CORE QUALITY CRITERIA: PARTICIPATION IN PARTNERSHIP

QUALITY INDICATORS
(CORE AND ADDITIONAL/DESCRIPTORS)

What might indicate quality in the partnership?

EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE

Cases from ROMANIA

Relevant key stakeholders are actively engaged in the partnership/network

Definition: 

A stakeholder is any person or organization, who can be positively or negatively impacted by, or cause an impact on the actions of the partnership / network.

Types of stakeholders are:  

• Primary stakeholders : are those ultimately affected, either positively or negatively by the network's actions.
• Secondary stakeholders : are the ‘intermediaries’, that is, persons or organizations who are indirectly affected by the network's actions.
• Key stakeholders : (who can also belong to the first two groups) have significant influence upon or importance within the network.

Stakeholders of public and private organisations - including civil society organisations and social partners - are represented in the partnership/network.

Stakeholders are engaged in the partnership with relevant roles and tasks.

Stakeholders assume responsibilities assigned and have initiatives within the partnership/network

Collaborative online space for partnership development - North West Regional Development Agency

http://www.nord-vest.ro 

Due to the fact that face to face meetings are difficult to be organized when large partnerships are involved, the North West Regional Development Agency invested in a collaborative online platform complementing the classical communication and cooperation channels including conferences and video-conferences, workshops, thematic seminars, working group meetings etc. The platform included both the stakeholders in the Agency Consortium Partnerships but also wider public, as an effective way of increasing transparency and communication with beneficiaries.

Modern systems for e-governance

http://www.cnrd.ro/c-CNRD/cnrd

Another best pracice that has a positive influence on introducing modern communication and collaboration areas could be found in the egovernance solutions proposed by the National Center ”Digital Romania” aiming at increasing the citizen access to public services and developing the capacity of different organisations in the area of decreasing the digital gap. One of the relevant area is the management of electronic single contact point.

www.primariaclujnapoca.ro/userfiles/files/comunicat%20oct.pdf

Another recent example in this area is offered also by the Cluj Napoca City Hall, currently developing an online collaborative platform to be used also for assisting current learning city partnerships.

Involves the wider public or community

Strategy, approach and methods to reaching out and involve different target groups are in place

Means of feedback and interactive communication are in place and accessible to different target groups

Regional Development Plans – www.ismb.edu.ro

 The highest challenge is to reach the disadvantaged groups, targeted by the majority of learning regions/cities partnerships. Lacking representation skills, ICT skills and with a low use of media, people were consulted by the means of household surveys, gathering important data for the decisions of the partnership. Moreover, additional statistical data relevant for the learning region activities was collected with the assistance of county statistical offices (i.e. household budget surveys). The Regional Development Plans are currently offering a c detailed view on some of the most important characteristics of excluded groups, creating the opportunity to develop appropriate inclusion measures.

Network is known and understood by general public

Promotional activities are defined, conducted and followed up on a regular basis

Dissemination plan in accordance with different audiences' needs

Initiatives make their way into the popular media 

In order to render transparent the network,

• ·         formal commitments made through agreements of collaboration and
• ·        

See point above 

Clear measures to involve those most distant from learning opportunities

see comment 

1.  See point above 

Besides key stakeholders, primary and secondary stakeholdershave a chance to express their needs, are involved in decision-making (governance) and review of network interventions

Feedback mechanisms are in place, which allow for

• ·         the expression of needs of persons or organizations, who are directly or indirectly affected by the partnership / network's actions,
• ·         review of network interventions in the light of primary and secondary stakeholder experience

Governance principles and methods are established, ensuring that primary and secondary stakeholders' voice is heard

PREZENT! Information caravans and job fairs

www.invatapentrutine.ro

A public awareness campaign was designed for all major regions of Romania. Information caravans and participation to jb fairs proved to be the most effective way of collecting the feed-back and identifying the needs of persons or organisations who are direcdtly of indirectly   affecdted by the partnership. Also the caravans offered the opportunity to review specific interventions.

CRBI – Institutional Development of Regional Consortium Bucharest Ilfov

www.adrbi.ro

The communication channels among partners included publication of regular reports stating the progress of the project basesd on monitoring results. All these materials had a feed-back form attached so each organisation could indicate areas of interest or to raise particular questions in relation with a theme. At the end of the project, the partnership published a detailed report summing up all the main messages for the network and form the community at large.