The Power of Collaboration Models of Collective Impact MBS Symposium #2 24 October 2012

Harnessing the multiplier effect … through constructive collaboration, dialogue and exchange Constructive collaboration, dialogue and exchange has a multiplier effect. It can help disseminate good ideas and practices and drive innovation as organisations bring together their different perspectives, experiences, networks, knowledge and expertise. In doing that it can act as a mechanism for systemic change. The Trust Company is keen to help the organisations that it supports to harness that multiplier effect by: Helping them to clearly articulate their ‘theory of change’ and models of collaboration Supporting collaboration, dialogue and exchange between organisations within its funding portfolio and Helping funded organisations to engage with other organisations and stakeholders outside of that group. The purpose of this session is to: Explore the models or ‘theories of change’ that are being applied across the group and Understand the role that collaboration currently plays in those models.

Proposed approach Discuss the different models or ‘theories of change’ that are being used across the group to help improve the delivery of educational outcomes. In doing that we will look at what is the same and what is different in terms of: What you are each doing The ‘change levers’ that you are looking to pull The outcomes that you are trying to achieve and The sorts of things that you need to measure to assess how you are going. Review some basic principles about the different forms that collaboration can take and what makes it work. Have a discussion about the ways that the group is already involved in (or could harness) collaborative activity to increase its collective impact.

Some frameworks for discussion … Research Program Design / Piloting Program Delivery Practice Dissemina-tion Coalition Building & Advocacy* Cross-Sectoral Coordination / Activity Organisations can work at different points on the above spectrum to drive social change * Not limited to political advocacy but includes activity to advocate for action on a cross-sectoral basis

Some frameworks for discussion … Research Program Design / Piloting Program Delivery Practice Dissemina-tion Coalition Building & Advocacy* Cross-Sectoral Coordination / Activity Organisations can work at different points on the above spectrum to drive social change Research Research Dissemina-tion Some organisations focus on research and dissemination to identify and share good practice * Not limited to political advocacy but includes activity to advocate for action on a cross-sectoral basis

Some frameworks for discussion … Research Program Design / Piloting Program Delivery Dissemina-tion Coalition Building & Advocacy* Cross-Sectoral Coordination / Activity Organisations can work at different points on the above spectrum to drive social change Research Research Dissemina-tion Some organisations focus on research and dissemination to identify and share good practice Program Design / Piloting Program Delivery Practice Dissemina-tion Some focus on ‘coal face’ activities developing and delivering activities on the ground * Not limited to political advocacy but includes activity to advocate for action on a cross-sectoral basis

Some frameworks for discussion … Research Program Design / Piloting Program Delivery Practice Dissemina-tion Coalition Building & Advocacy* Cross-Sectoral Coordination / Activity Organisations can work at different points on the above spectrum to drive social change Research Research Dissemina-tion Some organisations focus on research and dissemination to identify and share good practice Program Design / Piloting Program Delivery Practice Dissemina-tion Some focus on ‘coal face’ activities developing and delivering activities on the ground Some focus on trying to change how service systems operate and interact Program Delivery Practice Dissemina-tion Coalition Building & Advocacy* Cross-Sectoral Engagement * Not limited to political advocacy but includes activity to advocate for action on a cross-sectoral basis

Some frameworks for discussion … Research Program Design / Piloting Program Delivery Practice Dissemina-tion Coalition Building & Advocacy* Cross-Sectoral Coordination / Activity The ‘change levers’ that organisations use and the outcomes that they seek to deliver vary across the spectrum Build understanding of a specific area / issue - Build awareness of good practice Encourage adoption of good practice Build coalitions for action Support collaborative activity Influence program and policy design Implement specific programs Deliver specific program related outcomes Drive specific changes in practice Drive specific changes in practice / policy * Not limited to political advocacy but includes activity to advocate for action on a cross-sectoral basis

Some frameworks for discussion … The way that organisations operate - and the extent to which they seek to collaborate with or influence the behaviour of others - can vary Activity Focus Program ‘Partners’ Program

Some frameworks for discussion … The way that organisations operate - and the extent to which they seek to collaborate with or influence the behaviour of others - can vary Sectoral Focus Peer or Sector Engagement Activity Focus Program ‘Partners’ Program ‘Partners’ Program Program

Some frameworks for discussion … The way that organisations operate - and the extent to which they seek to collaborate with or influence the behaviour of others - can vary Cross-Sectoral Focus Cross-Sector Engagement Sectoral Focus Peer or Sector Engagement Peer or Sector Engagement Activity Focus Program ‘Partners’ Program ‘Partners’ Program ‘Partners’ Program Program Program

Some frameworks for discussion … The way that organisations operate - and the extent to which they seek to collaborate with or influence the behaviour of others - can vary Cross-Sectoral Focus Cross-Sector Engagement Sectoral Focus Peer or Sector Engagement Peer or Sector Engagement Activity Focus Program ‘Partners’ Program ‘Partners’ Program ‘Partners’ Program Program Program

Some frameworks for discussion … Collaborations can be: Information sharing / networking / exchange based Mixed Activity based Focused on a specific issue / action agenda Focused on broader shared interests Have informal coordination and governance structures Have formal coordination and governance structures Emergent Facilitated Prescribed

Discussion point Where do each of your organisations ‘sit’ on the spectrum? What sorts of collaborative activity are you involved in? What types of outcomes are you trying to achieve? What questions do you need to be asking to work out if you are achieving those outcomes?

Collaborations work best where they are based around strong common (or at least complementary) interests and objectives Key Success Factors  Alignment – Common or at least complementary interest in the underlying objective and the activity being undertaken  Understanding – Understanding of individual organisation objectives and attributes and the impact that they have on the way that they will engage in the collaboration  Coordination – Clear coordination framework and ‘rules of engagement’ that define how the collaboration will operate  Resourcing – Adequate resourcing to support coordination and delivery of activity (so that there is both alignment of objectives and capacity to deliver against objectives)  Role Clarity – Clear definition of roles and responsibilities  Commitment – Clear commitment to roles and responsibilities  Accountability – Clear accountability framework (process controls) to manage delivery against commitments  Communication – Clear, open communication practices