2021-2024 Strategic Plan

2021- 2024 Strategic Plan

Contents 02

Acknowledgement of Country

02 Contents 03

Message from the Board Chairman and CEO

04

Strategic Plan Overview

05

Vision

06 Purpose 07 Values 08

Guiding Principles

09 Impact Commitments

Acknowledgement of Country

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We nurture a high performing workforce

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We speak up

12 We have the resources to do what it takes for kids 13

We drive evidence-informed outcomes

14 We work for better outcomes for First Nations Act for Kids would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land where our Australian offices are based.

We would also like to acknowledge Elders past, present and emerging.

We seek to foster a culture of friendship and partnership between Act for Kids and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, organisations and communities.

peoples

15 We care about the world and do what’s right

Message from the Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer This document outlines Act for Kids’ commitment to creating social impact aligned to our renewed purpose. We believe our services are needed now more than ever. The current environment is difficult and stressful for people all over the world. Act for Kids has helped more children, young people and families than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our vision, purpose, values, guiding principles and impact commitments define how we deliver social impact every day. They also guide our strategic thinking and we have developed exciting goals to drive performance over the next three years.

We are grateful for our committed and dedicated teams who work to achieve our goals and ensure that clients are safe and supported, our organisation is healthy and we are prepared for the future.

David Hamill

Katrina Lines

Hon. Dr David Hamill AM

Dr Katrina Lines

Board Chairman

Chief Executive Officer

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Strategic Plan Overview Vision

All kids have a safe and happy childhood

Purpose

We help keep kids safe, heal from trauma and lead happy lives

Values Guiding Principles

Impact Commitments

Strategic Initiatives 2021 – 2024

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2021 - 2024 STRATEGIC PLAN

Professional

Impact-driven

Evidence-led

Family-focussed

We nurture a high performing workforce

Empower diverse voices Enable wellbeing, flexibility and connection

Ethical

Team

Caring

Trauma-informed

Connected to culture

We speak up

Be a credible voice for children and survivors through advocacy pillars

We have the resources to do what it takes for kids Grow income to invest in impact Increase agility, effectiveness and productivity Enable innovation and transformation

Courageous

Holistic

Collaborative

Strengths-based

Child-centred

Engaged with communities and partners

We drive evidence – informed outcomes

We work for better outcomes for First Nations peoples

We care about the world around us and do what’s right

Drive best practice

Transition at least one safe house

Commit to environmental social and ethical sustainability practices

Thought leadership - research and knowledge hub

Support the establishment of a First Nations organisation

Develop ESG plan and measures

2021 - 2024 STRATEGIC PLAN

Vision

All kids have a safe and happy childhood

For over 30 years, Act for Kids has focussed on improving outcomes for children and young people.

We believe that all kids have the right to be safe, happy and to reach their full potential.

We know that isn’t always the case and that we can’t be everywhere to help all children thrive.

That doesn’t stop us having a vision that all children have a safe and happy childhood and working as hard as we can to make it reality.

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Purpose

We help keep kids safe, heal from trauma and lead happy lives.

Our renewed purpose - We help keep kids safe, heal from trauma and lead happy lives - links to the roots of the organisation in preventing and treating child abuse and neglect and reflects a modern, positive, aspirational future focus.

We believe that Act for Kids exists to meet the needs, preferences and expectations of the children and young people we work with. We work with families and communities to ensure positive outcomes, but kids are at the centre of everything we do.

We believe kids have a right to be safe and we work hard to ensure their lives are free from harm. That’s why we work to prevent as well as protect.

Sadly, kids do experience trauma from harm and our trauma-informed approach helps them heal, grow and thrive.

When we asked kids what they hoped to achieve from our services and what they liked best about our services, they told us our programs made their lives brighter and made them feel happy.

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2021 - 2024 STRATEGIC PLAN

Values

Professional

In order to achieve our social purpose we must have a set of values that guide our actions, attitudes, priorities, behaviours and beliefs.

Ethical

The values of professional, ethical, team, caring, courageous and collaborative underpin everything we do.

Team

Caring

We work, lead, manage, partner, create and communicate through our values.

Collaborative Courageous

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Guiding Principles The feedback we received from stakeholders about Act for Kids and our purpose provided a clear set of perspectives about us as an organisation that are guiding principles for how we work:

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Impact-driven

Evidence-led

Trauma-informed

Holistic

We strive to create positive social outcomes in all we do

Research evidence underpins our services, strategies and actions

We acknowledge the impact of trauma on child and adult clients, staff, communities and partners and accommodate this in our work

The broader context for kids, families and our work is always considered in our actions

Strengths-based

Child-centred

Family-focussed

We look for strengths and positives and build on these as the best foundation for the future

Kids are at the centre of all we do – we act for kids

We acknowledge the importance of family to ensure great outcomes for kids

Connected to culture

Engaged with communities and partners

Being connected to culture is healing and vital for First Nations kids and families; and kids and families from diverse cultural backgrounds

No organisation creates social value on its own. The impact of our work is multiplied when it happens within relationships with communities, governments, corporates, philanthropists, not-for-profits, donors, ambassadors, universities, volunteers, staff, students and sometimes the general public.

2021 - 2024 STRATEGIC PLAN

Impact Commitments We nurture a high performing workforce

We drive evidence-informed outcomes

We speak up

We work for better outcomes for First Nations peoples

We have the resources to do what it takes for kids

We care about the world and do what’s right

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We nurture a high performing workforce To do great work we need a safe and caring work environment where people feel valued and love their jobs.

Operational activities to achieve impact Focus on good governance and organisational culture including risk management, wellbeing, professional development, work design, Individual Development Plans, supervision, leader development, continuous improvement, recruitment, retention, reward and recognition, celebration and achieving impact.

Strategic initiatives 2021-24 Empower diverse voices

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2021 - 2024 STRATEGIC PLAN

Enable enhanced wellbeing, flexibility and connection

We speak up We are a credible voice for children and survivors and advocate for better outcomes.

We leverage our impact when we share our voice with partners.

Operational activities to achieve impact Public affairs activities that are aligned with our purpose (media, social media, submissions, publications, website), engagement and joint activities with partners (government, corporates, not-for-profits etc) and ambassadors, delivery of all service types.

Strategic initiatives 2021-24 Be a credible voice for children and survivors

Develop and implement advocacy pillars

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We have the resources to do what it takes for kids We create social impact through excellent governance, great partners, financial sustainability and stewardship, good systems, productivity and efficiency and the flexibility and courage to try new interventions.

Operational activities to achieve impact Focus on good governance and risk management, best-practice service delivery, finance, business support services, compliance, engagement and joint activities with partners, fundraising, communications, public affairs, systems management and design.

Strategic initiatives 2021-24 Grow income to invest in impact

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2021 - 2024 STRATEGIC PLAN

Increase agility, effectiveness and productivity

Enable innovation and transformation

We drive evidence-informed outcomes All our work from front line to support services is based on best-practice, research evidence, data and analysis.

Operational activities to achieve impact Focus on good governance and risk management, best-practice service delivery, continuous improvement, compliance, outcome evaluations, engagement and joint activities with partners, advocacy, public affairs, systems management and design, business support.

Strategic initiatives 2021-24 Drive best practice

Best practice governance for outcomes

Thought leadership research and knowledge hub

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We work for better outcomes for First Nations peoples We work within a model of reconciliation and believe we have a responsibility to support self-determination for First Nations peoples particularly to reduce the over-representation of First Nations kids in child protection systems.

Operational activities to achieve impact Leadership and governance from Board, priority relationships with Traditional Owners and First Nations peoples, organisations and communities; engagement and joint activities with partners, advocacy, public affairs, best-practice service delivery, recruitment of First Nations peoples, Reconciliation Action Plan, cultural safety and wellbeing activities.

Strategic initiatives 2021-24 Transition at least one safe house to community control

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2021 - 2024 STRATEGIC PLAN

Support the establishment of a First Nations organisation

We care about the world and do what’s right Creating better outcomes for kids will be harder if the world outlook is poor. We are citizens of the world who care about the future and do what’s right.

Operational activities to achieve impact Focus on environmental, social and governance outcomes and scientific imperatives; engagement and activities with partners, Board and committees, compliance, continuous improvement.

Strategic initiatives 2021-24 Commit to environmental, social and ethical sustainability practices

Develop an environmental, social and governance plan and measurement framework ACT FOR KIDS

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actforkids.com.au