foreword

It is not always easy, when engaged in operating a multi-funded, multi-service, 24/7 crisis organization to create the space for proactive thinking. But, planning and visioning are critical to the success of an agency over the long haul. Somehow, in 2022-2023, we made the time— lots of time—to do this, despite an exceptionally busy year of growth and service delivery.

In 2021-2022, we were at the end of our three-year strategic plan and very much still in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. Planning past the next wave of the virus was impossible. So, we put our major planning work on hold and created a one-year “refresh” of the existing strategic plan. The refresh was enough to keep us on track with derailed objectives by the arrival of a global pandemic.

However, 2022-2023 had us jumping in with both feet. Led through the process by the proficient facilitation team at Collective Results, we surveyed, consulted, discussed, wrote, re-wrote, discussed again, and eventually—after several months of intense work—have a plan that is grounded in our roots, our values and lays the groundwork for the Family Transition Place (FTP) of the future.

The recent strategic planning process involved many conversations about just what kind of organization FTP is and wants to be.

At a recent board meeting, everyone agreed that the structure and direction of a good plan is very important. However, one of the biggest concerns of the board and the staff team was that the heart—the “essence” of FTP —not get lost in practicalities of determining “strategic” metrics and deliverables.

FTP is an organization with a big heart. As we grow—and this past year was an exceptional time of growth with new programs, new staff positions, and a bigger priority on housing—we need be aware of how that growth affects the culture of our organization. In our new visionary plan, we place caring culture at the centre; first and foremost FTP must be a place where people (all people) feel they can belong. We emphasize that our services need to be equitable and empowering, that our connections within the community must be intentional and values-driven and that growth must be balanced and sustainable. In creating these pillars, I am satisfied that we captured the essence, the heart, of this agency and have embedded it as the core of our plan for the next three years, regardless of the changes or growth we will experience.

As an interesting aside, I was recently involved in a discussion where I learned that the term “Strategic Planning” was originally a military term that was then adopted by big business and corporate culture. It was proposed that “Community Impact Plan” may be a more fitting term for a not-for-profit that is attempting to create positive, values-based change in the community. We are learning through our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) work that many commonly used expressions have an origin story, many of which are decidedly unpleasant. Like so many other terms I use daily, I hadn’t given any consideration to the origin of “Strategic Planning.” It is interesting how, in most cases, when one changes the language, one also changes the perspective and therefore, the outcome...something to consider at the end of the next three-year cycle.

You will see, through the graphs, numbers and notes contained within this publication, just how much of an impact we had in 2022-2023. I know we continue to make an impact on the lives of the people we support on their journey to a safer, healthier, happier life. Norah

Norah Kennedy Executive Director Family Transition Place