Cooperation between authorities and civil society
Potential and advantages
Cooperation between local authorities and civil society stakeholders such as associations and interest groups can provide an invaluable contribution to initiatives intended to promote inclusion, participation and civic citizenship, including the prevention of risk behaviour such as crime and involvement in extremist environments. It can help to create a series of strong, positive communities – hence providing important alternatives to problematic groups and environments.
With their differing positions and insights into the local community, local civil society stakeholders offer unique potential when it comes to contributing to preventive efforts; networks of relatives, parental support, discussions on civic citizenship and other social topics, or early intervention designed to encourage energisation of young people at risk of marginalisation and their involvement in positive communities, for example.
This is why it is important for civil society to be considered and involved when municipalities and other authorities devise initiatives for building strong, resistant local environments.
Most of the municipalities in Denmark are now aware of this potential and so often have strategies for cooperation with civil society stakeholders. According to the Centre for Voluntary Social Work (Volunteer Report 2014), more than half of municipalities also have staff who work specifically with civil society cooperation relationships.
Cooperating with a municipality or other authority may also offer major advantages for associations and other civil society stakeholders. For smaller, newer associations in particular, this cooperation can help to build up expertise and capacity, thereby underpinning the work of the association in the local community.
Risks and disadvantages
Irrespective of the many advantages of cooperation between authorities and civil society stakeholders, disadvantages and risks may also be associated with such cooperation in some instances. For instance, in some cases one party may behave in a manner that contravenes the core values of the other.
For authorities, for example, there may be concerns about unwittingly "rubber-stamping" associations that counteract democracy and freedoms.
Civil society stakeholders may, for instance, be concerned about problems associated with maintaining a trusting relationship with their users or their reputations as independent stakeholders.
Preliminary work and coordinating expectations – including identifying risks associated with the cooperation – are therefore very important; just as it is essential to go on focusing on whether the cooperation is moving in the desired direction, or whether it should be adjusted or altered.
However, it is difficult to guard entirely against unintentional and inappropriate effects, and responsibility for this always rests with the parties specifically involved.
Frameworks and guidelines for cooperation between authorities and civil society stakeholders
Many stakeholders have devised advice, guidelines and directives for embarking upon cooperations and partnerships of various types. In this respect, the following publications may provide information and inspiration:
- Guide til Partnerskaber. Om samarbejde mellem offentlige og frivillige organisationer (DGI Fyn and Region South, 2007)
- Guide: Sådan laver I en samarbejdsaftale mellem kommuner og frivillige foreninger (Centre for Voluntary Social Work, 2016)
How the specific cooperation or partnership should be formulated will always be dependent on the purpose and the participating stakeholders.
If an actual written partnership agreement is compiled, this can relate to:
- Purpose
- Focus areas and target groups
- Success criteria
- Distribution of roles and responsibilities
- Communication
- Finances
- Timeframe
- Follow-up (including any adjustment of the agreement in the event of disagreements or unexpected developments)
In this regard, it must also be noted that the Act on Non-formal Education and Democratic Voluntary Activity lays out a number of essential frameworks for municipalities' financial support and local lending to associations.
Find out more about the Act on Non-formal Education and Democratic Voluntary Activity
Practical examples
Some municipalities, etc. already have guidelines for cooperation with organisations with regard to the prevention of radicalisation. A couple of selected examples are shown below. It must be noted that the various guidelines and schemes referred to here have not been evaluated to any great extent.
Municipality of Aarhus: Value framework for the anti-radicalisation initiative, launched by the Municipal Corporation
The Municipal Corporation in the Municipality of Aarhus has launched what is known as a value framework for the anti-radicalisation initiative which lists a series of basic rules and values, including democracy, equality and a series of freedoms such as freedom of speech, personal freedom and freedom of religion.
These values form the framework for the municipality's efforts to prevent radicalisation, etc.
Find out more about the value framework at the Municipality of Aarhus (opens in a new window)
Municipality of Copenhagen: charter for democratic values for anti-radicalisation efforts in the municipality
The Municipality of Copenhagen has devised a Charter for Democratic Values for anti-radicalisation efforts in the municipality. This charter was adopted following the publication of a series of recommendations from a team of experts on the prevention of radicalisation, including a strengthened cooperation with civil society on the basis of a joint charter based on democratic values.
This charter includes a series of fundamental values, and its "purpose is to support and ensure common ground in the basic values for the anti-radicalisation work in Copenhagen". The charter also states that "if a partner fails to support the charter, the Municipality of Copenhagen cannot cooperate with this association or organisation as part of the anti-radicalisation cooperation".
Find out more about the charter at the Municipality of Copenhagen (opens in a new window)
Cooperation between education institutions and civil society
TEC, which offers a wide range of vocational training courses, has adopted rules of procedure involving issues such as collective and personal behaviour, including religious rituals and organisations holding events at the school.
Find out more about TEC's rules of procedure (opens in a new window)
Further inspiration
The Radicalisation Awareness Network – Centre of Excellence (RAN), created under the EU Commission, aims to provide advisory services and guidance to EU member states on prevention strategies. RAN has compiled a fact sheet containing advice on how local authorities can work with religious organisations to prevent radicalisation, and also on how to identify trustworthy organisations.