Return to flip book view

Building a Community Where Everybody Belongs Strategic Plan 2021 2024

Woodstock and District Developmental Services Strategic Plan 2021 2024 Greetings For more than 60 years Woodstock and District Developmental Services WDDS has been providing opportunities and supports for people living with developmental disabilities in Oxford County What began as an initiative by caring local citizens and families has become a comprehensive service agency offering programs and supports such as employment accommodations learning community engagement passport respite family supports and youth camp These initiatives continue the shared vision of our founders to help build a community where all people whatever their abilities are welcomed included and belong 2020 was a challenging year The global coronavirus pandemic highlighted the value of community connection communication and relationship As WDDS builds its future we will continue our efforts to foster connections ensuring the people we support are integrated with and contributing citizens of our community In these turbulent times WDDS commits to guiding our organization in ways that are thoughtful and deliberate With hope we place our stake in the ground to articulate our agency s direction Between now and 2024 WDDS will continue to focus its efforts and resources on Enhancing our relationships with families partners and the community Developing strategies to improve organizational culture so as to be an organization of choice for employees people supported families partners volunteers and donors Providing quality innovative and responsive supports and services and Expanding our organizational resources so as to innovatively support our services By concentrating on these key areas we forge forward toward our vision of an inclusive community for all persons whatever their ability Building a more inclusive community is in itself an inclusive task It requires the steadfast efforts of everyone citizens partners people supported families employees volunteers and allies All of us working together will make that vision a reality We hope you will partner with us to build a community where everybody belongs Thank you for taking the time to read and consider our strategic plan and what it means for our people community and organization We look forward to working with you Sincerely Board of Directors 1

Woodstock and District Developmental Services Strategic Plan 2021 2024 Table of contents Acknowledgements 2 Vision Mission And Values 3 Strategic Priority Community 4 Strategic Priority Organizational Culture 5 Strategic Priority Service Excellence 6 Strategic Priority Sustainability 7 Our Planning Process 8 Acknowledgements Many people participated in our strategic planning process people supported families and care providers community partners volunteers employees at all levels of our organization and members of the Board of Directors We are grateful you shared your perspectives so generously Our decisions about WDDS future directions were informed by your wisdom and our strategic plan is stronger because of your contributions Thank you 2

Woodstock and District Developmental Services Strategic Plan 2021 2024 Vision mission and values Organizations are rooted in the core elements of vision the extraordinary accomplishment the organization seeks to achieve mission the organization s purpose and values the timeless principles that help the organization pursue its purpose Together these defining features shape the identity and actions of an enterprise During its strategic planning the Board of Directors took time to thoughtfully reflect on and refresh WDDS vision mission and values Vision A Community Where Everybody Belongs Mission WDDS provides opportunities and supports for people with developmental disabilities to live full lives in the community Values Respect and Dignity Honour the individuality of each person Community Integration Champion and support opportunities for individuals to actively participate and contribute to the community Quality Staff and volunteers strive for excellence as ambassadors and valued members of WDDS Personal Growth Support all people in developing to their full potential 3

Woodstock and District Developmental Services Strategic Plan 2021 2024 Strategic Priority Community Our goal To enhance relationships with families partners and community To reach our goal we will continue to Strengthen WDDS community presence and profile Build new relationships and deepen relationships with existing community partners Engage families and care providers Why we are focusing on community Relationships are at the heart of who we are and what we do The desire for connection so many of us have felt during the coronavirus pandemic highlights the importance of knowing others and being known by them Enhancing our relationships with families partners and the wider community is more than building our brand or social media profile Certainly we want others to know who we are and what we do building on our solid reputation as an organization with depth and breadth of expertise But more than that we want to know our community and for our community to know us We want to be present to and in relationship with one another The more we know our community and its needs the more we can provide responsive quality supports and services The more we are known by families partners and community members the more we can be of support Focusing on community helps WDDS to be an active community member partner and leader In so doing we not only strengthen our organizational relationships but help bridge individuals with their community and support greater community integration 4

Woodstock and District Developmental Services Strategic Plan 2021 2024 Strategic Priority Organizational culture Our goal To be an organization of choice To reach our goal we will continue to Support ongoing professional development Ensure continuity of leaders through succession planning Improve communication with employees families and people supported Strengthen employee engagement Strengthen recruitment strategies Why we are focusing on organizational culture Culture is a defining feature of any enterprise reverberating across WDDS employees people supported families and loved ones volunteers partners donors allies and representing both who we are and how we are as an organization Strong organizational cultures are linked to strong engagement productivity and performance and help to attract like minded and like hearted persons who share our vision mission and values This is especially important for our organization where recruiting and retaining a skilled sustained workforce nurtures stable relationships and supports for individuals and families Our work is rewarding challenging and often under resourced It is important we continue to cultivate an environment of collaboration relationship building and communication and offer tools to support individual and professional growth so we successfully achieve our mission Such an environment fosters a sense of belonging in all members of WDDS It reminds us of the individual and social value generated by our work and our relationships that who we are and what we do matters It helps us become an organization of choice for current and potential employees people supported families partners volunteers funders donors and allies As we strengthen our culture we want all members of our organization to say with pride I belong Focusing on community helps WDDS to be an active community member partner and leader In so doing we not only strengthen our organizational relationships but help bridge individuals with their community and support greater community integration 5

Woodstock and District Developmental Services Strategic Plan 2021 2024 Strategic Priority Service excellence Our goal To provide quality innovative and responsive supports and services To reach our goal we will continue to Enhance supports for young people coming into service Explore diverse housing models Develop individualized supports for people with complex needs Assess WDDS programs and services to ensure quality innovative and responsive supports and services Why we are focusing on service excellence On the surface service excellence is about how we do what we do ensuring our programs and services meet the Ministry s operational standards At WDDS service excellence goes further than a minimum standard We recognize that each person we support their story their circumstance their individual needs is unique For example the housing needs of a person with a specific medical issue are different from the housing needs of a supported person working in the community The goals of and supports needed by a transitional aged youth are different from the goals and supports of a senior The skills training sought by one person may be different from the growth opportunities desired by another person A priority of service excellence does not simply require us to meet the minimum standard it asks us to set the industry standard Focusing on service excellence is how we honour and support individuals to make their own choices about who they want to be and the goals they have for their life It is our promise to the people we support and their families to our employees partners donors allies funders and the local community You can count on WDDS to deliver high quality innovative and responsive supports and services that help people to live rich full lives and be active participating members in their local community 6

Woodstock and District Developmental Services Strategic Plan 2021 2024 Strategic Priority Sustainability Our goal To expand organizational resources To reach our goal we will continue to Explore diverse funding models Diversify WDDS revenue streams Why we are focusing on sustainability WDDS has a history and reputation of being a financially sound organization that provides exemplary management of the resources entrusted to us Building on these sound financial practices we seek to expand our operational resources through diverse funding models and revenue streams We take seriously our fiscal and ethical responsibility to provide high quality programs services and supports Ensuring WDDS is positioned well for its future requires trusted management of all of our resources physical human intellectual and financial As we explore alternative and sustainable options we are committed to our reputation as an organization of choice so that all those we work with people supported families employees volunteers funders donors and partners are confident their investment in us is time and money well spent 7

Woodstock and District Developmental Services Strategic Plan 2021 2024 Our planning process WDDS intentionally listened to the voices of stakeholders people supported and their families employees volunteers community partners and Board of Directors as we undertook our planning We were inspired and guided by this wisdom as we developed a comprehensive actionable strategic plan Our planning process included Engage We consulted more than 130 stakeholders to hear their ideas about WDDS local needs and the wider environment Decide WDDS Board of Directors reflected on what our stakeholders had to say refreshed our vision mission and values and decided on the priorities and goals we will pursue in the next three years Develop We transformed the decisions made by the Board into an actionable measurable strategic plan Action With our direction set we are shifting into action Going forward we will monitor progress toward our goals and share our successes and challenges with you 8

Facilitated by platinumleadership com 212 Bysham Park Drive Woodstock ON N4T 1R2