Discover & Define

Activate

Deliver & Adapt

PARTNERING PROCESSES

Activate

The Activate phase in the partnering process serves to convert diagnosis and dialogue into action, by helping partners to agree on a common agenda for joint action, and to define their respective roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities in delivering change.

In this phase, we look at:

  • Stepping into Action: We focus on gathering mandates and support, building relationships between the ‘Top-Down’ Authorising Environment and the ‘Bottom-Up’ Mobilising Environment, and utilising ‘whole of government’ and ‘whole of society’ approaches.
  • Citizen Agency and Voice: We emphasise the importance of creating an enabling environment for citizen action and voice, so that non-state actors can become equal partners with government.
  • Common Agenda for Joint Action: We look for practical leverage points in the system that needs to be changed and describe how partnerships can focus on issues that matter to partners.

Through this phase, we navigate what we call the ‘authorising environment’ to obtain mandates and support. This is not necessarily limited to public sector mandates. We also look at work that needs to be done in the public sector to make it ‘partnering ready’ to work with non-state actors, and how to create an enabling environment for citizen voice and agency.

Stepping into Action


This section explores convening processes, distinguishing between partnering and partnerships, gathering mandates, building relationships between top-down authorisation and bottom-up mobilisation, employing Whole of Government and Whole of Society Approaches, and utilising intermediaries in sustaining partnerships.

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Citizen Agency and Voice


This section emphasises empowering partners, particularly from marginalised sectors, within the partnering process. It explores strategies to facilitate non-state actors in connecting, communicating, and collaborating to enhance the bottom-up mobilising environment's impact.

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Common Agenda for Joint Action


This section delves into the essence of partnering, aiming to forge a collective agenda for joint action. It navigates the complexities of diverse partner needs and interests, pinpointing overlaps crucial for fostering a unified agenda and collective action.

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Outcomes Summary

STEPPING INTO ACTION

Effective Stakeholder Engagement:

Ability to effectively convene and engage diverse stakeholders, utilising strategies and best practices to foster inclusive dialogue, address differences affirmatively, and build collaborative relationships.

STEPPING INTO ACTION

Navigating Top-Down and Bottom-Up Environments:

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between top-down and bottom-up environments, learning how to connect and leverage these dynamics through frameworks like the EDP Model, and approaches such as WOGA and WOSA, to achieve sustainable and impactful change.

CITIZEN AGENCY AND VOICE

Empowered Engagement:

Learn to engage diverse constituencies beyond traditional boundaries, empowering them to understand and challenge state power effectively.

CITIZEN AGENCY AND VOICE

Strategic Navigation:

Gain skills to navigate complex governance environments, disrupting barriers to citizen voice and agency, and driving systemic change.

COMMON AGENDA FOR JOINT ACTION

Collaborative Agenda Setting and Trust Building:

Collaboratively develop a common agenda, fostering trust through joint action, enabling the tackling of larger challenges in the future.

COMMON AGENDA FOR JOINT ACTION

Strategic Focus and Effective Partnership Management:

Identify leverage points and implement focused strategies, managing partnerships efficiently by organizing action, pooling resources, and establishing governance frameworks for sustained impact.