Ourupdated
Theoryof Change
TheglobalBlackcommunityencompassesindividualsfromdiversecultural andglobalmajoritybackgrounds,includingAfrican,Caribbean,andAfricanAmericanheritage.Weareunitedbyasharedhistoryandacommitmentto addressingBlackpeople'schallengesandadvocatingforourrightsand freedoms.
"BlackCommunityreferstopeoplewhoidentifyasBlack andshareacommonculture,history,andexperience."
Overtheyears,theBlack communityhasfacedvarious challenges,includingsystemic barriersthatcreategenerational poverty,discrimination,and limitedaccesstoeducation, employmentopportunitiesand justice.Tonameafewfactorsof multipledeprivations,weare, unfortunately:
disproportionatelyrepresented inlower-skilledandlower-paid occupations,weface significantworkplace discrimination,withsome employersusingstereotypes andprejudicestolimitour careeropportunities. discriminatedagainstinthe criminaljusticesystem;Black defendantsaremorelikelyto beconvictedandreceive longersentencesthanour whitecounterparts. morelikelytoexperiencepoor mentalhealthandlesslikelyto accessmentalhealthservices. manyothersincludingbeing therecipientsofthelowest ratesofentrepreneurial investment,andongoing LGBTQIA+discrimination.
TheBlackcommunityfacesa generallackofaccesstoracial justice.Wedefineracialjusticeas thesystematicfairtreatmentof peopleofallraces,resultingin equitableopportunitiesand outcomes.WebelievethatBlack people'sproblemsgobeyondjust racisminsocietyortheprevalence ofdiscriminationandinequities.It involvesthepresenceofdeliberate systemsthathelpperpetuateand sustainthem. Whileseveralprogrammeshave beenundertakenoverthepast decadestoaddressthemyriad challengestotheBlack community,thesehaveproven insufficientinsuitablyredressing thesystemicinequalitiesthat plagueourcommunitySince2019, DiNNhasprovidedservicestothe BlackcommunityinAfricaandthe UKOurinitiativesallowusto contributetotheglobalsolution.
Theworldwearebuildingisonein whicheachBlackpersonhas accesstothetoolsandresources theyneedtoeffectivelyengagein thesystemsaroundthemtoaffect positivechangeforthebenefitof allWebelievethatajustfutureis onlypossibleifthebarriersthat limitBlackpeople’seffective contributiontosocietyare significantlyreduced. Againstthisbackdrop,ourTheory ofChange(TOC)isgroundedon recognisingthatnewapproaches arerequiredtoaddresssystemic problems,namelythekey stakeholders'relationships, mindsets,andbehaviours,as necessaryprecursorstoachieving racialjustice
Anoutcome-basedTOCwas adoptedasitisbestsuitedtomap outouroverallgoal:DiNNbeing theBlackcommunity'sforemost champion,enablingthe systemicdevelopmentandcoproductionofequitable opportunitiesandoutcomesfor Blackpeople.
Thisoutcome-basedapproach allowsustobeaveryinnovative organisationfocusingonour destinationratherthanindividual pathways.Ourpartnersand stakeholderscanalsoidentifythe outcomestowhichtheycan providesupporttoeffectsystems andcommunitychange DiNN'sprimaryfocusisto empowerBlackpeopletopossess increasedfinancial,culturaland socialcapital.Ourworkisdesigned tocontributetothelong-term impactandvisionthrough5key strategicpriorities:
Traininganddevelopment
Grantmakingandsocial investment
Researchandconsulting
Networkingandcommunities
Servicedesignand development
Takentogether,DiNNbelievesthat ourinitiativesinthesefivekey strategicareaswilldeliverthree typesofoutcomesforBlack peopleandtheBlackcommunity:
Impactoutcomeswhich woulddrivechangesin knowledge,skills,behaviours, andwellbeing.
Forexample,weprovide increasedaccesstolearning opportunitiesabout entrepreneurship,growth hacking,financingand funding
Influenceoutcomeswhich woulddrivechangesin institutions,services,systems, communitynorms, partnerships,publicand politicalwill,policies, regulations,servicespractices, businesspracticesandissue visibility.
Forexample,weensure increasedsupportforBlack peopletoengagein approaches,spacesand rolestodriveequal representation. Leverageoutcomeswhich woulddrivechangesinpublic andprivatefunder’s investmentstrategiesforBlack programmes
Forexample,willcontribute toashiftinsocialnorms resultinginmoreequitable fundingandsupport opportunities
Ourkeyassumptions
Wehavemadethefollowing assumptionswhichactas mechanismsofcausation,barriers, andenablersofourinitiatives.
Culturaldiversity:theBlack communityisdiverseand comesfromvariouscultural backgrounds,soitisessential toconsiderthisdiversityand tailortrainingandbusiness practicestoaccommodate thesedifferences
Historicalcontext: understandingthehistoryand contextoftheBlack communityiscrucialfor buildingtrustandcredibility withBlackpeople.This includesunderstandingthe impactofcolonialismand slaveryonthecommunityand theongoingchallengesof systemicracismand discrimination.
Languageand communication: communicationstylesand languageusemaydiffer amongmembersoftheBlack community,anditisimportant toconsiderthesedifferences whenconductingtrainingand businessinteractions.
Inclusionandrepresentation: ensuringthattheBlack communityisrepresentedand includedinallaspectsof businessandprofessional trainingiscrucialforcreatinga welcomingandinclusive environmentThisincludes havingadiverserangeof speakers,trainers,androle models.
Economicempowerment: Blackprofessionalsmayface uniquefinancialchallenges, suchasalackofaccessto capitalandresourcesSo,it's essentialtoconsiderthese issueswhenconducting trainingandbusinesspractices thatsupporteconomic empowerment
Barrierstoentry: understandingandaddressing thebarriersthatBlack professionalsfaceinaccessing educationandprofessional developmentopportunitiesare importantforensuringequal accessandopportunitiesfor success.
Intersectionality:Black peoplefacemultipleand intersectingformsof oppressionanddiscrimination basedonrace,gender, sexuality,religion,andother aspectsofidentity. Understandingandaddressing theseintersectionscanhelp createamoreinclusiveand equitablebusinessandtraining environment
Networking:Blackpeopleface challengesbuildingand maintainingprofessional relationshipswithindividuals andorganisationsthatshare theircommoninterests,goals, orvalues.Developingstrong networkswillhelpfacilitate collaboration,resourcesharing, andadvocacytoamplify impact
Our key stakeholders
Toachieveourgoals,wemust workexceedinglywellwiththe followinggroupsofpeople
Serviceusers:individualsor communitiesbenefitdirectly fromourservicesor programmes
Communityleadersand influencers:haveasignificant impactontheBlack community,includingelected officials,civicleaders,and communityinfluencers.
Donorsorfunders:individuals, organisations,orgovernment agenciesthatprovidefinancial supporttounderserved communities.
Employeesorvolunteers: whoworkfororwithDiNN, includingstaffmembers, freelancers,andvolunteers
Governmentandregulatory bodies:agenciesorregulatory bodiesthatdeveloppolicies andoverseethesectorin whichDiNNoperates.
Mediaandthegeneral public:theindividualsand entitiesthatconsumeand shareinformationaboutDiNN andourwork,including journalists,bloggers,andsocial mediausers.
Partnersorcollaborators: otherorganisationsorentities withwhomDiNNachievesits missionandgoals
Wehaveidentifiedthemost interestingoutcomesby developingandarticulatingour theoryofchangeThisallowsus toadaptourapproachto achievingthoseoutcomesin differentcontextsandrespond tocurrentlyunknownfuture opportunities.Actingasa championfortheseoutcomes willenableustoengageothers whoshareourpassionfor achievinganyofthese outcomes.
IncreasednumberofBlack peopleopeningnew businessesandenter employment
Increasedaccessto learningopportunities aboutentrepreneurship, growthhacking,financing andfunding
Increasedopportunitiesfor Blackpeopletoengage withentrepreneurship leadershipandvoluntarism asreallifeapplications
IncreasedsupportforBlack peopletoengagein approachesspacesand rolestodriveequal representation
Increasedpartnershipbased workingbetweenestablished Blackandnon-Blackcommunity leaderstodevelopanddeliver interventionstoincreaseracial equityintheircommunity
Increasedavailabilityof grantfundingand investmenttoBlack-led organisations
Blackpeoplearemoreable tomanagetheirdaytoday finances
GreaternumberofBlack peoplereceivingpractical learningprogrammes
MoreBlackpeople becomingThoughtLeaders withintheircommunity
Improvementinthe financialwellbeingofBlack people
MoreBlackpeopleopening businesseslastingmore than3yearswithgrowing teams
Blackpeoplebecome empoweredtoengage directlywithdecision makersintheirecosystem toengageinsytems change
Increasesinthenumberof profitableBlackbusinesses
Improvementintheoverall wellbeingofBlackpeople
Strengthenedecosystems forBlackentrepreneurs, communityinnovatorsand leaders
Increasesgrassroots engagementthatleadsto Blacklivedexperience leadersmakingchangein theircommunities
Blackpeoplehavean increasedsenseof belongingintheir community MoreBlackpeopleraise issuesinthemediato campaignandadvocate forchangeatalocaland nationallevel
Blackpeoplemore frequentlyworkwith eachotherandnonBlackcommunitiesto addressequitybarriers
Blackpeoplearemore resourcedtoworkwith eachotherandnonBlackcommunitiesto takeactionsonlocal issues
MoreBlackpeopletakingup leadingpositionsinlocaland nationalgovernment, influentialcharitableand entrepreneurialorganisations
Thedevelopmentof greaterconsensusaround commondefinitionsof racialjusticeproblemsand possiblepolicyoptions
MoreBlack-led organisationsaccessgrant fundingtosupportthecore operationsoftheir organisations
Moreorganisations considerracialjustice issuesintheirplanningand operationalactivities
MoreBlack-led organisationsareableto attractalternativesources offundingotherthanjust grantsastheygrow
Increasedvisibilityofracial justiceissuesinpolicy processes
Shiftinsocialnorms resultinginmoreequitable fundingandsupport opportunities
Higheruptakeofsocial investmentproducts amongBlack-led organisationswhichare createdfortheirneeds
Increasedrecurringand diversifiedstreamsof incomethatensurethe sustainabilityofBlack-led organisations
Understandingtheterms inourTheoryofChange
Blackcommunity:refersto individualswhoidentifyasBlack andsharecommonexperiences, history,culture,andsocialand economicchallengesThis communityisdefinedbyraceand canencompassawiderangeof cultures,nationalities,and experiencesbutisunitedbya sharedhistoryofoppressionand discrimination.
Black-ledorganisation:an organisationthatisprimarilyled, governed,andcontrolledbyBlack individuals.Theleadershipteam, includingtheCEO,senior executives,andboardofdirectors, shouldhaveasignificant representationofBlackpeople.
Blackpeople:referstoindividuals whoidentifyasBlackandof African/Caribbeandescent.This includespeoplewithancestry fromvariousAfricancountriesand regionsandthosewhoarepartof theAfricandiaspora,suchas peopleofAfricandescentinthe Americasandotherpartsofthe world
Entrepreneurship:theprocessof creatingorstartinganewbusiness venturetomakeaprofit.Itinvolves identifyinganeedinthemarket anddevelopingaproductor servicetomeetthatneed.
Grantmaking:istheprocessof providingfinancialsupport,inthe formofgrants,toorganisationsor individualsforspecificpurposesor projects.
Leadership:istheprocessof influencinganddirecting individualsorgroupstowards achievingagoal.Itinvolves creatingavision,settingdirection, andmotivatingpeopletowork togethertoaccomplishacommon objective.
Racialjustice:referstothefair andequaltreatmentofindividuals ofallracesinallaspectsofsociety. Itinvolvestheeliminationof systemicracismandthecreation ofasocietyinwhichpeopleofall raceshaveequalaccessto opportunities,resources,and outcomes,suchaseducation, employment,housing,andthe criminaljusticesystem.
Socialinvestment:referstousing financialresources,suchasloans, bonds,orequityinvestments,to addresssocialandenvironmental challengesandcreatepositive socialandenvironmentalimpact.
System:isasetofinterconnected elementsorcomponentsthat worktogethertoachievea commonpurposeorgoalSystems existinvariouscontexts,including nature,technology,organisations, andsociety
Voluntarism:istheprinciplethat socialandeconomicsystems shouldbebasedonvoluntary cooperationandindividual initiativeratherthancoercionor governmentintervention.Itisa philosophicalbeliefthat individuals,ratherthanthestateor othercentralisedauthority,should betheprimarydriversofsocialand economicprogress.
Wellbeing:referstoastateof overallphysical,mental,and emotionalhealthandsatisfaction. Itisaholisticconcept encompassingaperson'ssenseof purpose,lifesatisfaction, relationships,andexperiences.