Five Criteria of Systemic Change Projects
  1. Long-range social impact: the project helps change the overall life-situation of those who benefit from it.
  2. Sustainability: the project helps create the social structures that are needed for a permanent change in the lives of the poor.
  3. Replicability: the project can be adapted to solve similar problems in other places, in a variety of circumstances.
  4. Scope: the project has spread beyond its initial context and has been used successfully in other settings.
  5. Innovation: the project has brought about significant social change by transforming traditional practice.

An Introduction

Society as a System

When elements that influence the lives of people within a societal system — family, institutions, jobs, housing, food and drink, health care, education, moral values, spiritual development, and more — function together positively, people thrive. If one or several of these elements are lacking, the whole system begins to break down.

Changing Structures – Changing Lives

In works among the poor, our focus must be broader than any one particular problem; we must aim beyond providing food, clothing and shelter to alleviate immediate needs. Systemic change focuses on assisting the poor to change the overall structures within which they live. It looks to their being able to develop strategies by which they can emerge from poverty.

Scripture Passages

Nehemiah 5:1-13, Psalm 12:5, Isaiah 11:4, Psalm 72:13-14, Romans 12:2, Deuteronomy 16:20, Jeremiah 22:16, Ecclesiastes 5:8-9



Source: Maloney

Definition

The leadership of the Vincentian Family in North America have adopted this definition:

Systemic Change among those living in poverty aims beyond providing food, clothing, shelter and alleviating immediate needs. It enables people themselves to engage in the identification of the root causes of their poverty and to create strategies, including advocacy, to change those structures which keep them in poverty. Systemic Change requires transforming attitudes.


Systemic Change Toolkits

The Vincentian Family’s International Commission for Promoting Systemic Change has made available the documents, videos, and PowerPoint presentations used in their Systemic Change Workshops. They are available in English, Español, Portuguese, Français, Polski, Italiano, and Deutsch.

Systemic Change Toolkits
Systemic-Change-Commission-logo


Tips and Suggestions for Systemic Change Trainers

As a trainer, you don’t have to know everything, but you do have a responsibility to know:

  1. The goal of your training session
  2. Your audience
  3. Your biases
  4. Your resources/ technology

Read more →



Quotes

“You must not be content with tiding the poor over the poverty crisis; you must study their condition and the injustices which brought about such poverty with the aim of a long term improvement.”
–Frederic Ozanam, 19-year-old founder of the St. Vincent de Paul Society

The poor sometimes suffer more from lack of “order” than from lack of charitable persons.
–St. Vincent (SV XIII, 423)

“Action on behalf of justice, and participation in the transformation of the world, are integral elements in the preaching of the gospel.”
–Synod of Bishops, 1971, Justice in the World in MS LX III ( 1971) 924



Related Links

Downloadable Documents

Systemic Change Toolkits
Systemic Change Strategies Download Word doc
“Systemic Change and the Poor” presented by Fr. Robert Maloney Download pdf file




Click on the tags to explore related resources:


Systemic Change

Fr. Maloney On Systemic Change and Our Vincentian Call to Holiness Today
Fr. Maloney On Systemic Change and Our Vincentian Call to Holiness Today
Systemic Change Toolkits
Systemic Change Toolkits
Prayer for Vincentians about to Engage in Systemic Change
Prayer for Vincentians about to Engage in Systemic Change
The Spirituality of Systemic Change
The Spirituality of Systemic Change
Spiritualité du changement systémique
Spiritualité du changement systémique
Spirituality of Systemic Change (Video / Audio)
Spirituality of Systemic Change (Video / Audio)
Moving Vincentian Spirituality To Action
Moving Vincentian Spirituality To Action
Spirituality of Systemic Change
Spirituality of Systemic Change
The Roots of Ozanam’s Passion for Charity and Justice
The Roots of Ozanam’s Passion for Charity and Justice
Systemic Change, St. Vincent de Paul and Evangelization
Systemic Change, St. Vincent de Paul and Evangelization
One Cloth, Many Threads by Sr. Caroljean Willie, SC
One Cloth, Many Threads by Sr. Caroljean Willie, SC
Animated Short Story: Concept of Systemic Change
Animated Short Story: Concept of Systemic Change
Concepts of Systemic Change Mini-Course
Concepts of Systemic Change Mini-Course
Ten Principles to Facilitate Systemic Change
Ten Principles to Facilitate Systemic Change
Seeds of Hope: Stories of Systemic Change
Seeds of Hope: Stories of Systemic Change
Is What We Are Doing Transforming Lives?
Is What We Are Doing Transforming Lives?
Systemic Change Projects (North America)
Systemic Change Projects (North America)
Vincentian Family History With Systemic Change
Vincentian Family History With Systemic Change
Method of Transforming Projects Into Systemic Change
Method of Transforming Projects Into Systemic Change
Systemic Change Approach
Systemic Change Approach
MDGs, Catholic Social Teaching & Strategies
MDGs, Catholic Social Teaching & Strategies
Collaboration Among Branches of the Vincentian Family
Collaboration Among Branches of the Vincentian Family
Zafen – Microfinance for Haiti
Zafen – Microfinance for Haiti
More Systemic Change Resources
More Systemic Change Resources
Systemic Change Strategies (Handout)
Systemic Change Strategies (Handout)
Ten Seeds of Systemic Change
Ten Seeds of Systemic Change
Background and Notion of Systemic Change
Background and Notion of Systemic Change
Tips & Suggestions for Systemic Change Trainers
Tips & Suggestions for Systemic Change Trainers
Systemic Change Comic Books
Systemic Change Comic Books
Changing Systems – Changing Lives: by Caroljean Willie, SC
Changing Systems – Changing Lives: by Caroljean Willie, SC
Systemic Change Resources
Systemic Change Resources
Fr. Pedro Opeka: Social Change in Madagascar
Fr. Pedro Opeka: Social Change in Madagascar
D.R.E.A.M.
D.R.E.A.M.
Going With God’s Flow
Going With God’s Flow
Service vs. Justice
Service vs. Justice
The “See, Judge, Act” Process
The “See, Judge, Act” Process
Celebrating Saint Vincent and Saint Louise with Poor People
Celebrating Saint Vincent and Saint Louise with Poor People
Ocoa Dominican Republic: Systemic Change Example
Ocoa Dominican Republic: Systemic Change Example
The Story of LTHAI
The Story of LTHAI
Let’s Start
Let’s Start
Systemic Change PowerPoint Presentations
Systemic Change PowerPoint Presentations
Systemic Change Panel Discussion
Systemic Change Panel Discussion
Changing Systems – Changing Lives Presentation with Audio
Changing Systems – Changing Lives Presentation with Audio
Fonkoze Education
Fonkoze Education
Faces of Hope
Faces of Hope
Haiti
Haiti
Vincentian Family Gathering, Detroit 2009
Vincentian Family Gathering, Detroit 2009
Vincentian Family Gathering – Detroit, April 2009: Reflections
Vincentian Family Gathering – Detroit, April 2009: Reflections

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