How does SL differ from community-based development programmes?
SL builds on many of the strengths of community-based development programmes. It is participatory and works with local people to understand their strengths and determine their priorities (and therefore enables people to take action). It tries to avoid sectoral preconceptions. However, a core difference is that it looks beyond the local environment. It is neither bottom-up, nor top-down, but stresses that all levels should work together. A primary objective of SL analysis is to understand how wider policies, institutions and processes affect local livelihoods. This includes thinking about issues of vulnerability, local power and influence. SL-informed programmes then aim to engage at various levels and to help change this wider environment so that it facilitates sustainable livelihoods. In some cases SL-guided programmes operate primarily at a policy level. Where this is the case a key objective is to ensure that the policy-making process is adequately informed about local-level outcome
