Summary
- Good networking relationships need to be maintained. Identifying the benefits that you, your organisation and people with support needs gain from participating in each network helps determine how to participate further. Keeping in regular contact, following up and using current information all help you to maintain strong connections with your networks.
- Networking and collaborations need to have the same commitment to continuous improvement as all other work activities. Taking time to connect, ask for feedback and review data all assist to improve and maintain current networks and partnerships.
- Ongoing monitoring and assessment is needed to identify benefits to participating in a network or collaboration. Clear, cohesive ideas about the values, limitations and dynamics of the network need to be understood and communicated.
- All networking and collaborations should be evaluated for strengths and weaknesses. This should lead to a number of recommendations for action that can be used to improve collaborative practices in the future.
