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Presentation by Stephanie Futter-Orel of Latin American Women's Aid Measuring Outcomes – Producing Evidence – Demonstrating Impact Leeds, 24-04-2013
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COLLABORATIVE WORKINGJoining forces in uncertain times
Latin American Women’s Aid (LAWA)
Empowering women and children who are experiencing violence to start a new life and play a fuller role in the community
Latin American Women’s Aid
• Only specialist VAWG organisation for the Latin American community in the UK - 186.500 (UK), 113.500 in London (QM & LAWRS 2011)
• Only refuge provider for this community since 1987
• Holistic advice & advocacy services
• Also supports other Spanish/Portuguese speakers and since 2011 women from other ethnic minority groups
• Bridge between community & service providers
March 2012- 2013: 594 women and children supported• The Refuge
- Refuge Coordinator
- Child Support Worker
- Floating Support Project
• The Advice and Information Centre - DV Advice & Advocacy Project
- Samira Project (VAWG Outreach Project)
- Family Outreach Support Project
• Workshops, in-house legal advice surgeries
• Family Outings and social activities
Service Overview
• 1 in 4 women affected by DV, women from BME backgrounds stay longer in abusive relationships than white British women:
- Lack of knowledge about their rights, - Isolation and discrimination,- Insufficient English language skills,- Economic dependency on their abusive partner.
• BME women often don’t approach generic services, fearing: discrimination, language barrier or failure to address their needs
• Mainstream services often consider BME women’s needs too “challenging” or “complex” to deal with
• BME services are able to reach “hard-to-reach” groups and complement mainstream service gaps
Why are BME specialist services like LAWA needed?
COLLABORATIVE WORKING
“
“El pueblo unido jamás será vencido”
What is Collaborative Working?
• Different ways in which organisations can work together for fixed length of time or permanently Examples: Informal networks Partnerships Alliances Project collaboration Full mergers
• Involves some sort of exchange, for mutual advantage, that ultimately benefits service users.
(NCVO 2013)
Benefits of Collaboration
Improved or wider range of services for beneficiaries Financial savings & better use of resources Knowledge & information sharing Sharing the risk in new projects Stronger, united voice Capacity to replicate success & avoid “reinventing the
wheel”Better co -ordination of organisations’ activities and
mutual support (NCVO Collaborative Working Unit 2007)
NICVA Consultation 2011
Risks of Collaboration
It takes time Outcomes don’t justify time & resources invested Loss of flexibility in working practices and
autonomy In case of cultural mismatch between
organisations => Mission drift Damage to organisation if collaboration is
unsuccessful (NCVO collaborative working unit 2007 & knowhownonprofit.org )
How to make collaboration work
• Research & planning thoroughly• Keeping the focus on beneficiaries• Understanding the financial implications • Understanding and demonstrating social
impact• Treating organisational culture as
fundamental (NPC A. Kail and R. Abercrombie 2013)
Why is collaboration needed?• Public sector cannot address all society's needs and
expectations - Contemporary social, cultural, economic and environmental & funding challenges are increasingly complex
• New government & reduction overall funding have presented significant challenges (The Guardian 15/01/13)
• Staff & service users should be involved in designing and delivering collaborative arrangements
• Localism agenda offers opportunity for greater co-production at a local level
• Opportunity to see service users, charities, providers and commissioners working more closely to achieve shared outcomes
Why does LAWA think that collaboration is useful ?
• Strong civil society with high levels of collaboration to bring about social change = key Latin American characteristic
• Successful track record of working in partnership
• Collaboration as a way of strengthening service delivery in uncertain times
FGS & LAWA The beginning of a collaboration
• We do not reinvent the wheel – we keep it rolling
• Similar goals and overlap of key work areas• Sharing experiences• Transferring success-models• Enhancing communal learning in sector =>
increases sector knowledge and stimulates growth and replication
Useful resourcesWhat is collaborative working: http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/advice-support/collaborative-working
Guides on collaborative working (collaboration, mergers, due diligence): http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/advice-support/collaborative-working/information-and-tools
Ways of working together collaboratively http://knowhownonprofit.org/organisation/collaboration/working-collaboratively
Collaboration for impact report: http://www.thinknpc.org/publications/collaborating-for-impact/
Why cross sector working is vital in civil society: http://www.guardian.co.uk/voluntary-sector-network/2012/jan/31/cross-sector-collaboration-civil-society
Collaborative working a practical guide: http://www.collaborationni.org/sites/default/files/A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Collaboration_0.pdf
Stephanie Futter- [email protected]
General Manager0207 275 0321079 460 234 77
[email protected] www.lawadv.org.uk
(Website currently under reconstruction)
Contact Details
THANK YOU !