Handicap International’s Partners and Partnerships
Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) and DPO networks are one of Handicap International’s main partners. In many countries, Handicap International has contributed significantly to the emergence and strengthening of the DPO sector. While some of Handicap International’s partner DPOs emerged organically, others have received support from Handicap International right from their creation, just like Handicap International supports efforts to set up and develop the capacity of DPO umbrella organisations.
Handicap International engages in multiple forms of partnerships with different types of organisations and institutions. The number of organisations in a partnership and its level of formalisation may vary depending on the type of actors and the nature of the partnership. For example, Handicap International will work closely with government agencies at central and local levels, when appropriate. Furthermore, Handicap International increasingly engages in other constellations that can be considered as extended forms of partnerships, including multi-stakeholder initiatives at community level, working groups with other INGOs and donor organisations, networks and consortiums. A particular type of partnerships results from the handover of Handicap International projects to existing local organisations or the transformation of specific Handicap International departments with local staff into local organisations. Both cases require support to capacity development and organisational change.
Handicap International’s Partnership Model: the Egg Model
Working within a so-called “partnership” and discussing about it usually involves a highly idealistic debate: equal rights and duties, complementarity, the same eye level, etc. Here it is important to distinguish between the ideal and the reality which may be completely different. Various concepts of «partnership» exist – as many as partners – depending on the organisation, but also on the context and the type of project.No partnership is good or bad in itself because it depends on so many parameters and factors. Indeed, all the internal and external constraints weighing on the partnership, as well as all the determining cultural factors specific to each society, often are far from the ideal. According to Handicap International, partnership can be described as an egg with four components: a project, a relationship and an institutional framework (covering administrative, financial and legal aspects) that all evolve within a specific context or environment. So each partnership situation differs from the other.
In operational partnerships, the project is the focus (the yoke); it is implemented jointly by the partners who enter into a collaborative relationship (the egg white), established within an institutional framework (the egg shell). In turn, in more strategic partnerships, the relationship is the principal focus, on whose foundation projects are created. In both cases, some level of formalisation tends to take place (the egg shell) with two standard forms: partnership framework agreements and project partnership contracts; but there are also other written financial and administrative arrangements.
In any case, the two main components that need most attention are the relationship and the project; the environment and the framework may play also play an important role but still they are rather secondary issues.
Four Different Types of Relationships
Most partnerships established by Handicap International and its partners are operational relationships centred around specific activities or projects. However, over time such partnerships may evolve into more strategic partnerships. Generally the partnership forms developed by Handicap International include at least 3 stakeholders: Handicap International, the local NGO or DPO, and the People with Disabilities themselves. There are four different types of partnerships for Handicap International:
Substitution: Handicap International implements a project via a partner organisation for the benefit of a target population (people with disabilities) providing the technical services which the local NGO or DPO is unable to deliver.Accompaniment: Handicap International provides capacity development support to the local NGO or DPO to enable it to provide services to people with disabilities.
Power Sharing: Handicap International and the local NGO or DPO share power and implement activities together in a complementary way and according to existing capacities.
Independence: Handicap International provides specific services to the local NGO or DPO who operates independently.
These four types of partnership relationships are simplified caricatures because reality is more complex. Each situation needs rethinking as a partnership is never static but develops continuously and so does the relationship. Also, within one project, there may be several types of relationships at the same time.
Three project types
Handicap International’s actions focus on the improvement of living conditions of final beneficiaries. Within the scope of its activities (development and emergency), Handicap International may take direct action or - via one or several local partners - indirect action. In most cases teams in the field work with a local partner. This indirect action is more complex than direct action as it adds a third stakeholder and two additional relationships to the system: Handicap International (HI), the partner organisation, the people with disabilities (PwD) and the three relationships between them. Where indirect action is concerned, the local partner is the direct target of Handicap International’s activities and the people with disabilities are its final beneficiaries.
Consequently there are three different types of projects:
1)Handicap International takes direct action with the final beneficiaries and implements a technical-operational project.
2)Handicap International takesindirect action with one or several local partners and implements a capacity development project.
3)Handicap International implements a mixedproject on the level of final beneficiaries including a capacity development component on the level of the partner organisation.
The first two types of projects with 100% on the technical-operational level or 100% capacity development are in fact rare; most projects of Handicap International include a mix of both. Only the priority set on one or the other may change from project to project or even within the same project during time.
The Partnership Process
In an ideal case, the establishment of a partnership starts with an organisational capacity assessment. Ideally, both partners should undertake it as a self-assessment, facilitated by a capacity development specialist, in order to review thevision, mission and objectives of each partner’s organisation. In parallel, a stakeholder analysis can help determinethe nature and positioning of the partnership within a specific field. Following these initial steps and based on specific criteria for selection, each organisation should make a conscious choice about whether it wants – or not - to set up a partnership with the organisation in question. The partners can then start negotiations in order to establish a partnership agreement that stipulates the purpose of the partnership, describes the nature of the planned activities and clearly defines the roles, responsibilities, rights and obligations of each partner. It is also important to stipulate the agreed rules for cooperation including a conflict management procedure and list the sanction mechanisms. In addition, it is critical to decide on the duration of a partnership (short or long term) and consider the consequences. The agreement should also indicate how the partnership is expected to change over time and determine the key moments for measuring the quality of its evolution. While a partnership agreement is not a precondition for a successful partnership, it can be a useful tool to help clarify the objectives and intentions of each partner and prevent conflicts.
Most partnerships go through various stages from dependency to interdependence, gradually changing the power balance. In operational partnerships where one partner sub-contract or provides support to the other(s), the transfer of resources and/or knowledge reinforces the imbalance between the partners. This imbalance needs to be counteracted with specific strategies aiming to empower the weaker partner to take on more responsibility, as it matures. In strategic partnerships, where the local partner is more autonomous, a relatively equal relationship can be established from the outset by recognising the different but complementary capacities and qualities of each partner and engaging in activities such as networking and policy-influencing together. It is crucial to communicate on a regular basis about the way each organisation evolves. Adjustments of the partnership can then be negotiated accordingly to ensure that all parties are given the opportunity to influence the process.
When establishing operational partnerships, Handicap International country programmes should start developing their exit strategies early in the project period (handover or termination of activities and capacity development of the local partner), and consider how the partnership ought to change after the operational project ends. Both operational and strategic partnerships based on long-term relationships tend to be more effective and sustainable.
How to analyse a partnership?
There are several key elements that may guide the analysis of a partnership:
1)The first distinction to be made is between direct and indirect action: in the first case there are only two stakeholders (Handicap International and beneficiaries) to consider, in the second case there are three stakeholders: Handicap International, the partner, the beneficiaries.
2)In any case, according to the “egg model” any action (direct as well as indirect) has four components: framework, environment, project and relationship that demand an analysis – with the project and the relationship as the two priorities.
Measuring the Quality of a Partnership
The quality of a partnership can be measured using quality criteria for the four different components of the “partnership egg model”:
Project:- Shared project objectives
- Joint project design, management, and monitoring
- Level of commitment
- Clarity of roles and responsibilities
- Transparent agendas + ways of working
- Effectiveness and optimisation of core competencies
- Flexibility and continuous adaptation to change
- etc.
- Level of knowledge about each other
- Convergence of values, vision and mission
- Respect, trust, recognition and reciprocity
- Regular interaction and dialogue
- Clear communication about expectations and strategies
- Mutual exchange of knowledge, ideas and experiences, shared learning
- Consultative decision-making
- Mutual accountability
- Agreement on intended development of the relationship
- etc.
Institutional framework:
- Existence of a partnership strategy
- Transparency in financial management
- Respect of agreed plans and procedures
- etc.
- Level of contextual adaptation
- Visibility of the partnership
- Sustainability of the partnership and its impact
- etc.