Building Partnership 
Toolkit 

A guide to developing collaborative partnerships between 
CAC Chapters andVOCA Administrators 


Thistoolkit wasproducedby theVeraInstituteofJusticeandtheNational 
Children’sAdvocacyCenter under award #2016-XV-GX-K015,awarded bythe 
OfficeforVictims ofCrime,OfficeofJusticePrograms,U.S.DepartmentofJustice. 
Theopinions,findings,andconclusionsorrecommendationsexpressedin this 
toolkit arethoseofthecontributorsanddonot necessarily represent theofficial 
positionorpoliciesoftheU.S.DepartmentofJustice. 

the national resource center for reaching victims logo: helping those who help others and National Children's Advocacy Centers logo

CONTENTS 

• Introduction and Background 
• Intent of thisToolkit 
• About Collaborative Partnership 
• Getting Started 
• Planning and Preparation 
• ComingTogether 
• Staying Connected and Engaged 
• ComingTogether Again 
• Sustaining Partnership 
• Looking Forward 



INTRODUCTION 

Summary 

The National Resource Center for ReachingVictims (NRC) is a 
collaborative effort funded by the Office forVictims of Crime to 
bring healing services and justice to more survivors of crime in 
the United States. The National Children’s Advocacy Center 
(NCAC) spearheads the NRC’s work around Children and Youth; 
leading the effort to improve quality and increase access to 
victim services for the nation’s most vulnerable population. In 
2019 NRC and NCAC engaged State Chapters of Children’s 
Advocacy Centers (CAC),Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) 
Administrators and other state level stakeholders in a project 
designed to improve partnership and collaboration among those 
at the state level working to serve child victims of crime. This 
toolkit shares some of what was learned throughout this project 
and offers a guide to help build and improve collaborative 
partnerships in order to better serve children and youth. 


BACKGROUND 

Background 

Child, youth and teen victimization continue to be pervasive problems in the United 
States that can negatively affect individuals, families, and communities. The need 
for effective and accessible services for child victims of crime is clear. 

In many states, services for children and youth victims of crime are funded and 
delivered by multiple government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Often 
these entities operate independently of each other with little or no formal 
collaborative process. While collaboration is a mainstay of child victim services at 
the direct services level, partnerships at higher levels are often limited. 
Conversations within the field reveal that this if frequently the case for CAC State 
Chapters and StateVictim of Crime Act Administrators. 

The Building Partnerships Project is an initiative undertaken by the NRC and NCAC 
to develop and disseminate strategies for building strong collaborative 
relationships between state Chapters of Children’s Advocacy Centers, stateVOCA 
Administrators and other state child victim services partners. We strongly believe 
that improved partnerships among stakeholders at a systems level offer enhanced 
opportunities for innovative and collaborative engagement strategies for reaching 
and effectively serving all child victims. 


HOW TOUSE 
THISTOOLKIT 

The intent of the Building PartnershipsToolkit is to share strategies and 
tools for cultivating collaborative relationships between state Chapters of 
Children’s Advocacy Centers, stateVictim of Crime Act Administrators and 
other state-based child victim service providers. This toolkit offers 
resources to those seeking to develop or improve collaborative 
partnerships. 

The following guide is designed to be used by CAC Chapters andVOCA 
Administrators when engaging in an intentional process of building 
collaboration. While it may be used as a step by step model, it can also 
serve as a resource to be consulted at any stage of the partnership building 
process. 

Strategies and approaches to building collaboration are shared throughout 
this guide. They are offered in the order in which they were applied during 
two pilot projects designed to intentionally build partnership between a 
CAC Chapter and aStateVOCAAdministrator. Also included in the toolkit 
is an annotated Facilitator Guide containing reflections from the two pilot 
projects and facilitation notes. The intent is to share lessons learned from 
these pilots and facilitator tips that will enhance the partnership building 

experience. 


WHO 
SHOULD USE 
THIS TOOLKIT 

This toolkit is designed to be used by CAC State Chapters and their 

StateVOCA Administrator counterparts to support the 

development of collaborative relationships. The modules and 
activities offered in this guide may be self-directed or undertaken 
with the help of a facilitator. 


What is Partnership and Why it Matters 

Classic definitions of partnership usually describe “two or more 
entities coming together for a common goal.” While this gives us the 
basic idea, the partnerships depicted in this toolkit are much more 
involved, require high levels of investment, and can yield substantial 
rewards. 

When discussing partnerships here we are specifically speaking about 
collaborative partnerships. These interagency, interdependent 
relationships are found when two or more components of a larger 
system (i.e. child victim services) come together with the expressed 
purpose of sharing resources and information in an order to create and 
cultivate new solutions. 

Innovation, creativity, and efficiency are the hallmarks of collaborative 
partnerships. When focused on serving children and youth victim of 
crimes these outputs can result in significant benefits at a systems 
level, introducing the potential for lasting change and improved 

ABOUT 
COLLABORATIVE 
PARTNERSHIP 

outcomes for children and youth. 


ABOUT 
COLLABORATIVE 
PARTNERSHIP 

Coordination, Cooperation, Collaboration 

The terms coordination, cooperation, and collaboration are 
regularly interchanged with one another, yet each has a distinct 
meaning and purpose. While both have value, coordination and 
cooperation work to achieve anticipated outcomes, whereas 
collaboration adds a creative element that can provide new and 
innovative solutions. It is these new ideas that we hope to 
achieve and promote through collaborative partnerships. 


ABOUT 
COLLABORATIVE 
PARTNERSHIP 

Drawing on Existing Models of Collaboration 

Not surprisingly, extensive research has been done on collaboration, 
partnership and teaming. Over the past 10 years there has been a 
marked increase in research specifically focused on interdisciplinary 
work. The driving force behind this research is a recognition that 
collaboration has immense value, particularly within fields that rely on 
knowledge and information sharing among interdependent systems. 
While this research has been primarily focused on teaming and 
collaboration within the business world, its applications are just as 
relevant to victim services and helping professions 

Child Abuse MultidisciplinaryTeams (MDTs) have been in existence for 
decades, capitalizing on their diversity of knowledge through 
collaborative partnerships aimed at serving victims of abuse. These 
teams routinely invest in building and strengthening their partnership in 
a variety of ways including team development, strategic planning, cross 
training, and intentional orientation processes, as well as a strong focus 
on building and maintaining relationships through effective 

communication. Much of what is contained in this toolkit is derived from 
work done with and by MDTs to strengthen collaboration. 


GettingStarted 

Initiating the process of building a collaborative partnership can be a 
daunting enterprise, leaving many to wonder where and how to start. 
This section offers guidance on how to go about getting started and 
what important steps need to be considered first. 


ASSESSING 
NEED 

Anypartnershipbuilding 
processshouldbeginwithan 
assessmentofneed. 
This doesn’t have to be a 
painstaking taskrequiring in 
depthanalysis and statewide 
surveying, but should 
considerafewkeyquestions: 

• 
What does partnership and collaboration currently look like between the 
State CAC Chapter and theVOCA Administering Agency? 
• 
Are these entities in regular communication with each other? Do they share 
information or consult with each other before engaging in new or large-scale 
initiatives? 
• 
Do they participate in any collaborative projects or facilitate shared 
programs? 
• 
How likely are leaders or staff from each agency to reach out to each other for 
assistance or with questions? 
• 
How might a collaborative partnership translate to improved services for 
children and youth victims of crime? What gaps in services, needs, or 
opportunities might be addressed? 
• 
Are there challenges or obstacles that would present potential barriers to a 
collaborative partnership? 


While not an exhaustive list, answers to these questions will offer a sense of whether 
an intentional partnership building processes might be necessary and how it might 
need to be structured to achieve the desired result. 


FIRSTSTEPS 

Initiating the Conversation 

A conversation between the Director of the State 
VOCA Administration and the CAC Chapter Leader is a 
good way to start this process. The simple act of 
having a conversation about partnership is a big step in 
the right direction. Sharing the Building Partnership 
White Paper found in thisToolkit, may offer an easy 
way to introduce the subject and invite conversation 
about what a more intentional partnership might look 
like. 


In order to engage in a partnership building process there needs to be a 
clear and shared understanding that this is something both entities are fully 
committed to. When thinking about initiating this conversation consider 
the following questions: 

• 
Who do I need to have a conversation about partnership with first? 
• 
What’s my intention/purpose for having it? 
• 
What are my most important requests? 
• 
What are the benefits for children & families in our state? 


FIRST STEPS 

• 
What are the benefits for the Chapter and theVOCA Administrator? 
• 
What hurdles or challenges may be encountered? 
• 
How do I want the idea of a collaborative partnership to be received 
and supported? 
• 
Who else may need to be involved in a conversation about these 
changes? 
• 
How do I best frame my messages to make is receivable? 



The word facilitator itself is derived from the Latin term 
“facilis,” meaning easy. The role of a facilitator, in its simplest 
form, is to help make a process easier. A facilitator can assist 
a group in coming together and forming a strong and 
effective partnership. 

While the process of building a partnership may be 
undertaken independently, CAC State Chapters andVOCA 
Administrators are strongly encouraged to engage a skilled 
facilitator. Facilitators serve to support engagement, create 
and maintain safe spaces, and at times offer a neutral 
perspective on the process. Additionally, facilitators can help 
with tasks associated with coordination and planning. 

Considering a 
Facilitator 




Considering a 
Facilitator 



When choosing a facilitator consider the following factors: 

• 
Existing Relationships with participants 
• 
Content Knowledge about children and youth victim services 
• 
Cost, many facilitators are supported by training and technical assistance 
grants to do this type of work at little or no cost 
• 
Ongoing support – consider what type of ongoing support a facilitator will 
be able to provide 
• 
Experience – look for a facilitator who has experience working with 
groups at a systems level and is familiar with collaborative partnerships 


Each of the four Regional Children’s Advocacy Centers, located throughout 
the US have trained facilitators on staff and may be able to assist with such 
collaborative partnership processes. 


WHOTO INCLUDE 

Who to include in a collaborative partnership process is an important 
question that should be explored early and carefully. While this toolkit is 
aimed at supporting improved partnerships between CAC State 
Chapters andVOCA Administrators the involvement of other state level 
stakeholders will likely be beneficial. Explore the possible participation 
of stakeholders engaged in the process of ensuring services for children 
and youth victims of crime. 

When considering whether to include additional partners in the process 
of building a collaborative partnership take into account how their 
participation will engage with and support efforts to improve outcomes 
for children and youth victims of crime. 


WHOTO 
INCLUDE 

Additional State Level Participants to Consider: 

• 
Department of Children and Family Services 
• 
Victim Compensation Program 
• 
Office of Criminal Justice or other Law Enforcement 
• 
Members of the Children’s JusticeTask Force 
• 
Sexual Assault and DomesticViolence Coalitions 
• 
Regional Children’s Advocacy Centers 



When selecting and inviting participants to take part in this process be sure to 
consider their role within the organization they represent. Ideal participants will be in 
a position to effectively represent their agency, speak to high level items like mission 
and vision, and engage in commitments with the other participating organizations. 
At a minimum, leadership from the CAC Chapter and theVOCA Administration 
should be included, setting a tone for who should participate from other agencies. 
Consider engaging individuals who work directly with programs that support services 
for children and youth victims and children’s advocacy centers. 

WHO TO INCLUDE 

Sample Partnership Building Roster: 

CAC Chapter Executive Director 
CAC Program/Associate Director 
VOCA Administration Director 
VOCA Administration Grant/Contract Manager 
Children and Family Services Director 
Victims Compensation Director 
Regional CACTraining Specialist 


INVITINGWITH INTENTION 

Once those who will be participating in the process have been identified, it is important to extend a clear and 
welcoming invitation. This can either be done by a facilitator or jointly by leadership from the Chapter and the 
VOCA Administrator. In many ways this is the first tangible step in the partnership process and sets the tone for 
future engagement and collaboration.This invitation should clearly express the intent of the project, one or two 
desired outcomes and why the invited entity’s participation is considered important to the success of the 
endeavor. 

An effective invitation will also help to set expectations about the process of building a collaborative partnership. 
Be sure to share what type of commitment the project will require with regard to investment of time and 
resources. Also inquire as to what resources, skills, knowledge, and expertise the invited party believes they can 
contribute to the collaborative process. This inquiry not only expresses an expectation that partners be fully 
engaged, but also serves to honor the unique and valuable contributions each agency/organization has to offer. 


INVITINGWITH 
INTENTION 

The invitation process also offers an opportunity to explore perspectives 
on the existing state of partnership, or lack thereof, and identify areas of 
strength and opportunities for improvement. 

Questions to consider exploring with additional participants include: 

• 
Where do you see strengths? Opportunities for growth? 
• 
What excites you about the possibilities of improved collaboration and 
partnership? 
• 
What obstacles might make this process challenging? 
• 
How might our success translate to better services for children and 
youth? 



Planning and 
Preparation 

Coming together to build a strong partnership can have many 
moving parts.This section offers guidance on the logistics and details 
behind the process. 


TIMELINES 

Coming together in an intentional way to develop what will hopefully become a 
strong and lasting partnership cannot be rushed. It is recommended that ample 
time be dedicated to this engagement, allowing for multiple interactions, in 
different ways, over the course of at least 3-4 months. This type of timeline offers 
opportunities for individuals to come together on multiple occasions with time in 
between for reflection and processing. The following timeline offers an idea of how 
building a collaborative partnership might be mapped out. 

SampleTimeline 



April Introductory conference call with state partners 
May First in-person workgroup meeting 
June Video conference call 
June Second in-person workgroup meeting 
July Video conference call (if needed) 
July Third in-person workgroup meeting (if needed) 


TIMELINES 

The primary goal when setting a timeframe is to create ample opportunity 
for group members to come together in order to build strong relationships, 
create a common understanding and develop a shared vision for 
collaborative work. Most groups will find that two in-person sessions, with 
an initial planning call, and a video conference call in between, allows 
sufficient time to lay a strong foundation for effective partnership. Groups 
with a large number of participants or those having historically strained 
relationships may benefit from a third in-person session and an additional 
conference call. Other groups with existing relationships may find that a 
single in-person gathering paired with a series of conference calls is enough 
to lay a framework for a collaborative partnership. Vary the timelines and 
agenda to meet your needs, however more time together is generally 
better than less for a strong collaborative partnership to be developed. 


animated Meeting of three people at a table
INITIAL PLANNING CALL 

An initial planning call with all identified participants helps to introduce 
the project, discuss timeframes and set expectations. 

A one-hour call is usually sufficient to address the items included in the 
agenda below. This call also provides an opportunity to begin setting 
dates and identifying a suitable location for the first in-person meeting. 
Though this call is relatively brief, keep in mind that it will serve as in 
introduction to the process and sets the stage for future work. It is 
helpful to express appreciation for everyone’s commitment of time and 
share a positive outlook for the group’s work together. 


Sample PlanningCallAgenda 

Introductions 
Project Overview and Rationale 
Timeline and Expectations 
Consideration of additional Stakeholders 
Next Steps and Scheduling Process 
Questions 


Agenda 
Setting 

Consideration of both time and process are important when setting the 
agenda for in person meetings. Cultivating a collaborative partnership 
requires sufficient time for individuals to come together in a safe and 
comfortable way. The structure and time set aside for meetings should be 
taken into account when building the project timeline. The process should 
not feel rushed, nor should it feel painfully drawn out. Offering the group 
an opportunity to gather for a 4-5 hour in person session generally provides 
enough time to engage in connection building without feeling 
overwhelming. The following sample agenda provides an insight into what 
a one day in-person gathering might look like. 


Agenda 
Setting 

Building Partnership Sample Agenda 

First In-Person Meeting 

9:00am Welcome, Introductions and Framing 
10:00am OnTeaming and Partnerships 
10:30am Break 
10:45am Getting to Know our Partners 
11:30am UnderstandingThose We Serve 
12:15pm Lunch 
1:00pm Creating a Shared Perspective – How Might We? 
2:30pm Next Steps –Staying Connected 
3:00pm Adjourn 


COMINGTOGETHER 

Crafting an experience that allows people to come together in 
a meaningful way is key to the development of a collaborative 
partnership. This section shares strategies and techniques to 
help facilitate that process. 


CREATINGASPACE 
FOR 
COLLABORATION 

Intentionally coming together to build or enhance a collaborative 

partnership requires care, forethought, and attention. A few 
considerations and areas of focus can help to create a positive 
climate for collaboration that supports the process and those 
engaged in it. 

Psychological Safety exists when people feel comfortable being 
themselves. It relies on interpersonal trust and mutual respect. 
Helping all members of a partnership building process to feel safe is 
a paramount concern; without it the effort will likely not be 
productive. A psychologically safe environment will allow 
participants to comfortably share their thoughts, ask questions, 
and offer suggestions, all of which are important in such a process. 

Ground Rules help to set expectations and offer participants an 
opportunity to ask for what they need from the group to fee safe. 
This should be done early in the process and invite participation 
from the entire group. Both the facilitator and group members are 
responsible for creating and holding each other accountable to 
these ground rules. 


CREATINGASPACE 
FOR 
COLLABORATION 

Framing the Work is one more way we can add 
structure to the process. Engaging the group in a 
conversation about the goals and objectives of the 
process and soliciting input as to what they hope to 
get out of it, helps to create a frame that everyone can 
share. 

Information on Partnership Building helps to add 
context to the process. Engaging in a brief discussion 
about collaborative partnerships and the opportunities 
they offer provides participants with a deeper 
understanding of what this process is trying to achieve 
and why. 


animated Board Room with two people at a table
Getting to KnowOur Partners 

Personal Introductions 
Starting with personal introductions is an ideal way to start the 
first in-person session. Invite each member of the group to 
introduce themselves, even if they already know each other. 

Ask them to share their: 

• 
Name 
• 
Role 
• 
Agency or Organization 
• 
How long they’ve been with the agency/organization 
• 
Opener question 



Getting to Know 
OurGetting to 
Know Our 
Partners 

An opener or ice breaker question, offers participants an 
opportunity to share something about themselves as an 
individual. This can help to build connections and 
strengthen relationship. 

Examples include: 

• 
Favorite Comfort Food 
• 
Ideal vacation 
• 
First Job or Worst job 
• 
1 thing others in the room may not know about you 



Getting to Know 
Our Partners 

Agency/Organization Introductions 

While the participants may know a bit about the different agencies and 
organizations they partner with, there is likely much they don’t know. Offer the 
group an opportunity to introduce their organization or agency. Ask them to 
share about: 

• 
What their organization/agency does 
• 
How their organization/agency provides or supports services for 
victims 
• 
How many people are on their staff or work within their team 
• 
How their organization/agency is funded 
• 
What makes their organization/agency unique 
• 
If applicable, how has their organization changed over time 
• 
What are the primary areas of focus for their agency currently 


As each person introduces their agency/organization, encourage the group 
to ask clarifying questions. 


CULTIVATING A 
SHARED 
UNDERSTANDING 

Cultivating a Shared Understanding 

An early and critical step in teaming is to craft a shared understanding of 
the work we all do and why we do it. Collaboration begins with sharing 
about our roles, responsibilities, challenges, opportunities, hopes, and 
ideas. This allows us to create a new, shared perception of our partners and 
how a collaborative partnership might translate into meaningful effect. 

This step requires time and attention as it establishes the foundation for the 
group and the work it will do together. The activity on the following page 
offers the CAC Chapter, the VOCA Administrator and the other participating 
agencies an opportunity to share what they are experiencing in the work 
they do. This helps to build a deeper understanding between the 
organizations and often builds connection around a shared experience. 


UNDERSTANDINGOUR PARTNERS 

This activity provides participants with a 
frame with which they can share more detail 
about their own organization/agency; what’s 
going well, where they may need help, what 
they value and what they are hopeful for. 

Participants from the same organization 
should work together to complete a single 
grid. Once completed, ask participants to 
share their worksheet and respond to 
questions that the group might have. 

Ask the group to look for similarities and 
common themes that may stand out. 

empty Quadrant with headings: 
Proud of (Strengths)
Help With ( Challenges)
Frustrated By (Barriers)
Love To (Hopes)
and in middle, 
Values (What’s important)
Proud Of 
(strengths) 
Help With 
(challenges) 
Love To 
(dreams) 
Frustrated By 
(barriers) 
Values 
(what’s important) 

UNDERSTANDINGTHOSE 
WESERVE 

animated Family with two adults and a child
Creating a shared understanding helps to cultivate alignment within 
the group and broaden perspectives about the work. Another 
important aspect of this process involves a focus on those being 
served by the members of this collaborative partnership. Giving the 
group an opportunity to talk about the children and families they are 
effectively reaching through the work they do, as well as the children 
and families they feel they could do a better job of reaching, fosters a 
deeper understanding and further invites collaboration. The aim here 
is to develop a rich and open conversation about of the services that 
currently exists within the state. 


UNDERSTANDING 
THOSE WE SERVE 

When you think of the services you and your agency/organization 
support, which children and youth do you feel you are effectively 
reaching? 

Which children and youth do you feel you are not reaching? 

Which specific groups, communities, or populations of children and 
youth are not accessing or receiving services? 

What gaps in services and support do you see in the work being done 
throughout the state? 

What might an outside observer notice about the work we do to 
support children and families in our state? 


HOW MIGHT 
WE? 

This simple question offers team members a way to 
explore two important considerations in any 
partnership process… 

“How might we create collaborative processes to 
address the challenges we’ve identified?” 

and 

“How might we continue to strengthen and sustain 
this partnership?” 


HOW 
MIGHT WE? 

One approach to exploring these questions is to divide the group in 
two and assign one of the questions to each small group. After 15-20 
minutes of discussion bring everyone back together to share. 

For the first question, remind the group that the intent of this 
question is not necessarily to develop specific solutions, but to share 
ideas that would support working together toward future solutions. 
An example might be “We could meet regularly to discuss 
challenges we see throughout the state and brainstorm ideas.” 

For the second question, remind the group that the intent is to 
develop ideas and approaches that would continue to foster 
collaboration and deepen relationships. An example might be “We 
could hold a bi-annual retreat to share what we are working on and 
any new resources we have to offer the group.” 


STAYING 
CONNECTED 
AND 
ENGAGED 

Building a collaborative partnership is by no means something that happens 
in a single day. In fact bringing a group together on multiple occasions and 
in different ways serves to support the process. Hosting two or three in 
person gatherings will provide ongoing points of connection and focus, 
however it is important to keep the group engaged in between those 
gatherings if momentum is to be maintained. Scheduling one or two 
conference calls or video meetings between in-person sessions can help to 
facilitate ongoing group engagement. These calls offer an an opportunity 
for the group to stay connected, share information, provide updates and 
discuss additional opportunities for partnership. 


STAYING 
CONNECTED 
AND 
ENGAGED 

Consider scheduling a group calls of this type every 3 to 4 weeks between 
in-person sessions. The following sample agenda helps to offer structure to 
these calls. 

Sample Connecting Call Agenda 
Introductions and Check-in 

Review of Partnership Process and Focus of the Call 
Organization/Agency updates 

Points of Collaboration since previous session 
Announcements, Next Steps, Scheduling 


COMINGTOGETHER 
AGAIN 

While an initial gathering supports relationship building and helps to 
create a shared understanding, a second gathering allows the 
partners to think about how their partnership might take share. This 
section will focus on a designing a second gathering that looks 

forward to collaboration in action. 


A SECOND 
MEETING 

While the focus of the first in-person session was to build connections and 
create a shared understanding, the focus of the second session is placed on 
building pathways for collaborative work and strategic vision setting. 
Supporting the group in looking forward and helping them to see the potential 
benefits from such collaboration is a key objective. 

Building Partnership Sample Agenda 
Second In-Person Meeting 
9:00am Welcome, Re-Introductions and Review 
10:00am Revisiting Session One 
10:45am Break 
11:00am Collaborative Brainstorming 
12:15pm Lunch 
1:00pm Strategic Vision Setting 
2:15pm Sustaining Partnership 
3:00pm Adjourn 


A SECOND 
MEETING 

Reintroduce, Review, and Updates 

Be sure to begin by offering participants the opportunity to reintroduce 
themselves, this is especially true if there are any new members of the 
group that were not present for the first session or the calls between 
gatherings. 

A brief recap of the process to date and an overview of the agenda helps 
to frame the focus of the second session. If there are new members invite 
those in the existing group to provide an overview of what was discussed 
in the first session and any insights, they may want to share. 

Provide ample opportunity for the group to reconnect. One way to do this 
is to ask for updates from each participating agency/organization. Ask 
them to include any new successes or challenges as well as any requests 
for support or assistance. Invite the group to share about any 
collaborative efforts or activities that may have taken place since the first 
session. 


REVISITING THE FIRSTSESSION 

Begin the work of the second session by revisiting the shared understanding 
that was created in session one. Sharing a collective summary of the group’s 
identified values, strengths, challenges, barriers and hopes helps to bring 
potential goals and objectives into perspective. Add to this context, a 
review of the group’s discussion about how services are currently being 
provided to children and youth. Highlight any gaps or areas of need the 
group surfaced. Lastly, offer the group the opportunity to revisit the 
conversation about how they might work together to find collaborative 
solutions. 


REVISITING THE FIRSTSESSION 

Proud of (Strengths) 
HelpWith ( Challenges) 
Frustrated By (Barriers) 
LoveTo (Hopes) 
Values (What’s important) 

filled-in Quadrant with: 
Proud of (Strengths) Ability to have a positive impact, knowledge and skills, collaboration with partners
Help With ( Challenges): Capactiy-more resources/staff, increasing innovation, system challenges - streamlining processes, incresing "reach"
Frustrated By (Barriers): System barriers, obstacles to impact, limitations on funding
Love To (Hopes): Eliminate match requirement, increase reach, remove barriers
and in the middle, 
Values (What’s important): Compassion, collaboration, effective impact, victim/child focused, creativity/innovation 
Values 
(what’s important) 
• 
• 
• Compassion 
• Collaboration 
• Effective Impact 
• Victim/Child Focused 
• Creativity/Innovation 
Proud Of 
(strengths) 
• Ability to have a positive impact 
• Knowledge and skills 
• Collaboration with partners 
Frustrated By 
(barriers) 
• System Barriers 
• Obstacles to impact 
• Limitations on Funding 
Help With 
(challenges) 
• Capacity – more resources/staff 
• Increasing Innovation 
• System Challenges – streamlining processes 
• Increasing “Reach” 
Love To 
(hopes) 
Eliminate Match requirement 
Increase Reach 
• Remove Barriers 
AN EQUATION 
FOR 
COLLABORATION 

Invite the group to reflect on the equation that is developing… 

infographic: Who we are What we do Why we do it plus
Where Needs Exist plus
How we can work together equals
Collaborative Solutions
Who we are 
What we do 
Why we do 
it 
Where 
Needs 
Exist 
How we 
can work 
together 
Collaborative 
Solutions 

COLLABORATIVE 
BRAINSTORMING 

By engaging the group in a process of collaborative brainstorming you can 
offer a glimpse at how collaboration can result in innovative solutions. The 
primary objective here is to expose the developing partnership to what is 
possible together and how collaboration might look in action. Offering an 
opportunity to explore solutions through a structured model can help the 
group to see the potential benefits of effective partnering. 

Break the participants into small groups and explain that Collaborative 
Brainstorming: 

• 
Is a process for generating and identifying innovative ideas 
• 
Brings a team together to find a shared solution 
• 
Removes barriers to creativity and possibility 


Ask them to focus on one of the challenges identified in the grid activity and 
use the following model to develop a list of ideas and possible solutions. 


inforgraphic: Collaborative Brainstorming
Understand the Problem
Shared perspective of the challenge
Generate Ideas
Drop assumptions and constraints 
Decide/Prioritize as a Team
Exciting, better doable
Prototype
What would you need to build? do?
Validate
What information could you collect? How? 
Understand the 
Problem 
Shared 
perspective of the 
challenge 
ValidateWhat information 
could you collect? 
How? Collaborative 
Brainstorming 
Generate Ideas 
Drop assumptions 
and constraints 
Decide/Prioritize 
as a Team 
Exciting, better 
doable 
Prototype 
What would you 
need to build? do? 
COLLABORATIVE 
BRAINSTORMING


Strategic 
Vision 
Setting 

Setting a c lear and share d strate gic 
vision he lps a partne rship to define its 
focus and adds stru cture to the work it 
will do together. To accomplish this, 
invite the grou p to review the ide as 
and possibilitie s disc ussed du ring the 
brainstorming se ssion. Be c urious with 
the grou p arou nd the following 
question: 

Then, ask the grou p to select a 
single are a of focu s and ide ntify 
two or three sm all ways it might 
partner to create change within 
that are a of focu s. 

“What three or fou r areas of 
focus might this group want to 
work on collaboratively?” 

Next, ask the grou p to think of 
one or two small steps it can take 
to initiate the collaborative work 
around one of the se change s. 


SUSTAINING 
PARTNERSHIP 

Supporting teams to successfully come together to develop a collaborative 
partnership is just the beginning of what is hopefully a long-term relationship. 
Sustaining and continually strengthening this relationship is an ongoing task. In 
short, partnerships takes work if they are to continue to operate in a collaborative 
manner. Offering teams strategies on how they might continue to invest in their 
partnership will help their collaboration to continue to grow. 

Many teams find it helpful to connect on a monthly or quarterly call to keep each 
other updated and share relevant news and information. Another approach is to 
host an annual partnership retreat, where members engage in strategic planning and 
discussions around further opportunities for collaborative work. 

Regardless of the approach, the intent here is to find formal and informal ways to 
stay connected and engaged. These connections help to ensure that relationships 
continue to strengthen long after the initial partnership building process has ended. 


LOOKING 
FORWARD 

Collaboration embodies the idea that together we can 
achieve more. By developing partnerships we can engage 
the full resources of a system toward finding solutions and 
creating lasting change. 

CAC Chapters andVOCA Administrators, along with other 
important stakeholders, have an opportunity to enhance 
access and quality of victim services for children and youth 
in their states. This toolkit offers a guide to help drive that 
process. 

As more and moreVOCA Administrators and CAC 
Chapters come together to form collaborative 
partnerships we look forward to continued improvements 

in the field’s ability to meet the full needs of all children 

and youth victims of crime.