Epidemiologist Richard Wilkinson explains why it's equality, and not high income, that makes a society thrive.

Alan Briskin, Sheryl Erickson, Tom Callanan and John Ott 2009

This book defines colective wisdom, considers how it shows up and
explores what it is that makes groups foolish. It includes a chapter
on "the unlimited co-creative power of groups and communities."

You can read a review of the book on the Tamarack website -
Collective Wisdom and Folly by Paul Born.

You can also visit the Collective Wisdom Initiative website
www.collectivewisdominitiative.org, which offers tools and practices that help build the discipline of collective wisdom.

2010 Adam Kahane

In his latest book Adam Kahane claims the conclusion he came to in "Solving Tough Problems", i.e. that we solve such problems by opening ourselves up and connecting to our own true selves, to one another, and to our context and what it demands of us, was only half right.

He now knows that this alone is not enough, "we must also grow". He suggests that to co-create new social realities we have to work with two distinct fundamental forces that are in tension - love (the drive to unity) and power (the drive to self realisation). "We need to learn to integrate our power and our love."

Read a review of the book on the Tamarack Website - Social Change and the Dynamics of Power and Love by Liz Weaver (page 6 of PDF).

The Partnering Initiative is a global programme of the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF), working in association with the European Partnership for Sustainable Development, Overseas Development Institute, United Nations System Staff College and University of Cambridge Programme for Industry. It is "a global hub for learning about partnerships, enabling the sharing of practical experience, contributing to cutting-edge knowledge, offering support, training and advice as well as setting standards in what constitutes good partnering practice".

Putting Partnering into Practice: Collaboration on Complex Issues - Healthy Homes
http://www.communityoutcomes.govt.nz/web/coutcomes.nsf/unid/TCAO-7UC26F?openDocument
A 2009 New Zealand report looking at themes, experiences and learning about interagency collaboration, based on the observations of people involved in 'healthy homes' initiatives. Provides useful ideas for strengthening partnering practice.

UK Neighbourhood Management Pathfinders Evalutation 
An evaluation report of several Neighbourhood Management initiatives in the UK and an exploration of the overall effectiveness of the Neighbourhood Management model. Sets out the details of a deliberate process of community engagement to achieve community involvement and joined up neighbourhood services.

Community Based Collaboration - community wellness multiplied Explores community based collaboration. The section entitled "Collaboration Multiplied" is especially interesting.

Coming together - building collaboration and consensus  
Offers plenty of practical information for building collaboration and partnerships. The site was created by one individual but is now supported by Tamarack - An Institute for Community Engagement.

Putting Pen to Paper
http://www.communityoutcomes.govt.nz/web/coutcomes.nsf/unid/TCAO-7S73VY?openDocument
The first publication in the Putting Pen to Paper series produced by The Department of Internal Affairs, in co-operation with Waitakere City Council. It focuses specifically on the development of partnership agreements.  For those needing some helpful advice on when, if and how to incorporate partnering and collaboration into written agreements.

Compiled by Jenny Blagdon, November 2009

The Seriously Good Guide to Fundraising is a soft cover guide which provides practical ideas and advice for community groups wanting to raise funds. Topics covered in the guide include Getting Started, Planning an Event, Sponsorship, Community Funding and Marketing. It also provides details about running specific events such as discos, gala days, food stalls, raffles, tours, auctions and more.

Originally the book was published as a regional guide for the Tauranga/Western Bay of Plenty, Rotorua/Eastern Bay of Plenty, and Waikato/Coromandel areas, however there has been such a demand that we have now published a guide for the whole country. To find out where you can get your free copy of the NEW New Zealand guide
Phone 07 571 8819 or 021 439 499, or write to Exult Ltd PO Box 1187 Tauranga

Click here for the website.

Click on the links to access these reports.

Poverty policy. Torjman, S. 2008.

Dumb and dumber government rules. Caledon Commentary. 1999.

The forgotten fundamentalist. Caledon Commentary. 2008.

Written in 2007 by Leslie Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant. Reviewed by Jenny Blagdon and Helen Wilson.

Forces for Good provides a thoughtful challenge to popular beliefs about what makes a non-profit organisation effective. Contrary to common understandings, the key to a successful non-profit organisation lies not with the management of their internal operations, but how they work outside their own boundaries. The authors of this book came to this conclusion after four years of extensive research surveying thousands of non-profit CEOs, conducting hundreds of interviews and doing in-depth study into twelve highly effective non-profit organisations.

They found that the most successful organisations were the ones which mobilised every sector of society - government, business, non-profits and the public - to be a force for good. This means working with many different groups and individuals and at many different levels. Such work involves not just service delivery but policy advocacy. It involves tapping into the self-interest of business to encourage them "to do well while doing good". It involves being adaptive and sharing leadership. And importantly it involves real collaboration not competition with peers.

This is a book for those social entrepreneurs who, as the authors say, are not content merely to give a man a fish, or even teach him to fish, but want to revolutionise the fishing industry.

Master of Public Policy thesis by Moira Lawler, submitted 20 Nov 2008.
This paper looks at how local government in New Zealand is working to improve the participation of residents in local decision-making. The research looked at three communities where community planning had been used and talked to Council and community members about their experiences. Using a case study approach, the information gathered was used to build a picture of possible sources of success or failure in using community planning.

Moira Lawler works in policy and planning with Porirua City Council. She has a background in adult education, community development and local economic development. The paper is available here