Strategic Planning

Strategic planning starts with Handcrafted's Mission and Our Beliefs, Values and Principles and turns them into actionable objectives that then become embedded in our day-to-day work.

The Strategic Planning Process

The strategic planning process involves gathering views and stories from a wide range of stakeholders, including team members, the people who Handcrafted supports, and other professionals. This then feeds into the creation of the plan by the trustees which outlines clear objectives for the next five years, focusing on successively wider areas in which we want to make a difference:

People
Hubs
Organisational strength
Wider Influence

Embedding Strategic Planning

Steering groups

Steering groups are an important way that we involve our staff and trustees in making decisions on how Handcrafted runs. Each steering group has a specific focus and includes members of the trustees, senior leadership and staff. They meet regularly throughout the year to discuss issues, review policies and progress towards our 5-year plans.

There are six steering groups:

Operational Integration through Personal Success Plans

Personal Success Plans at Handcrafted are designed to align your goals as an employee with the organisation's broader mission. Reviewed every four months, these plans help you to reflect on your priorities and contribute effectively to Handcrafted’s aims and action plan. For more details, go to the section Personal Development Plans.

Flexible and adaptive hub structures

Handcrafted's hub structures are designed to be flexible and adaptable to meet the diverse needs of different communities. We create small, medium, and large hubs based on local demand. This is how we expand into new areas, especially those underserved by other services while maintaining the quality and consistency of support, training, and community-building activities at each location.

Building capability and resilience

To sustain and grow its impact, Handcrafted focuses on building the capability and resilience of its team. This includes recruiting diverse trustees and managers, refining HR policies, and creating a supportive work environment that aligns with our values. A strong team ethos and good communication are essential in equipping our staff to handle challenges and continue providing high-quality support to those in need.

Financial sustainability

Handcrafted's financial sustainability strategy revolves around diversifying income sources, including rental income from supported accommodation, training contracts, and grants. We also have an approach of investing in long-term assets that will secure our future operations. Income generation goes hand-in-hand with mission-driven activities to create dynamic stability.

Robust governance

We have a diverse leadership team, active committees, and good relationships with other organisations we can learn from and share knowledge with. Regular reviews of our strategic plan involving voices from trainees, referrers, and experts, keeps our governance structures responsive and effective and identifies risks and opportunities for continuous improvement.

Impact and performance measurement

Handcrafted measures its impact and performance through a combination of storytelling and data analysis. At the heart of this is the AirTable records database, which keeps up-to-date information on all our beneficiaries and stores the daily notes. With such detailed data on activities, outcomes, and financial performance, we can demonstrate our effectiveness to funders and partners. Our Empowerment Matrix tracks progress in key areas, such as living space, social life, and self-confidence, keeping our focus on empowering individuals to make sustainable progress.