Partners

Overall statement of success: Optimize Resource Mobilization from local and international sources through innovations and adaptations to make KSA self-sustaining.

Background of Scouting and Partnership

Since its inception, KSA has been implementing projects in partnerships with many partners both government bodies, UN agencies, NGOs/INGOs as well as private sector. Partnership is an integral component in ensuring availability of resources and successful implementation of projects in any organization. Partners bring to KSA legitimacy, visibility, credibility, new resources, and new competencies.

Goal: Increased capacity in KSA to mobilize resources and ensure timely planning, implementation and social accountability of KSA projects.
Partnership is an integral component in ensuring availability of resources and successful implementation of projects in any organization. As the adage goes, “An organization does not live in a world of its own”. Partners work with the KSA bilaterally for a particular project or multilaterally for the projects undertaken with several partners.
Importance of Partners for Kenya Scouts Association
a.    Legitimacy – Partners give Scouting a legitimacy that it may not otherwise have in public opinion when it comes to working on themes for which the movement is little known e.g, fighting Drug Abuse, HIV/AIDS, among others with partners who are already known in this field.
b.   Visibility – They offer the opportunity to increase Scouting’s visibility through the media and the partners’ own regular audiences. In terms of public awareness, greater visibility is experienced in the context of a jointly organized event.
c.    Credibility- Partnership lend credibility to Scouting’s work either because the partners publicly supports Scouting action or because the partner involves Scouts in its own campaigns eg UN inviting Scouts in their national Peace programme; UNICEF, Ministry of Youth Affairs/Children Department, World Vision or Save the Children, involving Scouts in their programmes that deal with rights of children and young people, Government ministries and departments involving Scouts in commemoration of National Events.
d.   New Competencies –Partnership enables the Scout Movement to work in specialized fields through gaining competencies e g Fighting HIV/AIDS, Drug Abuse etc
e.   New Resources –Partnership generate new resources for projects.

An Overview of Past and Present Partners

Kenya Scouts partners and has partnered with various Government Ministries and Departments such as Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Ministry of Environment, International Organizations such as UNICEF, Equity Bank, CODE IP TRUST, ELEWA, National Bank of Kenya; Organizations such as Danish Scouts Council, Norwegian Scouts and Guides,  Italian Scouts, Canadian Scouts, European Scouts, Australia Scouts, Germany Scouts, British Scouts.

We also have joint activities with Eastern Africa Zonal countries- Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda, and Africa Region Scouts through The World Scouts Bureau – Africa Regional Office, Bi Lateral and Multi Lateral donors including UN Agencies – UNFPA, UNICEF, UNODC among many other partners.
At the local level the scouts are closest to Action. It is at this level that it initiates interesting new partnerships and develops the three qualities i.e, Legitimacy, visibility and credibility. In most cases, local partners are usually organizations that are implementing projects in the Counties, districts, Religious leaders, youth clubs, Men and Women groups etc.
It is worth noting that Strengthening Partnerships is not just a matter of policy or economics. It is also a matter of making choices in terms of positioning the movement and affirming the social fields in which it is involved. It is a matter of leaving the world of scouting to enter the real world and drawing scouting out of the routine. This clearly explains the reason why the scouting movement keeps on expanding its horizon by increasing its partners.

Developing a plan or strategy for resource mobilization can lead to creative efforts in using own assets to gain support for KSA. Multiple sources of funding can increase KSA independence and flexibility to implement programs and reduce on external (or foreign) funding. With increased competition for scarce grant resources, diverse, and multiple funding streams will help KSA to manage its programs.

FRAMEWORK FOR PARTNERSHIP ENGAGEMENT

The framework for partnership engagement between partners and KSA is be built on strategic partnership and alliance building. The Kenya Scouts Association (KSA) Projects and Partnership Department envisages engaging partners within a framework of mutual shared qualities of effective and good partnership. These are:
1. Clear Expectations: That KSA P&P department and Partners know what to expect from each other in order to avoid misunderstandings.
2. Mutual Responsibility: That KSA and Partners share responsibility to participate in and contribute to activities and to stay accountable to one another.
3. Ample recognition, thanks and praise: That KSA and Partners encourage and motivate each other through praise, affirmation, and gratitude for each other’s contributions.
4. Inspiration and celebration: That KSA and Partners celebrate victories, large and small, to stay energized when projects implementing work is demanding and change may seem slow.
5. Strategic thinking: Strategic planning is an important part of building partnerships and charting activities. Thinking and working together strategically saves resources, energy, and time. KSA P&P department and Partners endeavors to adopt this.
6. Clear decision-making process: That KSA P&P department and Partners will ensure that the decision-making process is transparent and mutually understood which minimizes confusion or conflicts.
7. Persistence: Project implementation work can be slow and requires sustained effort. Partners to appreciate and see the value of hard work of KSA to achieve the desired outcomes, outputs and goals.
8. Regular flow of information: KSA P&P department will easily share and receive information regularly with partners. Partners feel involved and invested when they are updated regularly on activities and progress.
9. Personal and regular contact: KSA P&P department and partners’ relationships will be strengthened through regular contact via phone calls, e-mails, or group meetings, teleconferencing.
10. Swift attention to problems: KSA P&P department and Partners should deal with any issues promptly. Differences are solved to the benefit of all partners.
11. Shared power: Partners share power as equally as possible and are involved in decision making.
12. Focused Goal Setting: KSA P&P department and partners to forge strong partnerships centered on clear and achievable goals and stick to them.
AREAS OF FOCUS FOR PROJECTS
When developing projects and sourcing for partnership support, KSA P&P department is guided by the scouting thematic areas as well current emerging issues. These thematic areas are: Leadership, Citizenship, Capacity Building, Peer Education, Peace Building, Environment, Giving a Hand, Technology, Physical Development, Agriculture, Training and Community Service.
Some other specific emerging areas of focus for projects and partnerships will be:
1. Health – HIV & AIDS, TB, Malaria and Non-Communicable diseases
2. Maternal and Neonatal Child Health (MNCH)
3. Climate Change
4. Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH)
5. Alcohol and Drugs Abuse
6. Camp sites – sites utilizations and other project activities