(Insert partner logo here)

Strategic Partnership Agreement between

Y Care International and XXX

1. Statement of the overall purpose of the partnership

For a period of 5 years from 2013 to 2018, YCI and XXX YMCA have formally agreed to
establish and work within this partnership agreement. The overall purpose of the
partnership is to enable both organisations to contribute to the realisation of their mission
and respective strategies, in particular as they relate to the development and
implementation of socially relevant youth programmes and organisational strengthening.

2. Our common view of partnership

YCI and XXX YMCA believe that partnership is more than a contract linked to financial
transactions or the management of a particular project. Our concept of partnership goes
further, acknowledging the bonds that exist between us – our common identity within the
global YMCA movement, our common or overlapping visions, missions and values, and
respect for each other, our recognition of each other’s strengths, and our desire to
strengthen each other and learn from each other.

YCI and the XXX YMCA view partnership as a high quality, mutually trusting relationship
between parties who are committed to sharing responsibility for achieving common
goals; promoting learning from experience and seeking solutions together; and whose
strengths complement each other.

3. Mission Statements and Common Values

YCI’s mission and vision

YCI’s mission is to work ‘in partnership with young people worldwide through the YMCA
movement to help them enrich their lives and to build a more just world, free from
poverty.’ Our vision is of:

• a world where the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable young people are transformed
• a Y Care International that is a leader in youth development and global youth work
• a YMCA movement that is socially relevant and youth-focused

XXX YMCA’s mission and vision is:

(add partner mission and vision here)

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The mission and vision statements of the two parties show the differences between the
two organisations; differences that will enrich the partnership. It is important to celebrate
and recognise the distinctiveness of each organisation so that we can manage
expectations on both sides, not take for granted that we know each other well and strive
to learn from each other. At the same time, by entering into this partnership, both parties
also declare a joint commitment to the shared values of international fellowship and
cooperation; service to the community with a particular focus on the needs of young
people, especially the poor and marginalised; the realisation of the YMCA’s vision of
society as described in Challenge 21; and a commitment to institutional strengthening
and capacity development for sustainability and growth.

Further, our partnership will communicate our common desire to strengthen the ability of
young people to live fulfilling lives free from poverty and injustice, our desire to increase
young people’s ability to shape their community and wider society for good, and our
desire to strengthen the civil society within which young people live.

4. Characteristics of the partnership

The partnership will be characterised, as far as possible, by:

 equality based on our common vision and common objectives

 mutual trust
 mutual accountability
 learning on both sides
 commitment to sustainability and growth on both sides
 on-going monitoring of the partnership
 mutual benefit

6. Dimensions of the partnership, including a description of what each side

commits to contributing to the partnership

6.1 Organisational/capacity development

Capacity development is a core part of our vision statement and strategy. We are
committed to helping our partners to become stronger and more financially sustainable
and YCI’s ‘Framework for Capacity Development’ outlines our rationale and approach to
capacity development with partners. Equally, we recognise that partners have a wealth
of local expertise and experience from which YCI can learn and benefit. In line with this
framework, YCI commits to:

- Within the first 12 months of the signing of this agreement, understanding the
capacity development priorities and needs of the XXX YMCA, as well as the
knowledge and systems which YCI could learn from, through a participative and
collaborative process
- Collaborating with other international stakeholders to support specific capacity
development processes (such as the Global Operating Plan process).
- Sharing with the XXX YMCA YCI’s capacity development monitoring tool as well
as lessons learned from similar processes with other partners

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 - Integrating into project proposals capacity development funding (donor
permitting)
- Reviewing, on an annual basis, the progress of all capacity development
activities, using an appropriate capacity monitoring tool

As YCI has limited unrestricted funds for capacity development, it is important that YCI
and the XXX YMCA work closely together to ensure that capacity development priorities
are properly costed so that they can be effectively incorporated into project budgets.

The XXX YMCA will commit to:

- Sharing with YCI all relevant documents (such as strategic and operational
plans) to help YCI understand the YMCAs capacity building needs
- Sharing with YCI progress towards capacity development targets as well as any
internal assessments of strengths and weaknesses
- Openly communicating with YCI at the earliest opportunity any challenges
(strategic, financial, governance, etc) that may affect the YMCA and any existing
or planned programmes/activities either now or in the future
- Sending to YCI any annual review or report
- Sharing with YCI ideas for how project activities can strengthen the YMCA, for
example through the building of key capabilities; strengthening membership,
revitalising branches etc.
- Sharing with YCI ideas for how XXX YMCA project activities, systems or learning
could strengthen YCI’s work.

(partner to review the above and add any others as appropriate)

6.2 Youth participation

As part of the world’s largest youth movement, YCI believes passionately in the ability
and potential of young people. We believe that young people are assets and that all
projects should recognise this through involvement of young people in project design,
implementation and management, and not merely as project beneficiaries. We also
believe that young people should play an active role in the life of the YMCA and should
have opportunities to participate in the governance and management of the organisation.
Therefore:

YCI commits to:

- Sharing with the YMCA its Youth Participation policy and engaging with the
YMCA to explore how young people can be actively involved in the
- Providing support, where necessary, to help the YMCA develop a youth
participation policy

The XXX YMCA commits to:

(partner to add commitments as appropriate)

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6.3 Programme development, implementation and evaluation

YCI’s mission is to work ‘in partnership with young people worldwide through the YMCA
movement to help them enrich their lives and to build a more just world, free from
poverty.’ Young people are at the heart of what we do and we believe that the YMCA
should be the champion for young people in each country. Our focus on supporting
YMCAs to reach out to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people means
that we are keen to identify areas of alignment between our thematic and programmatic
priorities and our partners. In particular:

YCI commits to:

- Sharing with the YMCA YCIs strategy and thematic priorities

- Providing technical support to the YMCA to undertake high quality needs
assessments and programme design
- Providing any ongoing support necessary for the effective implementation,
monitoring and evaluation of all projects
- Working with the YMCA to develop its capability to secure funding from other
sources, including in-country funders.
- Ensuring that the YMCA does not become too dependent on YCI funding, either
for its project work or for core funding.
- Working with the YMCA to develop its capability in financial management and
monitoring and evaluation
- Sharing at the earliest opportunity any information (strategic, financial,
governance, etc) that may affect the implementation of any existing or planned
programmes/activities
-

As of 2013, YCI is currently supporting the following projects with the YMCA:

(insert projects).

YCI commits to developing a programme strategy with the YMCA covering the period of
this agreement which sets out the ambition for joint work.

XXX YMCA commits to:

- Sharing with YCI the YMCA’s strategy and thematic priorities

- Sending documents and information on the date agreed with YCI
- Dedicating sufficient staff time to programme development and management
- Ensuring the staff recruited for projects are recruited through an open a
transparent recruitment process and that they are effectively managed and
supported to achieved their objectives
- Implementing projects to the highest possible standard
- Sharing with YCI at the earliest opportunity any information (strategic, financial,
governance, etc) that may affect the implementation of any existing or planned
programmes/activities
- Sharing with YCI ideas for how XXX YMCA project activities, systems or learning
could strengthen YCI’s work.
-

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(partner to add commitments as appropriate)

6.4 Learning and Influencing

YCI and the XXX YMCA believe that the both organisations have a lot to learn from each
other. We also believe that learning and influencing go hand in hand, as we should use
our knowledge to lobby for long term change for young people. Therefore we jointly
commit to:

 Sharing knowledge and learning from our work with each other and with other
partners
 Seeking to work collaboratively with other partners, to better co-ordinate our
efforts, use our resources more effectively, and to speak with more of a common
voice
 Encouraging others (for example institutional donors) to learn from and be
influenced by our programmes
 Ensuring that any YCI visits to XXX and any YMCA visits to the UK include
ringfenced time for reflecting on the partnership and on wider strategic matters.

YCI also commits to:

- Supporting the YMCA to network effectively with key stakeholders in the country
- Identifying international meetings that the YMCA should participate in
- Designing learning summaries with the YMCA that can be used for the YMCA’s
own advocacy and marketing purposes
- Providing support for advocacy activities, and building these costs into project
budgets

The XXX YMCA commits to:

(partner to add commitments as appropriate)

7. Success criteria

YCI and xxx YMCA have jointly agreed the following success criteria for this partnership.
These are that, by the end of the period of this agreement:

YCI (to delete/add as appropriate)

:
- Will better understand the organisational capacity development needs of the XXX
YCI and will have provided specific measurable support to strengthen the XX
YMCA.
- Will better understand the strengths of XXX YMCA’s processes, systems and
learning and identify ways of applying those to YCI, if appropriate and feasible.
- Will have actively promoted to donors and other stakeholders in the UK the
needs of young people in XXX (insert country)

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 - Will have jointly carried out learning activities which help both parties improve
their programming
- Will have supported the XXX YMCA to diversify its funding base and improve its
financial sustainability
- Will have supported the YMCA to implement X programmes (details to be
included in Annex 1) which involve at least x local branches and will reach at
least xxx young people.
-

XXX YMCA (to delete/add as appropriate):

- Will be strengthened organisationally, targets for which will be agreed within 12

months of the signing of this agreement
- Will be better networked with in-country and international agencies that can add
value to its work
- Will have a broader range of donors (in-country and in the UK, through YCI)
- Will have implemented X programmes (details to be included in Annex 1) which
involve at least x local branches and will reach at least xxx young people..
- Will have a higher profile in its country as a leading youth serving organisation as
a result of YCI’s support

8. Ways of working

8.1 Commitment of time

We recognise that the quality of partnership that we aspire to will demand time
commitment by both parties and that this should be borne in mind when partnerships are
entered into. Therefore we commit to:

 Agreeing to discuss annually the partnership, separate from any project related
funding.
 Ring-fencing time during YCI staff field visits to reviewing the partnership
 Conducting a formal review of the partnership at the mid-point of this agreement

8.2 Conditions placed on the sharing of resources

Whilst partners will share resources with each other for agreed projects where our
missions and values overlap, we also recognise that there will be conditions placed on
the sharing of those resources. These conditions will arise, among other things, from the
strategic objectives of YCI, and the needs and objectives of YCI’s donors. YCI will
clearly outline to XXX YMCA the accountability framework to any back donor that
underpins any funding or resources.

8.3 Decision making and transparency:

Each partner will consult the other on major matters that affect the work on which our
partnership is based.

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8.4 Avoiding dependency

Both partners will aim at creating a relationship that, while financial support for and
implementation of projects and programmes may come and go, strengthens the
sustainability of both partners. This means that YCI and XXX YMCA will work together to
minimise dependency, particularly in relation to funding. This may include the setting of
milestones to ensure that YCIs support to a partner enables it to secure funding from
other sources.

8.5 Accountability to each other and to our own stakeholders

Both partners will aim to be accountable to each other in the way we use our resources.
Both will aim to use the resources with which we have been entrusted in effective and
accountable ways. To this end,
 Each partner will report on and share its audited accounts with each other
 Both partners will work together to plan evaluations and audits of the work
covered by this agreement
 XXX YMCA will commit to the submission of narrative and financial reports and
evaluation reports to a timetable agreed by both partners (as outlined in any
Project Funding Agreement)
 YCI will commit to sharing relevant information with the partner, including reports
sent to back donors
 Where back donors are involved, both partners will commit to follow the
guidelines of that back donor.

8.6 Resolving disagreements / Conflict resolution

As expected in any relationship, there will be occasional disagreements arising from

actualising this agreement; all parties to the agreement commit to working towards an
amicable resolution of conflicts. Conflict resolution processes will sometimes involve a
third party.

It is worth noting at this stage that such resolutions maybe dependent on the guidelines
issued by back donors, and which if any of the parties has signed to, we are expected to
abide with.

8.7 Anti-corruption, fraud and bribery

8.7.1 Both partners are highly committed towards fighting any practices that amount to
corruption, fraud and bribery. Corruption is defined as the abuse of entrusted
power for private gain. Bribery is a crime defined under the UK Bribery Act as
giving someone a financial or other advantage to encourage that person to
perform their functions or activities improperly or to reward that person for having
already done so. Fraud is described as an intentional deception made for
personal gain or to damage another individual.

8.7.2 Both YCI and XXX YMCA may cancel this partnership agreement if it determines
that bribery, corruption or fraudulent practices were engaged in by one of the
parties to this agreement, unless the party in question is able to prove that it had
(a) appropriate systems to prevent such actions taking place; and (b) that it taken

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 timely and appropriate action satisfactory to the other party to remedy the
situation. Both YCI and XXX YMCA have the right to inspect accounts and
records of suppliers and contractors relating to the Agreement, and to perform a
complete external audit.

9. Financial Management

9.1 Both parties agree to maintain the highest levels of professionalism in financial
management and to share information regularly on any financial matters relating
to activities supported by YCI.

9.2 YCI commits to supporting the XXX YMCA to strengthen its financial
management capabilities and to regularly monitor progress in this area.

10. Review of partnership

This partnership agreement will be reviewed informally during monitoring visits. A formal
mid-term review will be undertaken in xx to assess the achievements and progress of
the partnership and to determine the future relationship. Whilst this is not a legally
binding agreement, both partners commit themselves to implement the partnership to
the highest possible standard.

11. Terminating this agreement

As this agreement is time-bound, all parties agree that it will be terminated at the set
date.

If it is deemed necessary by any of the parties to extend the agreement, this will be
made known to the other party / parties in writing and if all parties agree that the
extension is necessary and possible, a process and schedule will be agreed to draft a
new agreement, using the learning from the previous one. The new agreement will also
be time-bound.

It may sometimes be necessary to terminate an agreement before it lapses. This may

be due to a number of reasons e.g. disagreement; misappropriation of funds; non-
compliance with the terms and conditions of the agreement including failure to provide
timely information and materials for programme development and management; if any of
the parties is involved in activities that could be seen to be damaging to the partnership
or not aligned with their mission and values.

On behalf of the XXX YMCA

Signed by: (print name)

Signature:…………………………………………………………………….

Position in organisation:

Date:

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On behalf of YCI

Signed by: (print name)

Signature:…………………………………………………………………….

Position in organisation:

Date: