What is partnership brokering?
The skilled management of collaboration processes – to help bridge boundaries, overcome divides and strengthen partnerships – so that they can achieve their ambitions. This short video explains the practice of Partnership Brokering.
What are the benefits to partnerships?
- Efficient, effective and accountable working relationships amongst partners
- Principled and fair approaches to work
- Shaped to achieve impact and influence
- Genuine added value for all
How does is it work?
Partnership brokers focus on building and strengthening a partnership at any point to ensure it delivers impactful programmes of work, significant value to all those involved and wider benefits to society. They do this by brokering:
- Ideas, innovation and imaginative responses to intractable issues
- Complex relationships that cross sectoral, cultural and / or geographic boundaries
- Opportunities for building partnering capacity – in individuals, organisations and partnerships
- Evolution of new collaborative mechanisms and organisational models / systems
- New approaches to reviewing partnering effectiveness and added value
Partnership brokers can be ‘internal’ to the partnership (operating from within one of the partner organisations) or ‘external’ (called in to provide specialist support when needed). We have found that the combination of internal and external brokers working together can provide a power impetus for change and progress.
This leaflet gives a fuller explanation about partnership brokering.
Promoting good practice so that partnerships have optimal and transformative impact
By working with bi-lateral agencies such as Australia’s DFAT, Sweden’s SIDA and the UK’s DFID to integrate partnering more systematically into their operations.
Accompanying and supporting staff in complex partnerships to build their confidence and competencies as partners
By working with UN agencies such as UNHCR, UNDP, UNV, WFP as well as ICIMOD to build new capabilities for partnering in line with global aspirations (notably the Sustainable Development Goals)
Promoting a strong ethical framework at the heart of partnering good practice
By helping corporations such as Microsoft, Nike, Rio Tinto, Shell, Newmont Mining and DSM to review and re-frame their partnering approaches to be more equitable and values-based.
Staying ahead of the evidence in seeing what is needed from individuals, organisations, systems and policy frameworks in an endlessly changing and challenging context
By working with NGOs like Oxfam International, the Red Cross movement, CARE International and World Vision to review and revise their partnering strategies and practices and to strengthen local partnering competencies.
