Optimising horizontal and vertical partnership connections: bringing partnerships together to create a network advantage

Abstract

Partnerships bring actors together to make horizontal connections between organisations. This has proven to be an effective model at the local level in Ireland. This paper explores possibilities for local partnerships to come together through a network to make vertical connections to national policy processes. It is written as a practice and innovation paper by the national coordinator of the Community Partnership Network in Ireland. A review of current practice and expectations of the Community Partnership Network indicates there has been greater success in providing support to members compared with impacts from strong vertical connections. This experience is common for a range of local actors in the community development sector in Ireland who find that there are insufficient meaningful connections between local and national institutions. This limits the opportunity for transfer of knowledge from the local level to inform national policy. Going forward, the notion of network advantage is explored as a means to make the necessary vertical connections. It is proposed that the outcomes from a network should cover the dimensions of: joint value creation, mutual capacity development and collective engagement with decision makers. There is real opportunity to apply this in Ireland as the three networks representing local development are about to merge into a single representative body for what are now local integrated development partnerships. Thinking about network advantage also provides possible application for creating stronger vertical linkages between local partnerships in Victoria, Australia and bodies at the state level, including the Victorian State Government.