STRATEGIC PLAN 2017 – 2020 Committee final 15.01.18
PURPOSE:
The purpose of U3A organisations world-wide is to enhance the life of the Third Age community through connecting seniors to lifelong learning.
BELIEFS:
➢ Lifelong learning contributes to a good quality of life.
➢ The Third Age is a special period of life with opportunity for continued learning
➢ An active mind and body moderates the aging process and maximizes the quality and duration of our life
➢ Sharing our knowledge expands our own capacity as well as others’
➢ When we listen respectfully to others we learn from them
➢ Volunteering our time, knowledge and skills enhances our own well-being, as well as the well-being and joy of others
➢ When we respect our volunteers, our organization will thrive
➢ Learning in the company of others develops friendships
➢ Working together as focused teams creates a vibrant and attractive organization
MISSION:
Our mission as an organisation is to:
• Create a culture
- to support and encourage other members
- in which every member desires to improve their well-being through exercising their minds and bodies
- in which members see U3A as an integral part of their daily life helping to achieve their own personal goals and ambitions
- that has systems and processes which are both effective and efficient and keeps appropriate records which are compliant with the legislation for not-for-profit organisations
• Create a self-sustaining organisation with an energetic membership, far-ranging programmes, and a sound financial base
STRATEGY:
• Membership Strategy: strengthen members’ involvement in planning and conduct of the organisation and increase membership to 500 by end 2017 and 800 by end 2018,
How:
➢ 1: involve our members in choosing activities and learning opportunities (following up on new members preferences, survey existing members)
➢ 2: ensure all members agree to a Code of Conduct – via membership application & renewal
➢ 3: Implement our Promotion Strategy
• Volunteers Strategy: Encourage all members to volunteer their time and their expertise:
How:
➢ 1: have a minimum of 10% of our members engaged the conduct of our activities (committee, facilitators, tutors, record keepers, maintenance of facilities and equipment, event organizers, administration tasks and other ad hoc needs of the organization)
➢ 2: provide development and training for our volunteers
➢ 3: develop succession plans for key positions on the committee.
• Programme Strategy: Conduct programmes which are appealing to our current members and are in line with the needs of potential members:
How:
➢ 1: conduct 50 programmes a week by the end of 2018, under the following categories:
▪ Activity and Social learning
▪ Creative Learning
▪ Financial management learning
▪ STEM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)
▪ Humanities learning
▪ Regular Lectures which are eclectic in nature and have a wide appeal
▪ University Studies (partnership with JCU)
➢ 2: identify individuals and groups who are willing to voluntarily share their knowledge
➢ 3: develop programmes in emerging disciplines (Modern technology, Medical advances etc)
• Compliance Strategy: document and implement systems and processes that are compliant with the legislation,
How:
➢ 1: educate our committee and others about the legislation through Training
➢ 2: create and implement an operational manual
➢ 3: annual audit of our Financial statements, further to our Financial Strategy
➢ 4: pass all transactions through U3A accounting system, further to our Financial Strategy
➢ 5: manage our records as required by legislation
➢ 6: Implement our Promotion Strategy
• Promotions Strategy: raise recognition for our brand and what we offer – lifelong learning
How:
➢ 1: conduct periodic open days (minimum of one per year)
➢ 2: maintain promotion initiatives of 2017
▪ Newspaper notices (weekly)
▪ Seniors expo
▪ Occasional information stands at malls or other events
➢ 2: conduct a bring a friend campaign through existing members
➢ 3: maintain and build relationships with community leaders and media outlets
➢ 5: maintain and enhance our promotional material
➢ 6: investigate (and adopt) other channels of communication with existing and potential members (e.g. 1. use of social media, 2. enhancing the capability of our web site)
➢ 7. Implement membership strategy initiatives
• Finance Strategy: ensure that we conduct our business with sufficient income and retained earnings for current needs and maintain the organization in sound financial position.
How:
➢ 1: encourage our members recognise that all our classes have a value and people need to contribute
➢ 2: establish a ‘Grants and Sponsorship’ team headed by a committee member to apply for money from a variety of government and non-government organizations
➢ 3: set aside/quarantine funds sufficient for the continuing upgrade of our computers and other equipment
➢ 4: create a reserve of three years running cost (Approximately $45,000.00); this will be done incrementally over time, aiming for the $45 thousand by the end of 2020.This will ensure we have sufficient money to meet our fiduciary obligations under the legislation and protect current and future office bearers)
➢ 5. implement Compliance Strategy annual audit and passage of all financial transactions through U3A accounting system
• Office and equipment Strategy: have a well-equipped office, meeting and training facilities, sufficient for our current needs and the foreseeable growth of the organisation
How:
➢ 1: open our office daily, at times advertised
➢ 2: ensure that our office equipment is of a standard that is aligned to our current and foreseeable needs
➢ 3: upgrade the website to allow for our members to interact directly with the organisation