Communities for children: Evaluating an implementation of the facilitating partner model

Community development activities and some social service delivery have been progressively shifting toward networked collaborative models over recent years, contributing to increasing interest in the conditions which support organizations working together effectively. One such condition is a coordinating organization acting to build relationships, ensure program cohesion, and develop shared goals. This paper presents the results of an evaluation of a collaborative model delivering programs for families and children in an area experiencing complex social issues and socioeconomic disadvantage. It illustrates how the right coordinating organization, in this case a not-for-profit with deep links to the local area; a relational approach to coordination; and a commitment to fostering a collaborative culture can support partnerships and improve outcomes for communities. The findings suggest that not-for-profits can be ideally placed to act as coordinating organizations, bridging the divide between government funders and communities and effectively acting as the “friendly” local face of collaborative activities.