Difference between revisions of "NGO Networking"
From NGO Handbook
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==History of Networks== | ==History of Networks== | ||
| − | Networks have always existed in some form or another. In communities before the advent of agriculture, a person’s contribution was based on what they were good at doing | + | Networks have always existed in some form or another. In communities before the advent of agriculture, a person’s contribution was based on what they were good at doing; with this idea, the communities survived as a result of the combined strengths of each person. In the Middle Ages, guilds were created as “a way of ensuring economic protection for producers and quality control for consumers that flourished into a norm for production” (Leibler and Ferri). With industrialization came the labor unions, which are essentially networks of workers who come together to advocate for their rights in the workplace. Doctors, psychologists, lawyers and other professionals have formed networks through societies and organizations in efforts to learn and connect with others in their respective fields and seek best practices. |
The idea of working collectively to benefit the individual as well as the group is especially pervasive in areas of development, particularly in the NGO communities that most often champion for the “environment, poverty reduction, international security, and inequality” (Leibler and Ferri). The potential to utilize network ideology to work toward meaningful political, economic, and social change is limitless. | The idea of working collectively to benefit the individual as well as the group is especially pervasive in areas of development, particularly in the NGO communities that most often champion for the “environment, poverty reduction, international security, and inequality” (Leibler and Ferri). The potential to utilize network ideology to work toward meaningful political, economic, and social change is limitless. | ||
| − | Even though networks are not new and have existed in various permutations for a long time, according to Joel S.G.R. Bhose, the “rise of networks of NGOs” (Bhose 48) has become formidable since the | + | Even though networks are not new and have existed in various permutations for a long time, according to Joel S.G.R. Bhose, the “rise of networks of NGOs” (Bhose 48) has become formidable since the 1980s. These networks are informal and limited in their goals while “umbrella NGOs” (Bhose 48) are structured in their partnering of smaller organizations. Hugh Goyder notes in his article, “A Perspective from an International NGO” that the 1980s and 1990s witnessed the reality of NGOs having varied experiences where attempts to network and partner are concerned. |
| − | In the | + | In the 1980s when NGO networking entered the global vernacular, NGOs in the global south (those in developing countries) and NGOs in the global north (those in already developed countries) found themselves in conflict over the traditional role of the northern NGOs as donors and the southern ones as recipients good point. This relationship created an environment that many insiders deemed paternalistic. |
In an interview with program assistant, Andrea Bertone of the Woodrow Wilson Center on March 2, 2000, Ann Hudock who worked for the Association for Rural Development (ARD) says that “ARD was subject to outside control and donors were driving the process” (Bertone). | In an interview with program assistant, Andrea Bertone of the Woodrow Wilson Center on March 2, 2000, Ann Hudock who worked for the Association for Rural Development (ARD) says that “ARD was subject to outside control and donors were driving the process” (Bertone). | ||
| − | Despite some of the difficulties that have historically surfaced with NGO partnerships, Goyder claims the reasons behind networking and partnering have genuine value when the partnership is based on a commitment to developing national organizations and not merely on funding. He believes that successful collaboration “requires joint strategic planning and agreement on objectives and indicators by which progress is measured. Once a relationship is established, problems can be openly acknowledged and addressed before they become overwhelming. There is much scope for learning by both sides” (Goyder). | + | Despite some of the difficulties that have historically surfaced with NGO partnerships, Goyder claims the reasons behind networking and partnering have genuine value when the partnership is based on a commitment to developing national organizations and not merely on funding. He believes that successful collaboration “requires joint strategic planning and agreement on objectives and indicators by which progress is measured. Once a relationship is established, problems can be openly acknowledged and addressed before they become overwhelming. There is much scope for learning by both sides” (Goyder). Agreeing with Goyder, strategic planning is crucial. The concepts and rationale that support the benefits for networks and partnerships remain valid and putting the theories into practice have been as positive as it has been challenging coming into the twenty-first century with the breadth of NGO variety expanding. |
==Types of NGO Networks== | ==Types of NGO Networks== | ||
Revision as of 09:42, 12 August 2008
“NGOs work in a society as institutions in their own right and through negotiation with other institutional actors to achieve their interests. Their success in working in society depends to a great extent on their ability to influence others in their environments…”(Doh and Teegan 217)
Optimally, networks have the potential to benefit Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the areas of organizational development, performance, and advocacy. Likewise, the means for education and partnership multiply when NGOs connect with other NGOs or organizations. The Bureau of Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance study, “NGO Networks: Building Capacity in a Changing World,” cites key characteristics shared by most networks and diverse approaches to NGO networking. In analyzing these characteristics and the way that networks function, a brief history of network ideology and NGO networking since the 1980’s, when such partnering practices became more common, provides background to the topic. NGO networks operate in many different areas of society and the circumstances from which they form are likewise varied. It is understood that as the challenges and benefits of NGO networking are negotiated, the present and future of NGO networks will remain a learning process that means continuing to evolve as engines of change.
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