ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF PARTNERSHIPS
TO INFLUENCE POLICY
A capacity building seminar
5-7 December 2006
Vienna, Austria
OECD LEED Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance at the ZSI
A-1150 Vienna, Linke Wienzelle 246, Tel +43/1/ 495 04 42-64, Fax -40, e-mail:
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF PARTNERSHIPS
TO INFLUENCE POLICY
A capacity building seminar
5 – 7 December 2006, ZSI, Vienna, Austria
Rationale
Throughout OECD countries, partnerships are being set up as government, business and civil society join forces to promote economic development and solve social and employment problems more effectively. Often supported (and sometimes initiated) by government, these partnerships seek to co-ordinate policies and actions, adjust national policies to local conditions, and involve representatives of all sectors in society in shaping measures and projects.
Building partnerships that can genuinely feed into the policy design process, influencing the way policies and programmes are implemented in the region, is a difficult task. To build a solid strategic capacity, significant efforts must be made. Partnerships must acquire a critical mass through ensuring the commitment of the main public services and government agencies concerned; a strong participation from business; and an unchallenged representation from civil society. Public accountability and transparency must be exemplary, and performances monitored and assessed properly. Partnerships must build a strong analytical capacity and have access to critical information. Thus the capacity of partnerships to influence policy raises a number of organisational issues related to the establishment of partnerships, and their role and legitimate position in the policy development process.
Previous activities of the OECD LEED Forum on Partnerships have demonstrated the growing interest of partnerships in capacity building activities to address such issues, and in the possibility of sharing and acquiring new experiences and know-how. As a response to this demand the Forum has designed a series of capacity building activities: seminars, workshops and study visits to participating countries. These will provide participants with unique opportunities to meet with other partnership managers and OECD experts and to engage in discussions about current challenges to the contribution of partnerships to local development.
This 2.5-day capacity building seminar for partnerships takes place within this framework. Aimed at partnership managers who already possess some experience in influencing policy, it will be held on 5-7 December 2006 in Vienna, Austria. The results of the seminar will feed into the 3rd International Forum meeting in March 2007.
The seminar
The seminar is designed as a series of highly interactive sessions around good practice examples presented by seminar participants and OECD experts. Debates about the role and capacity of partnerships in influencing policy will address questions relating to trust and legitimacy, applied communication strategies and accountability frameworks. Recent organisational development and innovation by partnerships in strengthening their position and influencing policy and programme design will be discussed.
In addition, study visits to selected Austrian Territorial Employment Pacts (TEPs) will offer valuable insights into the work, challenges and achievements of area-based partnerships in Austria.
Participants’ profile and applications
Up to 16 partnership managers will be selected amongst well established partnerships with experience and interest in expanding their current involvement in policy and programme design. The working language of the seminar will be English.
The selection of participants will be made on the basis of the applicant’s CV (in English) and completion of a questionnaire which is downloadable at:
Applications should be sent by email to or
by fax: +43/1/ 49 50 442 40.
Please note the deadline for application:
20th October 2006(midnight CET).
Applicants will be notified of the success of their application within two weeks.
Cost of Participation
Participation is free of charge, but participants must cover their own costs of travel and accommodation. A hotel will be selected for participants. Travel to visit the Austrian TEPs will be organised by the OECD LEED Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance. The Forum Office Vienna at ZSI will provide training materials and refreshments.
For more information on accommodation and logistics, please contact Ms Jana Machacova at
For more information on the seminar and the questionnaire, please follow the link:
OECD LEED Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance at the ZSIA-1150 Vienna, Linke Wienzelle 246, Tel +43/1/ 495 04 42-64, Fax -40, e-mail:
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF PARTNERSHIPS
TO INFLUENCE POLICY
A capacity building seminar
5 – 7 December 2006, ZSI, Vienna, Austria
DRAFT AGENDA
Tuesday 5 December 20069:00 – 9:30 / WELCOME REMARKS
Michael Förschner, Chairman of the Forum, Ministry of Economics and Labour, Austria
Andrea-Rosalinde Hofer, Policy Analyst,OECD LEED Trento Centre for Local Development
Mike Geddes,Professorial Fellow, Local Government Centre, WarwickBusinessSchool, University of Warwick, United Kingdom
9:30 – 11:00 / INTRODUCTORY SESSION
The capacity of partnerships to influence policy on local, national and international level
Mike Geddes,Professorial Fellow, Local Government Centre, WarwickBusinessSchool, University of Warwick, United Kingdom
Impacts of partnership work for the national and international level (Recent developments within the European Social Fund)
Michael Förschner,Chairman of the Forum, Ministry of Economics and Labour, Austria
This session discusses the role of partnerships in influencing policy by examining examples of partnerships changing their agenda from service delivery to a more systematic contribution to policy and programme design. The presentation will illustrate resulting changes and adaptations in the organisational set up, including communication strategies of partnerships with national and sub-national government, and interactions with other actors in local development.
11:00 – 11:30 / Coffee break
11:30 – 13:30 / WORKING GROUPS
Influencing policy within multi-level governance
This working group will provide an opportunity to discuss local partnerships' goals and objectives in seeking to influence policy makers. For example, is the objective to influence the development of policies, or their implementation, or the distribution of resources? The session will also discuss the governance frameworks within which influence can be exercised - the structures and processes of local and national governments and international institutions and the ways in which these either facilitate or constrain the exercise of influence by local partnerships.
13:30 – 15:00 / Lunch Break
OECD LEED Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance at the ZSI
A-1150 Vienna, Linke Wienzelle 246, Tel +43/1/ 495 04 42-64, Fax -40, e-mail:
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF PARTNERSHIPS
TO INFLUENCE POLICY
A capacity building seminar
5 – 7 December 2006, ZSI, Vienna, Austria
15:00 – 15:30 / Report back from the Working Groups
15:30 – 16:45 / MODERATED DISCUSSION OF AN AUSTRIAN CASE EXAMPLE
Lessons learnt from working across local, regional, national and international levels: ’Territorial Employment Pacts (TEPs) in Austria and their role in drafting a joint green paper for elderly’
Anette Scoppetta, Forum Co-ordinator, ZSI, Austria
The presentation will outline the process and discuss lessons learnt from the recent exercise of drafting a green paper on the role of elderly people in the local labour market. By joining forces, the Austrian TEPs launched a consultation process, including all relevant actors at local, regional, national and international levels, which resulted in a joint green paper.
Moderation: Mike Geddes,Professorial Fellow, Local Government Centre, WarwickBusinessSchool, University of Warwick, United Kingdom
16:45 – 17:00 / Brief introduction to and practical information on the study visit
Jana Machacova, Forum Office Vienna at the ZSI,Austria
17:00 / End of Day 1
Wednesday 6 December 2006
9:30 – 17:00 / STUDY VISITS(to be confirmed)
Territorial Employment Pact “Lower Austria”
Territorial Employment Pact “Styria”
17:00 / End of Day 2
OECD LEED Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance at the ZSI
A-1150 Vienna, Linke Wienzelle 246, Tel +43/1/ 495 04 42-64, Fax -40, e-mail:
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF PARTNERSHIPS
TO INFLUENCE POLICY
A capacity building seminar
5 – 7 December 2006, ZSI, Vienna, Austria
Thursday 7 December 2006
9:00 – 10:00 / Reflection on the study visits
10:00 – 11:00 / WORKING GROUPS
Influencing policy: methods and processes
These working groups will consider the methods and processes through which partnerships can influence policy. What skills and expertise do partnerships need? What channels exist through which influence can be exercised? The working groups will explore the potential use of protocols to improve the relationships between local partnerships and policy makers.
11:00 – 11:30 / Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:30 / Report back from the Working Groups
12:30 – 13:00 / Conclusions from the seminar and next steps
13:00 / Closing remarks
Mike Geddes,Professorial Fellow, Local Government Centre, WarwickBusinessSchool, University of Warwick, United Kingdom
Michael Förschner,Chairman of the Forum, Ministry of Economics and Labour, Austria
Andrea R. Hofer, Policy Analyst,OECD LEED Trento Centre for Local Development, Italy
OECD LEED Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance at the ZSI
A-1150 Vienna, Linke Wienzelle 246, Tel +43/1/ 495 04 42-64, Fax -40, e-mail: