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Strategic Update

In the September quarter of 2019 our new strategic plan was released to staff and stakeholders.

This followed on from a thorough process of consultation with staff and management, and with a lot of input from the RA Tas Board.

It began with a review of where we had arrived as an organisation in 2019 and where we thought we were headed.

We support people to create positive connections because we know that when people connect, they empower their communities.

The process made us think about what it meant to work for RA Tas, and about what sort of organisation we had created over the last 70 years. We had to think, not only what the next steps looked like, but also where they were headed.

Picture this: The year is 2040 – What has come to really matter in our society about people and relationships?

An interesting question, one which helped to structure our thinking about how we might begin to shape our organisation so that it may continue to have an impact in the future.

Enriching people’s lives

1

Goal

By 2024 we will be delivering services and supports that have been co-designed with the people who need or use them, and which better meet their needs.

Why are we focusing on this

The world is changing quickly and we have to change too. New technologies and changes in the way we live and work are having a direct impact on all of us and our relationships. People’s wellbeing and the health of their relationships are under pressure. Many of us can navigate our way through this, but many of us can also benefit from guidance and support.

At an extreme end, many people may feel isolated, lonely and disconnected from society. It doesn’t have to be like this. With the right tools and support, people can create healthy supportive relationships that allow them to flourish and live rich and fulfilling lives.

Between now and 2024 we will:

  1. Raise public awareness about the link between individual wellbeing and positive connections.
  2. Assess what services will be needed in the future.
  3. Implement the consumer engagement strategy and related co-design framework.
  4. Review the services we offer in light of the needs of different communities, then decide on what we continue to deliver and what new areas we go into.
  5. Trial new service models and therapeutic approaches while continuing to draw on evidence-based and evidence-informed practices.
  6. Work collaboratively with funders and other organisations to meet the current and emerging needs of communities we serve.

Walking the talk

2

Goal

By 2024 everyone at RA Tas will understand our values and be deeply engaged in bringing them to life.

Why are we focusing on this

RA Tas has a strong reputation for being responsive to different communities and providing excellent services. This is built on 70 years’ experience and the efforts of our people over the years to make sure we stay connected to communities and in touch with what people need from us.

As an organisation, the values that guide how we connect with people have been an essential part of everyone’s work. In the face of a rapidly changing world, those values may be put under pressure. By stating them more clearly and precisely, we can more deeply embed them in everything we do – from the way we greet people who come to our services, to the big decisions that shape who we are and what we do.

By being transparent about our values, we are also signalling to people what they can expect from us – whether they be the people who use our services, work with us, partner with us or fund us.

Between now and 2024 we will:

  1. Define the values and expectations that will create the desired culture for RA Tas for the next 20 years.
  2. Work with our people on how to embed the values into how we live and work at RA Tas, and how we maintain a positive values-based culture.
  3. Develop a strategic marketing and communications strategy that aligns everything we say and do with our values, so that people are clear about what they can expect from us.
  4. Develop and run campaigns to advocate on issues or trends that align with our values, to help connect people and empower communities.

Setting the bar high

3

Goal

By 2024 our people will continue to be highly skilled and professional, and our services will be of the highest quality, positioning RA Tas as a sector leader.

Why are we focusing on this

Everyone in RA Tas is critical to our success – our people are the heart of what we do and the high quality of our services is due to the contribution they make every day.

The majority of our work involves our people connecting with individuals, couples, families and groups. To keep the overall quality of what we do high, it is critical that our people remain highly skilled and their contributions acknowledged and appreciated.

Many of our services currently meet industry-recognised standards or best practice approaches. These need to be maintained and new programs will need to be accredited. This takes considerable effort across the organisation and needs to be managed as core business, not just an add-on.

Between now and 2024 we will:

  1. Develop and implement a workforce strategy.
  2. Continue to implement work health and safety initiatives.
  3. Continue to attract and develop high quality people to work here, and recognise their value through a range of initiatives.
  4. Schedule relevant accreditation processes over five years and identify resources.
  5. Develop and implement quality management systems.
  6. Use integrated data from multiple feedback systems to inform decision-making and create action plans.
  7. Review and revise documentation to be easy for people to understand.

Putting the pieces together

4

Goal

By 2024 we will have all the resources we need to provide high quality services.

Why are we focusing on this

For RA Tas to run well, we need good governance and management systems. We also need adequate funds to finance our services and operations – to recruit and pay our people, maintain buildings and infrastructure, and make good use of technology.

We need to continue to have a healthy surplus so we can reinvest in the organisation and keep the quality of our services high. To protect the work of the whole organisation, we also need to carefully match service development with financial capacity.

New technologies offer us opportunities to expand our reach and increase our efficiency in specific areas. The impact of climate change also needs to be considered. The pace of change can be fast and we have to make sure we manage it on our own terms.

Between now and 2024 we will:

  1. Evaluate our resource needs and our capacity to meet them, using appropriate frameworks.
  2. Understand our cost structures and determine the best ways to deliver high quality, client-focused services in a competitive and sustainable way.
  3. Develop and implement a strategic asset management plan.
  4. Review how technology can be used to improve outcomes for the people who use our services, and for those who provide the services.
  5. Investigate and develop an environmental sustainability strategy.
  6. Continue to develop the way we measure the impact of our work.

We understand that people matter and that together we can make a difference.

What pressures might people be facing in the future and what support might be available to them?

We learned that workplace culture is defined by the people that live and work within it.

What came to pass was a set of personal values that reflected the people that make RA Tas what it is today and what it will be in the future.

RA Tas attracts certain types of people – those that want to help others. We attract people that appreciate diversity and embrace connectedness. We understand that people matter and that together we can make a difference. We know that this is how we’ll meet the challenges of the future and keep our organisation relevant.

We’re here to help people and communities thrive. We support people to create positive connections because we know that when people connect, they empower their communities.

Our Goals go hand in hand with our values. By 2024:

  • we aim to be delivering services and supports that we’ve co-designed with the people that use them, and which better meet their needs.
  • everyone at RA Tas will understand our values and be deeply engaged in bringing them to life.
  • we’ll continue to be highly skilled and professional. Our services will be of the highest quality positioning RA Tas as a sector leader.
  • we’ll have all the resources we need to provide high-quality services.