of “systems change” annoyingly difficult to define and understand. As I’ve tried to educate myself in search of a clear and simple way to explain it, I’ve run into many articles which have helped me, but provide only the most conceptual of definitions, and more importantly, solutions. AARGH! We need understandable ways to define systems change as well as pragmatic solutions which address the very systemic problems we now better understand.
My first understanding of “systems” change came when I attended the Racial Equity Institute (REI) Groundwater training in 2015. Thousands of people in Northeast Ohio have attended REI training, (and I’d highly recommend it), but if you haven’t, the premise is this: if you are fishing and see dead fish in the water, you may try to help the fish or fix the poisoned lake. But what if the groundwater is poisoned? Cleaning up the lake won’t help. I understand the parallel to our work: we often try to initiate change by providing services and programs (e.g. clean up the lake). This is important work! But, if the systems serving individuals aren’t as effective as needed, the work will be endless. If we work to address the systems (e.g. address the groundwater), we are addressing root causes, which are harder to address but potentially offer longer-lasting change.
Since Groundwater training, I’ve been seeking new ways to understand and define systems change, particularly in light of the Deborah Vesy Systems Change Champion Award.
The best guide I’ve found has been the article “Systems Change: A Guide to What it is and How to Do It”, published by NPC and the Lankelly Chase Foundation. It offers a comprehensive overview but here are the highlights:
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- Systems are composed of multiple players. So, for systems change initiatives, they impact multiple parties (organizations, or non-profits, or people, or government agencies, or companies, or all of the above and more.)
- The players in systems are interconnected and through those connections, they behave in certain ways.
- Many of our hardest problems are systemic problems – meaning, they are caused by how different players behave, in addition to how individuals interact with those players. So there’s no one easy way to change the system.
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The article provides an easy way to understand systemic change through a specific example: “how do you keep a drug addict from re-offending?” The systemic problems they face could include lack of meaningful employment opportunities, challenges in the criminal justice system, policies on criminalization of drugs, and individual behaviors. A systems change initiative would address some or all of these situations.
Systems change initiatives attempt to tackle difficult problems related to both individuals and systems, and they usually do so by changing the actions of multiple players in the system.
The workforce development system has many players: job seekers, employers, public sector organizations seeking to address the problem (such as OhioMeansJobs), non-profit partners who help people find jobs and meet their other needs, advocates, funders (such as the Deaconess Foundation), and more. In order to make profound change, this interconnected network will be considered as a whole.
The Deborah Vesy Systems Change Champion award will recognize initiatives which have been able to change behaviors across multiple players, and in doing so, help many more people build careers that sustain themselves and their families. For a list of the types of changes that initiatives can address, visit the application form/description page.
The concept is abstract and generic and abstract, but you work in the real world and your time is valuable. If you are considering whether an initiative you are leading or participating in would fit for this award, please make sure you take advantage of Lissy Rand’s office hours or email her for a time to chat!