The Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) is a method of analysing and changing the lives of people experiencing poverty and disadvantage. It is a participatory approach based on the recognition that all people have abilities and assets that can be developed to help them improve their lives.

Oxfam has already supported community development organisations to apply the SLA as a project delivery tool across the UK. The SLA has also been used to help policymakers and service providers help people experiencing poverty in a more holistic, whole-life way.

The SLA Toolkit For Wales provides the practical tools needed to help people address their issues in an effective, sustainable manner. The four sections of this Toolkit explain what the Approach is, and how it can be used, and should be read to gain an understanding of the principles of the SLA. The appendices then contain all the specific tools for undertaking SLA work, as well as a range of monitoring templates that can be used to track an individual or family progress using the Approach.

The Toolkit has recently been used by 14 Oxfam Cymru partner projects, including all of its Big Lottery-funded Building Livelihoods, Strengthening Communities and Sanctuary in Wales projects.