We are transformation partners to public and voluntary sector organisations that want to build more collaborative public services, putting people at the centre, creating holistic support and recognising strengths.
We understand that improving outcomes for communities requires place-based collaboration across all sectors. We help to strengthen partnerships and teams based on collaborative foundations such as a shared vision, strong relationships, collaborative behaviours and understanding the means for collaborative action.
We design and deliver bespoke programmes to develop collaborative and system leadership skills and behaviours that equip people to address complex challenges.
We know strong, connected communities hold solutions to many of the challenges we face as a society and as a planet. We help organisations to collaborate and engage with civil society, local people and service users through sharing power, co-production and supporting community action.
We help organisations and partnerships understand the importance of learning when tackling complex challenges. We facilitate peer learning and development of learning cultures and capabilities, and co-design new learning tools and frameworks.
Growing the movement for collaboration
As well as supporting organisations and partnerships in the ways described above, we also work to develop the movement for collaboration more broadly in the UK:
Beyond project funding: how can funders nurture healthy systems?
Collaborate has been working with the BSA to help them identify what a healthy system for public engagement with research looks like, and develop a funding programme to support this. This is the first in a series of blogs to share our learning so far.
Systems stewardship in practice: What it is and how to get started
Are you trying to collaborate across organisational boundaries but getting stuck due to entrenched behaviours, structures and ways of working? The emerging practice of systems…
How flooding spurred a rethink of the relationship between citizen and state in Test Valley
In our recent work with Test Valley Council, we found it inspirational to learn about how they’ve developed relationships with local communities and embedded this…
How can funders really shift power to communities? By losing control
Collaborate’s mission and work is focused on helping create a more collaborative and equitable society. In partnership with The Social Change Agency, Collaborate co-convenes the ‘Losing…
Learning from young people’s vision for public services. (TLDR: It’s not New Public Management)
Chloë Darlington, Policy and Communications Manager at Children England contributes this guest blog during Human Learning Systems Week. Children England’s mission is to change the world…
Collaborate is an innovative social consultancy building the thinking, culture and practice of collaboration to help us meet the challenges of the twenty-first century together….