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Collaborative working publications

The Collaborative Working Team has produced a broad range of accessible and comprehensive publications covering many aspects of collaborative working.

Free publications:

Paid for publications:

 

Collaborative working: partnership between voluntary organisations

What is collaborative workingCollaborative working: partnership between voluntary organisations is a short introductory leaflet that covers the wider context and different types of collaborative working, as well as addressing the benefits and risks of joint working. It also introduces the aims and services of the Collaborative Working Team at NCVO.

Should you collaborate? Key questions

Cover_should_you_collaborate Should you collaborate? Key questions is a checklist to help organisations decide whether to embark on formal collaborative working or merger. It identifies the key issues which organisations need to consider, giving an idea where problems and complications might lie and enabling them to make informed decisions. The checklist is a useful first step for the managers and trustees of voluntary and community organisations and those advising them.

Joint working agreements

Cover_Joint_working_agreements Joint working agreements provides information on developing formal written agreements for voluntary and community sector organisations choosing to work collaboratively. It identifies key areas to include in a joint working agreement, such as monitoring the partnership project, dispute resolution and communicating with partners.

Staffing a collaborative project

cover-Staffing_Col_Project Staffing a collaborative project provides good practice guidance for voluntary and community organisations on staffing a collaborative project. It explores the benefits of different staffing models, addresses line management, reporting structures and other key points, and includes a range of case studies. The publication was produced jointly by the Collaborative Working Unit and UK Workforce Hub.

 

 

 

The UK Workforce Hub offers information and guidance on HR and good employment practice to help voluntary and community organisations to attract, develop and retain the staff and volunteers they need. For further information, please visit www.ukworkforcehub.org.uk.

ICT tools to support collaborative working

cover_ICT_Tools_Collab_Work ICT tools to support collaborative working identifies key areas where ICT may help your collaboration. ICT has great potential for enabling collaboration, especially for projects which involve multiple partners over large geographical distances. It examines a variety of ICT tools, looks at the benefits and pitfalls of each and is illustrated with case studies of voluntary and community sector experience of ICT. This information was produced jointly by the Collaborative Working Team and the ICT Hub.

NCVO ICT Development Services provides a source of trusted information and guidance on ICT to enable civil sector organisations to operate more effectively.  

Working together to achieve your mission

cover_Working_together_toWorking together to achieve your mission outlines good practice for organisations working together on activities that directly contribute to their mission. It is relevant to every kind of organisation, from those providing services in a community to those concentrating on policy and campaigning. The model covers issues including funding and managing joint projects, internal communications and PR.

Joint working for public service delivery

cover-Join_working_public_sJoint working for public service delivery describes how organisations can collaborate to deliver services usually provided by the state. The model focuses on the relationship between voluntary or community organisations and introduces areas they need to think about when jointly contracting with public bodies.

Sharing back office services

Cover-sharing_back_officeSharing back office services looks at collaborating on the supporting functions that enable organisations to carry out their activities. They include premises, IT, HR, and finance services. The model outlines areas to consider before you start sharing services and describes advantages, disadvantages and tips.

Merger

Cover_merger Merger lists some of the reasons that organisations merge and the different forms that merger can take. Its good practice guidance covers the decision to merge, the merger process and how organisations can lay the groundwork for the merged organisation.

Collaborative working to generate income

Collab_gen_incomeCollaborative working to generate income introduces different ways of working with other organisations to generate income. Subjects covered include fundraising events, joint trading, payroll giving through consortia, appeals and legacy giving.

National organisations with local groups

cover_Natio_orga_with_local_groups.jpg National organisations with local groups outlines how organisations with a national body and local groups can work together. They may be separate organisations together forming a federal structure or may legally all be part of one organisation with a branch structure. This model suggests how to maintain good relations between parts of the structure and explains the impact of organisational structure on key areas of work.

Collaborative working to make more effective use of ICT

cover_CWU_ICT_More_Effectiv Collaborative working to make more effective use of ICT aims to inspire organisations to see collaboration as a potential solution to the ICT issues they face. The information explores areas where collaboration can offer a way of addressing ICT support needs, examines the pros and cons of each method, and introduces a range of case studies. This information was produced jointly by the Collaborative Working Team and the ICT Hub.

NCVO ICT Development Services provides a source of trusted information and guidance on ICT to enable civil sector organisations to operate more effectively. For further information, please visit www.icthub.org.uk.

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Due Diligence Demystified

Due Diligence DemystifiedDue Diligence Demystified gives clear and concise information on due diligence and how to carry it out in the most efficient and cost-effective way. It has been written for small to medium sized voluntary and community organisations to help them understand the due diligence process and what it involves. It provides a comprehensive checklist of the areas that are typically covered in a due diligence exercise; the documentation required and the main sources of information; and the key questions that need to be asked.

This publication is available for £15, or £10.50 to NCVO members.

Campaigning in Collaboration

Campaigning in CollaborationCampaigning in Collaboration shares practical lessons drawn from the real experiences of a range of voluntary organisations campaigning together. It includes nine case studies of campaign collaborations, and key lessons about agreeing shared objectives, structures and decision making, and leaving a campaign legacy.

This publication, which was produced jointly by the Collaborative Working Team and Campaigning Effectiveness, is available for £15, or £10.50 to NCVO members.

Campaigning in Collaboration - Free Executive Summary

Campaigning in Collaboration Executive SummaryA new Executive Summary provides an overview of the key findings from Campaigning in Collaboration. It explores the themes emerging from a series of interviews carried out with case studies, which revealed common benefits, challenges and methods of campaigning with others.

The Campaigning Effectiveness programme is a central resource for developing and improving influencing, lobbying and campaigning in the voluntary sector, supporting organisations of all sizes that want to increase the impact of their campaigns.

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