Community Learning Development resource 302 – 10
THE NEGATIVE ‘P’ WORDS OF PARTNERSHIP WORKING
The list to date (June 2010) identified by community learning and development workers during training workshops:
- PAROCHIALISM – we know what we’re doing – keep out
- PROTECTIONISM – it’s our area and our clients, they belong to us – keep out
- PIRACY AND PILLAGE – the aggressive target and supply-led ‘’bums-on-seats’ agenda overwhelms the needs-led work
- PROFESSIONALISM – only we can do it
- PARANOIA – you’re a threat to me/us
- PRECIOUSNESS – we can’t/won’t share with you
- PREDATORY – the behaviour of some partners – after clients and kudos
- POSTURING, PREVARICATION AND PROCRASTINATION – all talk and no do
- POWER – we can work together as long as you do what we want – threat and bullying can lead to the capture or absorption of the small by the large
- POUNDS – what’s in it for us – ‘pounds of flesh – on seats?
- PROTOCOLS and PROCEDURES – if used to the extent that they constrain the effectiveness of co-working
- POLITICS – interference in partnership arrangements for political/Political ends.
PROMPTS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION
· Familiarity with the ‘P’ words – have we experienced these?
- Are there others to be added?
- The challenge for us – how should we explore and develop understanding, and then share and agree the principles and protocols, which will inform and shape the nature of our partnerships and the resulting joined-up practice, to the greater benefit of local people?
- The term PARTNERSHIP becomes a negative ‘P’ word when it in itself is a bad arrangement!
- (We may never value good partnerships until we experience bad ones!)