Hope Rescue Strategic Plan. 2015/16 to 2017/18. Board of Trustees 8/18/15

Transcription

1 Hope Rescue Strategic Plan 2015/16 to 2017/18 Board of Trustees 8/18/15

2 1. CONTEXT It is important that Hope Rescue has a clear sense of purpose and direction of travel. This Strategic Plan has a three year life span from 1 st September 2015 and was initiated at a Board of Trustees workshop in February The initial workshop was followed up by several sessions to refine the Plan. The workshop provided the Trustees with the opportunity to: Agree a Vision and Mission Define our Core Values Discuss our Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (Appendix 1) Establish Strategic Goals Set Key to meet our Goals Agree an Operational Plan with short, medium and long term actions The Strategic Plan is not static, but is dynamic. Although the goals are unlikely to change, the action items may change on a regular basis. Action items may be revised or updated at quarterly Trustee meetings throughout the year as necessary. The Board of Trustees will undertake an annual Strategic Plan review as part of their Annual Report and prepare a new Operational Plan each year. 2. OUR VISION Our vision is a future where all pets are provided with a responsible and loving home for life and that Hope Rescue is a recognised as a high quality provider of animal welfare and community services 3. OUR MISSION Our mission is to: 1. Reduce the number of animals, primarily dogs, euthanised in the U.K. every year by providing a foster home, kennel space or rescue placement for animals in emergency situations and; 2. Reduce the number of animals, primarily dogs, entering the animal welfare system through campaigning for change; education and the promotion of responsible ownership; and the provision of support to owners to help them keep their pets 3. Promote the therapeutic benefits of pet ownership and interaction with pets, primarily dogs

3 4. OUR CORE VALUES Hope Rescue is guided in our work by the following core values: Quality of care We seek to provide our animals with the best quality of care available within our resources. We aim to ensure each animal has their emotional and physical wellbeing met through; a suitable environment; a suitable diet; providing the ability to exhibit normal behaviour patterns; and protecting them from pain, suffering, injury and disease. Finding the right home for the right animal Each animal is assessed and each home evaluated on their individual circumstances to ensure the right match. We aim to avoid blanket rehoming polices as far as possible to ensure a flexible approach to adoption. Compassion for both animals and people We show compassion for both the animals in our care and the people we deal with whatever their circumstances for using our services. Integrity We do not discriminate against the animals we help based on their breed, age or medical condition. No adoptable animal is unnecessarily euthanised due to space or time constraints. Respect and Value We respect and value our staff, volunteers, partners and supporters. Strategic approach We do not just deal with the problems caused by poor animal welfare, but actively seek to tackle the root causes and work towards being part of the solution. Transparency and accountability We strive to work in a way that is open, honest, and transparent and is accountable to our stakeholders. 5. OUR STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS AND GOALS To accomplish our vision and mission, Hope Rescue has identified five key Focus Areas to concentrate on over the next three years. Each Focus Area has specific strategic goals and objectives to be met. How we will meet our objectives, when by and what success will look like is detailed in the Operational Plan which will be reviewed and updated each year. Focus Areas Governance arrangements Adoption, fostering and rescue placements Income generation Marketing and communications Community programmes Monitoring and performance

4 5.1 GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS Hope Rescue currently has three Trustees supported by a Treasurer with responsibility for defined areas of work, although these often overlap. A Trustees skills audit has been undertaken and gaps have been identified in the following areas; financial planning, volunteer management and income generation. Whilst the quality and professionalism of the existing Trustees is acknowledged, there is a need for the organisation to improve its current governance arrangements to ensure sustainability. The organisation is highly dependent on volunteers and this is unlikely to change during the lifespan of this Plan although funding for new salaried posts will be actively pursued. It is recognised that we need to improve our volunteer management in order to retain our existing volunteers and attract new volunteers. Hope Rescue currently records and stores key data via a combination of individual spreadsheets, use of an on-line Forum and hard copies retained by individual staff and volunteers. This makes sharing of data difficult and there is also a risk of data breaches, or worst case scenario, data loss. The implementation of a new cloud-based corporate database is a priority for day to day management and performance management, and to also ensure we comply with data protection requirements. Goal #1: To improve our governance and develop a strong Board of Trustees a) The roles and responsibilities of Trustees are clear b) The Board of Trustees is strengthened to include Trustees with specific skills and experience as identified within the Trustees Skills Audit c) Compliance with the WCVA Governance Health Check d) Accountability and decision making is improved e) The strategic focus of the Board of Trustees is improved and their day to day operational responsibilities are reduced Goal #2: Ensure we have the right infrastructure and organisational capacity to provide business continuity a) Appropriate staff and volunteer policies are in place to properly support staff and volunteers with induction, management and training b) The Investing in Volunteers standard is achieved c) A new corporate database is implemented to support the operational rescue, management of staff and volunteers and customer relationship management 5.2 ADOPTION, FOSTERING AND RESCUE PLACEMENTS Hope Rescue prides itself on the quality of care each individual animal receives. We ensure each animal receives the most appropriate vet care, including specialist referral as required. Each animal as a minimum is vaccinated, microchipped, flea and worm treated and neutered and is assessed for a minimum of two weeks prior to rehoming. We do not occupy our own Rescue Centre and instead utilise a network of foster homes and boarding kennels. We also

5 rely on placements with other rescues for the majority of our dogs including Dogs Trust, Blue Cross, RSPCA and NAWT. We are somewhat restricted in terms of how we can influence the care of our dogs whilst they are in boarding kennels, but it is recognised that there are improvements we can implement to enrich their stay whilst they are with us. This will also improve their chances of finding a rescue space, foster placement or adopted home. The Association of Dogs and Cats Home (ADCH) has recently launched a Code of Conduct for rescue centres. We are an Associate Member and will be applying for full membership shortly. Compliance with the Code is a priority and this will also require improvements to how we manage our kennel dogs in particular, as well as our data. The Animal Welfare Network for Wales is also lobbying Welsh Government to legislate in respect of the regulation of animal sanctuaries in Wales and compliance with the ADCH Code will also support any future requirements arising from this work. The lack of a rescue centre also presents logistical problems as well as restricting our ability to provide improved environmental enrichment. The availability of kennel spaces is significantly reduced during peak holiday times, and restricted opening times and access to the dogs causes operational issues. It is our medium to long term to secure the funds to open our own rescue centre. Goal #3: Ensure a high quality of care for the dogs in our foster homes and boarding kennels a) Compliance with the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes Code of Conduct as a minimum standard and full membership status b) We have a robust assessment process for both dogs and staff/volunteers to ensure all foster and kennel dogs are properly assessed and matched/handled by appropriately trained and experienced staff and volunteers c) An Environmental Enrichment programme for kennel dogs is in place d) Appropriate standard operating procedures are in place for kennel dogs and fostering/adoption Goal #4: To increase the number of dogs adopted year on year a) The number of foster homes is increased so we can increase our intake numbers b) The promotion of dogs for fostering and adoption is improved to reach more potential adopter adopters

6 Goal #5: To work towards the development of our own Rescue Centre a) A Business Plan is in place for the development of our own Rescue Centre 5.3 INCOME GENERATION As a small charity we do not have any paid fundraising staff. The strategic management of our fundraising is undertaken by the Trustees in addition to their other duties which does cause workload issues. We are very successful at securing grant funding but are aware that this is not a sustainable income stream and cannot be guaranteed. Whilst we do not have a Legacy Strategy we have successfully secured four legacies to date which have made a significant impact on our work, in particular in providing the seed funding to open the Charity Shop. Our other income sources include adoption donations, community fundraising and direct appeals. The recent opening of our Charity Shop will provide a regular income and other fundraising opportunities. We intend to apply for grant funding to further develop the Shop which will increase its income. This includes the provision of a Coffee Shop and volunteer hub with kitchen and workshop facilities. We are not in a financial position to hold any reserves and tend to work reactively, often having to launch emergency direct appeals. We recognise that we need to develop a more sustainable approach to income generation through the development of a Fundraising Strategy and associated strategies in respect of legacies and regular giving. Due to a lack of skills and time within our existing volunteer base we intend to recruit a part-time salaried Fundraising Manager. Goal #6: Ensure Hope Rescue is financially sustainable a) A paid Fundraising Manager is appointed to take on responsibility for all income generation activity b) A Fundraising Strategy is in place to support our short, medium and long term goals c) The Charity Shop is refurbished to increase income generation activities 5.4 MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS One of our strengths is our reputation. We have successfully won a number of national awards including Petplan and ADCH Animal Charity of the Year We pride ourselves on our professionalism, ethics and standards and this is reflected in our partnership work and support from major brands such as the Dogs Trust, Blue Cross, Burns Pet Nutrition, Pets At Home and Ceva Animal Health.

7 Our marketing and communications function is the responsibility of one of the Trustees. We are looking to develop an overarching Marketing and Communications Plan which enable a small team to be built up to support the function. We have a strong social media presence and have recently launched a new website. However, the website needs significant development still to reach its full potential. It is our intention to run down our current Forum and replace it with an operational Forum for staff and volunteers only. Goal #7: Ensure Hope Rescue is recognised as a brand synonymous with its core values a) A Marketing and Communications Plan is in place b) Our new website is developed to improve our digital presence and maximise opportunities to increase adoptions, attract volunteers, increase donations, build our brand and interact with existing and potential supporters 5.5 COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES We strongly believe that our role is not to just deal with the consequences of irresponsible pet ownership, but to work towards sustainable solutions to tackle the root causes. Our campaign and education work to date includes: Schools education visits Free bullbreed neutering project Lobbying to repeal breed specific legislation Campaigning against irresponsible breeding We also understand that there are many owners who are not irresponsible, but may need to relinquish their pets through personal circumstances. We are keen to assist responsible owners through targeted support to enable them to keep them, and already work with agencies including Womans Aid, Housing Associations and Local Health Boards to provide temporary canine respite care. The importance of pets and their therapeutic benefit is also highlighted through our work taking our dogs on social visits to day centres and special schools. There is a demand to increase this work, particularly with day centres.

8 We are also aware of the benefits that volunteering provides, both for the community and the individual. We are keen to develop our volunteering programme to also include targeted opportunities for certain groups and supported employment opportunities. In particular we are looking to develop the Charity Shop in to a Community Shop offering volunteering opportunities, craft and baking workshops and a pet food bank. The further development of our community work is constrained by a lack of resources therefore it is our intention to seek grant funding for a Community Programmes Manager to develop and implement a Hope in the Community Programme Plan. Goal #8: Ensure Hope Rescue optimises opportunities to support the wider community through its work a) A Community Programmes Manager is recruited to lead on the development of our community programmes b) A Hope in the Community Programme Plan is in place c) The Charity Shop is developed in to a Community Shop to support our community programmes 5.6 MONITORING AND PERFORMANCE We do not currently have any formal arrangements in place for performance management. It is therefore sometimes difficult for us to provide evidence of the impact we are making and progress with work to reach our strategic goals. The Operational Plan will be updated monthly by the Trustees and reviewed at each quarterly Trustee meeting, with a BRAG status awarded against each of the actions. A set of performance indicators and targets will be developed to measure progress against achieving each goal. These will be supplemented by qualitative case studies and will be reported in our Annual Report. Goal #9: Ensure systems are in place to support continuous improvement a) A Performance Management Framework is in place with appropriate performance indicators, targets and reporting processes 6. CONCLUSION This is our first Strategic Plan and it has created a strong foundation from which we hope to develop and continually improve the organisation. The challenge will be to ensure we have the resources to fully implement the Operational Plan, and ensure we monitor it closely to identify and overcome any barriers.