Taking a systems approach to create place-based change - Seven learnings on a systems change approach

Sep 11, 2026

A practical guide outlining seven key learnings for adopting a systems approach to create place-based change and reduce local health inequalities. The guidance draws on experience from five council-led projects in England supported through the Shaping Places for Healthier Lives grant programme (2021–2024). It emphasizes understanding interconnections through systems mapping, co-developing an ambitious shared vision, investing in relationships, sustaining long-term impact, reflecting and adapting, experimenting with new ways of working, and communicating with hope to inspire action.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryGeneral

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time4 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Seven learnings from the programme

Overview

Understand your system and decide where to focus your energy for maximum impact

Co-develop a clear and ambitious vision

Treat relationship-building as real work

Think about how to have a long-term impact

Regularly take time to step back and reflect

Experiment with ways of working that challenge traditional behaviours

Communicate in a way that inspires action

Taking a systems approach to create place-based change Seven learnings from the Shaping Places for Healthier Lives programme Introduction This guide sets out seven key learnings on how to take a systems approach to create place-based change. The learnings come from five council-led projects in England who took part ina grant-funded programme, Shaping Places for Healthier Lives. The challenges that we face as a society are incredibly complex and deeply interwoven. Any issue tends to have multiple interrelated causes, and tackling these in isolation will not create lasting change. Instead, an approach that takes account of the whole system is needed. This is often referred to as a ‘systems’ or ‘systems change’ approach. A system is anything that is made up of different parts that are related to one another. For example, a forest – otherwise known as an eco-system – is made up of trees, soil, animals and other organisms, which are dependent on one another for survival. A change in one part of the system influences what happens elsewhere. Taking a ‘systems approach’ means considering all parts of a system when addressing a challenge, rather than looking at them in isolation. A ‘systems approach’accepts complexity and looks for the (at times unpredictable) ways in which the system is connected. Shaping Places for Healthier Lives (SPHL)– a grant programme launched by the Health Foundation and the Local Government Association – set out to learn about the implementation of systems approaches to reducing local health inequalities. Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Councils, ‘Shaping Places for Healthier Lives BNSSG’ City of Doncaster Council,‘Shaping Stainforth’ London Borough of Newham Council in partnership with the Association for Young People’s Health, ‘We Are Food Secure 11-19’ Northumberland County Council,‘Heart of Blyth’ Shropshire Council in partnership with Citizens Advice Shropshire,‘Shaping Places Shropshire’ With huge thanks to the five SPHL teams for their hard work, tenacity and systems leadership. Between 2021-2024, five council-led projects received funding and support: Overview Understand your system and decide where to focus your energy for maximum impact Understanding your system is the first step in adopting a systems approach, before then homing in on the part, or parts, of the system where you can have the most impact. Co-develop a clear and ambitious vision that will remain at the forefront of your work A vision is a guiding beacon foryour work. Developing one with a range of local stakeholders is an important way of imagining a hopeful future that you can begin to move towards together. 3 Treat relationship-building as real work and spend time investing in relationships across all parts of the system Systems are made up of people, and the relationships between them determine how a system operates. Building and investing in relationships is foundational to any systems change work. Think about how to have a long-term impact Systems change takes time. Whether you are working on a project with a fixed enddate or not, to ensure that all of your efforts leave a lasting legacy, you must think consistently about how to sustain long-term impact. Regularly take time to step back and reflect Systems change requires the ability to zoom out and retain sight of the bigger picture. Regular reflection touchpoints with key stakeholders help ensure that you are able to adapt to emerging opportunities, understand what has worked welland what hasn’t, and take stock of wider system changes. Experiment with ways of working that challenge traditional behaviours Embedded within a systems approach is the knowledge that the current system is not working. Instead of adopting the same behaviours and power dynamics that created and sustain the current system, taking a systems approach must encourage the ability to test, and learn from, new ways of doing things. C

FAQs

What is a systems approach in the context of place-based change?

It considers all parts of a system and how they connect when addressing a challenge, rather than tackling issues in isolation. It also accepts complexity and looks for how the system’s parts influence one another.

How should teams start when adopting a systems approach?

They should build an overview using a systems map to visualize system components and relationships. The goal is to then focus efforts on the most influential geographic or topic area.

What communication style is recommended to inspire action?

The programme found messages of hope, positive stories, and tailored communication are more effective than trying to motivate people by highlighting dire circumstances.

Sep 11, 2026

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