Lights! Camera! Action learning!
At the Co-op Foundation, we want to be world-class at learning: testing, iterating and sharing new approaches. This sits at the heart of our strategy, and who we are as a funder.
We believe that learning should be a power-shifting, participatory and co-operative experience. As a funder, we advocate for continuous improvement. We achieve this by sharing our learning about what works – and, crucially, what doesn’t. We hope that our learning is useful to other funders looking to adopt a similar approach.
What is action learning?
We supported six #iwill Fund partners through an action learning set.
An action learning set is a group of five to seven people, usually peers who have similar levels of workplace responsibility. They typically meet every four to eight weeks over six months or a year with an action learning facilitator.
Action learning sessions have a specific structure. To begin, a set member presents a real-life challenge or opportunity. The set listens and asks open questions. The presenter reflects, responds and comes up with an action plan. The next time the group meets, the presenter reports back on their progress, and develops a new plan if needed.
Our action learning set aimed to provide the group with opportunities to:
- Develop new ideas and ways of delivering
- Practice asking open/insightful questions and develop active listening skills
- Gain an understanding on how other set members problem-solve/achieve different outcomes
- Spend structured and productive time away from immediate work demands
Our purpose
The set’s purpose was to embed the principles of reflective learning and self/peer support into the organisations in which set members worked. Action Learning Associates were appointed to facilitate.
Two team members from each of the six #iwill Fund projects were invited to join the set. Five individuals accepted the offer – with one organisation being represented by two team members.
After four of the six planned meetings were delivered, a joint decision was made between Co-op Foundation and Action Learning Associates to end the set prematurely, based on persistent absence and technical issues.
From the outset, our intention was to complete an end of set evaluation to see how useful these sessions had been. As only three partners could present in meetings, the Co-op Foundation thought it more appropriate for the evaluation to focus on the action learning set process itself.
Our findings
The evaluation findings highlighted that:
- Members of the set demonstrated a good understanding of its purpose and the nature of the discussions that should take place. Where members could present, it was clear that the feedback they received from others helped them formulate new insights. Subsequent check-ins demonstrated that those who had presented made real progress with their issue, beyond the expectations they had before presenting
- Both formal and informal feedback indicates that some participants were committed to the success of the set and wanted it to continue. This indicates that the offer, its structure, and the need it responded to, were all in line with this being an appropriate evaluation approach
- Feedback about the facilitator was really positive. The Co-op Foundation received feedback that the facilitator successfully managed the group, set the scene, encouraged engagement and provided structure for the set
We also learned that:
- The small number of people in the action learning set meant it was always vulnerable in practice. The two participants who represented the same organisation never attended the same meeting. Whilst this was never planned, nor the intention, it may have made it easier for one of the participants not to attend, knowing the other was present
- The success of action learning relies upon building trust and a commitment from/between members of the set. As the members of the set had never met in-person and full attendance at sessions was never achieved, the relationships needed to develop trust were not built
- For new participants, action learning can be initially viewed as an “unusually structured tool”. By meeting three, it’s common for groups to agree this approach is simply a “well-structured conversation”. The set didn’t reach this turning point and for some members who did not feel as confident, this was a barrier to sharing
What we’ve learned
This was a good learning experience for us. For similar activity in the future Action Learning Associates have suggested that:
- The minimum number in the set should be six
- The first meeting should be in-person. The set warms up more quickly if members see each other whilst having a coffee/informal chat
- Ideally, each organisation should only be represented by one person (unless it’s an ‘in-house’ offer, where all of the participants are from the same organisation)
- Three-hour action learning sets are maintained. Whilst it is easier to hold shorter meetings in the diary, undertaking in-depth and meaningful work takes time
This has been a useful learning experience for us and will impact how we work at the Foundation in the future. Thank you to our partners for participating and their feedback.
If you would like to learn more about our partners, and how we work, sign up to our blog.
The #iwill Fund is made possible thanks to £66 million joint investment from The National Lottery Community Fund and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to support young people to access high quality social action opportunities.
The #iwill Fund supports the aims of the #iwill movement – by recognising the benefit for both young people and their communities.
