1. Plan International is dedicated to working with partners at all levels to meet our goals of advancing children’s rights and greater equality for girls; and to meet our strategic objectives. Effective partnerships require constant and carefully planned efforts. The following actions can help partnerships to become stronger.
1.1. Spread the word
1.1.1. Actively promote this guidance and the partnership principles throughout all Plan International entities and with all staff including partners’ staff. It applies to how we design our procedures and systems, and to the attitudes we bring to them. This helps to nurture a partnership- friendly culture.
1.2. Build partnerships into programme and influence work
1.2.1. All country strategies and National Org-anisation programme strategies, Areas of Global Distinctiveness theories of change, programmes and projects should include a strong focus on building effective partnerships, taking into account the operating context. For instance, this means identifying the most appropriate partners to work with, as well as allocating enough time and money to strengthen capacities and build up effective partnerships.
1.3. Use the seven partnership steps
1.3.1. Use the seven key steps (see section 3) when managing partnerships with diverse stake-holders. There are different sets of tools and processes that apply for each step depending on the purpose and type of partner we work with.
1.4. Analyse and mitigate administrative barriers
1.4.1. Too much bureaucracy can undermine building good relationships and partnerships. We should take time to understand the root cause(s) of such barriers and identify / implement ways to mitigate them as much as possible. All operational procedures and practices should be reviewed at different levels (i.e. IH, Country and National, Regional and Sub-regional offices) so that they align with this guidance, in order to help staff build better partnerships. This includes areas like: finance, human resources, logistics, legal and risk compliance and others.
1.5. Bring staff together
1.5.1. Bring staff of partners from programme, influence, administration, human resources, internal audit/control, child safeguarding and finance together to discuss how staff balance Plan International’s organisational require-ments, including grants management, with the requirements of good partnership.
1.6. Build staff competencies
1.6.1. Build partnership practices and competencies into staff objectives and staff development plans. Invest in training and capacity building for all staff involved in working with partners.
1.7. Share and learn
1.7.1. Make time to share learning and good practices about partnerships within and among offices and partners. Get involved with the network of partnership practitioners across Plan International. Create a trusting environment and relationship in which issues, challenges and learning can be candidly shared.