Summary

Build relationships that provide the organisation with knowledge, lived experience, practical support and specialist services. Partnerships should evolve with organisational maturity, from knowing where to seek help to sustained cooperation and co-development with organisations of persons with disabilities and other relevant partners. Partnering involves actions to address:

• Support networks (2.4)
• Partnerships (2.5)

Bolded actions are required for the corresponding level of YO-IN Quality Label Certification.

Support Network (2.4)

Actions

• Basic: Identify organisations, experts, suppliers and services than can answer disability inclusion or accessibility questions.
• Intermediate: Create an accessible contact/resource map and establish initial relationships for recurring areas of support.
• Advanced: Maintain a strategic network, in practice and documentation, that can provide specialised expertise, referrals, training, accessible services, and peer exchange.

Milestones

• The organisation knows where to turn for support.

Considerations and Decisions

• What expertise does the organisation have or want to develop and what should be externalised?

Partnerships (2.5)

Actions

• Basic: Begin informal exchanges with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities at the local, regional and/or national levels.
• Intermediate: Cooperate on selected activities, trainings, accessibility reviews or referrals and establish regular contact.
• Advanced: Maintain reciprocal, sustained partnerships, including co-development of activities, events, and projects. 

Milestones

• External relationships influence organisational practices.

Considerations and Decisions

• Which relationships should deepen into long-term or co-creation partnerships?
• Does the organisation prefer a formal or informal path to establish partnerships (e.g., Memorandum of Understanding)?

Go to Step 4: Enable