Partnership – Just Another Buzzword? IVCO 2022 Think Piece

This think piece by Helge Espe of Norec draws on the research report Partnership – Just another Buzzword? which was written by Jon Lie of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs for Norec). It interrogates the concept of ‘partnership’, a much-used term in volunteering that carries positive connotations but lacks conceptual clarity.

The piece warns that while partnerships are most fair and most effective when they are equal, this is not always the case when they are built on unequal systems or assumptions, or where they are not built and managed by skilled volunteer leaders.