Abstract

Developing a partnership with a community organization can be a challenging prospect for a first year AmeriCorps*VISTA member, but it doesn't have to be. With a few sound principles and a little practical experience, partnerships can thrive. Stephanie Kroll, AmeriCorps*VISTA with Michigan Campus Compact, Grand Valley State University, submitted this effective practice in September 2005, based on her experiences partnering with two local organizations.

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Issue

Quite often AmeriCorps*VISTA members take on the responsibility of developing partnerships with community organizations, while serving at colleges or universities. The purpose of these partnerships is to provide quality service experiences for college students and to provide necessary volunteers for both organizations.

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Action

According to an AmeriCorps*VISTA member who spent her service year partnering with local organizations, effective practices include:

Lesson 1: Work to develop a strong relationship from the beginning.
This will ensure the partnership becomes sustainable beyond the work of the initial liaisons from each organization. It takes mutual trust and respect for a strong relationship to grow, and this will look different for each partnership and the individuals involved. One person may develop trust by just having a friendly conversation with someone, while another person may need much more time to evolve to this level. The key is that both parties put effort into creating a successful working relationship.

Lesson 2: Set goals and expectations for both parties.
According to The Council of Independent Colleges (2002), setting goals is key to developing a sustainable partnership. This establishes a means to assess the impact of the relationship, as well as a way to demonstrate that it has been productive and beneficial to both organizations. Additionally, goal setting is helpful in determining each organization's strengths and weaknesses, which further aids in determining practical responsibilities for both parties.

Lesson 3: Communicate openly and frequently.
A successful partnership has open and frequent communication. This communication can be in the form of telephone calls, e-mail or personal visits, but it is important that it occurs regularly. Developing clear expectations and standards for communication helps relationship both in the present time and in becoming innately more sustainable. (Conners & Seifer, 2000)

Lesson 4: A little research will go a long way.
Taking the time to understand a partner organization — what they do, the population served, and what the partnership could become — will be very beneficial in the long run. Understanding the context in which the organization operates certainly helps when working with them. For example, universities and non-profit organizations often work on different calendars, with different values and with different clientele. Understanding the culture of the organization one is working with will also aid in setting realistic expectations and goals.

Lesson 5: Keep records and learn from your triumphs and mistakes.
Detailed documentation and some foresight will go a long way towards ensuring that a partnership will be both strong and sustainable, helping future liaisons avoid repeat mistakes and triumph from successes.

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Citation

Connors, K., and Seifer, S.D., Editors. Partnership Perspectives. 2(1). San Francisco, CA: Community-Campus Partnerships for Health. 2000.

The Council of Independent Colleges. Building Partnerships with College Campuses: Community Perspectives. [Brochure]. Washington, D.C. 2002.

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Related Practices

• Building successful partnerships
• Establishing mutual gains in sustainability and resource development with 25 cross-agency collaboration methods

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Related sites

AmeriCorps*VISTA

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