Short Abstract

This study outlines an innovative qualitative approach using 'Stories of Change' to evaluate the learning of PLACE partnerships in implementing a whole systems approach.

Description

Over the past four years the National Evaluation and Learning Partnership has supported place partnerships across England to evaluate their whole systems approach to tackling physical inactivity. This process often involves a change in leadership strategy, grappling with complexity, and advocating for how and why changes occur, which can encourage organisational changes. Place Partnership Leaders (PPLs) must often navigate personal and organisational barriers such as staff adapting to new responsibilities and willingness to change. This study explores what and how PPL’s learn about evaluating their work in a whole systems environment, using hindsight to write a Story of Change as a ‘Letter To Your Younger Self.’ We invited 10 PPL to write their story, providing some guiding prompts such as “How did you promote the new vision? How did you try to motivate partners (staff, partners, and residents) to adopt/react to the new approach? These letters were then followed up with semi-structured interviews. We analysed the data using a dialogical narrative analysis informed by realist theories of change underpinned by the transformational and servanthood leadership concepts. Our results identify composite theory-driven narrative profiles (i.e., how and why they made decisions and what approach worked and why) characterised by applied suggestions. These profiles could be used as a reflective learning tool for emergent PPLs to effectively implement a whole systems approach.