Partnerships and Networking

[telecentre-europe]

This report was earlier published as a result of the Open Space discussions held at the first Telecentre-europe Leaders Forum (Riga, April 8-9 2008).

Initiator: Ian Clifford & Krassimir Simonski
Participants: Boyko Lecker, Anolize Suvourinsklu, Yana Kurchenko, Ekaterina Fedotova, Edvaldas Balthuras, Mauricio Davilia + other butterflies and bumblebees

Key Points of the Discussion:
General Questions raised:
• Do you need a common identity?
• Is it only about Information exchange?
• Can it be about mentoring / coaching?
• What are the different levels of partnership or networking (P/N)?
• How much commitment is needed?
• Should it be sustainable?

This discussion was then refined into questions that should be asked prior to the formation of a partnership or network
• What is the common mission of the P/N?
• What do we want to achieve from the P/N?
• What do we bring to the P/N?
• How do we define the words partnership and networking?
• How do we agree the framework for a P/N?
• What environment is needed to generate partnerships from networking?

The discussion then attempted to answer some of these questions, beginning with
• How do we define the words partnership and networking?

NETWORKING
Informal commitment
Inclusive scope
Vision driven
Flexible resources
Open timescale
Flexible communication
Common ground
Delivers:
• Incubators
• Info sharing
• Capacity building
Like Dating!

PARTNERSHIP
Formal commitment
Exclusive scope
Goal driven
Committed resources
Fixed timescale
Committed to communicate
Common ground not essential
Delivers:
• Projects
• Outputs
• Capacity Building
Like Marriage!

This was then followed by a discussion around:

Features of Parterships
Actors
• NGO-NGO
• NGO-Private
• NGO-Govt
• NGO-Local
Delivering outcomes that are
• Strategic
• Service Delivery
• Project based

Features of Networking
Actors
• Experts
• Mentors
• Members
• Lurkers
Delivering outcomes that are about
• Knowledge sharing
• Advocacy

The group then focused on telecentre-europe as a potential partnership/ networking opportunity and looked at the actions that have already happened with a view to identifying what needs to happen now to …

Provide the right environment to enable the network to grow partnerships.

The actions that have already happened are
1. Mapping
2. Networking
3. Strategy paper

Three most important things that were discovered:
Not discussed

Where to from here?
The additional actions that were then proposed were:
1. Thematic info experience sharing/exchange
2. Partnership co-ordinator role/ broker/ nurse
3. Representation/ Advocacy role
4. Legal framework (not agreed)
5. Publication of clear definition of benefits of joining network /partnership
6. Strategic Partnership Facitilation
• with Govt/ EU
• with industry
7. Helpdesk facility (for centre level membership)
8. eLearning/ ICT Curriculum development/ sharing