Social Work with People Practicing Same-Sex ... - ILGA Europe

• Time is saved.
• Experience is gained.
• Solidarity.
• Information and experience is shared.
• Communication, information, financial, human and other resources are combined.
• It is not so fearful in the company (at night gays and lesbians go the streets in the
groups — so it is not so fearful).
• The power is in number.
• The power is in diversity. Different organizations with different target groups
unite their efforts.
• Sense of ownership increases motivation.
• Social dialogue.
• Involvement of experts.
• Alliance of several NGO — donors and public authorities do not like to deal with
individual organizations.
• One organization / group represents the interests of other members.
Coalition building principles and options
A decision of an organization to join the coalition is based on the following:
1. How important is the issue/problem for the organization.
2. Does the organization have opportunities and resources to participate in the
coalition (and not sit silently and watch how decisions are made by the others)?
3. Can the organization achieve its goal or resolve a problem without joining the
coalition?
4. What other organizations participate in the coalition? Will it contribute to the
establishment of new/development of existing relationships?
5. Is it worth joining the coalition resource-wise (big investments — small result)?
6. How will joining the coalition influence the image of organization in its
relationships with the authorities, other organizations and the population?
A good coalition never has one leader, but the management system, though initially the
coalition building is led by one person, and then the management is being established.
It should be built on a trust to the participants on the basis of their reputation and
performance.
I. Participants share
the information.
Resources are not
combined. There is
practically no risk.
Different Options of Coalition Building
II. Resources
are combined.
Everybody “owns“
the result. There is a
certain risk.
Cooperation cardinally changes any organization.
III. Individual organizations and
people create a formal structure.
Resources of all participants are
combined.
The results belong to all. The risk is
high (to lose resources, name, image,
reputation, etc.)
First of all it relates to the principles — from competition to consensus and compromise.
Coalition means the movement from “Me” to “Us”.
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