Developing Partnerships in Human Services Organizations

In human services organizations, developing partnerships is paramount because of the benefits associated with working with other organizations. For example, with the collaboration between New Harbor Community and the business community, the input to the center is more powerful and with long-term efforts. Moreover, such partnerships guarantee long-term commitment because mission completion is well defined and shared. Therefore, it is a strategy for of overcoming problems like fragmenting the needs of their clients into distinct categories, which ignore interrelated causes and solutions in some cases. Lastly, the partnerships ensure that the clients receive as many services as possible thereby enhancing their accessibility and reliability within short periods (Hasenfeld, 2010).

Administrators in such organizations play the role of enhancing efficiency during the establishment of partnerships. Therefore, the administrators act as “catalysts” or enabling dynamism because they ensure that the organizations receive the support that they deserve. Moreover, their dynamism is evident when freeing people’s energies and motivating them towards solving community problems. While discharging the roles, they need to find a balance between their market-driven approaches and business and their foundational principles like social justice and fairness. To succeed, the administrators should foster the principles of trust, participation, reciprocity, honesty, and fairness as they build external relationships in their work environment. Lastly, the forming relationships should occur at all levels performed at all levels because they are fundamental when addressing issues such as funding sources, staff, the general public, and other stakeholders (Watson & Hoefer, 2013).

Organizations can establish successful partnership when the parties involved share a common goal and work together towards attaining it. However, this is possible if the partners resolve their differences or the grey areas from the onset. Therefore, the partners should have clear and agreed objectives and purpose for the partnership to succeed. As seen in New Harbor Community, the stakeholders resolved to identify and work on the potential barriers that could hamper their working relationship. The conversation led the partners to acknowledge their different reasons for entering the partnership. In the end, partners understood the factors that were associated with them having a successful working partnership (Hasenfeld, 2010). Moreover, the partners should have good channels of communication as a way of limiting any possibility of misunderstanding. Such elements in mind will facilitate the smooth running of organizational goals because partners will have mutual benefits. Overall, the equal recognition of partners also ensures that everyone’s efforts are appreciated, and nobody feels to be a lesser contributor.
The existence of mistrust is one of the factors that might contribute to a failed partnership between organizations. In essence, trust takes long to be formed between partners but can be destroyed with the slightest suspicion among partners. Therefore, mistrust results in having partners being unable to survive the external problems that may occur in the organization. With mistrust, the partners’ level of taking risks is lowered, and this reduces the efficiency of the organization regarding meeting community goals (Hasenfeld, 2010). Poor communication between partners can also fail because they will not be able to understand one another or be committed to a common goal.

When addressing failed partnerships, human service administrators are obligated to act as mediators. Therefore, they should be armed with solutions for the existing problems. Moreover, the administrators should ensure that all communication lines are working well so that they can pass information across the board without any favors. Therefore, the administrators should conduct the affairs of the organization fairly and diligently because the reputation of their organization will be at stake.
In summary, the nature of partnerships in human services organizations is complex, but they are bound to succeed once an appropriate approach is identified. In essence, having people with different opinions come together for the good of a community completes the phase of humanity. Lastly, the partners give back to the society because it is part of their common goal.



References
Cefola, J., Brotsky, C., & Hanson, R. (2010). Shared services: A guide to creating collaborative solutions for nonprofits. San Francisco, CA: The Nonprofit Centers Network and Tides. Retrieved September, 30, 2017 from www.ctnonprofits.org/ctnonprofits/sites/default/files/fckeditor/file/other/Karen/Shared-Services-Guide-eBook-2010.pdf
Hasenfeld, Y. (2010). Human services as complex organizations (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Watson, L. D., & Hoefer, R. A. (2013). Developing nonprofit and human service leaders: Essential knowledge and skills. Washington, DC: SAGE Publications.