We have recently finished an evaluation report for an organisation we have worked with over a number of years.  One of the things they do really well, is to collaborate with a really wide range of people and organisations.  They work with private businesses, with local statutory organisations, with policy makers, international organisations and with other voluntary sector organisations – with organisations similar to themselves and also with organisations with very different purposes and client groups.   

This is quite unusual.  Most of the organisations we work with do collaborate.  But most collaborate mainly with either organisations similar to themselves and / or with the statutory services who refer to them.   

It has made me think about collaborating more widely.  It does bring challenges – different cultures, complexity and perhaps expectations.   

But it also brings advantages – widening who we collaborate with can bring unexpected insights, help us to reach people we couldn’t otherwise – or maybe bring access to skills or resources that we don’t have within our own organisation. 

Collaborating can be time consuming, and can (at times) feel pointless.  But when it works it bring energy and development with it. 

Who could you collaborate with, who could help you to think differently, or to reach new people?  Whose work do you look at and admire?  Who could help you to approach things differently or bring skills that you need?