Scaling, expanding impact to reach more people, influence systems or shift norms, is not just making projects bigger. In complex South African contexts, it demands new thinking, strategic partnerships, and readiness to adapt to shifting politics and economics. For DGMT, scaling is core to its mission: unlocking the “10 opportunities to escape the inequality trap” and shifting national outcomes in early learning, youth employment, and social inclusion.
This learning brief examines DGMT’s journey of mainstreaming scaling within its organisational strategy. It outlines the mindsets, mechanisms and partnerships that have enabled scale, and unpacks three practical examples that illustrate different pathways: a focused policy device, an ecosystems approach, and a political approach to national mobilisation for children and teens. The aim is to share lessons that other civil society actors and funders can adapt when moving from promising pilots to population-level impact.
To read this learning brief, download a PDF, or read it magazine-style on ISSUU here.
