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Center for Civic Engagement

Developing and Designing a Partnership

Here are some questions to ask when considering a potential campus partnership:

  • Does this project meet the needs of our organization, solve a problem, or address a project (or a small part of a larger project)?
  • How many students can we accommodate?
  • Do we have staff capacity to supervise/provide oversight? Do they need on-site supervision?
  • Do the students have the necessary skills or requirements to work with our organization?
  • What do we need the students to complete before they can start? E.g. standard onboarding, orientation, training, paperwork/waivers, background checks.
  • How often will the faculty/staff/lead student check in on the students and your organization? What process can be established if there are concerns (e.g. not showing up, tardiness, not fulfilling responsibilities, etc.)?

Additionally, community engagement activities can take place in groups or with individual students and may take various forms, such as:

  • Placement: students work on-site with an organization weekly throughout most of the semester
  • Presentation: students research/prepare information of value and benefit to the community organization and present it in a formal presentation
  • Product: students produce a product or written document for an organization
  • Project: students develop and implement a project/event/activity for an organization

Developing Your Partnership

  1. Clearly define and agree upon the goals of the project. Discuss how the goals for your organization and the faculty/staff/student learning goals will be accomplished. Determine if it would be helpful to see the course syllabus.
  2. Discuss the time commitment of all parties.
  3. Plan a time to provide an overview of your organization such as vision, mission, program, services, how their work will benefit the organization etc. Also discuss expectations like dress, hygiene, behavior, what to bring/not bring, or safety. Determine where and when is the best place to deliver this information (come to the class or group meeting, students come to your office).
  4. Establish a plan for regular communication with the faculty/staff/lead student.
  5. Ask about expectations for your organization role in evaluating the student. What does the faculty want? What are you comfortable with?
  6. Practice flexibility, understanding, and empathy. Partnerships take time to develop and will have an occasional challenge especially when working with undergraduate students.
  7. After the project is complete, honestly evaluate the partnership. Were all parties goals/needs met? Has your organization been enhanced?
  8. Discuss if this partnership can be repeated or modified for the future. Is there an opportunity for a long-term, sustainable partnership?

Resources to Guide Partnership Development

The Center for Civic Engagement offers many resources to support partnerships, including the templates below. Please reach out to us to work with a CCE staff member in implementing any of the sample resources below or to learn more at CivicEngagement@ilstu.edu. 

  • Summary of Expectations Template: Lay a strong foundation for your partnership by aligning on key elements from the start. This template helps define project goals, individual contributions, mutual expectations, commitment levels, and timelines, ensuring everyone begins on the same page.
  • Communication Preferences: Set clear communication expectations early in your collaboration. This tool supports you in deciding how and when to communicate, how to address any communication challenges, and how project updates will be shared with other stakeholders.
  • Goal Setting and Planning: Foster a shared vision and aligned efforts by using this resource to set common goals. It also helps break down broad objectives into manageable, actionable steps for better planning and execution.
  • Managing Priorities and Expectations: Clarify roles, responsibilities, and task priorities before launching your project. This tool is especially helpful in identifying the urgency and importance of various tasks to manage ongoing projects effectively.
  • SWOT Analysis: Evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats within your partnership using this tool. It’s designed to help all involved parties maximize potential and prepare for challenges ahead.