High-Impact Growth: The Strategic Role of Data Management in Cure Violence Global’s Work

Podcast: High-Impact Growth
Host: Dimagi (Jonathan Jackson and Amie Vaccaro)
Guest: Dr. Charles Elliott, Director of Data Management, Cure Violence Global
Date: October 17, 2024

Episode Overview

This episode features a deep dive into how Cure Violence Global (CVG) uses innovative data management strategies to drive impactful violence prevention work. By treating violence as a contagious epidemic, CVG employs public health methods, leveraging data for behavior and norm change within communities worldwide. The discussion centers on the strategic design and implementation of CVG’s data system (powered by CommCare), and how it empowers both local organizations and global strategies for violence prevention, even with limited resources.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background and Origins of CVG’s Approach

• Cure Violence’s Public Health Model

  • Violence is treated as a contagious epidemic rather than merely a criminal issue ([04:35]).
  • The methodology leverages credible messengers from within communities to disrupt cycles of violence.

• Dr. Elliott’s Journey

  • Grew up surrounded by violence in Atlanta and later experienced conflict as a military veteran, which inspired his focus on violence prevention and conflict resolution ([02:28]).
  • Academic background in international conflict, conflict mediation, and psychological aspects of violence ([02:28–04:03]).

2. Overcoming Skepticism and Building Evidence

• The approach was initially met with skepticism, as public health methodologies felt foreign in the context of violence prevention ([06:36]).
• Recognition and adoption have grown significantly: now acknowledged by the CDC, White House, and the broader field as a credible, evidence-based strategy ([06:36–08:34]).
• “With any great idea, there’s always going to be skeptics… Over time it’s become better and more and more clear.” – Dr. Charles Elliott ([06:36])

3. The Strategic Use of Data

• What Makes CVG’s Data Approach Special

  • A complex system built over 20 years, now collecting hundreds of indicators on interruption, behavior change, and norm change ([12:45–15:52]).
  • Designed to empower local organizations to demonstrate their contribution and access continued funding ([12:45–16:46]).

• Measuring What Matters

  • “How do you quantify death… or put a dollar sign on that? Everywhere we look, violence is very different.” – Dr. Elliott ([12:45])
  • CVG adapts its database to capture nuances in local contexts, from U.S. cities to Latin America ([12:45–18:42]).

4. The Role and Value of Data for Local Partners

• Who Uses the System

  • Outreach workers, violence interrupters, supervisors, managers, program directors, and local organizations—all input, access, and learn from the data ([16:46–18:42]).
  • The system’s hierarchical yet accessible nature ensures all stakeholders are empowered, from “the ground level to the 40,000-foot level” ([08:50–11:35]).

• Practical Impact

  • “We want to give everybody the ability to say something about the violence in their city, whether they’re at the highest level or the lowest level.” – Dr. Elliott ([16:46])

5. Building Relationships and Trust

• Relationships are foundational: “Knowing the leaders is not enough, you really have to know the people of the field…” – Dr. Elliott ([08:50])
• Data tools are built to be genuinely useful, never a bureaucratic burden, enabling staff to track their impact, plan interventions, and receive recognition ([31:41–34:19]).
• Confidentiality is paramount—no identifying information is collected, building trust among community members who may be wary of law enforcement ([25:09–27:17]).

6. Adaptability and Global Scalability

• Uruguay Case Study

  • CVG rapidly adapted their CommCare system to meet the ministry’s needs, enabling data collection at a national scale and outpacing local and national agencies ([27:35–30:05]).
  • “It is way, way more robust than what they’re used to…” – Dr. Elliott ([30:05])

• Customization and Community Feedback

  • The CommCare platform is user-driven: “I always turn it back on the crowd… and we just… add all this stuff. It’s so exciting…” ([34:19])
  • “If I was working in a system that wasn’t customizable, I think I would be severely limited in my ability to do my job. Severely limited.” – Dr. Elliott ([34:19])

7. Frontline Work: The Role of Community Violence Interrupters

• These are community-rooted individuals, often with lived experience in violence, who mediate conflicts and model transformation ([39:36]).
• CommCare enables them to map violence, track intervention outcomes, and demonstrate the value of their work.
• “Their credibility is their shield. It’s what keeps them safe because people in the communities know who they are…” ([39:36])

8. Evolving Practice and Advice for Others

• The approach continuously evolves with feedback, lessons learned, and technological advancements ([43:02–44:41]).
• Advice for Others:
  • Start with a clear, user-centric system that genuinely gives field staff credit for their work.
  • Make tools accessible regardless of literacy or technical skill—“some of them are operating on a sixth-grade level” ([45:04]).

9. Personal Motivation and Impact

• Dr. Elliott’s military and academic background instilled a blend of quantitative rigor and human-centered empathy ([47:25]).
• “I wake up every day excited to do what I do because I know that we make a difference…” ([47:25])
• The drive to combine data analytics with the lived experiences of violence survivors and interrupters continues to fuel CVG’s mission.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Skepticism and Value:
  “With any great idea, there’s always going to be skeptics…over time it’s become better and more and more clear.” – Charles Elliott ([06:36])

• On Relationships:
  “Simply knowing the leaders of the field is not enough, you really have to know the people of the field…” ([08:50])

• On Data Empowerment:
  “When we show them what this data collection process looks like... that just changes the game for a lot of people.” ([12:45])

• On Customization:
  “If I was working in a system that wasn’t customizable, I think I would be severely limited in my ability to do my job. Severely limited.” ([34:19])

• On Community Interrupters:
  “Their credibility is their shield. It’s what keeps them safe because people in the communities know who they are.” ([39:36])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:28] Dr. Elliott’s background and motivation for violence prevention
• [04:35] How the public health model for violence interruption works
• [06:36] Overcoming skepticism and building evidence
• [08:50] The foundational role of relationships and understanding multiple stakeholder perspectives
• [12:45] Strategic design of data systems; quantifying impact
• [16:46] Who uses the data system, and how
• [21:59] Example from a Texas partner – real-world application and impact
• [25:09] Data privacy, community trust, and relationships with law enforcement
• [27:35] Uruguay case study—countrywide implementation and rapid adaptation
• [31:41] Frontline experiences: How CommCare supports field work
• [39:36] The role, risk, and transformation journey of violence interrupters
• [43:02] CVG’s evolving approach to data and evidence
• [45:04] Advice to organizations on starting and maturing a data-driven approach
• [47:25] Dr. Elliott’s personal motivation and drive

Final Takeaways

• Start with clear goals and KPIs: Structure your data system around specific, measurable outcomes (like interruption, behavior, and norm change).
• Prioritize relationships: Build trust with both data users and community members to drive engagement and real-world impact.
• Design with users in mind: Make data tools simple, accessible, and genuinely useful for those on the ground.
• Protect privacy and trust: Data security and confidentiality are non-negotiable.
• Value long-term investment: A well-designed tech platform is core infrastructure, enabling both local and global change.

How to Get Involved

• Visit cvg.org for more information or to contact the team.
• Email: info@cvg.org or cure@cvg.org with questions or interest in implementing CVG’s strategies.

For more resources and links, see the show notes at https://dimagi.com/podcast/.

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