Collaborative working and mergers session25 October 2007

• Paula Reynolds, NICVA• Alan Gordon, RNIB• Jenny Ebbage & Aisling Byrne, Cleaver Fulton

Rankin

Collaborative working - definition

Collaborative working within the voluntary and community sector can also be known as joint or partnership working. It includes a wide spectrum of ways that two or more organisations can work together. Examples range from informal working together through joint delivery of projects to full blown mergers. Collaborative working can be for a fixed length of time or can be a permanent arrangement.

Spectrum

Formal Mergers

PartnershipService Level AgreementResource SharingNetworkInterest group on specificsWorking together

Informal

Context

• Government policy and increased government interest in our sector’s role in service delivery

• Taskforce on Resourcing the Voluntary and Community Sector

• Positive Steps

External drivers to collaboration

• Policy• Funding: overall pot and specific programmes• Funders: eg DSD Modernisation Fund, BLF• Success of other collaborative ventures• Public perception

Internal drivers to collaboration

• Funding opportunities• Service opportunities• Increased capacity• Stronger voice and influence• Existing relationships• Moral imperative

What’s happening

• Viewfinder: 82% are currently working on projects with other organisations– 24% state they work both formally and informally– 35% work in partnership on an informal basis– 41% work purely on a formal basis

Over 55% of those in partnership arrangements have a written agreement

25% of those not involved in partnership had thought about merger and 11% had began that process

Examples of collaborative working

• Back Office: PAYE• Specific Interest: Developing Governance Group• Shared resources: Youth Providers Forum,

Service delivery for those with learning disability

Benefits

• Improved or wider range of services for the beneficiaries

• Financial savings and better use of resources• Knowledge and information sharing• Sharing risks in new projects• Stronger united voice (Manifesto)• Better co-ordination of organisation’s activities

Risks

• Outcomes do not justify time and resources invested

• Loss of flexibility in working practices • Loss of autonomy • Cultural mismatch between organisations• Mission drift• Damage to organisations if collaborative working

is not successful

Successful collaborative working• Ensure your organisation is doing it for the right reasons• Give time to planning collaboration and to identifying and

addressing issues• Be very clear on roles and responsibilities• Consider the need for a written agreement• Consider the need for legal and professional advice• Give time to the maintenance of the collaboration in particular

relationship building, communication and information management • Keep all stakeholders informed• Ensure the ‘ordinary’ work of the participating organisations is not

neglected

And…

It is not always right for every organisation in every case!