MODULE 4

Fueling Partnership With Short-Term Teams (Post-Community)

Introduction

When a church or other goer-group comes to serve with you in your community, they are partnering with you during the time they are there. However, we often overlook the potential for these short-term experiences to become a launch pad for other forms of partnership throughout the rest of the year. In order to maximize the potential for short-term teams to fuel holistic community transformation, we need to integrate them into ongoing, impactful partner relationships. Effective short-term team ministry should go hand-in-hand with committed relationships with churches and other organizational partnerships.

The needs in your community are too big for you and your team, but God can use you as a doorway for churches and other organizations to have an impact through strategic partnership. This module is intended to help you use the short-term teams process to effectively develop deeper, more impactful partnerships.

  In this Module you will learn:
   
What partnership looks like and why it’s important

How to prepare for partnership conversations

Details for the most important follow up conversations

Partnership considerations for the pre-community phase

Ways to promote partnership while a team is in your community

Steps for following up after a short-term team

Post-Community Role Breakdown

- Have follow-up conversations with the STT Leader and, Organizational Goer-Group Leader(s) regarding partnership opportunities in conjunction with the Catalyst.
- Consult with partners to further develop their global impact.
- Guide Host Coordinator and Catalyst/Partnership Facilitator in identifying prospective partners, determining next steps, and fostering long-term partnerships.
- Ensure healthy agreements are reached that are likely to meet expectations and have significant impact.
- Debrief with STT Dept. Director and STT Leader regarding recent team and potential for next steps.
- Through effective communication and vision-casting before, during and after the trip, help move Goer-Groups toward a partnership commitment.
- Work with Catalyst and local team to host a STT in a way that fosters longer-term partnership.
- Help Goer-Groups want further involvement by coordinating a positive experience that contributes to your long-term strategy and fosters growth and learning among goers.
- Clearly identify needs and opportunities for partnership and determine priorities and goals.
- Take initiative to develop relationships with STT Leaders and Goer-Group Leaders.
- Be committed to ongoing communication, updates and reports on progress toward shared goals.
- Work with Global Partnerships on the partnership development process.
- Look for ways that STT participants and the Goer-Group as a whole can play an ongoing role in holistic community transformation.
- Serve as an advocate for future partnership and help connect Goer-Group Leaders with the One Collective Catalyst.
- Glean input from the STT leader/participants and One Collective leaders regarding potential for a partner relationship.
- Determine next steps and timeline for further involvement from Goer-Group.