Article Link: http://stage.exchangepress.com/article/early-childhood-collaboration/5024090/
Collaboration. It’s a word we hear more and more in the work world. But what does it really mean to collaborate? What are the benefits of collaboration and how can an organization embark on this work?
What is Collaboration?
Collaboration begins when people work together toward a common goal to achieve something they couldn’t have done as well alone. Collaboration is also about the way individuals and organizations work. It is a cooperative effort with shared input of resources, time, decision-making, and trust to see the effort through. Collaboration is more extensive and requires a deeper commitment than coordinating services or programs or cooperating on projects.
The work of collaboration is to produce or implement something to address issues better or deliver services, outcomes, or products in an improved or enhanced manner. What is significant is that the end result includes shared ownership of the efforts, services, and products. The outcomes belong to all. The results are neither yours nor mine, but ours.
The early childhood education field is a natural fit for collaborative projects. Often, in order to serve a child, family, or community well, it takes multiple stakeholders figuring out how to work together. Furthermore, with greater ...