PCP's flagship programme; 'Philanthropy Support Services' aims to help philanthropists enhance the impact of their giving. It encompasses services that develop capacities and explore workable approaches to good giving. The programme launched its first support initiative, 'Public Private Partnerships: Facilitating Corporate Philanthropy for Education' in mid 2003.
Public Private Partnerships.... Also known as the 3P; it involves an agreement between a public sector agency, a private for profit entity and a non-profit organisation to achieve a collective outcome. The project translates our vision of mutually collaborative linkages between stakeholders into real partnership projects for development. We see such partnerships making a measurable difference in the quality of life of Pakistan's disadvantaged through projects in any sphere of social development including: health, education, water, sanitation etc.
Why is 3P Such a Good Idea: The 3P is a real partnership; with shared responsibilities and shared rewards for all participants. Skills and assets of each sector (public and private) come together in delivering a service or facility for civic benefit. This means multiplying inputs to achieve sustainable development outcomes. Bureaucratic procedures are minimised by the use of tested template agreements to accelerate the process.
At the same time partnerships are formed only where the community identifies a need and expresses willingness for the private sector to become an active social investor. This translates into a healthy corporate-community relationship and builds company goodwill. Most importantly, the arrangement ensures long-term success, by engaging the coalition of partners including the beneficiaries in planning, implementation and monitoring.
3P FOR QUALITY EDUCATION:
As a maiden venture PCP's 3P has taken the form of partnerships for the promotion of quality education (funded by USAID through its Education Sector Reform Assistance Programme).
THROUGH THIS PROJECT THE CENTRE AIMS TO:
Increase the volume and effectiveness of corporate philanthropy for increasing access to and enhancing the quality of education for disadvantaged children.
How Does it Work: In realising 3Ps, PCP's role remains facilitative; bringing together NPOs, corporate donors and district governments in a productive partnership with effective management of cost and time.
These partnerships can be seen at work in the districts of Ghotki, Thatta (Sindh), Faisalabad and Kasur (Punjab). Partnership potential is explored at the very outset. This involves a good understanding of the corporate interest; transaction costs; readiness of the government and willingness of the community to partner. A local NGO completes the equation by articulating community wisdom and expectations, and building ownership to sustain the positive outcomes of school development.
An umbrella 'MOU' with the government broadly defines the partnership parameters. The Centre consults with the District Education Department and corporate philanthropist to identify government schools. Innovative approaches for 'School improvement and monitoring plans' to be supported by the corporate philanthropists are developed. This involves meeting the community, talking to partners, building consensus and chalking out the value of required inputs. Once the philanthropist decides on the type of innovation plans it is going to support, tri-partite agreements formalise these plans and outline designated responsibilities.
SELECTING PARTNERS:
A robust 3P arrangement is linked with identifying a real need, devising an achievable project plan and finding partners with a stake or interest in responding to the need.
In identifying corporate partners PCP selects businesses situated in rural areas, relying upon local labour and raw materials. These entities are therefore likely to have an interest in building the local social capital of these rural, marginalised populations.
In the current phase the project focuses on three corporate sectors:
-- Oil and Gas (Petronas Carigali Pakistan Limited, Tullow.
-- Pakistan Development Limited)
-- Sugar (Tandlianwala Sugar Mills, Faisalabad, Dewan Sugar
-- Mills) and
-- Textile (Interloop Private Limited- Faisalabad).
Care is taken to ensure that NGOs selected for the partnership possess reasonable local area knowledge. In general, the NPOs' responsibilities include; conducting school surveys, mobilising communities, recruitment of additional teachers where required, monitoring day to day school activities, introducing extra-curricular activities, highlighting and resolving issues, and submitting monthly and quarterly progress reports to the Joint Advisory Committee.
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