The idea behind this site is to encourage dialogue. I wanted to do so because I have so often heard concern and uneasiness from people across the international development sector about partnerships not working well.
What I advocate here is the creation of a space where we can begin to share stories and good practices. I do this in order to help us, as practitioners and organisations to move through the complex dilemmas of partnership by talking about them, debating them and seeing others and ourselves in new ways so that, instead of pretending that we have all the answers, we can all start looking with new eyes.
The them and us narrative which is still so often at the heart of development relationships often results in partnerships which feel unequal, unfair and ineffective and yet, as the world continues to get more connected – the concept of them and us becomes less and less meaningful. We are connected to the people we work with via technology, via the goods they and we buy, via our common experience of family and community and via the environments in which we live and work.
If we can develop positive and effective partnerships and relationships, the development sector has an opportunity now to demonstrate that we really value and stand alongside the people with whom we work. We have an opportunity to bring real stories and connections to others to help them to better understand out common humanity and the need for a fairer work. I believe we will only do this if we can be confident in our own relationships with all the people with whom we work.
Partnership Matters: A Reflective Guide is now available here.
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