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Types of collaborative arrangements

Collaborative arrangements include a range of models from statutory co-governance models to less formal arrangements.

Different models can drive different ways of working, and present different challenges and opportunities.

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Engagement Approaches: Different goals and levels of public influence on outcomes

Provide balanced and objective information for the public to support understanding of problems and solutions. Limited public influence.

Consult

Involve

Collaborate

Empower

Seek feedback on analysis, options or decisions. Some/significant public influence.

InformWork together to capture public concerns and aspirations and reflected in options. Some/significant public influence.

Final decision in the hands of the public. Community driven decision making.

Partner in developing options and selecting preferred solution. Significant public influence.

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Key skills – public engagement within collaborative arrangements

Managing within your organisation

Consulting and

engaging

Managing collaborative relationship

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Who and what is most important to our partner? What is less important?

What are the “deal breakers” in our relationship?

How do we partner in good faith?

How will we make our decisions? Who will make our decisions?

Managing collaborative relationship

Building a shared understanding:• Recognising differences and similarities - world

views, values, capability, expertise• “History” of issues and relationships • Contributions, expectations, goals, priorities

Working together:• Day to day responsibilities within the

collaborative relationship • Growing and maintaining the relationship

How will we share information?

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Managing within your organisation

Managing dual roles:• Accountabilities and expectations • Responsibilities to both the collaborative

partnership and your local government employer

• Potentially conflicting obligations

What do the public expect from us?

What constraints do we face?

What are our specific obligations?

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Consulting and engaging with the public

“Best-fit” engagement:• Considering roles, responsibilities and how to

manage potential problems• How to reconcile or manage different

interpretations of what the public contributes during the consultation.

What do we engage about and when?

How do we engage? What is the purpose of our engagement?

What is our partner’s preferred approach? What is ours? What is the best fit for the engagement?

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Collaboration as a starting point …

“Rather than viewing [collaborative relationships] as ‘solutions to problems’ we must view these arrangements as a starting point for new or restored relationships, which will continue to evolve as time passes”.

Dodson, G Moving forward, keeping the past in front of us (2014)

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Further assistance

The guideline will be available online at the SOLGM website shortly.

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