RNZFB 2020: Update 1, 14 April 2008
Background
On 1 March the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind held a workshop on 2020: Sustaining our Future. The workshop began a process of considering what the Foundation and its services might look like in 2020. It’s a vital undertaking for the organisation as financial analysis to the year 2020 shows it will not be possible to continue delivering services in the way the Foundation does today. In fact, by 2020 the Foundation would face an annual operating deficit of $10 million. As soon as 2012 the annual deficit would be $2 million. We have time to change but the Foundation needs to find ways to do things differently.
Approximately 80 people attended this workshop at Bayleys in the Viaduct Harbour, Auckland. Attendees included members, the Board, staff, Consumer Organisations, Community Committees and other invited guests. Minutes of the workshop are available on the Telephone Information Service, or by email request to 2020 or 0800 24 33 33.
How to get involved
We are keen to involve as many of our stakeholders as possible in the project and very much welcome your comments. There are a number of ways to do this: through TIS, email to 2020 or by letter addressed to ‘Project 2020’, Private Bag 99941, Newmarket, Auckland. Phone messages may also be left with the Information and Advice Service on 0800 24 33 33. We are also developing a dedicated section of the website.
What happens next?
The next planned phase of this process is to take the emerging themes from the workshop on 1 March and develop concepts about what the Foundation could be doing in 2020.
Working groups
Working groups have been tasked with drafting these concepts and project meetings are well underway. In total there are 24 people in the working groups. They range in age from under 20 to over 70 years of age. The groups meet at Awhina House, Auckland, Fale Kotuku, South Auckland, Adelaide Rd, Wellington, and Bristol St., Christchurch. Four people travel from outside main centres to attend the groups. Twelve people are members, thirteen staff, four Board members and four representatives from consumer organisations. Many of our group members bridge a number of categories, for instance many Foundation members are members of consumer groups.
The concepts that the working groups have been asked to develop will take the form of a short, realistic story of the Foundation in 2020.
Further workshops
These strategic scenarios or ‘stories’ will be distributed to stakeholders and on 14 June a second workshop will take place. Again, a range of stakeholders will be invited to the workshop. These will be a mix of people who attended the first workshop, as well as some new faces. Nominations will be sought from Consumer Organisations, Community Committees and staff soon.
At the second workshop the stories will be presented and the merits of each one discussed. The best three stories (or a new combination of the stories) will be selected for further development. This development will be undertaken by a different working group which will analyse the viability of the ‘story’ if it were implemented.
A third workshop will be held on 6 September to consider this analysis. Following consideration of the options and analysis, and your views, the Board will decide how best to position the Foundation for success in 2020.
Send in your feedback
We know that more people will want to attend the workshops than we
can accommodate but we do want to get your feedback. To help with this,
we want you to be able to review minutes and comment on them,
regardless of whether you attended a workshop. Open communication
channels will be available at any time through TIS, email 2020 the 0800 number
and soon, the website. Please do send us your comments. (Update
12 May: the feedback form is now available on the
website)
If you’d like any more information about the process, how you can participate, or have any other questions about this project, please contact Ruth van Welie on 03 466 4231 or 0800 24 33 33 or email 2020.