Collaborative governance of ageing: challenges for local government in partnering with the seniors' sector

摘要

ABSTRACT This paper considers the role local government plays in the formation and effectiveness of local collaborative partnerships in ageing well. Collaborativeprocesses are central to emerging models of local governance and have received considerable practical and theoretical consideration with respect to many policydomains. Such collaborations require local organisations and actors from various sectors to work together in partnerships and networks to achieve policy goals. Thispaper reports research from two collaborations in southeast Queensland municipalities, and shows that joint efforts between local government and community organisations pose challenges. These relate to the political context and specifically to the tensions between flexibility and coordination; and tensions between harnessingcommunity resources and investing resources. We highlight the value of a framing role for local government to ensure that such governance models for local action onageing realise a collaborative advantage. In particular, the findings highlight the need for local government to invest in these processes and build social infrastructureand assets in order to develop improved ways of facilitating collaborative governance.