What we do

Partnerships

From the Board down, ROWA! works in partnership in all its activities. ROWA! is dependent upon the good relationships it has built up with its many partners in schools, agencies and community organisations, particularly the adult community education and library services of Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council.

It does not just rely on goodwill however. As research shows, ROWA! has been effective at forming partnerships and encouraging partners to be more outward looking so that they in turn are forming links and creating networks as part of their own practice. Working together to apply for funding and support, ensures that ROWA! reflects local concerns and priorities.

When local partners see the effect on motivation and confidence in their client groups, they become enthusiastic facilitators to help ROWA! organise exciting and fun projects. In this way, ROWA! opens up opportunities for local businesses, community and voluntary organisations to become true 'gatekeepers' for literacy. This approach has also been successful in regeneration areas where ROWA! has been able to demonstrate that a focus on literacy improves self-esteem and becomes a catalyst for life changes that can lead to further training, employment, volunteering or community involvement.

If your organisation is interested in working in partnership with ROWA!, please let us know here.