Catalyzing Collaboration: The Functions of a Neutral Third Party in Collaborative Water Monitoring in Finland

This article offers practical insights for projects, practitioners, and action-oriented researchers seeking to understand how a neutral third party (NTP) can help catalyze collaborative arrangements. It explores functions and roles a neutral third party can support during the important formation stage of collaboration, using a practical case example of collaborative water monitoring in a mining context. The lessons highlight how a neutral third party can take on multiple roles under the right conditions, facilitate collaborative learning via creative interventions, and help resolve unexpected conflicts during the collaborative process. The lessons are useful for those looking to engage a neutral third party, as well as for practitioners seeking to better understand the mechanisms behind their own position.