Related resources for working with community and voluntary sector organisations

The Association of Non-Government Organisations of Aotearoa (ANGOA) completed a review of the Statement of Government Intentions for an Improved Community-Government Relationship in 2008, and presented a report on its finding to the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, the Hon. Tariana Turia in 2009. The report includes 15 recommendations for the Minister to consider, including formalising the way the Statement is implemented by individual government agencies, developing an evaluation process to measure progress, and reviewing the resources, effectiveness and location of the OCVS. An associated literature review was also published. New Zealand, 2009.

In Waitakere City, collaborative activity in social sectors is based on a tradition of community activism, interagency collaboration and city council facilitation. Through these processes, a number of lessons have been learned, and a language and new processes of collaboration have been developed. This article outlines the lessons learned.

This paper proposes a programme of actions to strengthen government engagement with citizens and communities. The programme of action is in response to a report by the Association of Non-Governmental Organisations of Aotearoa (ANGOA) and a report by the Building Better Government Engagement reference group. The paper notes that a relationship agreement could include a joint vision for working together, respective roles and responsibilities, and commitments from both sides.  New Zealand, 2009.

This policy outlines how Nelson-Marlborough District Health Board keeps the community informed, promotes interest in its activities and facilitates participation in planning and funding decisions.

This report identifies the types of partnerships the Department of Conservation has with community groups. This includes the key features of effective partnerships with community groups and the key factors that must be considered when partnerships between DOC and community groups are developed. The research is based on seven case studies.

These case studies and examples on the Good Practice Funding website illustrate different approaches to formalising relationships between government and community organisations - boith here and overseas.  Many are realted to relationships where funding is involved. Examples include:- NZAID relationship framework- Ministry of Health relationship framework- Ministry for Culture and Heritage memorandum of understanding- Department of Corrections and Prison Fellowship NZ MoU- The English Compact: An overseas example- Australia exploring a national Compact as an option to strengthen relationships

In mid-2009, the Building Better Government Engagement (BBGE) reference group produced its report From Talk to Action: Engagement with Citizens and Communities for the OCVS and the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector. The report is the follow-up to the BBGE group’s discussion document It’s More than Talk, which explored options for building engagement skills, knowledge and values in the public service.  From Talk to Action lays out challenges for the community and government to achieve effective engagement and trusting, respectful relationships. The report states that active engaged citizens are core to addressing societal issues, and the benefits of effective engagement will include strengthened public trust in government, greater government transparency, enhanced civic capacity to contribute to decision-making, and polices based on better information and wider consensus

This paper from the Community Economic Development Action Research Project covers processes for engaging with communities, key challenges in building a meaningful relationship with communities/community groups and emergent principles of engagement that can be considered in future work.

This document covers models of community-government partnership; factors affecting government-community partnerships; and examples (mostly from overseas) of partnerships.

This final paper from the Study of the NZ Non-Profit Sector examines the relationship between the non-profit sector and government, and the public policy environment in which the sector operates in Aotearoa. In particular, it explores the impact of government policy on the sector and how current issues facing the sector are linked to interactions with government. Non-profit organisations are affected by laws and regulations that determine their legal forms, tax treatment, and the ways in which they can act. Government agencies’ operational policies, particularly in relation to the manner and extent of funding for non-profits, also have a major impact. This report represents one of the first attempts to analyse recent developments across the whole sector. It notes that the state’s relationship with the non-profit sector is constantly changing, nuanced and complex. Historically, some government agencies have had more comfortable relationships with the sector than others. The report observes that “the state is a conflicting ensemble of institutions rather than a monolith” – resulting in a multitude of relationships between different organisations.  August 2009.  

The Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector can assist you in working with community and voluntary groups. This Office was established in September 2003 to facilitate co-operation and superb relationships between the Government and the community and voluntary sector. It also active in building knowledge and compiling data about the community sector and volunteering.

This 2001 document outlined the government’s commitment to building strong and respectful relationships with the community and voluntary sector.  It includes a vision, principles and commitments for implementation. Work is underway in 2010 to develop a joint Relationship Agreement to replace this Statement. New Zealand, 2001

This site contains information on the Strengthening Communities through Local Partnerships Project, funded by the Foundation for Research Science and Technology and undertaken by the University of Auckland, Waitakere City Council and Christchurch City Council/Sustainable Cities Trust. The site also contains papers from an April 2002 Symposium on partnerships hosted by the University of Auckland.

The Research Centre was established to "contribute to the strengthening of the capacity of the tangata whenua, community and voluntary sector through research". The first major project of the Centre has been the development of a web-based research Clearing House for the sector. The clearing house offers free access to research, promotes a code of practice for researchers, connects people to research, allows groups to find researchers, and has the potential for email lists, virtual conferences, and a 'how-to' section, etc. Some special features of the site include Māori metadata standards, which make it possible to use Māori terms to help search for bilingual or te reo resources online; creative commons, which gives the authors copyright but allows the protected use of resources by others; and a 'Wiki' approach, which allows collaborative work. Anyone can register in the Clearing House, and then "frolic in the clearing" - to Flag, Rate, Link or Comment on any resource that the Clearing House holds. This process helps verify the validity and quality of resources.

This study explores participants' views of the value added by community involvement in governance through Local Strategic Partnerships. The benefits, costs and difficulties identified hold lessons for community engagement in other governance structures, particularly those also including professionals and multi-agency groups. Kath Maguire and Frances Truscott, England, 2006.

The UK agency aiming to create a more effective third sector by improving the support services available to third sector organisations. United Kingdom.

This book is adapted from an earlier work entitled 'Community Politics'.  It is intended as a background guide for civic organisations who want to look at ways of creating a more “engaged” citizenry.  It presents a broad framework with descriptions of practices rather than techniques. Mathews, D. Ohio, United States of America. Kettering Foundation Press, 2002.

Futurebuilders is a programme set up to assist front-line third sector organisations to build their capacity to increase the scale and scope of their public service delivery. The Government-backed fund provides loans, repaid through contracts with public bodies, to build organisational capacity and capability to increase the scale and scope of an organisation’s public service delivery. United Kingdom.

This Australian paper cites anecdotal evidence suggesting that umbrella groups are multiplying on the one hand, and rapidly merging with similar bodies on the other, as a way of dealing with the increased competition that accompanies a contracting and tendering culture. It states that a change in the policy role of peak body/umbrella groups has serious implications for the political participation of marginalised groups traditionally denied basic citizenship rights. The International Journal of Not-for-Profit Law, Vol 1, Issue 4, June 1999.

This website was established in 1999 by the Informal Working Group on Participatory Approaches and Methods to Support Sustainable Livelihoods and Food Security (IWG-PA). It brings together under one virtual roof, a broad cross-section of stakeholders interested in participatory approaches and methods in support of sustainable rural livelihoods and food security. Informal Working Group on Participatory Approaches and Methods to Support Sustainable Livelihoods and Food Security (IWG-PA)