How do you shape a strategic plan for an organisation facing complex challenges?
Challenge
NCARA needed a five-year strategy to drive systemic reform in critical areas like welfare, housing, and health while ensuring the solutions were culturally appropriate and aligned with the principles of self-determination. Existing policies often failed to meet the unique needs of Aboriginal communities, and the reliance on individual leaders exposed governance gaps. The challenge was to create a unifying strategy that balanced priorities, capacity, strengthened governance frameworks, and elevated Aboriginal voices for lasting impact.
Our Approach
To craft a strategy that was both actionable and inclusive, we facilitated a robust process of strategic planning, workshops, and stakeholder engagement. This approach ensured that the voices of NCARA’s leaders, their local organisations and government stakeholders were considered in the plan.
Strategic direction and planning:
- The foundation of the strategy was built through workshops and consultations designed to address capabilities and capacity, ensure long-term sustainability, and champion Aboriginal self-determination.
Workshop and stakeholder engagement:
- Central to this process was a multi-day workshop that brought together NCARA leaders from regional alliances and external stakeholders. This aimed to align diverse priorities and establish clear objectives for the five-year plan.
- Key activities included:
- Stakeholder mapping and analysis: Identifying key players and their roles in achieving NCARA’s vision.
- SWOT analysis: Assessing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to inform decision-making.
- Risk management and contingency planning: Preparing for potential challenges to ensure the strategy’s resilience.
- Vision and mission refinement: Sharpening NCARA’s guiding principles to align with its goals for Aboriginal self-determination.
Developing the roadmap:
- We translated NCARA’s goals into an actionable five-year plan, outlining clear objectives, timelines, and metrics to track progress.
- This roadmap ensured that the strategy could drive measurable impact and support continuous improvement.
“The strategy provided NCARA with a clear and actionable framework to ensure focus, measure progress and shore up the organisation for the future.”
NCARA Chair
By aligning strategic priorities with internal capacity, capabilities and achievable timeframes, NCARA was able to narrow its focus and dedicate resources to drive the most meaningful changes.
Key outcomes include:
Prioritisation of goals and outcomes for NCARA’s advocacy
A roadmap for cross-sector collaboration, enabling government and community organisations to work together
A plan for operational independence and capacity building, positioning NCARA for long-term effectiveness and impact