Coalition can mean any grouping of people or organisations that agree on a common goal or purpose. It is often used in the context of civil society organisations such as community groups and labour unions. It can also be applied to political alliances. Coalitions can work on a wide variety of issues and at a range of levels. For example, some work to prevent substance abuse by targeting the environmental factors that lead to teen substance use. Others work with a specific population such as the elderly.
Coalitions can be difficult to manage and are subject to the politics of trade-offs, compromise and relationships. Investing time in intentional relationship building with all coalition members is essential. Anticipating the potential for divisive issues and considering ways to address these early on is also a good investment.
The coalition is likely to increase available resources and access to services and policies that may be out of the reach of an individual group working alone. It may also raise the profile of the group. This may make it harder for opposition groups to dismiss the coalition efforts as special interests.
Developing a coalition is a great opportunity to develop new leaders. As experienced group leaders step aside to focus on coalition leadership opportunities can be created for newer officers in those groups. This provides a strong pool of talent for the future and is likely to have the additional benefit of increasing the impact of each group’s efforts.