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Development Partnership
According to the partnership principle, used in the implementation of projects within EQUAL, projects are not implemented by individual project providers, but by partnerships of several organizations and institution, the so-called Development Partnerships.
In order to establish a Development Partnership, a project initiator must gain at least two institutions (each of a different type) which want to join funds and activities for the purpose of solving a given problem on the labour market connected with discrimination or inequality.
There are no restrictions for the legal status of institutions which want to act in a partnership. They can be: non-governmental organizations, local and regional administration units, research and education institutions, education centres, enterprises (particularly small and medium), social partners, etc. The partnership implements a project within one Theme selected by it.
The objective of the partnership is to find a solution for a problem through a multilateral and innovative approach using different experience of all partners. From the point of view of specified targets, the involvement of target groups in the partnership activities is very important. Experience gained in previous programmes (Adapt and Employment) shows that small individual actors may have problems with proving their credibility required by Equal. Therefore, a model of the implementation adopted by the Initiative – where the partnership creates an umbrella structure and one selected partner is responsible for financial and administrative management – seems reasonable. Thus, other actors may concentrate on the implementation of the programme. Entrusting one institution with the function of the project administration does not affect the decision taking process within the partnership. Already on the stage of completing the application, institutions initiating the partnership must present the manner in which they will guarantee equal participation of all involved entities in decision making.
Partnerships must have a geographic (regional, local) or sectoral character, depending on the nature of the problem which they are going to face. Equal programme should respond to local and regional needs and it should be implemented within regional or local co-operation. The objective of the Initiative is to combat all kinds of inequality on the labour market, including inequalities between regions (different population structure, level of education and skills, rate of employment, level of incomes).
A sectoral partnership refers to specific professions, sectors of economy or other problems resulting from discrimination and inequalities in professional life which are not related to a given geographic area.
Co-operation within a partnership (both within a national and transnational partnership) is formalised and based on agreement and work plan. In particular, a partnership’s work bases include:
- Common strategy;
- Detailed work programme;
- Financial plan including information on sources of co-financing from public and private funds;
- Distribution of duties and financial contribution of every partner, and determination of financial management;
- Agreement on the participation in works of thematic groups, dissemination of best practices and participation in the process of mainstreaming.
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