Summary

This section covered key issues on how the coalition is structured, including the configuration of a steering group, the wider membership and – in time – a staff team.  How these components fit together will be critical to the success of the coalition and the most important element of their interaction will be the mechanisms of internal communication that the coalition employs.  Part of the coalition’s work will also be to keep these structures and their inter-relation under review, to ensure that as circumstances change over time the coalition continues to be organised appropriately.

An effective coalition needs to be driven forward by individuals working hard, communicating openly and being sensitive to their responsibilities for the wider group.  Structures can be changed if they are not meeting the coalition’s needs, but the culture of work and communication that a coalition adopts is harder to change.  This culture can transcend the formal structures and probably has to if a coalition is going to function as effectively as possible.