The Social Employment Network

Partnering Blog

7 key ingredients of a successful learning network: the Social Employment Network

Margo Paterson

Introduction

In the backdrop of South Africa’s persistent high unemployment rates and various attempts to alleviate them, the concept of “Social Employment” emerges as a promising solution within the realm of social development. This approach not only addresses the pressing issue of unemployment but also aims to benefit communities by creating job opportunities. At the forefront of this concept is the Social Employment Fund (SEF), designed to support a diverse array of social and civic actors, empowering them to undertake initiatives with significant scale and impact. In a South African context, there is no shortage of work to be done when it comes to addressing the many social barriers in our society. The SEF aims to support the considerable creativity, institutional capabilities and broader initiatives that already exist in the wider society, to engage people in work that serves the common good. 

Managed by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), the SEF has made remarkable strides, providing meaningful work for over 89,000 individuals across various community-benefiting sectors in just over a year. Through 37 Strategic Implementing Partners (SIPs), the SEF ensures the engagement of a minimum of 1,000 participants per project, spanning all provinces and focusing on areas such as healthcare, gender-based violence, education, food security, arts and culture, and more. Within the SEF, the Social Employment Network (SEN) is a learning and support network that convenes all SIPs in a community of practice that fosters knowledge exchange. 

SEF participants working in an early childhood development centre.

The value of learning networks

A learning network is a multi-stakeholder partnering method usually convened by an intermediary that centres and supports learning around a particular issue to enhance practice. The effectiveness of this approach stems from its capacity to bring together a wide array of stakeholders and to systematically gather and organise knowledge concerning a complex challenge. Learning networks  and communities of practice can play a crucial role in wider system change.  

The SEF operates on a multi-tiered partnership model, involving the Presidency, IDC, SIPs, and local communities. Central to the SEF is the SEN that serves as a collaborative platform uniting SIPs participating in the SEF. The SEN facilitates learning and the exchange of best practices among organisations, fostering a community of practice aimed at continuous improvement and capacity building. Through the SEN, SIPs engage in trust-building processes, reflect on challenges, and share insights, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of SEF initiatives. Furthermore, the SEN has played a harmonising role between the IDC and the SIPs which creates opportunities for cooperative decision-making processes and leverages the collective strength of partnering. This inclusive approach not only empowers organisations in being part of the decision-making and shaping an initiative that works best for the beneficiaries, fostering collective impact and systemic change. 

A few partners reflect on the benefits and value of the SEN

All organisations participating in the SEF at the SEN in-person engagement.

The 7 key ingredients of a learning network

  1. Shared Vision and Principles: At the heart of the SEN are shared commitments, risks, and rewards, all driven by a common agenda to create more job opportunities in partnership with government. Emphasising collaboration and partnering, the SEN harnesses social capital to optimise resources and skills through interconnected social networks, resulting in mutual benefits and heightened impact across development endeavours. This collective pursuit ensures alignment towards a common goal, uniting stakeholders in their efforts to drive positive change.
  2. Effective Governance and Leadership / Structured Feedback Mechanisms: The SEN has implemented structured feedback channels to continuously enhance the SEF based on insights from SIPs. Serving as a link between the fund administrators, represented by the IDC, and the various SIPs, the SEN ensures transparent communication of challenges and successes. This iterative learning process is fundamental for refining SEF operations and nurturing trust among all partners, fostering an exchange of knowledge from both bottom-up and top-down perspectives.
  3. Carefully Curated Learning Experiences: The SEN tailors different learning opportunities to address requests from SIPs. Initially established for regular communication among SIPs, monthly meetings have evolved into forums for in-depth organisational learning and knowledge exchange. At these meetings, SIPs voluntarily present expertise specific to their SEF work. Additionally, thematic networking groups have been established to deepen collaboration on specific thematic areas, responding to SIPs' requests for site-level synergies. Monthly webinars provide an opportunity for SIPs to share knowledge on key  topics outside of their SEF work and these sessions are open for anyone to attend. While the SEN sets overarching learning agendas, the content and discussions are shaped by SIPs' current needs and requests. SIPs derive great value from these learning opportunities, demonstrated by how they take ownership of these sessions. To enhance knowledge sharing, the SEN has developed a digital knowledge management system, housing meeting recordings, minutes, and presentations accessible to all SIPs. From each meeting and webinar, easily digestible knowledge products are generated, fostering dissemination not only among SIPs but also to their partners and other NGOs. Creating accessible and shareable resources, the SEN prioritises knowledge sharing and continuous learning to enrich the overall learning experience. 
  4. Fostering a Learning Culture:  All partners are in a continual learning phase, and the SEN facilitates an environment conducive to ongoing learning and the integration of insights into practice. The manner in which this environment is cultivated is important in establishing a community of practice grounded in trust, where stakeholders openly share lessons learned, address challenges, and highlight improvements. Consistent and meaningful engagements are required, emphasising value and encouraging active participation among all members. Within the SEN, there exists a profound willingness to engage, share knowledge, and learn from one another, a sentiment that has evolved over time. Face-to-face interactions play a significant role in nurturing relationships, facilitating both larger gatherings for comprehensive learning sessions and smaller, focused meetings for on-site connections.This engaging and collaborative environment promotes co-learning and shared learning experiences, fostering innovation and collective problem-solving. For example, Ryan Dittman, from SIP ASSITEJ SA, shared insights on the collaborative efforts underway, expressing optimism that these initiatives will inspire further discussions and progress. He highlighted partnerships with other SIPs Johannesburg Inner City Partnership (JICP), Partners in Sexual Health and Inmed, aiming to explore opportunities for mutual benefit and skill exchange. For instance, with Inmed's focus on food production, Assitej is considering leveraging its artists to promote and distribute surplus food to Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres or schools in need. Additionally, discussions with JICP involve planning events in the upcoming months. 
  5. Open communication channels within the network act as the common thread throughout this process. Establishing a designated channel where everyone feels empowered to connect, pose inquiries, exchange information, and stay abreast of requirements for successful SEF implementation ensures that no one is excluded or left behind. It's about ensuring equal opportunities for participation and engagement. These open and transparent communication channels facilitate the exchange of ideas, information, and feedback among all parties involved. The clear willingness of all parties to communicate openly and engage generously in sharing fosters a culture of collaboration and mutual support. Physical communication channels are established to facilitate direct communication and interaction. Additionally, investment in external communications showcases the value of the network to external stakeholders, creating visibility and fostering a sense of inclusivity and belonging in a larger collective effort.  
  6. Role of an intermediary: The involvement of an intermediary is crucial in ensuring that all activities within the network are productive and meaningful. Skilled facilitation and coordination by an independent intermediary guarantee inclusive spaces for dialogue, encouraging active participation and managing conflicts constructively. Moreover, the intermediary plays a vital role in providing essential administrative support, creating the necessary infrastructure for effective engagement to occur. 
  7. Consistency and commitment: Finally, building successful partnerships takes time, and the SEN recognises the importance of consistency and commitment to agreed-upon actions in developing trust and relationships over time. Despite being in existence for nearly two years, the SEN continues to evolve and learn together, emphasising the importance of ongoing collaboration and shared learning experiences. Additionally, adaptability and flexibility are essential, as the network responds to changing needs, priorities, and contexts to ensure its relevance and effectiveness. 

Conclusion

By fostering partnerships and promoting collaboration, the SEF and SEN offer a holistic approach to social development, leveraging the collective strength of diverse stakeholders to create sustainable change and opportunities for all. The SEN has empowered the SEF to serve as a model for adaptive governance within the realm of social employment. Through the efforts of the SEN, not only is the impact of the SEF being demonstrated, but the feedback loop that has been created between top down authorising environment and the bottom up mobilising environment is an approach that holds significant promise for replication in other public employment initiatives, offering opportunities to enhance systemic performance. 

The SEN has catalysed synergies among SIPs, enabling them to complement each other’s skills and resources. Collaborative efforts have led to innovative solutions, such as cross-pollination of ideas and joint initiatives to address societal challenges. 


A Strategy for Collective Impact

Partnering Blog

Partnership Implementation Model (PIM) for the Just Energy Transition: A Strategy for Collective Impact 

Simon Mayson

At the heart of the Economic Development Partnership (EDP) lies a commitment to driving social and economic development in South Africa through effective partnerships: ‘partnering for impact. This mission involves working closely with government, the private sector, civil society, and development partners to prioritise sustainable transformation. A significant milestone in this journey was the creation of the Partnership Implementation Model (PIM) in 2023, spearheaded by Dr Notiswa Libala, Prof. Andrew Boraine, and Jessica Wilson. The PIM embodies a strategic approach to overcoming implementation challenges in South Africa, offering tools to enhance delivery processes, build trust, and achieve improved development outcomes. 

The PIM Approach: A Strategy for Implementation 

The essence of the PIM is captured in its threefold approach: initiating action, reaching consensus among stakeholders, and developing actionable plans for the near future. It’s designed to cultivate the necessary capabilities across various sectors—state, market, community, civil society, labour, science, and academia—to collaboratively address complex challenges. Unlike traditional implementation plans, the PIM serves as a strategy, focusing on the ‘who’ and ‘how’ of collaboration rather than the ‘why’ and the ‘what’ of traditional plan design. 

Key Features of the PIM 

  1. Systems Approach: Regular analyses of systems and stakeholders are integral to the PIM, fostering an understanding of how different parts of the system are connected. 
  2. Active Citizen Engagement: Moving beyond the “state-client” model, the PIM envisions citizens as planners and implementers, involved in their development. 
  3. Common Agenda for Joint Action: It emphasises a practical common agenda for joint action, helping stakeholders to work together despite differences. 
  4. Action-Oriented Approach: Trust and mutual accountability are best built through action, encouraging stakeholders to work together on agreed issues, rather than simply talk about them. 
  5. Focused Effort: Effective partnering targets specific needs and issues, avoiding the dilution of efforts across too broad a spectrum. 
  6. Place-Making Perspective: It promotes partnering for placemaking, at different scales – neighbourhood, village, town, city, region, etc. 
  7. Adaptive Programming and Delivery: It replaces rigid plans with adaptable approaches, focusing on collaboration, learning, and adaptation, or ‘learning by doing’. 
  8. Collaborative Intermediary Organisations (CIOs): CIOs and independent partnering platforms play a critical role in facilitating collaboration in low-trust, low-agreement settings. 
  9. Relationship Strengthening: A core focus is building strong, collaborative relationships across all levels of government, sectors, and institutions. 
  10. Implementation Strategy: The PIM integrates into the overarching strategy, detailing collaborative methods at the core of the Just Transition rather than outlining separate processes. 

The Social Employment Fund: A Model of Collaborative Impact in South Africa 

The Social Employment Fund (SEF), a Presidential employment initiative, serves as a compelling case study in employing the Partnership Implementation Model (PIM) principles for social and economic development in South Africa. Launched in 2022, the SEF aims to create public employment opportunities that deliver social value across communities, engaging 28 civil society organisations (Strategic Implementing Partners or SIPs) across all nine provinces. These organisations work in collaboration with grassroots and community-based partners to recruit and train unemployed individuals to deliver social value in various sectors such as education, environmental sustainability, and community safety. This initiative not only multiplies social value in communities by scaling delivery programmes but also exemplifies a successful collaborative partnership model. Through blending public sector funding with resources from SIPs, private donors, and community contributions, the SEF showcases how focussed, action-oriented approaches can effectively mobilise societal change and drive substantial impact in addressing unemployment and enhancing community resilience. 

PIM in Action: Driving the Just Energy Transition 

The Just Energy Transition stands as a prime example of the PIM’s application. Organisations such as Impact Catalyst, backed by Anglo American, the CSIR, Exxaro, and World Vision South Africa, utilise the PIM to foster public-private partnerships aimed at socio-economic development on a large scale. Despite successes, challenges remain, particularly in coordinating local efforts to involve communities in decision-making processes. Efforts in Komati, Nelson Mandela Bay, and eThekwini highlight the ongoing need for focused implementation of the PIM approach to ensure inclusive and effective transitions. 

The PIM’s strategic focus on collaboration, action, and adaptability provides a robust framework for tackling the multifaceted challenges of economic development and energy transition in South Africa. By prioritising relationships, engagement, and a shared agenda, the PIM sets the stage for a more cohesive and impactful approach to achieving sustainable development goals.