Charter of Collaborative Working

The Devon Mental Health Alliance is a partnership between six community organisations (CoLab Exeter, Devon Mind, Improving Lives Plymouth, Rethink Mental Illness, Shekinah, and Step One) and statutory mental health partners. The Alliance has developed this Charter of Collaborative Working, which outlines the shared values, shared responsibilities, and principles of collaborative working to which partners sign up.

Shared values

Alliance partners commit to a values-led approach to collaborative working. The core values of the Alliance are:

  • listening,

  • valuing difference,

  • respect,

  • honesty,

  • reciprocity,

  • ensuring all voices are heard, and

  • being aspirational but not competitive.

Shared responsibility

Alliance partners commit to equal and shared responsibility for discharge of Alliance business activity:

  • We are jointly and equally accountable for delivery of outputs and outcomes,

  • We are jointly and equally accountable for progressing transformation objectives, and

  • We are jointly and equally accountable for our behaviours and actions as a values-led alliance.

Principles of collaborative working

Alliance partners commit to embody and uphold the Alliance Principles of Collaborative Working:

  • We will show respect even in disagreement,

  • We accept that there will always be a level of chaos and uncertainty in this work,

  • We will commit to a values-led approach to business discussions,

  • We accept the centrality and importance of all relationships,

  • We commit to working together continually to transform attitudes and behaviours,

  • We commit to valuing learning as well as doing,

  • We commit to valuing the autonomy and expertise of partners and stakeholders,

  • Our primary purpose and beneficence is towards the people we serve,

  • We commit to keep information simple and accessible,

  • We commit to recognising the strengths and assets of partners and stakeholders,

  • We commit to responding to the reality of people’s lives and situations,

  • We accept that control and influence is shared equally between partners,

  • We commit to the one team, locality-orientated approach to achieving outcomes,

  • We commit to trusting partners to carry out agreed tasks and devolving permissions, and

  • We commit to a ‘no surprises’ approach, operating transparently to ensure that all stakeholders have a fair view of activity that may impact on them.