Charity Talks

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Charity Talks

• Getting Your Strategy Developed and Implemented
• The journey so far.
• Catherine Johnstone
• CEO
• Samaritans

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Our Founder
Chad Varah
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Samaritans Journey

• Set up in 1953
• Founded by Chad Varah
• Federated structure with Central Charity as
  coordinating body for the 201 Samaritans branches
  (separate charities) across UK ROI
• 161 Centres internationally operating under
  Befrienders Worldwide (BW)

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Vision Mission

• Vision
• Fewer people die by suicide
• Mission
• To alleviate emotional distress and reduce the
  incidence of suicidal feelings and suicidal
  behaviours

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What do we do?

• We provide confidential, emotional support by
  telephone, email, SMS, letter and personal visit.
• We provide range of outreach services including
  prisons, schools, hospitals.

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Values

• Listening
• Confidentiality
• People making their own decisions
• Non judgemental
• Human contact

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Governance

• Volunteer led organisation.
• Board of Trustees (15) of whom majority are
  active listening volunteers (11).
• Council of Samaritans 234 members.
• 18,500 highly trained volunteers deliver 24 hour
  services.
• 100 paid staff at head office (General Office).
• Range of support volunteers offer support for non
  listening duties.

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Strategy

• New Strategy
• Taking a lead to reduce suicide 2009-2015
• Published Sept 2008 with go live April 2009
• Took 2 years to develop.
• Real step change for the organisation.
• Passive, below the radar to proactive and wanting
  to take a lead.
• Positioning as expert agency.

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Strategy Development

• Federated nature of organisation meant long time
  to develop new strategy.
• Key that all branches and volunteers were
  consulted and engaged in process.
• Hugely differing views on way forward.
• Consensus decision reached in June 2008.
• Go live date set for 1 April 2009.

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Implementation

• Step change meant back to basics
• Organisation been very modest (below radar)
• Done same thing for decades and cultural change
  very challenging.
• Recognised need for new approach.
• New CEO appointed Feb 2009
• Set approach out in 1 year getting started plan
  (corporate plan 2009-2010).

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Implementation

• Split strategy into phases which happened
  naturally
• Year 1- getting ready (Fit 4 Purpose)
• Years 2-5 Making it Happen.
• Year 6 What next?

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Organisational Outcomes

• Identified 6 key outcomes
• Reach more people.
• Alleviate serious emotional distress.
• Become a knowledgeable organisation.
• Positively impact upon public policy.
• Influence service provision.
• Improve public awareness.

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The processes

• Year 1
• Huge resistance to Corporate/management speak!
• Introduced structure and tangible products and
  activities.
• Gathered lots of data and increased organisations
  evidence base.
• Increased understanding within organisation of
  the change in approach.

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The successes Year 1

• Board of Trustees adopted more structured
  planning approach which led to a 3 year corporate
  plan 2011-15.
• Spent far more time on prioritisation and focus
  of activities.
• Increased investment in fundraising.
• Increased research capability and capacity.
• Embedded the new strategy across the federated
  organisation with high degree of success and
  recognition.

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2011-2015

• 3 year corporate plan.
• New management processes developed and
  implemented at Head Office.
• Completed governance review and streamlined
  existing arrangements.
• Moved to working across 5 programmes to avoid
  silo mentality and offer clarity of activity.
• Began implementing evidence based
  programmes/projects.
• Shifted culture to put Callers at the heart of
  what we do.

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Challenges

• One strategy, one voice, one national service
  model and 202 separate charities..
• Very varied workforce with hugely differing
  perspectives on the organisation.
• Increasing impact of devolution across separate
  nations/jurisdictions requiring more flexibility
  of approach without diminishing impact of
  national outcomes.
• Governance model (volunteer led) significantly
  increases time to make change.
• Increasing funding to meet the strategies
  aspirations in an economic downturn interesting!

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The successes so far..

• Increasing our own understanding of the
  organisations strengths and weaknesses and
  addressing these collectively.
• Increasing our own capacity to deliver more
  services and meet the increasing demand.
• Significantly increased profile of organisation.
• Taking a lead in England, Scotland, Wales and
  Ireland in suicide prevention.
• Increased income and strengthened pipeline.

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The successes so far..

• Volunteer and staff retention increased.
• Developed and delivered 5m partnership with
  Network Rail to reduce suicide on the railways
  (year 1 saw 11 reduction)
• Negotiated 3 year contract with prison service to
  provide consistent service.
• Secured free to caller short code number (116123)
  and piloted in 2 regions.
• Nominated for 11 Awards in 2011 (a first for
  Samaritans)

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Why has this worked so far..

• Put callers back at the heart of what we do and
  it is what we all have in common..
• Stayed on mission but just articulating it more
  clearly.
• Forced us to focus on what is important to
  achieve our vision.
• Prioritised activity and been realistic about
  doing fewer things better.
• Reached outside of the organisation and working
  better with others.

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Why has this worked so far..

• Been bold about using proper, tried and tested
  management processes but softened the language
  and approach to fit with culture.
• Been patient.
• Been brave enough to try new things.
• Been confident in the value of what we do and our
  57 years of experiences.

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• Just
• ordinary people
• doing
• extraordinary things..

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Samaritans Contact Details