Forming and sustaining social partnerships

Project Summary

This social partnership project is one of a suite of research projects examining the development of inter-agency work focused on community-building and supporting young people (15-19 year olds) move from school to work. The first of these projects was the initial evaluation of the Local Learning and Employment Networks in Victoria (DE&T). The second project examined the formation of social partnerships through case studies in Victoria, Queensland and South Australia (NCVER, 2006).

The final project has attempted to identify the principles and practices that contribute to forming maintaining and sustaining social partnerships. Phase 1 of the project investigated the principles and practices underpinning the effective operation of 10 social partnerships related to Vocational Education and Training (VET). The findings identified (i) different types of social partnerships; (ii) the central role of partnership work in the development and continuity of social partnerships; (iii) principles and practices associated with this work and these phases of development; and (iv) dimensions of partnership work.

This work was verified and extended in Phase 2 by examining the utility of the principles and practices of partnership work in enabling social partnerships to negotiate changing circumstances over time. In addition, the project confirmed earlier insights, that:

• Social partnerships are a particular example of more generalised changes in work which brings different agents together and requires the negotiation of their interests, goals and values;
• Partnership work is a feature of networks which are increasingly significant in contemporary economy and society (e.g. networks of production, supply chains, knowledge networks);
• Social partnerships support VET but in quite specific ways and, equally, there are tensions between social partnerships and VET providers which complicate partnership work; and
• Effective partnership work is critical in sustaining social partnerships and yet can become overly focused on the work of partnering at the expense of the purposes for which the social partnership had been established.

Key products

Seddon, T. Fischer, J., Billett, S. and Clemans, A. 2002 Evaluation of the Local Learning and Employment Networks, Melbourne, DE&T. (downloaded 11/9/03)

Seddon, T. and Billett, S. 2004 Social Partnerships in Vocational Education: Building Community Capacity, National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), Adelaide, pp.1-51 (downloaded 24/5/04)

Billett, S. Clemans, A. and Seddon, T. 2005 Forming, Developing and Sustaining Social Partnerships, National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), Adelaide, pp.1-42 (viewed January 2006).

2^nd NCVER project, phase 2: Draft report - in press.

Feedback or contact details

Professor Terri Seddon