Effective partnerships: building a sub‐regional network of reflective practitioners

This paper reports on a year‐long engagement in a sub‐region of South West England with public sector managers, who frequently work in partnership contexts. The purpose of the initiative was to increase the effectiveness of partnership working by exploring common issues and building a shared understanding of how they might be resolved. This was undertaken by holding a series of seminars and forums facilitated by the authors. The findings show that managers who are involved in numerous partnerships value stepping outside of their formal roles to reflect together on their experiences. Participants were able to identify many pertinent issues that affect their practice in partnership contexts and generate important insights. The findings are being used to develop approaches to support partnerships and collaboration in the sub‐region and further afield.