WESSA Strategic Review Report_2022

STRATEGIC REVIEW OVERVIEW

Following the adoption of the Strategy Review Report by the WESSA board, several engagements took place with working groups consisting of experts in their particular fields to guide the process in shaping the “WESSA we want and need” and the framework for a subsequent operational plan. During the strategic planning process, the Strategic Working Group all agreed how critical it was that WESSA prioritise a diversity and inclusion approach. A critical success factor of diversity is to view transformation beyond compliance. We acknowledged that there was a disproportionate influence on the SRWG, and therefore recommended that the members of the working groups included co-opted representatives that are able to contribute and provide guidance. This emphasised the SWG’s role in governing inclusion and improving diversity, a major responsibility of WESSA and the role this organisation plays in society. The following working groups were constituted and over a 6 week period worked to prepare action plans for the detailed strategic plan: • Thematic work areas • Finance, Governance and HR • Resource mobilisation and fundraising Following the in-depth and inclusive strategic review process undertaken by the Thematic Working Group, including a mandate from the Board, WESSA’s thematic areas of work will focus on these three key environmental issues: the Climate Emergency, Biodiversity and Habitat Loss, and Pollution . Guided by WESSA’s seven pathways to success, our focus will be on projects and programmes aimed at achieving systemic impact, directly linked to the outcome stated in our newly developed Theory of Change. Our Theory of Change centres around an Advocacy Strategy which builds knowledge, enables, creates awareness, and results in actionable outcomes i.e. Educate – Advocate – Act – Change. Our Theory of Change is clearly stated in our mission, vision and purpose statement.

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES

WESSA’s strategic planning process was an extensive, organisation-wide effort that meaningfully engaged all of our stakeholders and thoughtfully synthesised their feedback. The multi-phase process spanned from December 2020 to July 2022. This dynamic process was grounded in our organisational values which include collaboration, trust, transparency, diversity, equity and inclusion, with a focus on the long term sustainability and impact of WESSA. Due to the challenges of COVID-19, the entire engagement was conducted virtually, bar certain ExCo in situ meetings held in Cape Town, Howick and Mtunzini. During a time of tremendous disruption, more than 100 stakeholders participated, including staff, partners, funders, members, out-of-school youth, in-school youth, teachers and Board members. This was done with the professional support of Professor Christo Fabricius. This process lead us to understand our strengths, things we needed to refocus on and in general what we have to leverage on for future success. The diagram below displays the seven critical factors WESSA considers key to our success. These will make up our guiding light as we navigate this new five-year journey of WESSA.

We will make use of a few guiding principles in the work and methodologies we will be employing. One of the most important ones is that for WESSA environmental justice includes social justice. WESSA’s approach is to explicitly recognize people as part of the environment and it is critical that we continue to do so and make it clear that we are doing so. We also keep the goal of sustainable development and collective stewardship at the forefront of our work. We will adopt a positive and ‘growth mindset’ in our terminology for outward-facing communication i.e. climate action, clean water as opposed to fear based language such as climate crisis and habitat destruction.

A critical success factor of diversity is to view transformation beyond compliance.

01

Governence systems & processes

Clarity of purpose

02

07

7 CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS

Monitoring and adaptive management

Human Resources

03

06

Financial Sustainability

Support base, alliances and partnerships

04

Identity, brand and culture

05

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