Evidence-based strategic planning for CLCs

Transcription

1 Evidence-based strategic planning for CLCs Evidencebased strategic planning guides targeted service delivery Develop compelling arguments for your work in the community: Use legal needs assessment in evidence-based strategic planning & reporting The Legal Needs Assessment Framework and its associated Strategic Planning Toolkit are powerful new tools which allow CLCs to estimate and analyse legal need in the context of disadvantage in their communities. Improved understanding of legal need allows for evidence-based strategic planning for targeted CLC service delivery and evidence-based argument for the activities of CLCs in funding submissions. Increasingly, governments and other funders are asking service providers to justify specific programs or activities and argue the need for their service using data or evidence. In the National Legal Needs and Strategic Planning project, NACLC commissioned the development of state/territory tailored materials for CLCs to use as tools for evidence-based strategic planning and submission writing. In the second half of 2012, NACLC is able to offer 20 CLCs the opportunity to undertake a supported strategic planning process using these materials. The CLCs that participate will have support and training to assist them in the data analysis and workshop tasks suggested in the project s Toolkit. They will develop an evidence-based strategic plan to form the basis of funding submissions and evaluation of their centre s service delivery model. This leaflet provides a summary of key information about the original development project and the supported Rollout project that NACLC is offering in Further information can be found at What s in this leaflet? What is evidence-based strategic planning? What was the National Legal Needs and Strategic Planning Project? What is the Legal Needs Assessment Framework? What is the Legal Needs Strategic Planning Toolkit? What is the LNAF Rollout project? What is evidence-based strategic planning? Effective strategic planning starts with an analysis of the problem or need, and then develops long term goals and objectives for change, in order to bring about a resolution to the problem. Consequently, a vital part of the strategic planning process for CLCs is to identify and analyse the geographic and demographic types of legal need in their community. This allows for an informed and nuanced development

2 of long term goals and objectives, and guides decisions about how scarce resources will be allocated to undertake the casework, advices, community legal education, law reform and other activities that CLCs do to meet their objectives. Being able to clearly link the activities of your CLC to focussed objectives, derived from an evidence-based analysis of legal need, is the key to compelling funding submissions and effective evaluation of service delivery. Strategic planning work that is driven by an evidence-based analysis of legal need can both confirm and challenge existing practices and assumptions, improving the efficiency, effectiveness and appropriateness of the service delivery of your CLC. Using data: the key to compelling funding submissions and effective evaluation What was the National Legal Needs and Strategic Planning Project? In 2010, the National Association of Community Legal Centres Inc. (NACLC) engaged Judith Stubbs and Associates (JSA) to apply nationally work done in the Legal Needs and Strategic Planning Project, developed for Community Legal Centres NSW by JSA in 2009, and to each state and territory in Australia. The application of this research at the national and state/territory levels has provided NACLC and CLCs with a consistent evidence-based approach to understanding the distribution of legal need in the context of disadvantage across the country. The research can be used in strategic planning for service delivery by individual centres and the sector more generally. The outputs of the national project are: A legal needs assessment framework for the CLC sector in all states and territories; A legal needs strategic planning toolkit to assist CLCs to undertake strategic planning using the legal needs assessment framework s approach. Legal Needs Assessment Framework What is the Legal Needs Assessment Framework? The Legal Needs Assessment Framework (LNAF) is: A set of indicators or characteristics of those most likely to experience legal need; and A way to identify the areas and communities most likely to have a disproportionate proportion or number of people with these characteristics. In the LNAF, legal need in each local government area (LGA) around Australia is estimated with a probability model that combines and weights the set of indicators of legal need and predicts the number or proportion of adults in an LGA who are likely to experience a legal problem of any type over a three year period (Probability of Legal Need). When this percentage is multiplied by the adult population in an LGA, it provides the number of adults most likely to experience a legal problem (Calculated Legal Need). The LNAF indicators of legal need have been derived from research which seeks to determine statistically which socio-demographic groups have a higher incidence of legal problems/events than the population as a whole. -2-

3 The approach for the LNAF is then to extrapolate that members of these groups will be more likely to experience a legal problem or legal event than the population as a whole. Data about the numbers of residents that are members of the indicator groups in each LGA, obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and other sources, have then been used to develop an index of legal need for each LGA. What is the Legal Need Ratio? The Legal Need Ratio is a tool for comparing relative need from one LGA to another and how well this need is being met by CLCs. It uses legal matter data reported by CLCs nationally in CLSIS from provided by the Attorney-General s Department (Expressed Need), compared with the number of adults likely to have a legal problem over a three year period (Calculated Legal Need). The Need Ratio a tool to consider the gap between met and unmet legal need How do I find out more about the LNAF? The LNAF Reports and Appendices are a comprehensive statement of the study s theoretical basis, methodology and results (nationally and by state or territory). The reports provide a detailed presentation of the findings by LGA across the nation and for each state/territory for key analysis terms including the 13 key indicators of legal need, disadvantage (Socio-Economic Index for Areas [SEIFA] Index of Relative Disadvantage), calculated legal need and national CLC need ratio. They can be downloaded at: Start with the National Legal Needs Australia report for an introduction to the study, its methodology and findings. More detailed information about the results for each state/territory can be found in the state reports and relevant supporting data tables and maps. Information about methodology can be found in Appendix 1: Methodology. Legal Needs Strategic Planning Toolkit The Toolkit can be used by any CLC in Australia What is the Legal Needs Strategic Planning Toolkit? The consultants for NACLC, JSA, have also developed the National Legal Needs Strategic Planning Toolkit: An Evidence-Based Approach for All CLCs, which is a resource that can be used by any CLC in Australia to develop an individualised and evidence-based strategic plan that considers both met and unmet legal need in their geographic and/or specialist service catchment. The Toolkit is also designed to assist centres to review how well they have done against previous plans and provide useful information for funding submissions. The approach presented in the Toolkit aims to ensure that CLCs are providing services to meet the greatest level of need and more effectively target the most disadvantaged in the community.

4 The Toolkit Guide contains hints, shortcuts and advice The Toolkit has been designed both for centres using CLSIS and those who have their own database. It can be used by any CLC in Australia no matter how large or small; whether metropolitan, regional, rural or remote; generalist or specialist. The Toolkit uses the Calculated Legal Need and Needs Ratio data developed in the LNAF. The National Legal Needs Strategic Planning Toolkit includes: A print guide with detailed instructions to lead CLCs through tasks to develop an evidence-based strategic plan based on met and unmet legal need; An electronic Excel file with a series of maps, data tables (by LGA and suburb) and templates needed to complete tasks; and An electronic Excel file with a series of state/territory and capital city maps of the 13 indicators of legal need, disadvantage, Calculated Legal Need and National CLC Need Ratio by LGA. A version of the Toolkit was trialled at a number of centres as part of the development of the NSW Legal Needs and Strategic Planning Project and changes have been incorporated into the national Toolkit based on feedback from this pilot. What s in the Guide? The Guide presents a step-by-step program of activities to develop an evidence-based strategic plan for your service. Some activities are desktop tasks requiring collection and analysis of data using the instructions, tables and templates provided as well as data from your centre s CLSIS or other database records. There are also workshop tasks which will require the participation of staff and management committee members to complete. The Guide is split into three sections: Section 1: Your service and met need Desktop task 1 Describing your service (current service provision; staffing; vision, mission and objectives). Desktop task 2 Using your centre s data to understand met need (using CLSIS or your own database to review your service s activities over a period of time; analysis of clients, demographics and problem types). Workshop 1 Exploring the alignment between your current service activities and your stated objectives. Section 2: Your service & met and unmet need (gap analysis) Desktop task 3 Apply the Legal Needs Assessment Framework to your catchment to better understand unmet need. Desktop task 4 Interview key stakeholders to better understand met and unmet need in your catchment. Workshop 2 Explore the alignment between your service with met and unmet need. Section 3: Your service s evidence-based strategic plan Workshop 3 Lessons learned through the gap analysis; revisit and clarify your vision, mission and objectives; and finalise your evidence based strategic plan for the next 1 to 3 years.

5 Where do I find the Toolkit? The Toolkit Guide and National Legal Needs and Strategic Planning Project Report (hard copies) as well as copies of all data tables and maps plus state/ territory reports and appendices (on DVD) will be mailed to CLCs in early June All documents will also be available on the NACLC website. Encourage active participation from staff and management committee members What will the Toolkit help my CLC to do? After using this Toolkit, you ll be able to: Understand and apply the Legal Needs Assessment Framework (LNAF) to your organisation and service catchment (geographic and community of interest); Conduct a gap analysis of met and unmet legal need in your service catchment; Develop an evidence-based strategic plan for your organisation; Review data and information to track progress and update your strategic plan over time, and report against it; Know where to go for help if you need it. Working through the Toolkit tasks will also improve your understanding of data analysis, presentation and reporting. What do I need to know about using the Toolkit for evidence-based strategic planning? Using the Toolkit for evidence-based strategic planning Takes time. Allow a period of four to six months to the project to prepare your evidence-based strategic plan using this guide planning in advance the days needed for the desktop tasks and workshops over that period. Works best with active participation from staff and management committee members. Needs good data. Data inputs for this evidence-based process come from a range of sources including the toolkit provided and your centre s database, which may be CLSIS or your own system. Requires some technical skills. Experience with your centre s CLSIS or other database and Microsoft Excel will be essential to further explore your data. Training in CLSIS, including specifically for this exercise, is available through NACLC and Finrea Pty Ltd. Contact NACLC for more information. May be a new way of looking at need and service delivery for your centre that could be reassuring but may also prove to be challenging and confronting at times. Using your centre s data and the LNAF is likely to encourage debate and discussion about how your service operates now and what its future priorities or directions should be, including changes that may be practical, desirable and possible for the future.

6 A Supported Rollout of Legal Needs Assessment and Analysis Tools The Toolkit has been designed to deliver CLCs all the information and instructions they require to undertake a strategic planning process using the LNAF approach. However as the NSW pilot showed, expert assistance and the opportunity for peer support increased each CLC s capacity and confidence to complete the tasks. Get specialised support NOW from NACLC and NACLC s CLSIS trainer What is the LNAF Rollout project? NACLC has been able to secure one-off funding from the Attorney-General s Department to provide comprehensive support and training to CLCs that wish to undertake a Legal Needs Assessment and Strategic Planning project in the second half of CLCs who participate will be able to use the results to feed into their long term strategic planning and as they work towards their next funding submission. The NACLC support, available now, is possible because of one-off funding. If you have an interest in undertaking a Legal Needs Assessment and Strategic Planning project now is the time to do it if you want specialised support from NACLC and NACLC s CLSIS trainer! The LNAF Rollout project offers the following support to CLCs: Comprehensive briefing on the LNAF, the Toolkit and the support offered in the Rollout project through a 1.5hr WebEx Information Session (multiple offerings during period 7 14 June); Assistance to develop a project plan, including consideration of staff resource allocation and management of the project within the CLC; Assessment of your centre s CLSIS data quality by Justin Finighan and any assistance required to make your data ready for the strategic planning data tasks; A full day, hands-on, face to face Data Workshop (in a capital city near you!) during the period July, in which you will generate the reports you need in CLSIS and Excel, discuss interpretations of the findings, learn about effective and appropriate data presentation, and discuss strategies for the strategic planning workshops at your own CLC; Access to a project help desk for phone assistance with data tasks in CLSIS and Excel and assistance with other tasks suggested by the Toolkit during August, September and October 2012; Invitation to a half day workshop on Networks Day on 28 August 2012 preceding the National CLCs Conference, where participants can bring their issues and benefit from the advice of trainers and the support and shared experience of other CLCs; An opportunity to give feedback and contribute to project evaluation in November How do I get more information? Come to an Information Session! Register for a session at RSVPs close on Thursday 31 May. This project is being managed for NACLC by: Cath Hastings (Project Coordinator) E: cath_hastings@clc.net.au Justin Finighan (IT Consultant) from Finrea P/L