It is good practice that, as soon as key actors are involved in an initial idea, the parties draft a document to clarify the objectives of the partnership and their respective roles. This helps generate clarity of intent and is especially useful when actors have not previously worked together. Such document can make explicit reference to the choice of approach towards child participation. A written document also helps the process to survive changes of staff, for organisations with high turnovers.
If the project is still undefined, and signing a contract is not possible, such a document can take different forms depending on the context. For example, it can be a letter of intent or memorandum of understanding (MoU) or, in some cases, a detailed email may suffice. This initial document can be substituted by a more comprehensive contract later on, particularly once funding is secured.
An effective way to generate shared objectives and establish roles is to hold a workshop session with the key actors.
An MoU could contain the following elements:
• Parties
• Description of partners
• Fundamentals of partnership
• Responsibilities of partner 1
• Responsibilities of partner 2 (+)
• Duration
• Financial management
• Other provisions (e.g. child protection policy)
• Contact details of reference person for both parties • Date, place and signature
• Annexes
