Context

This client’s interim CEO and Strategy Director were tasked with developing the organisation’s first 5-year strategy, at pace, and at a pivotal moment.

Historically run on an annual strategy planning cycle, they were coming out of COVID, in which, as a volunteering organisation, they had ramped up to achieve spectacular results at a whole new scale. The results that came out of that singular focus were hard to ignore, and the longer-term question for the organisation had crystallised: could they achieve significantly more, and with less, by focusing?

Eden McCallum was asked to support the team and trustees in reviewing their whole portfolio of activity and considering where to build, where to wind down, and how to allocate resources.

Approach

The project was shaped around four themes.

First, we assessed and prioritised the health needs the organisation would support, with a market scan to identify opportunities and gaps.

Second, young people: we looked at how to create a future volunteer workforce fit to fill growing gaps in NHS provision, by recruiting from a younger age.

Third, funding opportunities: we explored the financing portfolio and commercial opportunities required to fund the plans.

And finally we looked at people: how to ensure the volunteering experience is as satistfying as possible, to underpin growth, retention, and impact.

Impact

The fact pack, implications and conclusions we developed together drove much greater clarity on the strategic agenda, leading to fruitful discussions with key sponsors and later iterated by internal leads within senior management and the board of trustees.

By the end of the project, the client had a clear, agreed direction, a confident new working model for the charity, and a set of defined workstreams to take forward in every area of critical focus, from specific services and themes, to structural enablers and financial stability.