Developing CPF BC & Yukon’s 3-Year Strategic Plan: 2009 – 12
Worksheet for your input
1. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
Below is a Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) assessment of CPF BC & Yukon’s internal and external operating environment, conducted by the Branch Board February 2008.
Please carry out the following:
§ From each of the lists, highlight or bold what you think are CPF BC & Yukon’s current top two Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats;
§ If you think there are gaps, add up to two additional Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities or Threats.
Strengths (internal factors) / Weaknesses (internal factors)§ Strong and committed Board
§ Good momentum gained with enrolment, advocacy, membership, partner links
§ Office systems sound
§ Healthy Surplus in Budget
§ Good location of office
§ Place to go for all the info on FSL in BC & Yukon
§ Very good reputation in the community
§ Strong and enthusiastic links with partners
§ Current Staff
§ Growing enrolment
§ (your suggestions) / § Staff turnover
§ High work load for office manager and ED
§ Poor visibility in media
§ Office small
§ Volunteer burnout
§ Lack of marketing expertise
§ Lack of grant writing expertise
§ Funding not keeping pace with growth of membership
§ Areas of need vs. lack of resources/personnel to tackle them
§ Internal communications challenging with ED off site; costs
§ Lack of orientation/training, skills development, coaching/mentoring of volunteers
§ CPF and FAC are still a hard sell to Districts
§ (your suggestions)
Opportunities (external factors) / Threats (external factors)
§ External expertise more apparent now that ties with partners are closer
§ Olympic activities could bring exposure to CPF
§ Bilingualism Rocks will link francophone and Francophile orgs,
§ Continually improving website that is more user friendly will help people find what they need before they call us
§ Continue to focus on the core goals of the org
§ Radio Canada (Journalism)
§ Connections of the new ED
§ Ad’hoc FSL committee with the MoE
§ (your suggestions) / § Status of CH and their funding uncertain
§ Staff turnover
§ Securing diversified funding because of perceived educational mandate
§ Growing enrolment in French programs places greater demands on the organization.
§ Parent burnout
§ teacher shortage
§ Continual interruptions to the focus of core goals.
§ (your suggestions)
2. Vision, Mission and Values Statements review
Following are CPF’s Pan-Canadian Vision, Mission and Values Statements (found in the Pan-Canadian Strategic Plan). They are in italics. Each of the statements has been complemented with additions by CPF BC & Yukon expressing its perspective (from the BC & Yukon Strategic Plan, 2007 – 2010 reviewed each year from 2005). [1]
These additions are also below and have been bolded.
Please carry out the following:
§ Reflect on the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats you made a priority for CPF BC & Yukon;
§ Review the additions to the Pan-Canadian Vision, Mission and Value Statements below and either “approve” the additions, or suggest one or two key modifications for any or all of the additions;
§ Note: since CPF has a new, Pan-Canadian Mission Statement, updating CPF BC & Yukon’s additions to this Statement may be particularly important.
VISION
As an autonomous branch of a national organization, CPF – BC & Yukon subscribes to the national vision of CPF. The CPF family is working towards:
A Canada where French- and English- speakers live together in mutual respect with understanding and appreciation of each other’s language and culture and where linguistic duality forms an integral part of society.[2]
Building on this vision, we further believe that:
We are a catalyst fostering vibrant life-long FSL opportunities in B.C. and the Yukon
MISSION
CPF BC & Yukon Branch subscribes to the national organizational mission which states:
Canadian Parents for French is a national network of volunteers who value French as an integral part of Canada and are dedicated to the promotion, creation and support of effective French Second Language learning opportunities for youth in Canada.[3]
For CPF BC & Yukon Branch, this means that:
We are a network of youth, parents, educators and partners working to ensure diverse educational programs by:
§ Advocating for new and expanded services
§ Providing training and information
§ Fostering partnerships
§ Creating our own opportunities
VALUES
(CPF BC & Yukon’s additions to the nationwide Value Statement consists of underlining [bolded in the following] key words in the existing Statement)
In Canadian Parents for French we value commitment to our mandate, the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge, and the taking of initiative and responsibility so that we achieve credibility and effectiveness.[4]
3. Strategic Goal review
There are 5 Strategic Goals in CPF BC & Yukon’s Strategic Plan. Each is presented below showing:
§ the Strategic Area the Strategic Goal is addressing;
§ the Strategic Goal’s linkages/alignment with the Pan-Canadian Strategic Plan’s High Level Goals, Operating Goals and/or Strategies;
§ corresponding “Ideas for Strategies” to carry out in the next 3 years to achieve the Strategic Goal being featured (in a Table);
§ corresponding “Ideas for Performance Measures” to track both the level of implementation of the Ideas for Strategies and the effectiveness of the Ideas for Strategies in achieving the Strategic Goal being featured (in Table).
Ideas for Strategies and Ideas for Performance Measures are drawn from CPF BC & Yukon’s 2007 – 2008 draft Annual Plan, “Key Annual Initiatives” and “Indicators for 07 – 08”.
Keeping in mind the previous SWOT analysis, and CPF BC & Yukon’s Vision, Mission and Value Statements, record your answers to the following questions for each Strategic Goal:
§ Is this Strategic Goal still relevant and a priority for us to achieve in the next 3 years? If yes, why? If not, how might we revise this to be more useful to us?
§ What other Strategic Goal in this Strategic Area do we need to add, if any?
§ Are these Ideas for Strategies still relevant and a priority for us to achieve in the next 3 years? If yes, why? If not, how might we revise these to be more useful to us?
§ What other Ideas for Strategies do we need to add, if any?
§ Which are your top 3 Ideas for Strategies we should achieve in the next 3 years?
§ For each of your top 3 Ideas for Strategies, what would be one Idea for a Performance Measure that could accurately help to assess the progress in achieving that Idea for a Strategy?
NOTE: refer to the Pan-Canadian Strategic Plan for ideas about other possibly relevant and useful Strategic Goals (called “Operating Goals”), Strategies, and Performance Measures.
Strategic Area: Membership
Strategic Goal 1: To create and mobilize an advocacy force that secures the future of FSL
Linkages to CPF Pan-Canadian Strategic Plan
§ High Level Goal Three: Research-Based Advocacy is used to Inform and Influence
Þ Operating Goal 4, Strategy b: Create, train and mobilize advocates to promote consistent messages
§ High Level Goal Five: CPF is an effective and efficient organization
Þ Operating Goal 3: Attract and maintain active members
Strategic Area: MembershipStrategic Goal / Ideas for Strategies / Ideas for Performance Measures
To create and mobilize an advocacy force that secures the future of FSL / Increase membership through promotion and recruitment
Appeal to past participants in events
Visit Chapter
Develop member benefits
Develop Chapter “best practises” tool kit / Stability of membership numbers (attrition rate matches new and renewed rate, number of new and renewing members)
Number of new Chapters
Level of active involvement of members
Evidence of chapter advocacy
.
Strategic Area: Financial Health
Strategic Goal 2: To secure adequate sources of long-term funding at chapter and branch levels while maintaining integrity of vision.
Linkages to CPF Pan-Canadian Strategic Plan
§ High Level Goal Five: CPF is an effective and efficient organization
Þ Operating Goal 1: Ensure sufficient funding at all levels to achieve organizational goals. Strategy e: Continue to meet financial management responsibilities
Strategic Area: Financial HealthStrategic Goal / Ideas for Strategies / Ideas for Performance Measures
To secure adequate sources of long-term funding at chapter and branch levels while maintaining integrity of vision / Diversify funding
Develop and secure new sources of funding
Continue to meet financial management responsibilities, including reporting / Number of new funding sources secured at Branch level
Chapters involved in fundraising for their own activities
Number of fundraising initiatives and funds raised, e.g., gala events, appeals in advertisements, direct mail, merchandise for sale
Operational budget managed
Year-end financial goals achieved
All proposals and reports to Canadian Heritage and Ministry of Education submitted on time and accepted.
.
Strategic Area: Communication
Strategic Goal 3: To be valued and recognized as an effective and influential voice on FSL create and mobilize an advocacy force that secures the future of FSL
Linkages to CPF Pan-Canadian Strategic Plan
§ High Level Goal Three: Research-Based Advocacy is used to Inform and Influence
Þ Operating Goal 2: Ensure CPF is recognized, valued and included as a crucial and informed voice on FSL issues at all decision making levels
§ High Level Goal Four: Engage youth, parents, educators and the public
Þ Operating Goal 4: Promote greater awareness and support for the value of Canada’s official languages
§ High Level Goal Five: CPF is an effective and efficient organization
Þ Operating Goal 2, Strategy e: Develop and maintain effective use of internet technology to achieve CPF’s goals
Þ Operating Goal 4: Develop collaborative partnerships
Þ Operating Goal 5: Develop and implement an internal communications strategy
Strategic Area: CommunicationsStrategic Goal / Ideas for Strategies / Ideas for Performance Measures
To be valued and recognized as an effective and influential voice on FSL / Ensure CPFs involvement in key decision-making processes regarding FSL issues
Increase visibility in the media
Improve recognition of CPF among the public
Increase awareness of immersion and other FSL programs
Organize and participate at tables at partner events
Develop and maintain internet-based technology for improving internal and external communications / Amount of media coverage in print and broadcast, e.g., number of press releases, number of appearances on radio & TV
Number of articles, letters to the editor and op eds written by CPF and published
Number of meetings with editorial boards and journalists
Logo established
Number of promotional materials developed and distributed, e.g., multi-cultural poster, “Brought to you by CPF” stickers
Members are updated regularly as to events and happenings with CPF and with our partners
Number of partners’ events attended by CPF
Number of hits on websites for internal communications and external promotion
Website regularly updated
Chapter website template tested and Chapter websites up and running
Chapter on-line reporting in place and in use
Strategic Area: Education
Strategic Goal 4: To increase access to, and maintain and improve quality of, FSL educational and cultural programs in the public school system and in communities
Linkages to CPF Pan-Canadian Strategic Plan
§ High Level Goal One: All students have access to a broad range of FSL programs
Þ Operating Goal 1: Ensure access to FSL programs for all students in Canada
Þ Operating Goal 2: Increase availability of a broad range of FSL programs and entry points
§ High Level Goal Two: All students receive quality FSL programs
Þ Operating Goal 1: Ensure that all FSL programs are delivered by qualified and proficient FSL Teachers
Þ Operating Goal 2: Strategy b: Influence decision-makers to be transparent and accountable at all levels for FSL funds
§ High Level Goal Three: Research-Based Advocacy is used to Inform and Influence
Þ Operating Goal 2: Ensure CPF is recognized, valued and included as a crucial and informed voice on FSL issues at all decision making levels. Strategy c: Share common messages with a wider audience
Þ Operating Goal 4: Develop and deliver consistent messages at all levels of CPF. Strategy a: Create messages and develop materials in collaboration with CPF members, volunteers and staff. Strategy b: Create, train and mobilize advocates to promote consistent messages
§ High Level Goal Four: Engage youth, parents, educators and the public
Þ Operating Goal 1: Promote and create FSL learning opportunities for youth. Strategy a: Advocate for an increase of quality, accessible, co-curricular and extracurricular FSL activities e.g. summer camp, student exchanges. Strategy c: Advocate for fully-funded student exchanges and increased accessibility to become an integral component of FSL programs
Þ Operating Goal 3: Support FSL educators. Strategy a: Promote and provide information, tools and networking opportunities to support FSL educators that are accessible and relevant to their needs. Strategy b: Promote the involvement of Core French and Intensive Core educators in CPF activities
Þ Operating Goal 4: Promote greater awareness of and support for the value of Canada’s official language
Þ Operating Goal 5: Increase participation of Aboriginal people and people of diverse ethnicity in FSL learning opportunities in Canada
§ High Level Goal Five: CPF is an effective and efficient organization
Þ Operating Goal 1: Ensure sufficient funding at all levels to achieve organizational goals. Strategy e: Continue to meet financial management responsibilities
Strategic Area: EducationStrategic Goal / Ideas for Strategies / Ideas for Performance Measures
To increase access to, and maintain and improve quality of, FSL educational and cultural programs in the public school system and in communities / Advocate for enhanced access to programs
Support advocacy by Chapters and communities
Support CPF national advocacy initiatives
Address teacher shortage
Develop communication strategy to promote benefits of FSL education, e.g., strengthen awareness of immersion and other FSL programs through media and public events
Develop socio-cultural strategy for Branch
Enhance involvement of youth, e.g., increase participation in Concours, establish Rencontre en plein air
Enhance financial transparency and accountability
Explore possibility of a school-act requirement on reporting
Strengthen and expand number of FACs in collaboration with Chapters – documents on FACs and check list revised / Enrollment statistics
The number of immersion and intensive programs
Number of workshops attended and delivered at one or more of AGMs of DPAC, BCTF, principals and vice-principals
Number of presentations by CPF to various school boards regarding program expansion and quality
Common platform for action on teacher shortage developed and implemented
Number of meetings with educational caucus of the government of BC
Number of meetings members have with their respective MLAs, trustees and French Advisory Committees
Amount of media coverage in print and broadcast, e.g., number of press releases, number of appearances on radio & TV
Number of articles, letters to the editor and op eds written by CPF and published
Number of meetings with editorial boards and journalists
Number of promotional materials developed and distributed, e.g., multi-cultural poster, “Brought to you by CPF” stickers
Socio-cultural strategy examined, rationalized and in place
Number of co-curricular and extracurricular FSL activities/ learning opportunities and number of youth participants
CPF chapters receive financial reports on federal funding
FACs functioning well
Strategic Area: Infrastructure
Strategic Goal 5: To have the information systems, financial, material, and human resources in place to meet commitments, and to offer staff a rich and rewarding working environment