Sight Service (Gateshead and South Tyneside) Business and Development Plan year business cycle and 2-year horizon scan Total 5 year plan

Transcription

1 Sight Service (Gateshead and South Tyneside) Business and Development Plan year business cycle and 2-year horizon scan Total 5 year plan 1

2 Index Page Heading 2 Executive Summary 2-3 Introduction and Background 4 Governance and Human Resources 4-6 Operational Focus 6 Appendices 1. Executive Summary 1.1 This Business Plan sets out the strategic direction for Sight Service for the 5 years from It outlines the priority areas and strategic objectives which will be used as a focus for the charity s work over that period. 1.2 The Business Plan has emerged from a series of engagement Fresh Ideas workshops with staff, trustees and volunteers. This process was assisted by Eastside Primetimers as a result of funding from the Local Sustainability Fund. 1.3 The major priorities identified and will be for the Executive team to implement and will be monitored and reviewed regularly, reporting to the Trustee board. Progress will be measured against clear targets to ensure that the Business Plan is achieved. 1.4 The critical risks to the Charity have been analyzed, in accordance with Charity Commission guidance. The major risks have been identified and a strategy outlined for managing them and mitigating risks. This risk strategy is available as a separate document. 1.5 This latest plan reflects some major achievements in terms of relocation of premises and implementing the ethos of empowering visually impaired people as opposed to caring for them, enabling a can do attitude and approach to life, which now need to be evidence within an outcome framework from which we can measure and report our social and economic impact. 1.6 This business plan should be read in conjunction with a report and road map produced by Eastside Primetimers, as a result of consultation and analysis, of our current understanding of the external environment, our internal goals and objectives, taking account of key and critical areas for improvement and development. 1.7 This business plan is subject to regular review by the Trustee Board and Executive to ensure progress, achievement of goals, and minimisation of risk. 2. Introduction and Background Sight Service (Gateshead and South Tyneside Sight Service) is, when viewed alongside other voluntary sector organizations for the blind, a relatively young organisation. It was founded in 1996 as Northumbria Sight Service, coming out of comprehensive research that identified that services and support for people with significant sight loss in the north east of England, in no way compared with services in other parts of the country. In 1999 it changed its 2

3 constitution, name and area of remit, to specifically cover Gateshead and South Tyneside, and again changed its area of remit in 2003 to cover Gateshead South Tyneside and the surrounding area. In 2010 Sight Service set up a social enterprise. Angel Eyes CIC. Angel Eyes is a separate organization. In 2012 Sight Service set up Peer Support North East CIC working for and with people with disabilities. Both CIC s are members of the Sight Service group. This Business Plan will explain the context for Sight Service s work and will set out the strategic objectives for the next five years. 2.1 Vision 2.2 Mission Sight Service s vision is a world in which people of all ages with sight loss have choice and control over their lives and no-one experiences avoidable sight loss. Sight Service will support visually impaired people of all ages living within its beneficial area, challenge barriers to inclusion, work to prevent avoidable sight loss and aim to enable visually impaired people to enjoy the quality of life other people take for granted Statement of Culture, Values and Core Principles Sight Service is a progressive, enabling charity committed to improving lives for people with sight loss. Sight Service aims to support people with sight loss to have: - Dignity and Respect as a unique individual - Privacy in their own home - Protection from harm - Independence to the greatest degree possible - Choice so that people are empowered - Rights, as for all people in society Sight Service aims to enable people with sight loss to enjoy the quality of life other people take for granted Keys to success Quality Human Capital Functional Dept of Health Low Vision Award ISO 9001 Quality standard 3. Dept of The Health Organisation Clinic Effectiveness and Efficiency Staff & Volunteers Our networks & partners Satisfied users & customers, carers Supporters business and general public Successful Contracting & Income generation Efficient work practices Strong finances Effective Governance 3

4 3.1. Our People 3.0. Governance & Human Resources 3.1. The Board An Executive Committee of up to 10 voluntary Trustees is responsible for the governance and strategic direction of the charity. Over 50% of the Executive Committee has a sight loss. The Board has three Officers who are elected annually by the Trustees at the first Board Meeting after the AGM. The Board has one subcommittee, the General Purposes Group (GPG). CONNECT (Service User Group) advise on the strategic direction. Sight Service is very much a user-led organisation 3.3.Executive Management Team The Executive Management Team is led by the Chief Executive Officer, who is answerable to the Board. The Executive Management Team consists of the Chief Executive Officer and three Executive Managers Staff. Sight Service employs 28 staff and also has the support of over 120 volunteers to enable it to deliver a wide range of services and support to address sight loss issues. Executive Management Team gives day to day direction to staff with strategic direction coming through that Team from the Board Volunteers Volunteers are a crucial part of Sight Service structure. Their recruitment, training and support is the responsibility of a member of the Executive Management Team Operational Focus 4.1 Sight Service provides the following wide range of services Core Support Services Inclusion Services Enterprise Services Assessment and Visual Impairment Rehabilitation Advice and Information An Integrated Low Vision Service Benefits Advice Advocacy MYMS Activity Classes Ring around Service Community Day Services Healthy Living courses Social Groups Specialist Guide Adult Education Employment support Accessible IT, My Guide Befriending Travel Buddies Carers Support Staying Steady Charity Shop Cafe Meeting Room Gym Business Solutions - Transcription Services, including audio and Braille. Visual Impairment Awareness Training Exhibition The Sight Service Shop specialised equipment 4

5 4.2. Service Development & Innovation Key decisions and actions Six objectives to achieve: New Service - To reach more of the 90% of people with sight loss that the charity currently does not engage with and a priority. As a result making inroads to support clients in care homes was prioritised as a new service undertaken by volunteers. Retail - To employ a part-time retail manager for the Jackson Street charity shop and for Gordon Street to become a donation centre only. To set a target for sales growth, merchandise standards and back office controls. Set up an e-bay shop. Expand - To grow the telephone befriending service and seek grant funding from amongst those foundations and trusts tackling loneliness and isolation Service redesign - To review and redesign the delivery models across services i.e. one home assessment and consider a 2 or 3 day package of support delivered at the centre (the review to be undertaken by the Operations Director) with a focus on maintaining a good client experience but with cost-reductions and efficiencies taken account of. This would need some financial modelling in terms of reduction of staff hours, travel etc., as well as some timetabling of what the team could deliver. Services delivered one too many are more efficient than one to one service provision. Develop & Grow - To develop a Falls prevention strategy physical activity to improve referral pathways and grow the Staying Steady project Significantly Improve - Marketing, PR and communications which are a pivotal function to enable growth and raise profile and attract new users and volunteers, as well as reach into the business community and inform funders who increasingly check social media and deliver new website 4.3 New processes to underpin service delivery:- Five objectives to achieve - Introduce a transport assessment - Invest in technology, such as tablets, enabling staff to complete forms at the time of assessments and not double-handle information saving time and resulting in more client visits per day. Undertake geographical journey planning to reduce travel time and costs. - Management Accounts to have cost centres set up for each income stream and increase transparency in terms of income and expenditure. Real costs attributed to 5

6 services, granularity of financial data are vital for all services. Management accounts to be circulated to the Executive team on a monthly basis - Develop assessment & evaluation tools that ensure outcomes are delivered and impact measured - Set targets and key performance indicators across all activities 4.4 Impact on People The redesign of services to make them efficient and cost effective will inevitably change working practices, and to meet the future direction set by the Trustee Board and Senior Management Team (the Executive) the following actions have been agreed:- - To undertake a skills audit - To review role descriptions - To redesign job roles to meet any multi-skilling requirements - To develop a go to staff structure - To continue to involve staff in the reshaping of both services and role development - To support staff with the uncertainty that change brings Many of the services and some of the possible new services are heavily reliant on volunteer support and the recruitment and training of more volunteers is a priority and reflected in the marketing plan. Appendices Eastside Primetimers Report Road Map & KPI s Eastside Primetimers Social Impact Report Marketing Plan Outcomes Matrix Finance Paper Organisational Chart (current) Year End Accounts