A guide to systems change for charities

One of the major strengths of the charity sector is being in the position to push for change on behalf of its communities. Charities are able to amplify the stories of their service users and show how problems with a particular system are impacting people’s lives. Amid financial pressures, charities continue to drive wide-scale change in the form of campaigning and working with other organisations to improve the outcomes of a system.

 

When a charity sees patterns in the problems their service users experience, it can suggest failures of a larger system. As well as providing direct support to individuals and communities, many charities intervene earlier in the system to stop cycles of harm and prevent more people experiencing the same problems in future.

 

On a smaller scale, charities can  change their own internal systems to make services more effective for users and ensure efficient use of resources, resolving problems like slow processes or  service users falling through the net. Improving operational systems can mean relieving pressure on time and resources, making sure they are used in the most meaningful ways for service users.

 

Whether you’re looking to change systems in your charity’s own operations or in society at large, we outline how to make it happen. The article highlights key ideas in systems change, primarily explored in New Philanthropy Capital (NPC)’s guide, ‘Systems change: A guide to what it is and how to do it’, and The Open University’s free course, ‘Systems thinking and practice’.

 

 

Learn deeply about the problem that needs to be changed

 

To form a realistic view of the system and its dysfunctions, it is important to talk to those impacted by the system, according to NPC’s research. This should include charity service users but should also expand to other beneficiaries of a system to help you gain a broader perspective.

 

As charities can be part of the system they are trying to change, they may not see the problems of the system clearly. In contrast, talking to users can help charities see beyond their assumptions, yielding surprising clarity over what needs to change, through their experiences and priorities. Journeying through a system creates a completely different perspective to operating within it, so take the experiences of users seriously.

 

 

Engage with key people in the system and understand their “why”

 

Advocates, influencers, and resistors are the next people to understand. To change a system, it’s helpful to identify both potential allies and potential blockers of change.

 

Where a system includes other sectors, it’s helpful to note how different demands might impact their actions and priorities. Curiosity and empathy are invaluable, according to NPC: “Pausing to understand what motivates crucial actors, and the constraints they face, can help when planning for change, and can foster the conditions in which alliances form.”

 

 

 Map the system

 

It may be helpful to create a “map” of the system in order to visualise all the factors that make it a certain way. It can help you see causes and effects, key actors, points of leverage, and what is within your control.

 

A systems map will always be subjective to those creating it and their purposes for doing so but can evolve as you learn more. The process of creating a visual systems map can also help stakeholders gain a mutual understanding and build a better consensus over what needs to change. Here are what a systems map involves:

• Components: The “components” of a system are the individual parts that make up a whole. They can be people, objects, activities, or ideas
• Interrelationships and patterns of behaviour: How the components relate to each other to make up the current system, for example the causes and effects of a problem a charity aims to address
• Purpose: Although not everyone within a system might see the “purpose” of the system in the same way, it’s helpful to frame the system through the purpose it should have according to its end users
• Environment: A system often exists inside another larger system, like Russian dolls. Understanding the environment contextualises why things are the way they are in the main system you are looking to change
• Boundaries: Where the system ends and the “environment” or bigger system begins. Where you place the boundary defines the scope of your focus when changing the system

A systems map could look like a cluster diagram, multiple cause diagram, or causal loop diagram. One example is the Youth Employment Systems Map created by Youth Futures Foundation. This is a cluster diagram which represents the overarching issues young people and other stakeholders raised that might have an impact on marginalised young people’s journey to work.

 

 

Collaborate with others

 

It’s easier to change a system when working together. Different people and organisations have access to different points of leverage in a system, have different strengths, and different networks. They can bring different knowledge and understanding to the table. And working with other organisations can help build momentum, support, and commitment over time for when things get hard.

 

 

Distribute leadership

 

Often those closest to the impacts of a problem, such as charity service users, or the frontline workers they interact with, have the least power to influence or enact change, despite being the ones who understand the situation the best.

 

When, in such situations, a movement for change is led by centralised, top-down leadership, change can be slow and ineffective due to a slow and distorted flow of information to the leader and their inability to control what happens on the frontline directly.

 

Therefore, empowering staff close to the frontline and service users to make decisions where possible can lead to quicker, more effective decisions. Leaders can meanwhile set intentions to guide decision-making to stay aligned to a certain mission or other organisational parameters.

 

Distributed leadership could also mean enabling beneficiaries of a system to take charge in the decisions that impact their own lives, based on their own outlook. For example, the personalisation agenda in social care involves giving purchasing power to service users, meaning that they have a choice over what is given and are no longer passive recipients.

 

 

Create a learning culture

 

The systems that charities seek to change are often complex, with many components, and move unpredictably. Charities must foster a learning culture when looking to change systems, as the areas they intend to change often shift over time due to factors outside of the charity’s control. 

 

Being able to adapt means making learning a norm in the charity, with individuals at every level encouraged to generate ideas, experiment, problem-solve, reflect, and change. It also means observing peers, experts, and academics for inspiration, and re-aligning in proportion to all that you have learnt.

 

 

Find out more

 

Our 2025 Reimagining Service Delivery Summit unlocked new perspectives on service delivery and how charities can maximise value to service users. Click here to watch the session recordings for free.

 

Our Reimagining Services Hub features regular articles, podcasts, and webinars to support charities in delivering services. Click here to learn more.