The Partnership Playbook: Building a strong foundation with partners
Print
EmailBuilding trust and rapport among members of a community partnership is an important part of collaboration in youth development.
A community partnership refers to a cooperative relationship between people or organizations working together toward a shared goal. According to the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, partnerships involve mutual responsibility, with community agencies, organizations and schools working together to promote child development and education. In youth development programs like 4-H, a wide range of stakeholders—including businesses, community groups and volunteers—play a key role in delivering programs that enrich the lives of young people through collaboration.
When organizations come together to support young people, strong relationships make all the difference. Trust and rapport create a foundation for open communication, shared goals and partnership. The following tips can help you build strong bridges with the organizations with which you work.
- Utilize active listening strategies
- Give full attention to the speaker, put away distractions
- Paraphrase to confirm understanding
- Reflect feelings
- Be mindful of nonverbal cues
- Provide feedback
- Listen for understanding, not to respond
- Be transparent
- Be transparent about the goals and objectives of your team
- Maintain open lines of communication
- Create an environment where potential partners feel comfortable expressing their ideas, feedback and concerns
- Be reliable
- Follow through on commitments
- Be consistent in your actions and communication
- Avoid making promises you cannot fulfill
- Show respect and appreciation
- Respect each other’s expertise and contributions
- Acknowledge the importance of involvement from each participant
- Demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusivity
- Prioritize equity, diversity and inclusion by engaging diverse stakeholders
- Listen to marginalized voices
- Strive to address barriers of inequalities
- Ensure that all parties have opportunities to participate, contribute and benefit from the partnership
Trust is the cornerstone of successful community partnerships in youth development programs like 4-H. By practicing active listening, being transparent, reliable and respectful, and committing to equity and inclusivity, organizations can create strong, collaborative relationships that make a lasting impact. To learn more about community partnerships, check out the rest of the Partnership Playbook series:
- The Partnership Playbook: How partnerships make youth programs better!
- The Partnership Playbook: Types of partnerships
- The Partnership Playbook: Initiating a partnership
Michigan State University Extension relies heavily on community partnerships to increase the reach of the work we do. For more information about partnering with MSU Extension in your community, contact your local 4-H program coordinator.
