2011 Symposium on Service and Inclusion: Improving the Member Experience Through Intentional Strategies Leveraging Partnerships Erin Gannon - Senior Training Associate, NSIP Jewel Bazilio-Bellegarde - Senior Training Officer for Disability Inclusion, The Corporation for National and Community Service Paula Sotnik - Project Director, NSIP

Partnership Brokering Are individuals or organizations who: support cross sector partnerships and enable them to better achieve their outcomes act as ‘change makers’ – intervene as appropriate depending on the stage of the partnering process are dedicated to connecting people and ideas are good capacity builders become redundant when they undertake their role well The Partnership Brokers Program Guidelines and Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Framework, Australian Government, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

… cultural brokering is the act of bridging, linking, or mediating between groups or persons for the purpose of reducing conflict or producing change (Jezewski, 1990). A cultural broker is defined as a go-between, one who advocates on behalf of another individual or group (Jezewski & Sotnik, 2001)

A Broker: Functions as a “bridge” between diverse communities, organizations and service systems Understands how a system’s or community’s culture differs from each other Can explain nuances & values of one culture to the other culture. Can appreciate different views, values & beliefs

…use of the term broker is most in accord with “middleman, “go-between, "intermediary, or agent generally; an interpreter, messenger, commissioner” from the Oxford English Dictionary and the idea of reward is not necessarily financial (e.g. Szasz, 2001).

Factors to learn about: Individual, organization, system, or situation √ Culture √ Values √ Policies √ Economics √ Bureaucracy √ Politics √ Communication √ Culture Sensitivity √ Time √ Disability √ Language √ Education √ Networks

Broker Strategies Advocating …promotes the interests of, or changes the system on behalf of an individual or group … informing and supporting a group or person so that they, she or he can make informed decisions

Broker Strategies Mediating: … can resolve or minimize, and in some instances prevent conflicts between individuals and the systems. Intervening: … compel, alter or prevent an action or condition … come between so as to prevent or amend

Broker Strategies Networking … establishes links with other individuals and organizations that can offer opportunities, expertise, contacts and/or services … facilitate access and use of opportunities, services and supports

Broker Strategies Negotiating … conferring with the organization or individual in order to understand his/her perception of the need for specific services … to negotiate, the broker has to understand the perspective of the person or other organizations

Broker Strategies Sensitizing: … make aware of the culture, values, attitudes and feelings of others

Broker Strategies Innovating: …initiate or make a change by introducing or using a new idea, method or device

Attributes of a Broker A willingness to be a risk taker Able to tolerate ambiguous roles Comfortable functioning at the margins of various systems (individual and organizational system and the service delivery system.) Good communication skills

Attributes of a Broker The ability to network Effective problem solving skills Flexibility and a willingness to learn and perfect the culture brokering role

Put it into action Work with those at your table who have the same “role” as you have. – What do others need to know about your group? – What do you need in order to increase the opportunity for people with disabilities to serve? – What do you bring to the table? What can you contribute in the partnership?

Put it into action At your table, discuss: – How can the different organizations represented at your table learn about each other? – What strategies could you use to bring these groups together in productive partnerships? – What are some examples of ways these groups can work together in partnership? – How can you bring this back to your organization?

References Sotnik, P., & Jezewski, M. A. (2005). Culture and Disability Services. In J. H. Stone (Ed.), Culture and disability: Providing culturally competent services (pp.15-36). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Jezewski, M. A., & Sotnik, P. (2005). Disability Service Providers as Culture Brokers. In J. H. Stone (Ed.), Culture and disability: Providing culturally competent services (pp ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Jezewski, M.A. & Sotnik, P. (2001). Culture brokering: Providing culturally competent rehabilitation services to foreign-born persons. Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange. CIRRIE Monograph Series, John Stone, Ed. Buffalo, NY: CIRRIE. The Partnership Brokers Program Guidelines and Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Framework, Australian Government, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Pages/SBCPB.aspx