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Strategic Planning for Community Groups

Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service (DRERS) commenced in 1997 as a not for profit organisation. It was established to assist people in the local community by providing them with the basic necessities of life in times of crisis.

Yarra Ranges Council and the DRERS Committee of Management acknowledged the importance of creating a strong and sustainable organisation. So, Council employed the services of St-wise to work with the committee to produce a 3 year strategic plan.

The strategic planning process involved researching the services and programs on offer, the governing structure and surveying of volunteers. Once this information was collated a stakeholder visioning workshop was held. The workshop participants identified the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation and current partnerships, agreed upon future opportunities, and developed a meaningful vision and mission statement.

The final step in the strategic planning process was to compile a list of priorities, define key organisational goals and develop a realistic action plan.

The DRERS Committee of Management were thrilled with the final plan and a number of positive outcomes occurred simply through the planning process. In a very short space of time the Management Committee had grown in numbers and local community members had expressed an interest in becoming volunteers for the organisation.

"This has been a personally very rewarding project" said Mandy Black, director of St-wise. "The services offered by DRERS are vital to the local community and I am proud to have had the opportunity to work alongside such a worthwhile organisation".