South Coast Children’s Services

Five Year Strategic Plan

for Fiscal 2006-07 through Fiscal 2010-11

Introduction

This strategic plan is the product of two year process of information gathering and discussion that involved the entire SCCS staff and board and a large number of SCCS program participants (see Description of the Strategic Planning Process, page 4) The process focused first on clarifying a unifying purpose and set of core values to guide our activities. We then proceeded to identify specific strategic goals and first steps for fiscal 2006-07.

Organizational Purpose

Creating Opportunities that youth would not have without SCCS.

“We do things we’ve never done and go places we’ve never been,” was clearly the most common concept expressed by youth when asked what they thought was the most important aspect of SCCS.

Vision

A partnership of youth and adults creating opportunities for personal growth, leadership development, and productive community participation.

Core Values

Confidence and Personal Growth

As SCCS, self confidence and personal growth are developed through gaining new skills and life experience. They are also supported by the general atmosphere of SCCS programs created by small groups and a high level of respect for individuals of all ages.

Community Connection

SCCS provides and supports community connection through volunteer opportunities, employment in the Thrift Shop and providing a variety of after school, weekend and summer activities where participants can make new friends and spend time with old ones.

Leadership

Its small size coupled with its diversity of activities makes SCCS uniquely suited to provide opportunities for youth to acquire leadership experience and practice leadership skills. Youth are involved in every level of the governance, administration and operations of SCCS including developing and implementing their own program ideas.

Fun

Fun – the simple joy of living and sharing – is an integral part of all SCCS activities. SCCS gives kids the chance to create their own opportunities for exploration and personal development...and they have a lot of fun doing it.

Strategic Goals

Programs

Create a wider variety of program activities to serve a wider variety of youth

·        Continue to emphasize and support youth leadership

·        Diversify program activities by emphasizing small flexible projects

·        Focus on activities that are unlikely to be provided by other agencies

·        Create introductory projects for younger children

Volunteers

Increase volunteer participation throughout the organization

·        Develop volunteer manual with job/task descriptions and general guidelines for volunteers

·        Advertise volunteer opportunities

·        Train all staff in recruiting and utilizing volunteers

Communications  

Increase community and youth awareness of SCCS.

Fundraising

Create a flexible and reliable funding stream.

·        Build on existing success of the Thrift Shop and annual campaign.

·        Focus grant development on smaller more flexible grants from a larger number of foundations

·        Establish an endowment fund

Description of the Strategic Planning Process

The Need for a Strategic Plan

Our primary purpose for developing a strategic plan was to clarify and articulate a unique role the organization can play in serving the youth of the South Coast. This role needed to be:

1.      Consistent with the needs, desires and values of the youth served

2.      Within the practical capabilities of SCCS

3.      In harmony with the activities of other agencies serving South Coast youth and families, primarily the school district and North Street CRC.

A Strategic Plan was especially important at this particular time due to changes in both the community and the organization.

Changes in Community:

·          Shifts in government funding priorities

·          School District’s new 21^st Century after school program

·          Emergence of new agencies serving youth:

1.      La Honda Foundation

2.      Pescadero Education Foundation

3.      North Street Community Resource Center

Changes in Organization

·          Originally all volunteer, SCCS now had 11 permanent staff in 2005.

·          Originally a funding organization that gave most of its money to the schools, SCCS is now providing direct services with an annual program budget of approximately $150,000 for fiscal 2005-06.

·          During the past 15 years SCCS program initiatives have been heavily influenced by the priorities of funders such as foundations and government agencies.

1.      Ages served – focused on ages 9 – 19

2.      Pescadero focused (financially disadvantaged)

3.      Prevention focused (Alcohol, Drug, Violence, Teen Pregnancy)

Information Gathering and Discussion

The following focus groups, surveys and activities were conducted over the course of two years to clarify the most valuable aspects of SCCS programs, the current needs and desires of youth and the organization’s core values, capabilities and potentials.

Input was also gathered from program evaluations and the ongoing informal conversations among program participants, staff and volunteers that are continually taking place as part of normal operations.

During the first six months of 2006, the Strategic Planning Committee continued to meet to discuss strategic goals and concrete actions. Recommendations were made to the Board of Directors and discussion of the strategic plan was an important agenda item for board meetings throughout early 2006.

The Strategic Planning Committee

            -Names and positions during the time the strategic plan was being drafted and finalized (2006).

Susan Penery – SCCS Board President

David Wong – SCCS Board Secretary

Susan Harrison – SCCS Board Member

George Aranda – SCCS Board Member (Youth)

Kelsey Harrison – SCCS Board Member (Youth)

Tanya Rodriguez – Youth Executive Director (Youth)

Judy McKee – Executive Director