Development Studies Research

An Open Access Journal

ISSN: (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: www.tandfonline.com/journals/rdsr20

Self-organizing volunteers as a grassroot social

innovation: the contribution and barrier to
empowerment and collaborative governance in
stunting intervention

Muhamad Nur Afandi, Endah Tri Anomsari, Budi Setiyono, Alikha Novira &
Wahyu Sutiyono

To cite this article: Muhamad Nur Afandi, Endah Tri Anomsari, Budi Setiyono,
Alikha Novira & Wahyu Sutiyono (2024) Self-organizing volunteers as a grassroot
social innovation: the contribution and barrier to empowerment and collaborative
governance in stunting intervention, Development Studies Research, 11:1, 2357102, DOI:
10.1080/21665095.2024.2357102

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/21665095.2024.2357102

© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa

UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis
Group

Published online: 27 May 2024.

Submit your article to this journal

View related articles

View Crossmark data

Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at

https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=rdsr20
DEVELOPMENT STUDIES RESEARCH
2024, VOL. 11, NO. 1, 2357102
https://doi.org/10.1080/21665095.2024.2357102

Self-organizing volunteers as a grassroot social innovation: the contribution and

barrier to empowerment and collaborative governance in stunting intervention
Muhamad Nur Afandia, Endah Tri Anomsaria, Budi Setiyonob, Alikha Noviraa and Wahyu Sutiyonoc
a
Politeknik STIA LAN Bandung – NIPA Republic of Indonesia, Kota Bandung, Indonesia; bDiponegoro University Semarang, Kota Semarang,
Indonesia; cUniversity of Canberra, Canberra, Australia

ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY

Considering its contribution to solving societal issues, social innovation (SI) has become critical to Received 23 November 2023
driving community development. This paper exposes the role of SI in community development Accepted 14 May 2024
processes at a grassroots level, drawing on volunteers’ experience in collaborative stunting
KEYWORDS
intervention in Sukabumi Regency, a rural area in Indonesia. This study employs a qualitative Social innovation;
approach, incorporating data collection methods such as in-person interviews, observation, and volunteering;
document analysis. Findings reveal that human development volunteers, initially appointed by empowerment; collaborative
the state, have successfully established a forum that essentially functions as an informal self- governance; stunting
organizing group. Self-organizing volunteers might be categorized as SI because they offer a
new way of interacting with other actors in collaborative governance, paying attention to
community problems and aiming to create community changes. Through the forum, cadres can
participate not only as individuals but also that through collective actions. While their
meaningful activities are visible, cadres face barriers to changing power relations in
collaborative governance and making social changes. The findings contribute to the literature
by showcasing an understanding of how self-organizing volunteers function as a social
innovation in collaborative processes.

1. Introduction
problems caused by market failures (Nicholls, Simon,
Social Innovation (SI) has become a critical aspect of the and Gabriel 2015), it is also a new way to change
development process (de Fátima Ferreiro et al. 2021) as social relations (Pel et al. 2020). Defining SI as a
it solves societal problems, many of which are the most process reflects a similar notion of the importance of
pressing development agendas. Researchers examined civil society in governing societal issues (Galego et al.
how SI contributed to addressing a variety of societal 2021).
issues, such as urban sustainability (Angelidou and Psal- Despite growing attention to civil society and govern-
toglou 2017), forestry (Ludvig et al. 2021), labor (Dai, Lau, ance in SI literature, less attention is paid to volunteers’
and Lee 2019), and transportation planning (Mehmood involvement in SI. de Wit et al. (2019) contributed to the
& Imran, 2021). SI also addresses more systematic struc- SI-volunteering nexus by analyzing the factors that
tural issues (Nicholls, Simon, and Gabriel 2015) and con- helped and constrained volunteers’ contribution to SI.
tributes to development by strengthening social Caridà, Colurcio, and Melia (2022) explored how digital
networks and reconfiguration (Lombardi et al. 2020). SI that promoted flexible volunteering has improved
With the growing importance of SI in solving commu- the process of social change. These studies were con-
nity problems, SI is a ‘magic concept’ to approach public cerned with volunteering in formal nonprofit organiz-
policy (Bragaglia 2021). It has normative attractiveness ations. However, grassroots community volunteering
(Bragaglia 2021) and responds to the patterns of moder- that often takes place beyond formality needs to be
nity that exclude certain groups in society (Nicholls, improved. We fill this gap by focusing on self-organizing
Simon, and Gabriel 2015). Its concept is linked to civil volunteers. Moreover, the connection between SI and
society participation, commonly called the third sector rural context remains underexplored (Banerjee, Lucas
in public management or governance (Ludvig et al. dos Santos, and Hulgård 2021; de Fátima Ferreiro et al.
2021). Whilst SI is not limited to a new product to fix 2021; Steiner, Calò, and Shucksmith 2021). This study

CONTACT Muhamad Nur Afandi [email protected] Jalan Hayam Wuruk, no. 34–38, Bandung City, West Java, Indonesia
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which
permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been pub-
lished allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
2 M. N. AFANDI ET AL.

aims to contribute to this realm by examining volunteers ideas, products, markets, models, or systems (Caulier-
at the grassroots level in a rural area. The following Grice, Kahn, and Mulgan 2010; Westley et al. 2014).
research question is posited: How do self-organizing vol- Nicholls and Murdock (2012 in Nicholls, Simon, and
unteers work and contribute to empowerment and colla- Gabriel 2015) divide the changes SI addresses into incre-
borative governance? mental, institutional, and disruptive levels. Incremental
Indonesia’s central government directs convergence SI focuses on creating new products to address societal
actions to its local governments to help them work issues caused by market failures. Institutional SI empha-
together to stop stunting. From the point of view of col- sizes the reconfiguration of market structures. Mean-
laborative governance, convergence actions have a while, disruptive innovation SI employs political
mandated institutional design that allows for starting movements to transform social systems. Besides being
conditions (Afandi et al. 2023). Further, convergence operated at three different levels, SI operates with
actions involve a collaborative process between state four dimensions: the satisfaction of human needs,
and non-state actors, facilitate supportive leadership, changes in social relations, increased socio-political
and provide a transparent accountability system capability, and access to resources (Moulaert et al.
(Afandi et al. 2023). 2005). Moreover, as proposed by Caridà, Colurcio, and
This study provides a case for collaborative stunting Melia (2022), the change in value sets SI apart from con-
intervention in Indonesia in which volunteers play a ventional business innovation in that SI has not only
role in cooperative efforts to reduce stunting prevalence. forms and processes as its dimensions but also those
Cadres operate outside the formal organization as they of value change. These value changes can include
work at the grassroots level in the village as the smallest aspects such as sustainability, social justice, community
unit of government closest to the local community. participation or social responsibility, all of which can be
Initially, cadres’ volunteering is state-driven, and their essential elements of SI. This value change reflects the
presence is a part of mandated collaborative networks orientation of SI, which focuses on economic aspects
designed by the central government. At this early and pays attention to the social and environmental
stage, volunteering differs from voluntary actions impacts of the solutions produced. It can help create
driven by altruistic motivation (de Wit et al. 2019). This positive and sustainable change in society. SI must be
article explores how volunteering becomes a grass- ‘social’ in its means and ends (Caulier-Grice, Kahn, and
roots-level SI in rural areas. It sheds light on the follow- Mulgan 2010). This concept is in line with Miquel,
ing facets: how grassroots-level volunteers find a new Cabeza, and Anglada (2013), who conceptualize SI as
way of tackling stunting issues, whether the process processes that generate (1) service or resource provision
empowers them, and what implications their actions to meet social needs, (2) empowerment of the margin-
bring to collaborative governance. alized groups, (3) transformation of governance mech-
The following section outlines the theoretical frame- anism to address the structural causes of social
work: social innovation as a process towards social exclusions.
change and linking collaborative governance, volunteer- These SI conceptualizations ostensibly emphasize the
ing, and empowerment. The context of collaborative results indicated by the terms ‘new solutions’ that lead
governance of stunting intervention in Indonesia to ‘social changes’ or ‘society improvement’. However,
follows the conceptual framework. Then, we present the close link between SI and social change also
the study method and discuss the findings by answering signifies processes. Social change requires complex pro-
the research question. The last section of this work com- cesses at a micro level (individual empowerment), meso
prises the conclusion. level (interactive channel to create new ideas), and
macro level (changing institutions) (van Wijk et al.
2019). The definition of SI by Avelino et al. (2019)
2. Theoretical framework expresses the processes well, in which SI is perceived
as ‘change in social relations, involving new ways of
2.1. Social innovation as processes towards
doing, organizing, knowing and framing’ (p.197). While
social changes
significant progress has been made with regard to the
Social innovation (SI) is new solutions to meet social theoretical foundation of social innovation, the ‘ecosys-
needs that improve societies’ capabilities, resources, tem’ facilitating respective innovative activities remains
and relationships (Caulier-Grice, Kahn, and Mulgan rather vague and ambiguous (Terstriep, Rehfeld, and
2010). By tackling social issues, SI changes social Kleverbeck 2020). Wilson et al. define SI as ‘ … a
relations and systems (Kumar 2020). As an innovation, process that leads to novel, community-produced sol-
SI has originality and a variety of forms, such as new utions to social problems’ (279). The first aspect
 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES RESEARCH 3

identified as a need for SI development and implemen- 2.2. Linking collaborative governance,
tation is an appropriate culture of communication and volunteering, and empowerment
discussion (Audretsch, Eichler, and Schwarz 2022). In as
Collaborative governance is closely linked to the
much the purpose of SI is to ‘bring about social
engagement of non-governmental actors in managing
change inspired by social problems’ (Wegner, Hölsgens,
public affairs. As more actors are involved, collaborative
and Bitencourt 2023, 9), the discussion is essential to
governance is about power sharing. As expressed by
understand the context of SI. These conceptualizations
Purdy (2012), collaborative governance refers to ‘ … pro-
indicate that SI is an interlink of ‘new social processes’
and ‘new social outputs and outcomes’ that address cesses that seek to share power in decision-making with
changes (Nicholls, Simon, and Gabriel 2015, 2). In this stakeholders to develop shared recommendations for
article, we adopt these concepts of SI that pays attention effective, lasting solutions to public problems’ (p.409).
to the process while still acknowledging the importance The processes have collaborative structures where
of the results. SI is, therefore, defined here as new pro- state and non-state actors engage constructively
cesses that drive novel solutions to societal problems (Emerson, Nabatchi, and Balogh 2011) in a deliberative,
and lead to social changes. formal, and consensus-oriented manner (Ansell and
Generally, social changes refer to societal transform- Gash 2008). The involvement of more actors is expected
ations in social relations and institutions. The term is to achieve public purposes that cannot be otherwise
used in various disciplines and practices, such as soci- accomplished (Emerson, Nabatchi, and Balogh 2011).
ology, economy, politics, and international develop- Literature on collaborative governance emphasizes
ment. Modernization proponents argue that social openness and inclusiveness (Ansell and Gash 2008),
changes are about transforming traditional society into allowing civil society actors to participate more actively,
a modern one (see Rostow 1959), while Marxist scholars including volunteers. Volunteering is ‘any activity in
view social change as a series of class struggles. In terms which time is given freely to benefit another person,
of SI, which is often regarded as a response to the failure group or cause’ (Wilson 2000, 215). Volunteer work,
of problem-solving through institutionalized ways (Mou- which refers to formal and informal productive works,
laert et al. 2013), social changes also refer to the change requires collective actions when carried out on behalf
of structures and institutions, particularly the ones that of ‘collective goods’ (Duarte Alonso and Nyanjom
cause or pertain to problems. SI is related to reconfigur- 2016). Volunteering becomes a characteristic of civil
ing social practices and relationships (Murray, Caulier- engagement in communities and bridges social capital
Grice, and Mulgan 2010) at formal and informal insti- (Mason and Fredericksen 2011). It is commonly used to
tutions (Kluvánková et al. 2018). For instance, Andersen increase participation among the poor and marginalized
and Bilfeldt (2017) found that two SI cases in Denmark in decision-making processes (Aked 2015).
had transformed welfare institutions by changing organ- In their seminal work, Cnaan, Handy, and Wadsworth
izational culture, values, and working methods. The (1996) revealed four dimensions of volunteering: free
changes facilitated community empowerment and choice, remuneration, structure, and the intended ben-
brought welfare services closer to citizens (Andersen eficiaries. Each of these dimensions contains categoriz-
and Bilfeldt 2017). ations. For instance, the free choice dimension ranges
Creating social changes through SI requires the invol- from ‘free will’ and ‘relatively uncoerced’ to ‘obliged to
vement of civil society actors (Ludvig et al. 2021) and col- volunteer’, while remuneration ranges from ‘no incen-
laboration (Murray, Caulier-Grice, and Mulgan 2010). This tive expected’, ‘reimbursement’, and ‘low pay/stipend’
aspect puts SI into a broader discourse on the impor- (Cnaan, Handy, and Wadsworth 1996). The wide range
tance of the participation of civil society actors and the means that the definition of volunteering is not limited
practice of collaborative governance. It also makes SI a to a voluntary action without any remuneration. What
‘magic concept’ among policymakers as it meets the constitutes volunteering varies, and its definition can
four indicators of a ‘magic concept’ proposed by Pollitt be broader. Instead of defining volunteering based on
and Hupe (2011), namely the broadness of the a fixed set of characteristics, Cnaan, Handy, and Wads-
concept, the normative attractiveness, the implication worth (1996) argued about cost–benefit analysis to
of consensus, and the global marketability (Bragaglia understand the dimensions of volunteering by compar-
2021). As SI gets normative justification, policymakers ing the costs of a person to perform work and the public
often facilitate it as a part of their collaborative govern- and private benefits those works generate. The higher
ance policy. SI and governance involve collaborative the benefits compared to their costs, the more likely
processes to find alternative solutions to public needs work is perceived as volunteering (Cnaan, Handy, and
(Galego et al. 2021). Wadsworth 1996; Handy et al. 2000). In this study, we
4 M. N. AFANDI ET AL.

follow this cost–benefit approach to define volunteer- country (BPS n.d.). Consequently, the high prevalence
ing. Therefore, volunteering here refers to formal and of stunting in West Java reflects a high number of chil-
informal work in which people spend costs (in terms of dren below five years who experience stunting. Stunting
time, money, opportunities, etc.) to generate public or is briefly defined as ‘ … the impaired growth and devel-
private benefits for others. opment that children experience from poor nutrition,
Volunteering plays a role in sustaining development repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimu-
partnerships (Schech et al. 2015). Managing develop- lation’ (WHO 2015). This condition puts West Java as
ment programs or agendas through partnerships often one of the targeted provinces in the Indonesian policies
requires collaborative governance in which actors inter- related to stunting.
act with each other. However, in collaborative govern- Along with the specific stunting interventions the
ance, ‘mutual, equal, and sustainable development Ministry of Health carried out, decreasing stunting preva-
partnerships remain limited’ (Schech et al. 2015, 358). lence in Indonesia requires multi-level actors and cross-
Empowerment is crucial to help the local community sectoral collaborative actions. The collaborative actions
gain power, enabling them to play a more active role usually refer to Eight Convergence Actions (ECA), man-
in the decision-making of programs concerning their dated by the central government to local governments
lives and wellbeing. This is where volunteering is essen- since 2018. ECA consists of eight actions, as shown in
tial. Volunteers are more effective at inviting community Table 1. The central government defines the ECA as a
participation as their relationships with the poor, mar- coordinated and unified intervention approach to the
ginalized, and excluded are based on ‘informality, geographically targeted area and priority household to
doing together and networked reciprocity’ (Aked 2015, address stunting. The implementation of the ECA is
39). Moreover, volunteering opens three spaces: per- carried out by combining or integrating various
sonal learning space for empowerment, policy space resources to achieve common goals, particularly
for organizational partnership, and geopolitical space resources from the sectors of health, education, clean
for building global citizenship and public diplomacy water and sanitation, housing, women’s empowerment
(Schech et al. 2015). Through volunteering, the commu- and child protection, and family planning. Moreover, it
nity can exercise their agency, leading them to also involves the development planning agency and
empowerment. the regent as the coordinator and leader, respectively.
In summary, volunteering opens spaces for empower- The recipients of the ECA mandate are the local gov-
ing the community to be equal partners in the collabora- ernment bodies and communities. The involvement of
tive processes of development programs concerning the latter reflects the participatory approach of the
their needs and welfare. Empowerment here refers to ECA. In practice, local government expands the colla-
agency expansion and the creation of opportunity struc- borative networks while non-governmental actors
ture (Alsop, Bertelsen, and Holland 2006), which reflects
the similar broad conceptualization of empowerment
and social innovation as both are processes towards Table 1. The Framework of Eight Convergence Actions (ECA).
Actions Description
creating social changes.
Situation analysis Analyzing the region regarding its stunting
level and funding allocation to increase
household access to stunting
2.3. Collaborative governance of stunting interventions
intervention in Indonesia Prog00ram planning Creating alternatives of programs to be
implemented through convergence
The prevalence of stunting in Indonesia continues to stunting interventions
Stunting forum Communicating alternatives of stunting
exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) target out- interventions with multi-stakeholders to
lined in the 2030 agenda, which aims for rates below 20 build and declare public commitment
Policymaking on the role Issuing a regulation that allows village
per cent. According to the Indonesian Nutritional Status of village administration to use village funds for
Survey in 2021, the stunting prevalence in the country stunting interventions
Training of human Training is given to human development
was 24.4 per cent (Ministry of Health of Indonesia development cadre cadres to improve their knowledge and
2021). According to the same survey, West Java Province role in stunting interventions.
has a stunting prevalence of 24.5 per cent, a significant System management and Providing access and integrating data
stunting data regarding stunting status
figure considering the province’s proximity to the Stunting measurement Measuring, monitoring, and publishing
capital of Indonesia, Jakarta. Moreover, West Java is and publication stunting status
Annual performance Reviewing program results by the end of the
the province with the highest population in the review fiscal year and generating feedback for
country, at 49.5 million people in 2018, which is approxi- suggested improvement
mately 18.39 per cent of the total population in the Source: first author
 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES RESEARCH 5

participate because of the expansion. In Sukabumi allows researchers to explore these dynamics, especially
Regency in West Java, non-governmental actors when involving volunteers’ experiences in forums that
include business, academia, and media entities. function as local communities. In addition, the qualitat-
The local community is central to converging actions, ive approach allows closer involvement with research
particularly in raising public health and stunting aware- subjects. Involving volunteers in interviews and obser-
ness. Local communities, particularly the targeted vations can provide a more in-depth and contextual per-
households, participate in activities concerning stunting spective on the role of SI in stunting intervention. This
intervention. A member of the local community, one per research can achieve its objectives in-depth and contex-
village, is selected to be a human development cadre tually by employing a qualitative approach.
(HDC). The central government defines HDC as ‘the Sukabumi Regency was selected as the location of the
selected [members of the] community who have con- study because it is in the West Java Province, one of
cerns and a will to dedicate themselves to play a role Indonesia’s most prominent targets for stunting
in village development, particularly in monitoring and reduction programs. West Java is generally known as
facilitating convergence stunting intervention’ (Ministry one of Indonesia’s most densely populated areas, so
of Villages Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration handling stunting there can have a broad impact. More-
2018, 8). The cadres’ work description includes: (1) facil- over, while this research emphasizes the role of the com-
itating social mapping to understand the status of stunt- munity in stunting intervention, Sukabumi may offer an
ing in their respective village, (2) facilitating directed advantage because the implementation of the stunting
discussion on program planning concerning stunting intervention in the regency has involved the local com-
interventions at the village level, (3) facilitating weight munity in a more substantial and organized way, namely
and height measurement of children under five years through a cadre forum.
old, and (4) monitoring the accessibility of services by Data in the case study were collected through in-
the targeted households. person informal interviews and semi-structured inter-
views, supported by on-site observation and document
study from May 2022 to June 2023. Interviewees were
3. Method
selected for their knowledge and participation in the col-
This study employed a qualitative approach, suitable for laborative stunting intervention, ranging from regency-
a holistic understanding of complex processes (Desai level government officials to lower-level village adminis-
and Potter 2006). We used a qualitative case study of trators, human development cadres, and local commu-
convergence stunting intervention in Sukabumi nities. We interviewed several government officials
Regency in West Java, Indonesia, as the locus of the representing the Agency for Village Community Empow-
study. The case study is a suitable approach to erment, the Agency for Women’s Empowerment and
conduct an in-depth exploration of a phenomenon in Child Protection, the Health Agency, and the Regional
its specific context (Rashid et al. 2019) so that it fits the Planning Agency. These agencies are selected based
thematic focus on social innovation with its new on their direct involvement in stunting intervention pro-
aspect of the phenomenon. This research chose a quali- grams. The main questions were about their roles in
tative approach because it has several advantages that stunting intervention and their perspectives on the
support the research objectives, particularly the depth cadre forum. In-person interviews were conducted
of understanding, where a qualitative approach allows with the head of cadre forums, a group of selected
researchers to gain a deep understanding of the cadres who have assumed responsibility as HDC since
phenomenon being observed. In the context of the the beginning of the program, a village head and admin-
role of SI in community development at the grassroots istrator, and the villagers. These people were chosen due
level, it is essential to gain an in-depth understanding to their direct involvement in stunting intervention,
of volunteers’ experiences in stunting intervention in either as the implementers or targeted users. The main
Sukabumi Regency. Interviews, observations and docu- interview questions included the cadres’ motivation
ment analysis can provide in-depth knowledge that is and incentive to participate, the nature of their activities,
difficult to achieve with a quantitative approach. Using the forum’s role, and the cadres’ role in stunting inter-
interviews and observations, qualitative research can vention. On-site observations were conducted twice:
explore volunteers’ perspectives, values and meanings. during a focus group discussion involving the HDCs
These methods can help identify expected social and government officials and a cadre visit to the
changes and understand the role of SI in the process. village to perform their duty. A document study was per-
In terms of complex interactions and dynamics among formed to analyze the government documents and web-
various stakeholders within SI, the qualitative method sites and collect information about the ECA.
6 M. N. AFANDI ET AL.

4. Results and discussion years, monitoring their development, and providing

regular reports to government authorities at least once
Human development cadres are a part of the conver-
a month. Cadres also participated in offline training ses-
gence actions to intervene in stunting in Indonesia.
sions and meetings for which they are responsible for
Their presence and role in the collaborative process
covering their transportation expenses.
are explicitly acknowledged in the design framework
In some cases, the village administration covered
of ECA. In Sukabumi Regency, each village chooses a
transportation costs through village funds, but this
cadre to represent their village in the ECA. A community
scheme depends heavily on the specific policies of
member becomes a cadre by being appointed by the
each village. Cadres also established an online group
locally elected village head or selected by the villagers
to coordinate and communicate with other actors in
in addition to self-selection for volunteering to be one.
the convergence actions. This coordination necessitates
The village head then issues an official letter stating
the expenditure of funds for internet connectivity.
the cadre’s name. At the end of 2022, all 382 villages
Despite their efforts and spending, the monetary
in Sukabumi Regency have appointed a cadre. Most
benefit they received was minimal, averaging 300,000
cadres are women who are experienced as cadres for
IDR per month. This amount scarcely covered their inter-
the government’s development programs, such as the
net expenses and transportation costs. For individuals in
National Program for Community Empowerment and
economically challenging rural areas, such as those in
Integrated Service Post for Basic Healthcare. Their
Sukabumi Regency, serving as cadres demands altruistic
experience in other programs gives them an advantage
motives. Cadres viewed volunteering as a demonstration
in participating in the ECA. However, it also has a down-
of genuine care. They revealed their involvement in the
side concerning local community representation. The
stunting intervention was to ‘help the community and
same individual can become a cadre in multiple pro-
children’ [interviews with cadres]. Some individuals
grams, which may indicate a low turnout of community
expressed that volunteering is a manifestation of their
members in development programs. The villagers
religious teachings that emphasized the importance of
choose experienced individuals to continue their partici-
caring for and assisting their neighbors. Furthermore,
pation as cadres.
the benefits received by cadres were more centered
The state invited cadres into the ECA as part of a par-
on personal satisfaction rather than material incentives.
ticipatory approach to rural development programs in
Cadres’ satisfaction stemmed from their ability to assist
Indonesia. It is important to note that, over time, conver-
community members, especially children. Furthermore,
gence actions can develop into broader collaborative
they valued the knowledge acquired through training
networks that allow cadres to act beyond responsibilities
facilitated by government agencies or information
assigned by the government. For example, on December
exchanges in the collaborative process. The individual
14th, 2020, cadres in Sukabumi Regency self-organized
benefits of being a cadre contribute to the exercise of
and established the Human Development Cadre Forum
their agency.
(HDC Forum) as an informal forum that aims to unite
The public benefits received by the government and
all cadres in the regency.
community with the presence of cadres are noteworthy.
The cadre system is a strategy for doing participatory
community development. Cadres’ presence makes
4.1. Self-organizing cadres as a grassroot social
public services more accessible at the grassroots level.
innovation
Consequently, the local community benefits from
We utilize the cost–benefit perspective to understand cadres’ activities in terms of accessibility to public ser-
the nature of cadres’ works. We compare the qualitative vices and knowledge. There is a literal and figurative dis-
cost and benefit of cadres’ participation in convergence tance between the government officials and the local
actions as by so doing we can analyze the cadre system community in the rural area of Sukabumi Regency, and
in the ECA framework as volunteering. the cadres bridged this gap. For the local community,
In terms of cost, the cadres in Sukabumi Regency gaining knowledge from a cadre from the same village
invested their time, money, and skills. They dedicated is more accessible than communicating with govern-
time to acquiring knowledge on stunting measurement ment officials. Cadres bring public service and expertise
and promoting healthy living conditions. Subsequently, closer to villagers, which, in turn, strengthened the
they disseminated the information to households within state’s capacity at the grassroots level.
their respective villages. These tasks required effective Based on the cost and benefit analysis, the cadres’
communication and social skills. Additionally, they role in convergence actions is volunteering. The
were responsible for assessing children under five appointment of cadres to support community
 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES RESEARCH 7

development is a repeat of the previous program, so it with fellow cadres was less constrained because of
offers no inventiveness that constitutes a social inno- their equal status as local community members. Cadres
vation. However, as time passed, the cadres in Sukabumi exchanged knowledge about stunting interventions
Regency embraced their identity as cadres, as evidenced and left communicating with the government officials
by the self-organizing forum that the cadres have to the selected head of the forum as their representative.
entirely run. Some of them are selected for the manage- The cadre forum has gone beyond helping the cadres
rial positions. Cadres Forum, the self-organizing forum in understand their assigned responsibilities in conver-
Sukabumi Regency, is a social innovation. Within this gence actions. Cadres have expressed more critical
self-organizing forum, cadres exchange information thoughts concerning their participation in convergence
and undertake peer learning concerning stunting inter- actions, for example, as explained by one of the cadres
ventions and village development. The forum can also below: ‘As the name suggests, the human development
represent the cadres while interacting with other cadre is about human development, but our focus lately
actors involved in stunting interventions. is on handling stunting. In the future, we would like to con-
The self-organizing volunteers in Sukabumi Regency tribute to the other areas of community development as
represent a social innovation in three dimensions: intro- well’ [Interview with the forum leader].
ducing a novel method of engagement with other stake- Their concern about the scope of responsibilities
holders, addressing social needs to combat stunting, stemmed from their knowledge or experience volunteer-
and demonstrating the potential of bringing structural ing in other development initiatives. Many programs
changes, particularly in collaborative governance. with a similar cadre system led to overlapping activities
These dimensions meet the broad definition of social and those of many cadres simultaneously, albeit in many
innovation: new processes that drive novel solutions to cased activities were being assumed by the same individ-
societal problems and lead to social changes. The contri- ual. Cadres in Sukabumi Regency expressed that the over-
bution of self-organizing volunteers is further discussed laps could be eliminated by designing an all-
in the following section. encompassing community development program in
which the participation of cadres can be carried out
more efficiently. ‘We want to continue developing our
4.2. The (Potential) contributions of self-
skills and knowledge to become an effective cadre’ [Inter-
organizing volunteers
view with cadres]. Such a critical thought emerged
The self-organizing forum in Sukabumi Regency shows because the cadres had a channel of peer-to-peer inter-
cadres comply with government policy and participate actions facilitated by cadres’ online group and occasional
in self-actualization and care expression. The contri- offline meetings. It is a crucial point in their empowerment
butions of self-organizing volunteers to convergence process precisely because it reflects Freire’s (2000) concept
actions to address stunting in Sukabumi Regency can of ‘conscientization’. The forum has helped cadres to
be seen through an empowerment perspective, particu- understand their existing reality and future possibilities.
larly concerning agency expansion and opportunity
structure. 4.2.2. Self-organizing volunteers and collective
actions
4.2.1. Self-organizing volunteers and agency Besides personal learning, the cadre forum also helped
expansion cadres’ interactions with other actors of stunting conver-
Self-organizing cadres find that the founding of the cadre gence. Cadres often voiced their opinions to the forum
forum clarified their responsibilities as a cadre. Even leader so the leaders would represent them to commu-
though cadres underwent various training sessions nicate with government officials and other actors.
held by the Regency Health Agency, there are confusion Through mechanisms with different actors, they voiced
in managing their tasks at the grassroots level, resulting several issues, particularly with the government as the
from the lack of a technical understanding of the cadres’ actor with the most significant power in the conver-
roles in convergence actions. There is a gap between the gence actions. Particularly on a financial matter, cadres
policymakers’ intent at the national level and the practice have expressed their difficulty performing the work
in rural areas. Volunteers expressed that the cadres’ tasks because many came from low-income households in
and roles in the ECA are ‘often confusing and difficult to rural areas. The forum started lobbying the governments
follow’ [Interview with cadres]. Clarifying the issue so that they would encourage village administration to
directly with government officials was challenging for allocate village funds to support cadres’ activities. The
some cadres because of cultural reticence and unequal cadres do not demand high pay such as that of formal
power relations. On the other hand, communication work. Instead, they wished the village could cover the
8 M. N. AFANDI ET AL.

operational costs. They also voiced their opinion about volunteering encourages the collective actions of
program planning and the alternatives to increase cadres in the Sukabumi Regency, indicating the poten-
public awareness about wellbeing. This process shows tial to empower cadres and challenge unequal power
that, to some extent, the forum allows cadres to act indi- relations through convergence actions. However,
vidually and collectively. Cadres, who are in a weaker doing social activism at a grassroots level, particularly
position in convergence actions because of the lack of in a rural area, is challenging. In Sukabumi Regency,
power, become more potent when they collaborate. It there are three main challenges to transforming self-
opens a possibility for further negotiations about the organizing volunteering in stunting interventions into
roles of cadres and how the convergence actions work. more impactful social actions. The challenges are dis-
Currently, the convergence actions show unequal cussed in the following sections.
power relations among actors. The local governments
drive most of the convergence actions and report the 4.3.1. Strong policy influence on collaborative
progress of stunting interventions to the central govern- governance
ment. They possess the most enormous power in the The government is the most powerful actor in the ECA.
collaborative process because they have all three Its policies influence how the ECA is implemented,
primary sources of power: authority, discursive legiti- how actors perceive it, and their roles. The knowledge
macy, and resources (Purdy 2012). Other actors have about collaboration to intervene in stunting is gained
fewer sources of power, which affects their position in mainly through government policies. Cadres have
convergence actions. For instance, enterprises have shown an understanding of their expected roles in the
resources but lack authority and discursive legitimacy. future, but to date, an alternative view has yet to
Their central role in the ECA is to give products to emerge from below. ‘Through strong collaboration, we
support nutritional programs for children. Universities are confident we can benefit the people’ [Interview with
have discursive legitimacy but lack authority and own the forum leader]. Consequently, the ECA is run based
fewer resources for stunting interventions. Cadres are on government policy, and the focus of cadres is on
weaker than other actors, specifically given their low- making marginal changes to the existing governance
income status. Consequently, the ECA in Sukabumi instead of changing the collaborative structures.
Regency is primarily about meeting the target given
by the central government. The interactions signify 4.3.2. Lack of resources
more vital coordination among government agencies The next barrier is a lack of resources. There needs to be
than equal collaborative governance. more incentive for cadres to perform their activities and
Cadres’ low power challenges them to play a more to run their forum. Cadres do not pay a membership fee
active role in the convergence actions. They need for the forum. While ensuring a high turnout of members
empowerment to gain more control over how they par- is good, it leaves the forum without financial means. The
ticipate in the collaborative process. The forum has forum is an informal group of people from all villages in
helped cadres expand their agency and has the potential Sukabumi Regency. Thus, it is still excluded from the
to change the social relationships among actors in con- village fund intended for village-based organizations.
vergence actions. Self-organizing volunteering can turn Moreover, resources from non-governmental organiz-
into social activism that leads to social relations in the ations, such as business enterprises and universities,
convergence actions. However, the transformation of are often non-monetary. This barrier puts a danger to
the cadre forum into more impactful social activism the sustainability of the forum.
meets barriers that may hinder the expected relational
changes, as discussed further in the following section. 4.3.3. Resistance
Cadres in convergence actions are ‘partners’ or ‘collabor-
ators’, the terms that give a sense of equality but are also
4.3. Barriers to transforming social relations in
apolitical in practice. Consequently, when cadres acted
collaborative governance
more politically to voice their interests, they met resist-
While volunteering is often perceived as a charitable ance. For instance, the forum demanded the govern-
action devoid of power, social activism may challenge ment’s assistance using village funds to support the
existing power relations to create changes. However, cadres. In response, government officials reminded
there is an intersection between the two concepts (Hen- cadres that their forum was not a part of the government;
riksen and Svedberg 2010). The broad definition of therefore, they had to look for financial support else-
volunteering includes the term ‘social change’ that where. Stronger resistance, however, do not manifest in
inherently signifies power relations. Self-organizing Sukabumi Regency. Government bodies still allowed
 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES RESEARCH 9

the forum to run and became a part of the ECA processes. Disclosure statement
It shows that the democratic political climate and the
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
growing roles of civil society in Indonesia prevented
stronger backlash for self-organizing groups.
Self-organizing volunteers in Sukabumi Regency faced References
these barriers to bring about changes in the structure and
Afandi, M. N., E. Tri Anomsari, A. Novira, and S. Sudartini. 2023.
processes of the collaboration. The forum has made sig- “Collaborative Governance in a Mandated Setting: Shifting
nificant contributions to the cadres’ agency expansion, Collaboration in Stunting Interventions at Local Level.”
but in changing the collaborative process, it is still at Development Studies Research 10 (1): 2212868. https://doi.
the infancy level. Nevertheless, the forum can still run in org/10.1080/21665095.2023.2212868.
the regency, and the political figures acknowledge them Aked, J. 2015. “What’s Different About How Volunteers Work?
Relationship Building for Wellbeing and Change.” IDS
as essential to the stunting intervention strategy. The situ- Bulletin 46), https://doi.org/10.1111/1759-5436.12173.
ation demonstrates a promising future as a channel for Alsop, R., M. Bertelsen, and J. Holland. 2006. Empowerment in
the local community to play a more significant role in Practice From Analysis to Implementation.
the collaborative governance of stunting intervention. Andersen, J., and A. Bilfeldt. 2017. “Transforming Welfare
Institutions Through Social Innovation and Action
Research in Denmark.” International Journal of Action
5. Conclusion Research 13 (3): 201–220. https://doi.org/10.3224/ijar.v13i3.
02.
Social innovation becomes a critical part of development Angelidou, M., and A. Psaltoglou. 2017. “An Empirical
policy as both a means and an end. In this study, we pre- Investigation of Social Innovation Initiatives for Sustainable
Urban Development.” Sustainable Cities and Society 33:
sented a qualitative study concerning the work of self-
113–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2017.05.016.
organizing cadres as social innovations and their contri- Ansell, C., and A. Gash. 2008. “Collaborative Governance in
bution to stunting interventions. The cadre system, Theory and Practice.” Journal of Public Administration
which was initially state-driven volunteering, has been Research and Theory 18 (4): 543–571. https://doi.org/10.
institutionalized by the cadres as they organize. The 1093/jopart/mum032.
cadre forum contributes to agency expansion by provid- Audretsch, D. B., G. M. Eichler, and E. J. Schwarz. 2022.
“Emerging Needs of Social Innovators and Social
ing a channel for peer-to-peer learning and understanding Innovation Ecosystems.” International Entrepreneurship and
the cadre’s roles and future possibilities. It also becomes Management Journal, 1–38.
their tool for collective action while interacting with Avelino, F., J. M. Wittmayer, B. Pel, P. Weaver, A. Dumitru, A.
other actors in convergence actions. The forum leader rep- Haxeltine, R. Kemp, et al. 2019. “Transformative Social
resents other cadres in negotiations and communication, Innovation and (dis)Empowerment.” Technological
Forecasting and Social Change 145: 195–206. https://doi.
opening a space for creating changes to the collaborative
org/10.1016/j.techfore.2017.05.002.
structures of convergence stunting interventions. Banerjee, S., L. Lucas dos Santos, and L. Hulgård. 2021.
There are several challenges in creating change in “Intersectional knowledge as rural social innovation.”
stunting convergence interventions, namely the strong Journal of Rural Studies, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.
influence of government policies in the structure and 2021.04.007.
mechanism of convergence action, lack of resources, BPS. n.d. Persentase Balita Pendek Dan Sangat Pendek (Persen).
https://Www.Bps.Go.Id/Indikator/Indikator/View_data/
and resistance. These challenges may prevent self-orga- 0000/Data/1325/Sdgs_2/1.
nizing volunteers from providing an opportunity struc- Bragaglia, F. 2021. “Social Innovation as a ‘Magic Concept’ for
ture for further development in convergence action. Policy-Makers and its Implications for Urban Governance.”
However, the forum is essential in empowering cadres Planning Theory 20 (2): 102–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/
through voluntary community involvement in conver- 1473095220934832.
Caridà, A., M. Colurcio, and M. Melia. 2022. “Digital Platform for
gence action to create change in stunting convergence
Social Innovation: Insights from Volunteering.” Creativity and
interventions in the region. In turn, their empowerment Innovation Management, https://doi.org/10.1111/caim.
can create equal collaborative governance that can 12499.
bring development programs closer to the targeted Caulier-Grice, J., L. Kahn, and G. Mulgan. 2010. Study on Social
households at the grassroots level in the rural area. Innovation.
Cnaan, R. A., F. Handy, and M. Wadsworth. 1996. “Defining Who
is a Volunteer: Conceptual and Empirical Considerations.”
Acknowledgements Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 25 (3): 364–383.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0899764096253006.
We would like to thank the research team who strongly sup- Dai, H., Y. Lau, and K. H. Lee. 2019. “Social Innovation, Value
ported this research. This research was funded by the Polite- Penetration, and the Power of the Nonprofit Sector:
knik STIA LAN Bandung, Indonesia. Workers’ Co-Operative Societies in Hong Kong.” Nonprofit
10 M. N. AFANDI ET AL.

and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 48 (6): 1210–1228. https://doi. Transport Planning.” European Planning Studies, 29 (10):
org/10.1177/0899764019863107. 1870–1885.
de Fátima Ferreiro, M., C. Sousa, F. A. Sheikh, and M. Novikova. Ministry of Health of Indonesia. 2021. Hasil Studi Status Gizi
2021. “Social Innovation and Rural Territories: Exploring Indonesia (SSGI) Tingkat Nasional, Provinsi, dan Kabupaten/
Invisible Contexts and Actors in Portugal and India.” Kota Tahun 2021.
Journal of Rural Studies, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud. Ministry of Villages Disadvantaged Regions and
2021.04.013. Transmigration. 2018. Buku Saku Kader Pembangunan
de Wit, A., W. Mensink, T. Einarsson, and R. Bekkers. 2019. Manusia (KPM) Memastikan Konvergensi Penanganan
“Beyond Service Production: Volunteering for Social Stunting Desa.
Innovation.” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 48 Miquel, M. P., M. G. Cabeza, and S. E. Anglada. 2013. “Theorizing
(2_suppl): 52S–71S. https://doi.org/10.1177/08997640177 Multi-Level Governance in Social Innovation Dynamics.” In
34651. The International Handbook of Social Innovation: Collective
Desai, V., and R. Potter. 2006. “The Raison D’être of Doing Action, Social Learning and Transdisciplinary Research,
Development Research.” In Doing Development Research, edited by F. Moulaert, D. McCallum, A. Mehmood, and A.
edited by V. Desai, and R. Potter. London: Sage Publications. Hamdouch, 155–168. UK: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
Duarte Alonso, A., and J. Nyanjom. 2016. “Volunteering, Paying Moulaert, F., D. MacCallum, A. Mehmood, and A. Hamdouch.
it Forward, and Rural Community: A Study of Bridgetown, 2013. “General Introduction: The Return of Social
Western Australia.” Community Development 47 (4): 481– Innovation as a Scientific Concept and a Social Practice.” In
495. https://doi.org/10.1080/15575330.2016.1185449. The International Handbook on Social Innovation, edited by
Emerson, K., T. Nabatchi, and S. Balogh. 2011. “An Integrative A. Moulaert, D. MacCallum, A. Mehmood, and A.
Framework for Collaborative Governance.” Journal of Hamdouch, 1–6. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing
Public Administration Research and Theory 22 (1): 1–29. Limited.
https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mur011. Moulaert, F., F. Martinelli, E. Swyngedouw, and S. González.
Freire, P. 2000. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. London: Routledge. 2005. “Towards Alternative Model(s) of Local Innovation.”
Galego, D., F. Moulaert, M. Brans, and G. Santinha. 2021. “Social Urban Studies 42 (11): 1969–1990. https://doi.org/10.1080/
innovation & governance: a scoping review.” Innovation, 00420980500279893.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13511610.2021.1879630. Murray, R., J. Caulier-Grice, and G. Mulgan. 2010. The Open Book
Handy, F., R. A. Cnaan, J. L. Brudney, U. Ascoli, L. C. M. P. Meijs, of Social Innovation. www.socialinnovator.info.
and S. Ranade. 2000. Public Perception of “Who is a Nicholls, A., J. Simon, and M. Gabriel. 2015. “Introduction:
Volunteer”: An Examination of the Net-Cost Approach from a Dimensions of Social Innovation.” In New Frontiers in Social
Cross-Cultural Perspective (Vol. 11, Issue 1). https://about. Innovation Research, edited by A. Nicholls, J. Simon, and M.
jstor.org/terms. Gabriel, 1–28. London: Palgrave MacMillan.
Henriksen, L. S., and L. Svedberg. 2010. “Volunteering and Pel, B., J. Wittmayer, J. Dorland, and M. Søgaard Jørgensen.
Social Activism: Moving Beyond the Traditional Divide.” 2020. “Unpacking the Social Innovation Ecosystem: An
Journal of Civil Society 6 (2): 95–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/ Empirically Grounded Typology of Empowering Network
17448689.2010.506365. Constellations.” Innovation: The European Journal of Social
Kluvánková, T., S. Brnkaľáková, M. Špaček, B. Slee, M. Nijnik, D. Science Research 33 (3): 311–336. https://doi.org/10.1080/
Valero, D. Miller, et al. 2018. “Understanding Social 13511610.2019.1705147.
Innovation for the Well-Being of Forest-Dependent Pollitt, C., and P. Hupe. 2011. “Talking About Government.”
Communities: A Preliminary Theoretical Framework.” Forest Public Management Review 13 (5): 641–658. https://doi.org/
Policy and Economics 97: 163–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/ 10.1080/14719037.2010.532963.
j.forpol.2018.09.016. Purdy, J. M. 2012. “A Framework for Assessing Power in
Kumar, V. 2020. “Social Innovation for Agricultural Collaborative Governance Processes.” Public Administration
Development: A Study of System of Rice Intensification in Review 72 (3): 409–417. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-
Bihar, India.” Millennial Asia 11 (1): 99–118. https://doi.org/ 6210.2011.02525.x.
10.1177/0976399619900615. Rashid, Y., A. Rashid, M. A. Warraich, S. S. Sabir, and A. Waseem.
Lombardi, M., A. Lopolito, A. M. Andriano, M. Prosperi, A. Stasi, 2019. “Case Study Method: A Step-by-Step Guide for
and E. Iannuzzi. 2020. “Network Impact of Social Innovation Business Researchers.” International Journal of Qualitative
Initiatives In Marginalised Rural Communities.” Social Methods 18), https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406919862424.
Networks 63: 11–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socnet.2020. Rostow, W. W. 1959. “The Stages of Economic Growth.” The
04.001. Economic History Review 12 (1): 1–16. https://doi.org/10.
Ludvig, A., S. Sarkki, G. Weiss, and I. Živojinović. 2021. “Policy 1111/j.1468-0289.1959.tb01829.x.
Impacts on Social Innovation in Forestry and Back: Schech, S., A. Mundkur, T. Skelton, and U. Kothari. 2015. “New
Institutional Change as a Driver and Outcome.” Forest Spaces of Development Partnership: Rethinking
Policy and Economics 122), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol. International Volunteering.” Progress in Development
2020.102335. Studies 15 (4): 358–370. https://doi.org/10.1177/146499
Mason, S., and E. Fredericksen. 2011. “Fostering Neighborhood 3415592750.
Viscosity: Does Design Matter?” Community Development Steiner, A., F. Calò, and M. Shucksmith. 2021. “Rurality and
Journal 46 (1): 7–26. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsp037. Social Innovation Processes and Outcomes: A Realist
Mehmood, A., and M. Imran. 2021. “Digital Social Innovation Evaluation of Rural Social Enterprise Activities.” Journal of
and Civic Participation: Toward Responsible and Inclusive Rural Studies, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2021.04.006.
 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES RESEARCH 11

Terstriep, J., D. Rehfeld, and M. Kleverbeck. 2020. “Favourable Initiatives.” Technological Forecasting and Social Change
Social Innovation Ecosystem(s)? – An Explorative 195: 122786. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2023.
Approach.” European Planning Studies, 28 (5): 881–905. 122786.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2019.1708868 Westley, F., N. Antadze, D. J. Riddell, K. Robinson, and S.
van Wijk, J., C. Zietsma, S. Dorado, F. G. A. de Bakker, and I. Geobey. 2014. “Five Configurations for Scaling Up Social
Martí. 2019. “Social Innovation: Integrating Micro, Meso, Innovation: Case Examples of Nonprofit Organizations
and Macro Level Insights from Institutional Theory.” From Canada.” The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 50
Business & Society 58 (5): 887–918. https://doi.org/10.1177/ (3): 234–260. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886314532945.
0007650318789104. WHO. 2015. Stunting in a nutshell. https://www.who.int/news/
Wegner, D., R. Hölsgens, and C. C. Bitencourt. 2023. item/19-11-2015-stunting-in-a-nutshell.
“Orchestrating Collaborative Networks for Social Wilson, J. 2000. “Volunteering.” Annual Review of Sociology 26:
Innovation: Orchestrators’ Roles in Socially Innovative 215–240. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.26.1.215.