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Phase 2 - Exchanging Ideas and Ideals
Once a community link has been initiated, the exciting process of developing the relationship between the communities can really get going. First steps in forging a link are a steep learning curve; as well as listening and learning from each other, the communities will learn a great deal about themselves. At first, links will often be led through one organisation (such as a church, hospital or school) taking a lead role, gradually bringing others in the community on board as the link’s activities develop.
Step 3. Set up coordination groups in both communities
- Reasoning: the coordination groups will bring together the different stakeholders and interest groups in both communities to agree on how they will organise the link’s activities, communications, projects and ways of working together. Often this may be relatively ad hoc and informal in early stages, with one community sector leading and others coming on board in time.
- Evidence: Notes of meetings, group constitutions or agreed aims, or copies of correspondence between the broad participants involved in coordinating link activities in both communities.
Step 4. Exchange communications, ideas, people and/or resources
- Reasoning: Initial communications between the two communities will often be with specific individuals by phone, letter, or email, discussing potential opportunities for partnership projects, and building up towards exchanges of people and/or resources (skills, funds, contacts, etc). These exchanges form the foundations of the community link’s work, development of knowledge and understanding, and growth of intercultural awareness; these should include exchanges between partners.
- Evidence: Copies of plans and correspondence relating to exchanges, and trip reports or stories from physical exchanges or sectoral projects (e.g. between schools, local groups etc).
Step 5. Explore and start up joint projects and awareness-raising
- Reasoning: Out of initial exchanges, the link groups at both ends will develop ideas about how their communities can support each other with specific projects, collectively as a link (e.g. facilitating development of an anti-poverty alliance to influence decision makers) or as individual ‘community sectors’ (e.g. schools working together on a joint education project).
- Evidence: Copies of project plans, agreements or reports on specific areas of joint linking work between the partners.
Step 6. Develop a Partnership Agreement between the two communities
- Reasoning: To achieve equality of partnership and sustainability the two communities must have a clear and agreed understanding of what the link exists to ‘do’; the aims and objectives of the link, who is responsible for what; and how the partners will communicate. They must agree areas of focus and project work and how they will ensure the relationship is mutually beneficial. Usually this involves consultation, listening and learning from stakeholders within both communities.
- Evidence: A documented partnership agreement between the two communities, signed by lead representatives of both linking organisations, and appropriate representatives of their communities. This should be accompanied by a brief account of the consultation through which the partnership agreement was reached.
