This section describes steps that have been identified as Good Practice for community groups embarking on cross-border partnerships; some groups may find that they have already taken some of the steps, others will have to start at the beginning.
The Steps are:
Step 1 Self-audit – taking a look at your own group and making sure you have the know-how required.
Step 2 Preparing your own group (and community) for cross-border work.
Step 3 Step 3 with groups with similar interests, including groups from the other side of the border.
Step 4 Setting up a cross-border partnership.
Step 5 Establishing cross-border partnership structures.
Step 1 Self-Audit of your group
1.1 Background work - Capacity-building
Consider your group - do you need some further skills, abilities, experience? For example, have you skills/experience in the following areas:
- Committee set-up and practice
- IT
- Administration
- Communications and PR
- Conflict transformation
- Networking with other community groups?
1.2 Background work - Suggestions for reflection
Look at what you do and how you do it.
- Is your organisation democratic, inclusive, rooted in the community?
- Does your organisation work with people rather than for people to identify and deal with problems?
- When you are making decisions, do you involve the public/community?
- Do you make sure that your community knows what is going on and there are no surprises?
- And finally - does your group demonstrate the principles of equity (fairness), diversity (recognising the richness of difference) and interdependence (finding ways to live with each other)?
All the above is good community development practice.
Step 2 Preparing your group for cross-border work
2.1 Take time within your own organisation/group to find out:
- How do your members feel (hopes & fears) about cross-border work?
- What would they hope to achieve through cross-border work?
- How important is cross-border work within the overall aims and bn objectives of your organisation?
2.2 Get agreement to continue with the process from your group and from your community.
2.3 Gather information and write up a profile of your group – who you are, what you do, your interests, achievements, priorities, etc. Describe what you hope to achieve from cross-border work and the benefits to your organisation/community.
2.4 Decide what areas (or thematic groups) would suit a cross-border partnership you were in, e.g. tourism, culture, enterprise, social (including community development). Also, identify the problems/issues that you would like the partnership to focus on, and the aims of the partnership.
2.5 Keep in touch with your community. Keep them informed, make sure they are with you. ASK THEM!
Step 3 Making Contacts
3.1 Go to the networking meetingsof your thematic group(s) organised by the Cross Border Opportunities Project. Use your profile to prepare information for other groups, perhaps even make a presentation, e.g. pictures, displays.
3.2 Get information about the work of relevant groups on the other side of the border and share information about the work of your own organisation.
3.3 Identify groups you might like to partner. The priorities should be
– Common interests and
– Compatibilities. You will know which groups are compatible with yours by comparing what the groups see as the problems to be tackled and the aims of their partnership, with your own views and aims.
3.4 Working with the Cross Border Opportunities Officer, agree on your cross-border partners.
3.5 Go back to your community, make sure they are still interested. Remember, no matter how good your idea, trying to bring the community with you after the event can be problematic if they do not feel involved. Participation of the wider community is a vital aspect of funding criteria.
Step 4 Establishing Partnership
4.1 Visit your partner organisation and host a visit from them.
4.2 During these visits, hold session(s) to come up with ideas for what you might do together and discuss the possibilities.
4.3 Make a plan for activitiesand for keeping the relationship on track. Spend time finding out how to communicate with each other and how you will stay in communication with each other and your communities.
4.4 Decide on a joint project. Set out the aims and objectives of the project. Include the main activities to be undertaken to achieve those aims.
4.5 Work with the Cross Border Opportunities Officer or other facilitator to establish strategy (approach to the problem), implementation plans (actions to be taken, linked to the objectives you have named) and schedule (when actions are to be taken).
4.6 If possible, visit projects that are similar to yours. Network with other community groups involved in cross-border work and benefit from their experience.
Step 5 Establishing Cross-Border Partnership Structures
5.1 Set up a cross-border committee/group, which should be established with its own identity separate from either community. Pay attention to representation from both sides of the border, gender balance, religious constitution of members, etc.
5.2 Ensure that both partners have an equal sayon the committee, even if they are unequal in terms of size or power. An advisor could be brought in to set ground rules.
5.3 Ensure that both groups are involved in planning. Work with your Cross Border Opportunities Officer, if required.
5.4 Ensure that both groups participate in filling in application forms for funding. The stronger group should not fill it in and then ask the other group to sign it.
5.5 Ensure that both groups are involved in meeting funders.