Strengthening Communities through Local Partnerships: Building a Collaborative Research Project

This paper reflects on the early stages of a Foundation for Research, Science and Technology social research project aimed at identifying the overall range, scope and effectiveness of local partnerships (including Maori and Pacific partnerships), both at a national level and in Waitakere and Christchurch cities. We examine the issues that have arisen during the first year of the project as stakeholder relationships have been developed around the research project, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the parties in relation to the research goals have been clarified. We discuss the implications of current funding arrangements, differing institutional cultures and the legacy of "competitive contractualism" for our efforts to link research, policy and practice in mutually beneficial ways. We hope that sharing our experiences will lead to organisational learning and improved policies and practices, in relation to social research projects.