During the fall of 2003, the AIA Young Architects Forum (YAF) and the AGC Young Constructors Forum (YCF) began working on a "partnering agreement" between the two groups. The idea was not a new one; past national YAF and YCF executive committees had successfully coordinated efforts and programs at the 2000 AIA convention in Denver, but no official agreement or memorandum of understanding (MOU) had ever been drafted by either group for consideration. Coordination between the two groups again took shape in May 2003 as the YAF collaborated with the YCF on a joint Working Weekend event (an already successful YCF program held twice a year).

After seeing how well the planning and programming for the 2003 YAF/YCF Working Weekend in Memphis was coming along, the two groups decided to join forces in a more directed manner by proposing a draft agreement and presenting it to their respective executive committees at the Working Weekend in November 2003. This agreement, in short, acted as the keystone of the weekend by affirming future commitment to the collaborative networking and educational development in which each group was already engaged. Instead of promoting the traditional "up and down" mentoring prevalent in architecture (student, intern, young architect, experienced architect), this agreement promotes mentoring based on a peer-to-peer model, in which similarly experienced professionals in similar trades get together to understand and mentor each other in the nuances of each others' roles in their industry.

After fine-tuning and finalizing the text of the partnering agreement, the 2004 chairs of each executive committee in 2004-YAF Chair Michael Ayles, AIA, and YCF Chair Craig Jorgensen- signed the agreement on January 14, 2004, and presented it to the AIA and AGC leadership at the biannual AIA/AGC Joint Committee meeting held the same day. The document read as follows:

The American Institute of Architects Young Architects Forum / Associated General Contractors Young Constructors Forum Partnering Agreement

A partnering agreement between The American Institute of Architects Young Architects Forum (YAF) and Associated General Contractors Young Constructors Forum (YCF) was formed to promote a viable communication network for young emerging architects and constructors and to enhance the professional development of each member of their respective organizations. The partnering agreement is intended to serve as a foundation on which to build educational opportunities for both groups.

Partners will strive to provide benefits to all members with respect to information sharing, technology, leadership, mentorship, fellowship and educational programs. The following initiatives have been identified as, but are not limited to, potential opportunities to enhance the membership:

• Opportunity to attend all YCF "working weekends" and YAF Conferences
• Promotion of publications that would benefit the YAF/YCF membership at special discount prices
• Linking www.youngconstructorsforum.org to www.aia.org/yaf (and vice versa)
• Opportunity to attend events such as annual conventions and conferences, as well as the AGC/AIA Joint Meetings
• Promotion of eForum(s)
• Develop joint educational programs for events such as annual conventions and conferences

The YAF and YCF will cooperate in exploring these opportunities, and in identifying other activities on which they may collaborate in the future. This agreement is undertaken in a spirit of collaboration, and does not create binding legal obligations for either the YAF or the YCF, or for their respective parent organizations. This partnership agreement will be revisited three years from the date of signing.

Agreed to this 14th day of January, 2004

F. Michael Ayles, AIA, 2004 YAF Chair
Craig Jorgensen, 2003-2004 YCF Chair

One of the major initiatives the two groups will coordinate in 2004 is the "Walk a Day in My Shoes" program, conceptually developed by 2003 AIA President Thom Penney, FAIA, and 2003-2004 AGC President Jack Kelley. The program's goal is simple: to develop empathy between architects and contractors (especially those new to the professions) and to learn more about their respective responsibilities in the building industry by getting them to spend a day with each other. Pilot "Walk a Day" programs were targeted in Nashville, Seattle, and Miami. Local YAF and YCF chapters in Atlanta, Minneapolis, Denver, Boston, Michigan, Eastern Oklahoma, Houston, and Austin (Tex.) have also made strides in beginning a dialogue.

If your local AIA chapter is also collaborating with your local AGC or YCF chapter, please contact your YAF regional liaison or a member of the YAF Advisory Committee (http://www.aia.org/yaf/contacts.asp) so that we can help coordinate discussions and communication with other chapters across the nation and share resources as they become available to the YAF nationally. You can do this by posting programs and ideas on the YAF Web site at http://www.aia.org/yaf.

Finally, on behalf of the YAF and YCF, the YAF Advisory Committee would like to thank AIA Emerging Professionals Director Suzanna Wight, AIA, and AGC Development Programs and Global Relations Director Deanna Goelzer for all of THEIR collaborative effort in helping put all of the pieces in place to create a stronger relationship between the YAF and YCF!