Change Makers case study: A Journey of Transformation

Change Makers were the first organisation I worked with at the start of my Charting Paths journey, and I have continued to work with them over the course of this year. It has been a privilege being part of their impactful work and a great experience working alongside their team. As we approach the end of the year, it has been interesting reflecting on the initial workshop that I ran with them, the lessons learnt, and the continued developments that have their roots in that first engagement.

The Change Makers team

Based in Worcester, in the Western Cape, Change Makers runs a six-month rehabilitation and behaviour modification programme for gang members and drug addicts seeking to transform their lives. The programme focuses on overturning destructive behaviours, reconciling participants with family and the community, building role models in the community and equipping them with the skills needed to secure meaningful employment. It also provides ongoing accommodation and support to some graduates, helping them finish high school, complete university or trade school, or undertake internships.

Change Makers has also established three ventures that generate independent revenue and support its mission; Bro’s started as a food truck, and now includes a restaurant and catering service; and, the other two ventures, Purpose Carpentry and BOA BOA screen printing, operate from the Change Makers premises, supporting job readiness and skills training.

My work with Change Makers began in January with a strategy workshop to align their vision and goals with their activities, and ensure that the organisation was positioned for long-term sustainability. We used a combination of business and impact frameworks, such as Theory of Change, SWOT Analysis, and stakeholder mapping, to guide and capture these conversations. A key lesson from entrepreneurship is that the best solutions are found through considering multiple perspectives, with intrapreneurship examples often highlighting that people within the organisation, at all levels, have invaluable insights to bring to the problem-solving process. With the entire Change Makers team involved in the workshop, it was great to see this in practice, with the frameworks giving structure to conversations and allowing us to identify creative solutions and focus in on a clear strategy.

The sessions highlighted the intangible assets that Change Makers have built over the years, in particular partnerships with local businesses and its position as a trusted organisation within the Worcester community. However, it also faced challenges, such as a shifting funding landscape, organisational strain as it grew, and mission drift as it tried to respond to an array of pressing needs around it. By mapping activities and linking these to intended outcomes and goals through the Theory of Change, we were able to understand the key areas that Change Makers should focus on in order to achieve its intended vision. This could then be used to create clear next steps for the team to implement, showing how each linked to the overall strategy.

As we continue to work together, we have been able to use these insights to drive positive change. This has included ensuring accurate and up to date financial tracking that informs strategic decisions, implementing processes for measuring and managing impact, implementing an operating model that supports the most efficient delivery of key activities, and creating communication channels that allow it to effectively show impact to all stakeholders.

It has also been a learning experience for me. Perhaps the best learning being that the most value is created through a genuine co-creation process. When we have jointly identified problems, and created solutions, the Change Makers team have been truly empowered, often growing the solution well beyond my initial vision.

In many ways, Change Makers have been the perfect first client; they are doing incredible work that I am proud to be part of, and their development over our time together has been an encouraging confirmation of the value that Charting Paths can create. I am excited for the rest of the year, to see the continued growth of Change Makers and the lives it impacts. Visit their website (www.changemakerssa.org.za) to learn more about the work that they do.