I suspect that if you aren’t currently thinking about your organisation’s strategy then at some point in the next few months you will be. Whether you have just launched your new strategy, are halfway through delivering it, are thinking it is already time to review the one you only developed a year ago or are coming to the end of one and thinking about what the next one should look like, the chances are you and your board will be having a conversation that highlights just how hard it feels right now to set any strategic goals that look further than a couple of years ahead.
I heard last week of one organisation that may have got that problem cracked. The Zealandia ecosanctuary in Wellington, New Zealand, has a five-hundred-year strategy. The vision they are working to bring about is to restore the forest and freshwater ecosystems of the valley in which they sit as closely as possible to their prehuman state, and five centuries is their estimate of how long it would take for the forest’s original canopy to grow back.
There’s so much encapsulated in that that I just love. The very best strategies, in my experience, start at the far end – an articulation of what will be different once we’ve achieved our strategic goals. They inspire us and our teams to keep working on the day to day knowing that everything we are doing is building towards that change we envision. They enable our boards and our stakeholders to understand why we are doing what we are doing, and to hold us to account for whether or not we are staying on track.
And while five centuries may be rather further ahead than is relevant for most of us, perhaps Zealandia’s willingness to embrace that ambition is a helpful reminder that while we can’t necessarily predict the environment we’ll be working in over the next couple of years a big part of our role as leaders and as a sector is to articulate a vision of what could be different, and better, five, ten, fifteen years from now – and to embrace the part we can play in making that happen.
Going green together
Going Green Together is a collaborative project that supports the North East and Cumbria’s VCSE sector towards Net Zero. Join us on 8 March from 2 – 3pm to hear from Carol Botten, chief executive at VONNE, the organisation behind the project. She will talk about how it all came about, who is involved, the aims and objectives and how things are going. The aim is to inspire and help other charity chief executives who are concerned with the climate crisis and are keen to get their organisations involved in the fight against it in some way. Book now.
Less than 40 days to go!
There’s still time to secure your #ACEVOFest ticket and join us for three days of talks and networking on 14, 21 and 22 March. Remember: you can choose to attend day one in person (in London) or online, and days two and three will take place entirely online. The programme and speakers’ bios are on the website, but please reach out to the events team if you have any questions.
Community conversations
The ACEVO Community has been buzzing in the past month. Our members are using the Community to discuss a myriad of topics: from trustee interviews to monthly staff meetings. There are also several threads with recommendations (such as a presentation skills course and support for internal comms) and resources. If you haven’t signed up or used the ACEVO Community yet, check the website to find out how it works.
Funding to support youth organisations
UK Youth and Pears Foundation have announced a £5m fund to support youth organisations with an annual income of no more than £500,000. The aim of the fund is to ensure that as many vital youth services as possible can keep the lights on and support young people in their local community. To find out how to apply, please check the website.
Breathing life into your strategy
Developing strategy and organisational plans is part and parcel of a CEO’s job, but it can be a tricky task. With multiple stakeholders to engage and a variety of appetites for planning to contend with, it can leave you scratching your head. We are hosting a full-day workshop on Tuesday 18 April to explore how you can effectively engage your board, team and other stakeholders in the planning process and ensure your plan comes to life and is used to guide action. Book now.
Eastside Primetimers is now Eastside People
Working alongside clients in the not-for-profit sector for the last 20 years, Eastside People’s community of professionals has delivered over 2,200 consultancy and recruitment projects. The overriding message during that time has been that it’s the breadth and depth of the people which is most valued and the new Eastside People brand focuses on providing access to the highest quality experts from diverse backgrounds. Under the new name, the team will continue working with ACEVO members and the sector to help build organisational capacity and impact. Read more in the blog by Eastside People’s CEO Richard Litchfield.
Jobs of the week
- Merton Connected, CEO, London/remote, £65-70k
- Alliance for Youth Justice, board members and young board members, remote
- DAVSS, CEO, Kent/remote, £50-60k
- GFI Europe, managing director, remote, £78-92k
- BBC Charity Appeals Advisory Committee, committee member (medical), London/remote
- BBC Charity Appeals Advisory Committee, committee member (education), London/remote
- BBC Charity Appeals Advisory Committee, committee member (conservation and environment), London/remote
- Clean Break, trustees and chair, London
ACEVO Jobs is a platform for senior leadership and trustee jobs in the sector. Every listed job is posted across our job board, main website, the weekly newsletter for CEOs, and social media channels, helping you reach the right audience. As well as ad-hoc packages, we also offer an unlimited subscription service. View our packages or register as a recruiter, and we’ll get in touch to assist.