How to create collaborations that really matter?
This course takes place in English!
Radical social change cannot be achieved alone! Alliances and networks – whether transnational or in one’s own neighborhood – have always been an important element for transformation. But how can they be established? What is needed for successful cooperations and alliances? What are the rules and structures that make an alliance work well? What are the differences between alliances and networks? What are do’s and don’ts? Why should we be aware of the characteristics of different types of organisations (e.g. NGOs, trade unions, grassroots groups, etc.) and how can they be used productively? What can we learn from past and existing alliances? How can we navigate power imbalances?
This course will touch upon all these questions and work with participants’ experiences as well as common challenges.
“The most successful coalitions are ones that seek to achieve social change goals (such as individual victories and shifting the political climate) at the same time as they strengthen the organizations that participate in them.” (Amanda Tattersall, 2010)
Modules:
- Basics for successful collaborations and coalitions (transformative Collaboration)
- Coalitions, alliances and cooperation: terms, concepts and debates
- Coalition work: how to? Do’s and Don’ts
- Learning from other alliances
- Dealing with power and inequality between movements, paid actors and other stakeholders
- Learning from transnational alliances and solidarity
- Building a new alliance
This course is for you if …
- ….you are part of an alliance or want to actively build and shape future coalitions
- ….you want to reflect on your own experiences with alliances.
- …you are keen to learn from best practice examples.
- … you speak well enough English to follow a whole course in English.
Learning objectives:
At the end of this course, we will know all the elements and steps for building successful alliance work. We will be familiar with different types of approaches and will be able to adapt, plan and implement them for the respective target group. Completing this course provides the basis for analyzing and, if necessary, improving already existing alliances as well as building a good base for newly emerging ones.
Trainers
Alexandra Strickner
Alexandra (she) is a political economist, co-founder, board member and managing director of the Competence Center for Infrastructure Economics, Public Services and Social Provisioning. She has more than 20 years of experience in social change processes and in the building and strategic support of broad multi-actor networks & alliances in Austria and internationally through which economic alternatives to neoliberal globalization are developed and promoted. She has also co-founded Attac Austria, Anders Handeln (Austrian Trade Justice Plattform) and fair sorgen! Wirtschaften fürs Leben (care fairly! An Economy for Life).
Sina Vollmer
SelbstOrganisationsEntwicklung
Sina (he) is a coach, mediator and organizational developer based in Freiburg. He has been supporting individuals and NGOs in crises, conflicts and structural changes for many years. A lot of his work is about self-organization, participation and collective leadership.
English 
German