Learning & research

Finding ways to do things better, together

Learning

Learning is foundational to SALT Alliance, and is one of the key reasons for our existence. Learning happens in the following ways:

Expert learning where SALT Alliance Members meet together and receive training from an expert in a field where they need to increase their understanding and skills.
Peer-to-peer (horizontal) learning where a SALT Alliance Member shares expertise that they have or where Alliance Members share their experiences, struggles and successes related to a specific topic.
Community learning where SALT Alliance Members facilitate learning sessions with community groups in order to teach, learn and enable learning between community groups.

Previous learning topics

Working with change agents
Designing pathways to change (theories of change)
Defining and monitoring programme outcomes
Organisational gender policies
Contextualised bible study as a community development tool
Family Impact’s model of strengthening family through local church
Transformational advocacy

Current learning topics

Sustainable family approaches
Integral mission
Leadership for community transformation
Building capacity of community groups
Research methods

Research

Formalised research is a relatively new area for SALT Alliance, but one which is set to increase.

SALT Alliance sees that it has a role to play in bringing grassroots community understanding and knowledge into the development and academic arena. This is possible because of the position of Members as non-profit organisations working at a community level.

All research is made freely available.

The challenges of widowhood in KZN

TWR-SA recently completed a study on widows in five villages in rural KwaZulu-Natal. This research has clearly shown that widows are a vulnerable people group.

THE reality of widowhood - TWR-SA STUDY (PDF)

Further to the TWR-SA study, SALT Alliance has developed a Research Toolkit that can be downloaded. This toolkit provides a research study (questionnaire), guidelines on disseminating the information gathered, material for reflection and discussion by the organisation/church with regards to widows, and the Biblical mandate to care for widows.

WIdows - research Questionnaire (.XLS)

SALT Alliance, and Alliance Member TWR-SA, have submitted a paper on "Shalom for Widows" and will present a workshop on this topic at Micah Global's Consultation in Peru in September 2015.

Shalom for WIdows - white paper (PDF)

Working with community change agents

SALT Alliance is in the process of drawing together their findings related to their work 2011 – 2015 with various types of community change agents – in school youth, older youth, church leaders and women. The are seeking to answer the question: "“What are factors that influence behaviour change and what is the role of change agents in these changes in behaviour?”