ABCD-Training-of-Trainers-Tools-July-2013

1.18. Example of how you can use video to shift the thinking of your
organization and colleagues: The Parable of the Blobs and Squares
(Source: James Mackie on Vimeo, Taken from HT Janis Foster’s blog, Big Thinking on Small Grants)
Introduction
Showing this video is a useful way to discuss your organization’s culture and how it enables (or
conversely disables) communities from driving their own development.
In the international aid context, the squares of the future
(donors, government and NGOs) must focus on building
their own skills to accompany and support blobs (local
groups, associations, community leaders, and grassroots
initiatives), rather than overpower or co-opt them. A deeper
understanding of the challenges and opportunities blobs
face in working with families and communities key to
unleashing their potential.
Squares (donors, government and NGOs) continue to refer
to the absorptive capacity needed to implement large-scale programs and as such, blobs (local leaders
and associations) are implicitly coerced to develop such capacities in order to gain access to squares’
resources. Instead, we need sound organizational development initiatives that will increase blobs’
responsiveness and resourcefulness, rather than distract them from their constituency. A new set of
fundamental skills is necessary for those working in the square institutions–the ability and penchant to
understand and work with blobs of any size or type can and should become a core capacity of squares.
Instructions:
On a laptop or LCD screen, show this online video to your colleagues. It can be found at:
http://vimeo.com/42332617. Following the video, in small groups or plenary, ask participants to
discuss the following questions:
• In your working context, what is it that associations, communities and ‘blobs’ do well? What is
it that institutions and ‘squares’ do well?
• How do development actors support or undermine community-driven development?
• How can you restructure or revise your processes, rather than asking your blob “partners” to
change so that community-driven development can be stimulated and supported?
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