By Sally Aurisch
BCA has a new Strategic Plan. Such plans have guided our operations for several years now. To be useful, a strategic plan must be realistic, with goals that can be achieved within the plan’s timeframe, flexible, so that the organisation is not prevented from responding to changing circumstances, and aspirational, so that the organisation is motivated to grow and improve.
BCA’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025 was developed after discussions held with the board and staff. We examined what we love about BCA, the context in which we work and our priorities. We asked ourselves what the world would be like if BCA did not exist. It was gratifying to realise that each of us values similar things about BCA and believes that it stands for particular values. We have shared a vision, which states why we do what we do. We have a purpose, which explains what we do to achieve our vision. We have set goals that we will all work together to achieve.
The principles upon which BCA was founded in 1975 have not changed. The 2022- 2025 Strategic Plan is founded upon these:
- People who are blind or vision impaired are best placed to advocate for their needs in all aspects of life.
- People who are blind or vision impaired can derive significant benefits from connecting with their peers and learning by sharing lived experience, skills and knowledge.
- People who are blind or vision impaired have the right to receive high quality, accessible services which meet their needs.
- People who are blind or vision impaired can foster positive community attitudes towards blindness, vision impairment and disability in the broader Australian community.
BCA’s Vision:
BCA believes in a future in which our trusted leadership and positive influence achieve equity for people who are blind or vision impaired, where we can live our lives in any way we choose, in a place that respects, recognises and responds to our uniqueness and diversity.
BCA’s Purpose
BCA informs, connects and empowers people who are blind or vision impaired and the wider community.
We represent and advocate for our interests, provide high quality support, services, projects and events and increase access, awareness, and expectations within the broader community.
We are a sustainable, credible, and independent organisation led by our strong and diverse community of people who are blind or vision impaired.
The Strategic Plan sets out the values which underpin everything we do at BCA: transparency; empathy, compassion and kindness; diversity and inclusion; continuous learning, ingenuity and innovation; teamwork and collaboration.
We have set ourselves five goals for the next three years:
1: BCA will continue to deliver quality, targeted individual and systemic advocacy and campaigns, including advocating for services that meet our needs, based on consultation with our diverse community, data and research.
2: Continue to improve our reach and representation to ensure our services, opportunities and conversations are inclusive of everyone in the blind and vision impaired community.
3: Continue to raise awareness of our work in order to grow our reputation as a leading advocacy organisation and credible source of information for people who are blind or vision impaired, stakeholders and the broader community.
4: Continue to diversify income streams and improve internal processes to ensure our long-term ability to achieve our vision.
5: Continue to provide opportunities that maintain a positive and productive working culture, which values and prioritises the wellbeing of our people.
For each of these goals, there are key strategies which we will implement and which we will use to measure and report on our achievements. Our CEO, Sally Aurisch, and her staff have an operational plan with key performance indicators to track progress across the three years of the plan.
While strategic planning might not be everyone’s favourite form of exercise, for BCA this has been an opportunity to review how much we have achieved over forty-seven years, to reaffirm our shared commitment and passion and to move forward with a renewed purpose and vision.
To read the Strategic Plan 2022 – 2025, download it from our website, or call BCA on 1800 033 660 to request a copy in your preferred format.