We facilitate processes, projects, advocacy and research which is non-extractive and benefits the communities and people affected.
We consider communities and their members, including children, as assets who can and do undertake their own learning and actions to address their own community priorities.
We understand relational power as central to all community-led approaches. This informs everything we do, and includes being self-aware of how we, as consultants, collaborate with organisations and communities.
We aim to background our own opinions, spark truly community-owned processes, and reduce dependency on outside actors.
“Communities don’t think in silos,
and neither do we”
We bring many collective decades of technical knowledge and experience in specialised areas including child protection, refugees and migrants, HIV, MHPSS, ECD, and safeguarding.
We use creative methods as powerful tools for researching, learning, collectivising, explaining, planning, changing and advocating. And for the joy of it!
We believe that any organisation or team, including donors, can shift to a community-led and -owned approach, no matter the starting point or context.
It’s a process. What is needed is a commitment to learning and change, and trust in people and communities.
We prioritise creative, arts-based methods such as contemporary and traditional arts and crafts, PhotoVoice, and video-making.
Creative methods such as these can facilitate community- and people-led storytelling, hidden meaning, the sharing of lived experiences, and community reflection.
We assist teams to develop engaging materials including videos, podcasts, music, and publications for advocacy, training, learning and documentation.
We can manage all aspects of production including print, audio, visual, video content, and copy editing.
We consider art a powerful tool to say and envision things which can’t be easily expressed using words.
Arts-based activities foster connection, collectivism, storytelling, empathy, and collective visions.
Become a facilitator of a community-led approach by letting go of being the ‘expert’, changing mindset, and learning humility, deep listening, empathy, non-judgment, and inclusivity.
Learn to conduct participatory, non-extractive research with diverse groups, including young children. Rethink or design a community-led bottom-up programme that shifts more power to people and communities.
We support teams with evidence-based guidance, learning, training, mentoring, and strategic planning. We use a variety of learning methods including in-person and remote workshops, WhatsApp learning groups, self-guided learning, and AI-assisted tools.
Evidence Generation
We can undertake desk reviews, scoping reports, participatory research, and action research, including people- and child-led research.
We train local and community researchers and facilitators for community research, learning and reflection processes.
Advocacy
We can help develop and implement advocacy strategies and campaigns using creative, people-led materials.
We can help you build, strengthen or coordinate collaborative networks for advocacy and learning.
Guidance
We can support you to design and implement a community-led programme. We can also develop and provide guidance, support and feedback for ongoing programmes.
This includes aspects of community-led working such as facilitation, participation, safeguarding, ethics, and power-shifting.
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