1. Quality Students’ Unions:
Strategic Planning
SUs Local November 2015

2. Quality Students’ Unions – Strategic Planning
Today we will:
Look at the term “Strategy”
Consider Strategic Planning within Quality Students’ Unions
Share thoughts and ideas for how to best challenge ourselves in this area
Discuss practical ways to progress through this criteria
Answer any questions

3. Introductions
Your Name
Your Students’ Union
The period of strategic development
you’re currently in

4. “The future’s not a place we’re going to but one we are creating…
the paths are not to be found, but made.”
John Homer Schaar

5. Strategy

6. Strategy NCVO definitions say: Strategy
A set of high level decisions about why your organisation exists, what it hopes to achieve in the next few years, how it wants to achieve it and how it will deal with the world around it.
Strategic Plan
A clear and coherent statement from the Trustees and senior managers about the organisation’s strategy over a particular period, usually 3-5 years.

7. Six Stages of Strategy Getting the direction right Periodic Evaluation
Ongoing
Environmental analysis
Periodic, ongoing, annual
Implementation
Ongoing
Options and choices
Annual
Planning
Annual

8. Overall Direction
Its recommended that you look at the overall direction of any organisation once every 3-5 years and consult stakeholders as a major strategic exercise.
Traditionally vision, mission and values are three key components that form the purpose of an organisation
In Quality Students’ Unions you will need to demonstrate that you have these, or versions of them.
The different levels of engagement and understanding of your vision, mission and values define your students’ union’s achieved level; Good, Very Good or Excellent.

9. Excellent Published strategic plan
Current and future members’ needs at the core
Full comprehension of the overall strategic plan from stakeholders
Stakeholders feel they have been closely consulted in the development of the plan
Statement of its fundamental purpose
Inspirational vision that defines an aspirational principle or an overall impact
Strategic plan embodies the beliefs/values, which are clearly translated into practice
Strategic documents define how its mission and the vision will be delivered 
Often summarised in an operating or business plan, which clearly describes how the union’s vision, values and strategic priorities will be enacted and delivered
The union can demonstrate that its plan sets out priorities for the union and helps to determine how resources are allocated
Holistic plan including all activities in a way that promotes
synergy and sustainability
The excellent framework is built on the Good and Very Good sections and we are going to consider the top level today
Assume we can all publish our strategic plans once we have them, so let’s move on

10. Current and future members’ needs at the core
Question: How do you demonstrate this?
Research - This should be underpinned by excellent research principles
Interview first year students as part of induction
Interview feeder school students – or get your students to as part of WP activity
Consider likely applicant demographics for the next few years and access existing data or commission your own
Have an open process for empowering student contribution to the planning process
Evidence that THIS is what drove the plan

11. Stakeholder involvement
Full comprehension of the overall strategic plan from stakeholders
Stakeholders feel they have been closely consulted in the development of the plan
How can we achieve this?
ASK, ASK and ASK again!

12. Statement of its fundamental purpose
Why are we here?
Representation
To change society
Student welfare
Voice
Safe social space
Hold the institution to account
Educate the membership

13. Let’s consider some example visions:
Inspirational vision that defines an aspirational principle or an overall impact
Let’s consider some example visions:

14. To bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.
Vision Express
To bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

15. Vision Express
Everyone who needs it should receive first aid from those around them. No one should suffer for the lack of trained first aiders.

16. Vision Express
Inspired by faith and guided by our values, we envisage a world where communities are empowered, social obligations are fulfilled and people respond as one to the suffering of others.

17. We’re not going to consider the actual values today
Strategic plan embodies the beliefs/values, which are clearly translated into practice
We’re not going to consider the actual values today
How can we ensure that our values are present throughout the strategic plan?
How can we translate these into practice?

18. Values Driven – Save The Children
Accountability We take personal responsibility for using our resources efficiently, achieving measurable results, and being accountable to supporters, partners and, most of all, children.
Ambition We are demanding of ourselves and our colleagues, set high goals and are committed to improving the quality of everything we do for children.
Collaboration We respect and value each other, thrive on our diversity, and work with partners to leverage our global strength in making a difference for children.
Creativity We are open to new ideas, embrace change, and take disciplined risks to develop sustainable solutions for and with children.
Integrity We aspire to live to the highest standards of personal honesty and behaviour; we never compromise our reputation and always act in the best interests of children.

19. Delivery
Strategic documents define how its mission and the vision will be delivered  
Often summarised in an operating or business plan, which clearly describes how the union’s vision, values and strategic priorities will be enacted and delivered
Share your thoughts about how to turn the paper plan into meaningful practice

20. How do you know that your plan is crucial?
The union can demonstrate that its plan sets out priorities for the union and helps to determine how resources are allocated
How do you know that your plan is crucial?
Regular review at multiple locations – Board, University, Student Council
Measures of success which are easy to scrutinise (such as Key Performance Indicators)
Election candidates use it to develop their manifesto
Reference to it in University plans
The budget is directly correlated to the plans
Many plans sit in a drawer once completed

21. Holistic plan including all activities in a way that promotes synergy and sustainability
Plans are easy to carve into silos
An “Excellent” plan doesn’t do that
It works from the purpose and values and every single activity, staff member, officer, budget line is attributable back to it
How can we achieve this?

22. Sharing ideas
Share your thoughts about how to turn the paper plan into meaningful practice
How do you know that your plan is crucial to your everyday operation?
How can we achieve an overarching, joined up approach to strategic planning, incorporating all activities of the union?

23. Delivery - Share your thoughts about how to turn the paper plan into meaningful practice
Utilise direct quotes from the research into the plan, making it about stories rather than statistics
Incorporate the same language across all union documentation, especially in performance management
Theme staff days and reports to Trustee Board and university around the strategic plan
Publish progress against the plan in regular intervals, not just annually
Provide strategic plan information to all prospective staff members and trustees

24. Delivery - Share your thoughts about how to turn the paper plan into meaningful practice
Ensure the budget lines are all directly and transparently attributable to a section of the strategic plan
Have “layers” of documentation – full strategic plan, operational plan, departmental plans, team plans, individual plans
Have cascading objectives so each staff member can trace their work directly up the organisational chart to the strategic plan
Before embarking on a new piece of work, test it against the mission and values – then add it to the strategic plan

25. How do you know that your plan is crucial?
The union can demonstrate that its plan sets out priorities for the union and helps to determine how resources are allocated
How do you know that your plan is crucial?
Officers are keen to discuss the plan
Regular review at multiple locations – Board, University, Student Council
Measures of success which are easy to scrutinise (such as Key Performance Indicators)
Election candidates use it to develop their manifesto
Reference to it in University plans
The budget is directly correlated to the plans
Staff talk about it without being prompted
Many plans sit in a drawer once completed

26. How can we achieve an overarching, joined up approach to strategic planning, incorporating all activities of the union?
Start with what your students want – and end there
Mix up stakeholders when developing and reviewing the plans – don’t leave it to just SMT or Trustees; put a commercial manager with the chair of council, put your HR lay trustee with an advisor etc
Share the draft plans with external stakeholders
Talk about it like it matters – because it does
If an activity isn’t in the strategic plan – ditch it!
Don’t be afraid to amend the plan as circumstances demand
The sustainability of the organisation is more important that the paper plan

27. Share your top tips on a post it
What one thing are you going to do?
Would you like more support in this area?

28. Thanks and any questions?