On 1 March 2008, an RNZFB 2020 – Sustaining our Future workshop was held at Bayleys in the Viaduct Basin. At that workshop participants heard that the RNZFB had a problem. The Chief Financial Officer told us that if we continued to operate as we did, we would face an annual operating deficit of $2 million by 2012 and of $10 million by 2020. Over the course of 2008 we held two more workshops, a series of creative working groups and an analysis group process. The aim of these meetings was to engage with the blindness community and hear their views about what mattered most about the RNZFB.

The Board also held two extra meetings in October and November. From these the Board proposed a new strategic direction which was consulted on in February 2009.  The response to that consultation paper was great. 189 submissions were received. The responses were analysed and a report regarding the feedback presented to the Board on 6 April 2009. 

Well, the clock seems to have sped up over the course of 2008. On 6 April 2009, a finance paper was also presented. That paper told the Board that '2012' is here today and we’re facing ‘2020’ within three years. This has been caused by a range of factors most importantly the current economic climate New Zealand is now in.

So what does this mean for RNZFB 2020?

Quite simply, we are so very lucky to have done the work that helped us define the RNZFB’s core business.  This work puts the Board in a strong position to understand what is at the heart of this important organisation so that steps can be taken to protect that heart. And through RNZFB 2020 it seems that we have come to recognise that change is not necessarily a bad thing.

Having gained a clear understanding of what is most important, the Board is in a position to go forward with courage, taking care to protect what is most important – the development of blindness skills.  The Board recognises the need to protect the blindness knowledge held by the RNZFB and the people it employs. That will be a key strategy for the next three years. That, and the sustainability of the RNZFB. Strategies will be documented in a draft Strategic Plan and made available for comment prior to finalisation.

Thank you to everyone who has participated in RNZFB 2020. Your input has been invaluable and has helped the leadership gain an understanding of what you value the most and that will inform what must be done to protect that.  May you keep talking and listening through this time of change.

With my personal thanks and gratitude to you all.

Ruth Bijl, Project Manager RNZFB 2020