Building

Effective Community
Partnerships
 Why do we need Partners?

Transition has to focus on the entire

person
Reentry is a multi-faceted issue that
requires multi-faceted solutions
It allows us to focus on what we know
how to do best and what we have been
mandated and funded to do
 What is a Partnership?

“ A group of leaders who use an inclusive

strategy to establish shared goals and
agree to use their personal and
institutional power to achieve them”

Institute for Educational Leadership

Steps to Building Partnerships

Small group of leaders form around a

common focus
Identify additional partners
Get Ready for Action
Implementation or Action
Key Questions

• Do we have a common understanding of

the issues, problems, opportunities?
• How do we define success and how do we
measure it?
• Have we created a culture where mistakes
and failures are allowed and do we learn
from it?
• Who does what, when, where? Do we
have MOUs?
 Sustaining Momentum –
Warning!

It’s not about the MONEY, but …

After initial flurry of excitement, your
partnerships will wane
Beware of institutionalizing the strategy
Sustaining Momentum - Ideas

• Expand geographical reach

• Develop new and non-traditional partners
• Deepen and broaden the focus
• Revisit the initial agreement, focus and
renew commitments
• Collaborate with other partnerships
• Develop graceful EXIT Strategy
 Durham County Reentry

2000

• Criminal Justice Resource Center (CJPP)

• Division of Community Corrections
• Durham Police Department
• Parole and Post-Release Commission
 Durham County Reentry
2001

• Criminal Justice Resource Center

• Division of Community Corrections
• Durham Police Department
• Parole Commission
• Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce
• Community College, Vocational Rehab
Services, Weed and Seed
 Durham County Reentry
2002

• CJRC, DCC, Parole Commission

• Chamber of Commerce, Community College,
Vocational Rehab Services
• City of Durham: Police, Weed & Seed, PSN
• Religious Coalition for a Non-Violent Durham,
Durham Congregations in Action
 Durham County Reentry
2004
• CJRC, DCC, Parole Commission
• Chamber of Commerce, Community
College, Vocational Rehab Services
• City of Durham, Police, Weed & Seed, PSN
• Religious Coalition for a Non-Violent
Durham, Durham Congregations in Action
• Going Home Initiative, TASC, Job Link
 Durham County Reentry

2007
• CJRC, DCC, Parole Commission
• Chamber of Commerce, Community College,
Vocational Rehab Services
• City of Durham, Police, Weed & Seed, PSN,
Workforce Development Board
• Religious Coalition for a Non-Violent Durham
• Going Home Initiative, TASC, Job Link
• Durham Affordable Housing Coalition, other
housing providers
• The Durham Center
 Durham County
Reconciliation and Reentry Ministry

Initial Partners and Sponsors:

Durham Congregations in Action
Religious Coalition for a Non-Violent Durham
Durham County CJRC
 Durham County
R&R Ministry
Partnership Steps:
– Shared Vision
– Developed mutual understanding and
appreciation of each other’s work
– Identified existing gaps
– Developed Program Idea
– Developed Training Manual
– Developed MOU
– Ready for Action
 Durham County
R&R Ministry
Partners:
Durham Congregations in Action
Criminal Justice Resource Center
United Christian Campus Ministry, NCCU
Parents of Murdered Children
PROUD
Workforce Development Board
Project Safe Neighborhoods
NC Conference United Methodist Church
Individual Area Churches
End Poverty Group
Duke Divinity School
 Words of Wisdom

 Be honest, but gentle

 Do no harm, and protect each other from
making mistakes
 Keep your agreements
 Respect each other’s boundaries and
professional knowledge
 Don’t take your partners for granted