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
10
We nurture a high performing workforce
11
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
ACT FOR KIDS
3
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
4
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.
ACT FOR KIDS
5
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.
6
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
ACT FOR KIDS
7
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:
8
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
ACT FOR KIDS
9
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
10
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
ACT FOR KIDS
11
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
12
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
ACT FOR KIDS
13
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
14
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
15
Proudly supported by:
actforkids.com.au
