Towards Durable Joy: Lessons from evaluating and learning from the Nexus
Introduction
JRNY Consulting has been actively learning with partners about the Nexus approach over the past two years. Generally, partners have wanted to know:
• How to apply the Nexus and learn about its application
• Lessons about whether the nexus approach is working or not
• How to add value through a nexus approach
The Nexus, also known as the Triple Nexus, is an approach that seeks to connect humanitarian, development, and peace initiatives. Humanitarian work has primarily catered to emergency response, while development efforts focused on long-term solutions and peacebuilding addressing underlying causes of conflict. The Nexus has emerged as a pathway to dismantle these silos and create a more harmonious and integrated approach.
According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Nexus involves four critical components:
• Joint Planning and Analysis: Gathering and synthesising information from diverse stakeholders to create a shared vision.
• Programming: Breaking down traditional barriers and tackling immediate needs and long-term transformative changes.
• Leadership and Coordination: Strengthening information-sharing mechanisms and collaborative leadership structures.
• Financing and Resources: Overcoming siloed funding and resourcing mechanisms and promoting and advocating for more flexible, multi-annual financing and sharing resources.
The Nexus represents a transformative shift to addressing complex challenges. Its potential lies in a sector-wide movement towards these ways of working.
At JRNY Consulting, we've had the distinct advantage of observing the intricate workings of how organisations learn about the Nexus. This vantage point has reinforced our responsibility to share these insights.
Lesson 1: Finding common ground in defining the Nexus
When introducing a new concept, it is common for organisations to try to explain it within the organisational mandate. We have found that on the journey to defining the Nexus, organisations have often tried to squeeze it into current structures, thinking of it as a set endpoint or getting lost in a repetitive state of attempting to define it.
A more productive route is to work together and find common ground in what we mean by the Nexus, breaking down the barriers that led to these divisions in the first place. By viewing the Nexus as a fluid and adaptable process, we can better handle its challenges.
Lesson 2: It’s not about me; it’s about ALL OF US
The Nexus way of thinking nudges organisations to step back when another group might be better suited to address community needs. But in reality? We haven’t seen many organisations willingly stepping back, even when they might not be the perfect fit for a situation. There's value in recognising when we're not the best fit and learning from those moments.
Old silos are often replicated when partners have asked us to explore their unique approach to the nexus or how they can include humanitarian, development and peace activities in one programme. Instead of zeroing in on individual contributions to tackle all needs, real change demands organisations let go of the notion of individual added value and embrace collective added value. The key question we must confront is: What will it take, and whom do we need to collaborate with to address the root causes of conflict or crisis? The Nexus hinges on collaborative efforts, letting go of ego-driven ambitions where everyone plays a pivotal role in crafting a shared vision. No single organisation or group can address root causes.
Lesson 3: The Underrated Power of the ‘Convener’
International organisations are finding roles as critical connectors. They are pivoting to joining dots, linking people, and making sure resources are put to their best use. It’s less about always being at the front and more about ensuring everything fits together.
Some partners have embraced this role, and given their reputation, it’s worked. But getting the most out of convening means stepping outside your immediate goals. It’s about understanding the bigger picture – seeing who's out there, where dots can be joined, and spotting chances for new, impactful partnerships.
Lesson 4: The Nexus comes in Abundance
We have found that the scarcity mindset is a limitation to stepping forward in the Nexus. We are constantly bombarded with the message that there's never enough: not enough time, not enough resources, not enough... well, everything.
A Nexus approach is guiding us towards a massive pool of resources, knowledge, and expertise, creating a vast net of support for those in need. Within this system, information flows freely, and collaboration is the cornerstone of progress. There is no room for hoarding or competition. Whatever is required is readily available through this interconnected web of support. It's a challenge to break free from the confines of a 'me-first' mentality, especially when the world outside seems to reward it. But the Nexus champions a different path, where 'ours' takes precedence over 'mine'.
Lesson 5: Balancing Principles and Operational Realities
We confront a joint tension in the Nexus approach: finding the right balance between principles and operational execution. Organisations often seek clarity on how to put the Nexus principles into practice. As consultants, we frequently encounter this question as partners strive to define their individualised approach and articulate their value-add in the Nexus landscape. It often leads to white papers and guidelines to communicate stances and contributions.
There is a delicate equilibrium that aligns strategic behaviours with tangible actions. We have found partners can be guided by principles as much as a set of steps, provided periods of discomfort are accepted and the possibility they might not always possess the answers to ‘how’.
Lesson 6: A Superficial Embrace or a Structural Redesign
Some partners see the nexus as a programmatic framework, others as an avenue to incorporate peace by considering conflict sensitivity, and others as a comprehensive change management strategy.
While every initiative and incremental step is valuable, the Nexus extends beyond a programming methodology. Significant integration requires adjusting leadership, coordination, and resourcing and financing. The emphasis is not necessarily on the magnitude of each step but on the commitment to embedding all these elements into the long-term vision.
A superficial embrace of the Nexus won’t suffice. If our strategic documents advocate for collaboration, yet teams still operate and communicate within the confines of humanitarian, development, and peace silos, the essence of the Nexus remains unrealised.
Lesson 7: Towards Durable Joy
An unresolved question continues to arise with partners: How do we know Nexus approaches are working? Central to answering this is redefining measures of success. We have begun considering deeper aspects of joy, happiness and human fulfilment. It prompts organisations leaning into Nexus philosophy to think long-term, asking if we are genuinely adding value in areas of sustained happiness and joy.
The role of evaluation and learning are pivotal in this, too. Instead of singular organisations commissioning evaluations to determine individual contributions, there’s a growing realisation that a collective, longer-term evaluation and learning partnership paints a more realistic picture. Such an approach would assess the strengths and impacts of numerous actors in a shared space. Moving closer to this is taking incremental steps towards being commissioned to evaluate and learn by communities instead of humanitarian and development actors.
Lesson 8: Collective Action still has Power dynamics
Through these lessons, we've underscored the significance of collaborative action. However, collective action isn't devoid of power dynamics. Overlaying the Nexus with a feminist perspective can help the collective action remain conscious of who is participating and who is making decisions.
When we overlay the Nexus with a feminist perspective, it becomes a tool for dissecting the existing power architectures in each segment. It pushes us to confront the silent authority some organisations might hold as they grapple with their placement amongst a collective Nexus approach. The feminist perspective reminds us that perhaps we should not be talking at all, and maybe through conversations around the Nexus, we are simply re-centring ourselves away from the voices that matter and the communities we serve.
We advocate for a reflection on our roles and contributions. At times, the most meaningful step could be to retract or stop altogether, making space for other stakeholders better positioned to address community needs.
As we've navigated its perceived complexity, we've come to understand the interdependencies that underscore how each organisation defines, values, and operationalises the Nexus as an indicator of future collective success. Collective action underlines many of these lessons, so we will leave you with one question.
What will you do tomorrow to move organisations and individuals closer to collective action and responsibility?
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