Tool #4
Core and Peripheral Elements of a Violence Against Children Intervention/Activity
A worksheet to facilitate discussion and to visualize what is core to an intervention/activity and what is peripheral when scaling up in order to preserve fidelity.
There are some elements and principles in every evidence-based intervention/activity that must be present for the intervention/activity to perform as intended. Change any of those elements or principles, and you may not be faithful to the proven model. Some adaptations are necessary, while others may create a new intervention/activity altogether. Help implementing partners both inside and outside the Joining Forces consortium succeed by communicating what is core and what is peripheral.
How to use this tool
- Choose an intervention/activity of focus, and consult any available research suggesting what proved critical to the intervention/activity. If possible, consult individuals who have worked on the model intervention/activity and can be considered experts.
- As a group or individually, identify what aspects of the intervention/activity are considered core. Write these in the inner “core elements” circle. These aspects (or elements) may be specific tools, implementing cadres, programmatic principles and goals, resources or any other piece of the intervention/activity that is considered essential.
- Now consider other aspects of the intervention/activity that can be changed without affecting the nature of the outcomes. Write these in the outer “peripheral elements” circle.
- Provide justification for why each of the core and peripheral elements are included as such. Discuss as a group, and build consensus using the research.
- Finally, draft a document communicating these elements and the justification to Implementing Partners
Children’s Engagement
When using this tool Joining Forces seeks children’s engagement in two distinct ways: 1) integrating information about children’s views and perspectives as it relates to the tool’s topic and 2) as a source of data for each tool. Locating opportunities for child participation and child safeguarding (as separate and complementary) is a shared responsibility of all Joining Forces partners. Ask Joining Forces for their suggestions for how children or families could be helpful in determining what is core vs. peripheral. It could take the form of a “member check” (i.e., run the analysis past a focus group of children and family members and see if they have strong agreements or disagreements.)