The Power of Collective Impact

Effective collaboration is key to the operation of a CAC.  When we work well, it is because we have engaged partners from diverse disciplines to work towards a common goal.  How can we use what we have learned about the power of collaboration to address the wider issues related to sexual abuse and other forms of child maltreatment?  How do we engage funders and other partners outside of the CAC core disciplines to become part of this effort?  Can we have a greater impact by inviting others into the circle to create a cultural shift in our communities? Can we become part of a larger collaborative effort?

An article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review (Winter 2011) talks about the power of collective impact and how using this model can create the kind of social change that the work of individual agencies cannot.  They write:

"The power of collective action comes not from the sheer number of participants or the uniformity of their efforts, but from the coordination of their differentiated activities through a mutually reinforcing plan of action. Each stakeholder’s efforts must fit into an overarching plan if their combined efforts are to succeed. The multiple causes of social problems, and the components of their solutions, are interdependent. They cannot be addressed by uncoordinated actions among isolated organizations."

To read more about the power of collective impact, go to http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/collective_impact/