Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Local Economic and Employment Development Programme
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF PARTNERSHIPS
TO INFLUENCE POLICY
A capacity building seminar
5 - 7 December 2006
Vienna, Austria
Rationale
Throughout OECD countries, partnerships
are being set up as government, business
and civil society join forces to promote
economic development and solve social
and
employment
problems
more
effectively. Often supported (and
sometimes initiated) by government, these
partnerships seek to co-ordinate policies
and actions, adjust national policies to
local
conditions,
and
involve
representatives of all sectors in society in
shaping measures and projects.
Building partnerships that can genuinely
feed into the policy design process,
influencing the way policies and
programmes are implemented in the
region, is a difficult task. To build a solid
strategic capacity, significant efforts must
be made. Partnerships must acquire a
critical mass through ensuring the
commitment of the main public services
and government agencies concerned; a
strong participation from business; and an
unchallenged representation from civil
society. Public accountability and
transparency must be exemplary, and
performances monitored and assessed
properly. Partnerships must build a strong
analytical capacity and have access to
critical information. Thus the capacity of
partnerships to influence policy raises a
number of organisational issues related to
the establishment of partnerships, and
their role and legitimate position in the
policy development process.
Previous activities of the OECD LEED
Forum on Partnerships have demonstrated
the growing interest of partnerships in
capacity building activities to address such
issues, and in the possibility of sharing
and acquiring new experiences and knowhow. As a response to this demand the
Forum has designed a series of capacity
building activities: seminars, workshops
and study visits to participating countries.
These will provide participants with unique
opportunities to meet with other
partnership managers and OECD experts
and to engage in discussions about
current challenges to the contribution of
partnerships to local development.
This 2.5-day capacity building seminar for
partnerships takes place within this
framework. Aimed at partnership
managers who already possess some
experience in influencing policy, it will be
held on 5 - 7 December 2006 in Vienna,
Austria. The results of the seminar will
feed into the 3rd International Forum
meeting in March 2007.
The seminar
The seminar is designed as a series of
highly interactive sessions around good
practice examples presented by seminar
participants and OECD experts. Debates
about the role and capacity of partnerships
in influencing policy will address questions
relating to trust and legitimacy, applied
communication
strategies
and
accountability
frameworks.
Recent
organisational
development
and
innovation
by
partnerships
in
strengthening
their
position
and
influencing policy and programme design
will be discussed.
In addition, study visits to selected
Austrian Territorial Employment Pacts
(TEPs) will offer valuable insights into the
work, challenges and achievements of
area-based partnerships in Austria.
Participants’ profile and applications
Up to 16 partnership managers will be
selected amongst well established
partnerships with experience and interest
in expanding their current involvement in
policy and programme design. The
working language of the seminar will be
English.
The selection of participants will be made
on the basis of the applicant’s CV (in
English) and completion of a questionnaire
which
is
downloadable
at:
http://www.oecd.org/cfe/leed/forum/part
nerships
Applications should be sent by email to
machacova@forum.zsi.at or
by fax: +43/1/ 49 50 442 40.
Please note the deadline for application:
20th October 2006 (midnight CET).
Applicants will be notified of the success of
their application within two weeks.
Cost of Participation
Participation is free of charge, but
participants must cover their own costs of
travel and accommodation. A hotel will be
selected for participants. Travel to visit the
Austrian TEPs will be organised by the
OECD LEED Forum on Partnerships and
Local Governance. The Forum Office
Vienna at ZSI will provide training
materials and refreshments.
For more information on accommodation
and logistics, please contact Ms Jana
Machacova at machacova@forum.zsi.at
For more information on the seminar and
the questionnaire, please follow the link:
http://www.oecd.org/cfe/leed/forum/part
nerships
OECD LEED Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance at the ZSI
A-1150 Vienna, Linke Wienzelle 246, Tel +43 /1/ 495 04 42-64, Fax -40, e-mail: office@forum.zsi.at
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF PARTNERSHIPS
TO INFLUENCE POLICY
A capacity building seminar
5 – 7 December 2006, ZSI, Vienna, Austria
DRAFT AGENDA
Tuesday 5 December 2006
9:00 – 9:30
WELCOME REMARKS
Michael Förschner, Chairman of the Forum, Ministry of Economics and Labour, Austria
Andrea-Rosalinde Hofer, Policy Analyst, OECD LEED Trento Centre for Local Development
Mike Geddes, Professorial Fellow, Local Government Centre, Warwick Business School,
University of Warwick, United Kingdom
9:30 – 11:00
INTRODUCTORY SESSION
The capacity of partnerships to influence policy on local, national and international level
Mike Geddes, Professorial Fellow, Local Government Centre, Warwick Business School,
University of Warwick, United Kingdom
Impacts of partnership work for the national and international level (Recent developments
within the European Social Fund)
Michael Förschner, Chairman of the Forum, Ministry of Economics and Labour, Austria
This session discusses the role of partnerships in influencing policy by examining examples of
partnerships changing their agenda from service delivery to a more systematic contribution to
policy and programme design. The presentation will illustrate resulting changes and adaptations
in the organisational set up, including communication strategies of partnerships with national and
sub-national government, and interactions with other actors in local development.
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee break
11:30 – 13:30
WORKING GROUPS
Influencing policy within multi-level governance
This working group will provide an opportunity to discuss local partnerships' goals and objectives
in seeking to influence policy makers. For example, is the objective to influence the development
of policies, or their implementation, or the distribution of resources? The session will also discuss
the governance frameworks within which influence can be exercised - the structures and
processes of local and national governments and international institutions and the ways in which
these either facilitate or constrain the exercise of influence by local partnerships.
13:30 – 15:00
Lunch Break
OECD LEED Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance at the ZSI
A-1150 Vienna, Linke Wienzelle 246, Tel +43 /1/ 495 04 42-64, Fax -40, e-mail: office@forum.zsi.at
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF PARTNERSHIPS
TO INFLUENCE POLICY
A capacity building seminar
5 – 7 December 2006, ZSI, Vienna, Austria
15:00 – 15:30
Report back from the Working Groups
15:30 – 16:45
MODERATED DISCUSSION OF AN AUSTRIAN CASE EXAMPLE
Lessons learnt from working across local, regional, national and international
levels: ’Territorial Employment Pacts (TEPs) in Austria and their role in drafting a joint
green paper for elderly’
Anette Scoppetta, Forum Co-ordinator, ZSI, Austria
The presentation will outline the process and discuss lessons learnt from the recent exercise of
drafting a green paper on the role of elderly people in the local labour market. By joining forces,
the Austrian TEPs launched a consultation process, including all relevant actors at local,
regional, national and international levels, which resulted in a joint green paper.
Moderation: Mike Geddes, Professorial Fellow, Local Government Centre, Warwick Business
School, University of Warwick, United Kingdom
16:45 – 17:00
Brief introduction to and practical information on the study visit
Jana Machacova, Forum Office Vienna at the ZSI, Austria
17:00
End of Day 1
Wednesday 6 December 2006
9:30 – 17:00
STUDY VISITS (to be confirmed)
Territorial Employment Pact “Lower Austria”
Territorial Employment Pact “Styria”
17:00
End of Day 2
OECD LEED Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance at the ZSI
A-1150 Vienna, Linke Wienzelle 246, Tel +43 /1/ 495 04 42-64, Fax -40, e-mail: office@forum.zsi.at
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF PARTNERSHIPS
TO INFLUENCE POLICY
A capacity building seminar
5 – 7 December 2006, ZSI, Vienna, Austria
Thursday 7 December 2006
9:00 – 10:00
Reflection on the study visits
10:00 – 11:00
WORKING GROUPS
Influencing policy: methods and processes
These working groups will consider the methods and processes through which partnerships can
influence policy. What skills and expertise do partnerships need? What channels exist through
which influence can be exercised? The working groups will explore the potential use of protocols
to improve the relationships between local partnerships and policy makers.
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:30
Report back from the Working Groups
12:30 – 13:00
Conclusions from the seminar and next steps
13:00
Closing remarks
Mike Geddes, Professorial Fellow, Local Government Centre, Warwick Business School,
University of Warwick, United Kingdom
Michael Förschner, Chairman of the Forum, Ministry of Economics and Labour, Austria
Andrea R. Hofer, Policy Analyst, OECD LEED Trento Centre for Local Development, Italy
OECD LEED Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance at the ZSI
A-1150 Vienna, Linke Wienzelle 246, Tel +43 /1/ 495 04 42-64, Fax -40, e-mail: office@forum.zsi.at