Collaborative Online Projects Exploring ‘constellation’ style partnerships. Mark Surman – Commons Group Fiona MacCool – Meta Strategies

Collaborative Online Projects Welcome Explore the idea of collaborative online projects … … by looking at the constellation model of collaboration and information sharing.

Partnerships Why do them? What works? What doesn’t?

Partnership Your experience? Who has participated in an information based partnerships? Who has benefited from their partnerships? Who has had challenges or bad experiences?

Partnership Why? Bad reasons Funder driven For appearances Legacy partnership Adversity Good reasons Common issue Share resources Pool information Broader reach Access for clients Political impact

Partnership Challenges Branding Sustainability Control (Info) ownership Compatibility Size / resources Info overload Time

Partnership Constellation Model Fluid, flat partnership where orgs take different roles depending on situation. Info network where orgs share content without loosing brand or ownership.

Constellation Model Addressing Challenges Branding Sustainability Control (Info) ownership Compatibility Size / resources Info overload Time Multi-branded Resource sharing Flat structure Retain ownership Opt in / opt out Works big + small Filtering Share the load

ACTEW Case Study Community learning network content constellation

Our Community Partners The "Content-Sharing Constellation for the Employment and Training Sector" is an informal content partnership related to the employment and training sector. The six agencies include:  Advocates for Community-Based Training and Education for Women (ACTEW)  The Possibilities Project – Community Information Toronto  Social and Enterprise Development Innovations (SEDI) CapacityNet  Community Social Planning Council of Toronto (CSPC-T),  Ontario Association of Youth Employment Centres  iCoach

Constellation Objectives Constellation members use database-driven "shared- application" tools to post news, events, and job listings to our web sites, and also allow sharing of the database so that any "posting" to one of our sites is automatically shared with the web sites of other Constellation members as well. This content-sharing relationship has allowed each of our organizations to distribute high- quality information to our memberships and target audiences, reduce duplication, benefit from combined staff effort and expand the range of information that we can provide. In addition, the Content- Sharing Constellation facilitates the online promotional efforts of dozens of non-profit agencies to a much wider audience than could be reached through our individual sites.

Background Starting Small and Letting it Grow Beta Test and then test some more Outreach and growth based on measurable successful track record Finding funding and securing partnerships for sustainability and growth

Project Goals The ACTEW Community Learning Network will be an online information-sharing conduit for the employment and training sector. The goal of the project is to formalize, expand, and further enhance the informal content-sharing model begun by participating agencies of the "Content-Sharing Constellation."

Project Objectives 1.To establish a coordinated network of community-based agencies that will engage in sharing of web-based information and resources for the community-based employment and training sector. 2.To facilitate a community-driven approach to content development from a variety of stakeholders in the employment and training sector. 3.To provide high-quality information and resources that are timely, accessible, and relevant for a full spectrum of community-based employment and training programs and services. 4.To develop an interactive self-publishing database-driven tool that will enable a number of web sites to automatically share their online content.

Constellation Holding Bins Publish Content Content-Sharing Constellation Model Delete Edit & Cross- Publish ACTEWOAYECOCASISEDIPossiCoachMNSJ Publish Content

Action Apps Content Manager

Action Apps Content Form

Site content in action

CPCHE Case Study Children’s environmental health constellation.

CPCHE Case Study The Vision The Canadian Partnership for Children's Health and Environment (CPCHE) is an affiliation of ten national, provincial and local organizations who share a commitment to improving children’s environmental health in Canada.

CPCHE Case Study The Partners Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment Canadian Child Care Federation Canadian Environmental Law Association Canadian Institute for Child Health Toronto Public Health Learning Disabilities Association of Canada Ontario College of Family Physicians Ontario Public Health Association Pollution Probe South Riverdale Community Health Centre

CPCHE Case Study The Partnership Collaborative research Social marketing Community engagement Policy reform Information sharing All done using constellation model

CPCHE Case Study Info Sharing Network Content shared between all partners Aggregated on central portal Partners can also use on their own sites Using common software for info exchange

CPCHE Case Study Why Share? More audience More content Less work Broaden scope Mutual self interest

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CPCHE Case Study So what? 10 groups actively sharing information Massive new Canadian CEH resource Clear case being made on CEH issues Creation of a credible voice Established political clout … couldn’t have done it alone

CPCHE Case Study Key ingredients Vision. Integrity. Trust. Picking partners well. Patience – partnership takes time. Constant attention and commitment. Sharing the wealth. Partnership development process. Staff not housed in partner org.

Lessons? What do ACTEW and CPCHE tell us?

Lessons Principles All partnerships … Shared vision Transparency Trust Communication Clear roles Constellations … Information pools Multi-branded Opt in / opt out Flat structure Fluid leadership

Lessons Does this work for I+R? Break out … How might the constellation model be helpful in an I+R context? What are the most useful elements and principles? What would need to be added? What is missing?

Lessons Critical to Success Common problem Motivation to act All the right players Virtual work skills Communication Clarity of roles Clear information ownership

Lessons Online Work Culture Timely Constructive Good culture of using Collaborative writing skill ‘Ping’ level feedback

Collaborative Online Partnerships Mark Surman – Fiona MacCool –