TEXAS 4-H AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT GUIDE

COLLABORATION

MANAGEMENT GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS
	Management Overview
	Program Development
	Membership Units
	Volunteer Development
	Risk Management
	Collaboration
	Curriculum
	Resource Development
	Diversity
	Recognition
	Interpretation
COLLABORATION UNIT SECTIONS
Developing A Successful Collaboration
Building Community Relationships with 4-H Clubs

DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION

What is collaboration?

Collaboration is the process by which several organizations or agencies make a formal, sustained commitment to work together to accomplish a common mission. Collaboration requires a commitment to participate in shared decision making and to mutually identify needs.

Collaboration is the future for county Extension agents. They will need to network and work in conjunction with others verses trying to accomplish everything by themselves with only 4-H leaders and volunteers. To have a successful collaboration you must have five important concepts included in the structure. Those concepts are:

1. Mission or purpose—clearly defined and mutually agreed upon by the participants.
2. Goals, objectives and activities—to reach these the entire group of participants must contribute input and suggestions.
3. Operating procedures—clear definitions of members’ roles and responsibilities.
4. Communication system—annually planned and scheduled meetings and/or planned discussion.
5. “Common ground” —a common agenda in which the participants have a sense of ownership and responsibility.

Who Should Collaborate?

When looking at a collaboration and who will be involved in the project or collaborative effort, the most important things to remember are:

• Who will the effort benefit?
• Who is working to achieve that same goal?
  It’s important to work with organizations that have common goals and interests.

Otherwise the collaboration won’t succeed. The following is a list of potential participants that agents should consider when forming a collaboration:

• Educators
• Business and labor
• Government
• Civic organizations
• Youth agencies
• Parents
• Youth
• Religious organizations
• Funding agencies
• Media (television, radio, print)
• Volunteers
• Other interested citizens

How Can a Collaboration Help You and the 4-H Program?

Collaborations provide opportunities to rethink the ways community organizations relate to each other and respond to the needs of their members and/or the community. Other benefits of collaboration include:

• Identify gaps in services.
• Expand available services to clients.
• Create a greater understanding of community and client needs.
• Share similar concerns while being diverse through members from varied backgrounds.
• Reduce interagency conflicts.
• Improve communications with community organizations.
• Mobilize volunteers to action to effect needed changes through advocacy.
• Enhance staff skill levels by information sharing and training programs.
• Conserve resources and decrease costs.
• Increase grant possibilities.
• Unfortunately, with all the benefits of collaboration, some disadvantages do occur. Some of those disadvantages can include:
  • Turf-ism (the non-cooperation or conflict between organizations with seemingly common goals or interests).
  • Decision-making process takes longer.
  • Limited resources.
  • Diverted resources.
  • Cooperation decreases during crisis.

Steps to Developing a Successful Collaboration

1. Define the problem. Compare how things are now and the way you would like them to be. How long has the problem existed? How frequently does it occur? Who is affected?
2. Determine the cause(s). This involves finding the cause of the gap between the present and the desired state.
3. Develop alternative approaches. List all possible solutions.
4. Assess the consequences. Consider possible results of each alternative. Who is affected? Who pays?
5. Select the solution. Choose one feasible alternative that is acceptable to the group.
6. Implement the chosen solution. Plan strategies for carrying out the plan. Most of the work is in this step.
7. Evaluate. Reflect and review how the plan went. What was successful? What went wrong? Why? These questions guide a collaboration or individual through the policy analysis process.
   

BUILDING COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP WITH 4-H CLUBS

The County 4-H program exists to support and add to the program opportunities for local 4-H clubs. County-wide parts of the program include:

• leader volunteer training opportunities
• junior leader training
• officer training
• camps
• fairs and shows
• fund-raising
• trips
• achievement events
• contests for various projects and interests
• recreation opportunities

The County Youth Board is an excellent group to review potential opportunities for partnerships and collaborations.

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Page last updated: October 9, 2007