Inspiring action for the world s poorest children

Transcription

1 Inspiring action for the world s poorest children Introducing our STRATEGY for Photo: Derek Martin / World Vision

2 01 World Vision UK Our vision for World Vision UK Our STRATEGY for Who we are Our vision for every child, life in all its fullness. Our prayer for every heart, the will to make it so. World Vision works with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Inspired by our Christian values, we are dedicated to serving the world s most vulnerable people. By 2015, we want to be transforming the lives of eight million children around the world with the help of 500,000 supporters in the UK. Most of World Vision s project staff are local and have grown up in the area or country in which they work. With local knowledge and experience, our staff become valued members of World Vision s project teams and of the communities they serve. This strategy explains how we will do it. Photo: Jon Warren / World Vision Our first priority at World Vision is the children we serve; the second is our supporters. This bold strategy sets out our direction over the next five years - how we will inspire supporters and bring about real change for the world s poorest children. My prayer is that together, with God s guidance, we can make this a reality. Justin Byworth, Chief Executive Our commitment to children World Vision is a children s charity. Poverty, conflict and disasters hit children harder than anyone. But it is by focusing on the lives of children and helping to change the world they live in that we can make a lasting difference. In our advocacy work, we speak up for their rights and needs. In developing countries, we work with children, their families and the communities they grow up in to help build a future where every child has the chance to live life to the full. Our Christian calling Our Christian identity underpins and flows through all we do. We seek to follow the example of Jesus by serving the poor, the powerless, the afflicted, the oppressed and the marginalised, demonstrating God s unconditional love for all. We serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender, and maintain our Christian identity while being sensitive to the diverse contexts in which we work. Our global partnership World Vision UK is part of the international World Vision partnership, which works in nearly 100 countries, serving 100 million of the world s poorest people. The partnership is bound together through a common vision and shared core values. We are the world s largest local charity, combining grassroots presence in thousands of communities with international reach across the globe. In the UK, we raise funds and awareness of poverty-related issues, and we work with other World Vision offices to support development programmes around the world.

3 03 World Vision UK Our strategy for What we do Where we re going We believe children should have the chance to be children. This boy in Cambodia started working in a brick factory with his family at the age of six. World Vision enabled him, and his brother, to attend a drop-in centre where children benefit from classes and the opportunity to mix with their peers. Photo: Sopheak Kong / World Vision Our vision We share the common vision of the global World Vision partnership: Our vision for every child, life in all its fullness. Our prayer for every heart, the will to make it so. Our mission World Vision UK has a unique contribution to make to the World Vision partnership s vision and mission. Our Christian calling, our focus on children and our global reach also give us a distinct identity among development agencies in the UK. This is reflected in our new mission statement: To inspire the UK to take action that transforms the lives of the world s poorest children. Our 2015 goal In pursuing our vision and mission over the next five years, we aim to more than double our support and our impact. Our goal for 2015 is: Eight million lives being transformed, 500,000 supporters engaged. Poverty, for World Vision, is an issue of injustice. The problems that millions living in developing countries face are not inevitable. Often they are result of failing systems and unequal relationships between countries and within communities. We believe that eradicating poverty is possible, but only by governments, local authorities, community groups, businesses and individuals all working together to tackle its causes. Each has a role to play in bringing about change. For World Vision, improving the well-being of children within their families and communities is central to this change. Our work focuses on three key areas where we believe we can make a real difference to children s lives, and working with them, their communities and others, help shape a better future. Long-term development World Vision works with some of the world s poorest communities to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice. Through our Area Development Programmes context-specific, long-term projects usually lasting years and focusing on several communities in an area we are transforming the lives of four million people. Our projects include helping children realise their rights to an education, enabling communities to reduce their vulnerability to natural disasters, and boosting the livelihoods of families through local economic development. Humanitarian relief Conflict and natural disasters affect more than 250 million people around the world. Children are especially vulnerable to the hunger, disease and other dangers they bring. With 40,000 staff based in nearly 100 countries, World Vision is quick to step in when disaster strikes. Within hours, we are on the ground providing essentials like food, water and shelter, and creating safe zones for vulnerable children. And we stay to help communities recover long after the eyes of the world have moved on. Advocacy We give a voice to marginalised children around the world from those denied the right to health care or an education, to child soldiers, to the 12 million African children orphaned by AIDS-related diseases. Through our advocacy work, we challenge the policies and practices that cause poverty and suffering. We research and raise awareness of the issues surrounding poverty and injustice, run campaigns and lobby politicians and decision-makers to take action. We also share our knowledge and skills to empower the people we support to speak up for themselves. Photo: Ashley J Clements / World Vision Our priorities To help us achieve our goal, we are concentrating on four priorities between now and 2015: 1. Evidence of real change for children Children living in the poorest and most fragile countries enjoy good health, are protected, and are resilient to disasters. This is the impact we want to have. 2. A transformed supporter experience We inspire the UK through evidence of changed lives and an innovative experience of working with the poor. This is the experience we want to provide. 3. Growing our income and influence We increase our income and our influence to become one of the leading international aid agencies in the UK. This is the growth we want to achieve. 4. Being an inspiring and effective organisation World Vision UK lives out a culture of accountability and innovation, resilient and dynamic in a world of change. This is the organisation we want to be.

4 05 World Vision UK Our strategy for Our strategic priorities Priority 1: Evidence of real change for children The very poorest are getting poorer. That s the stark fact that confronts us today. Despite progress in many parts of the world over the past 20 years, many people are being left even further behind. Those living in fragile states, in particular, are disconnected from the opportunities to pull themselves out of poverty. And their situation is likely to get worse. The poor will suffer hard from the global economic downturn. They will also bear the brunt of climate change, especially through increased flooding and droughts. > focus on three areas of expertise: child health, humanitarian action and child protection Concentrating on three areas of expertise will help us use our resources more effectively. We intend to become known both in the UK and within the World Vision partnership for our work on child health, humanitarian action and child protection, and to significantly improve government policies and practices in these areas. In Niger in 2010, failed food harvests have left almost 500,000 children under-five acutely malnourished. World Vision is on the ground, treating children and pregnant women, distributing food and training community health workers to reach more affected people. This child is benefiting from a community-based nutrition programme that is helping many children to survive their early years. The end of this five-year plan in 2015 coincides with the target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. These include eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, reducing child mortality amongst under-fives and improving maternal health. These goals will come under renewed international focus over the next few years as the likelihood of achieving them by 2015 is reduced. World Vision is a large organisation, but we are only a small part of the complex international system that affects the lives of people living in poverty. We need to concentrate on the areas where we can make a real difference. By focusing more closely on children in the world s poorest, most fragile places, we can help those who need it most. Ending poverty means addressing its causes, not just the symptoms: we need to devote more resources to influencing people whose decisions affect the lives of the most vulnerable through our advocacy work. In particular, we need to be at the forefront of any campaigns related to the Millennium Development Goals as the 2015 deadline approaches. We also need to measure and demonstrate the impact we have. Collecting solid evidence of the difference our work makes to children s well-being will help us fulfil our mission more effectively. It will also help us raise more funds by demonstrating to supporters, from individual sponsors to government grant-makers, that their donations are transforming lives. Photo: Kevin Cook / World Vision Fragile states > focus on the poorest, most vulnerable children in the poorest, most vulnerable places While continuing to work throughout the world, we will concentrate our efforts on the poorest, most fragile areas. That means we will be able to make a bigger impact on the lives of those children who most need our support. > demonstrate the impact we have on children s lives Working with World Vision International and other World Vision offices across the partnership, we will invest in gathering evidence of the impact we have on children s well-being, and analysing and learning from the results. We will publish the evidence in annual impact reports. > campaign for change at every level Many of the world s poorest children live in countries that are unable or unwilling to meet the needs of the population. These fragile states are often characterised by weak governments, few public services, conflict or vulnerability to natural disasters. We will lobby and campaign for changes in policies and practices to improve the lives of the poor. We will influence change at every level from local and national governments in the countries where we work to the UK government and multilateral institutions like the EU and the World Bank. Fragile states account for: 14% of the world s population 35% of the world s poor 44% of maternal deaths 51% of under-five child deaths Source - Global Monitoring Report: Confronting the Challenges of Gender Equality and Fragile States (2007) Photo: Ann Birch / World Vision Photo: Prokash Chambugong / World Vision OUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE Child health We are contributing towards the Millennium Development Goal of reducing under-five child mortality by two-thirds by In particular, we will concentrate on the building blocks of good health, such as nutrition and sanitation, and on improving access to basic health services. Through our global Child Health Now campaign, we will support World Vision offices in countries with the highest rates of child mortality in their advocacy work, and lobby the UK government to make child health a priority. Photo: Muhammad Ali / World Vision Humanitarian action We will reduce the impact of natural disasters and conflict on children by helping communities, countries and the international community to prepare for, respond to and recover from humanitarian crises. Through our partnerships with World Vision offices in high-risk areas, we will improve our understanding of risks and vulnerabilities, and build this into our programmes. Wherever disaster strikes, we will be ready to respond. Photo: Chris Webster / World Vision Child protection Children have a right to live free from abuse, exploitation, violence and neglect, and be able to develop physically, mentally, spiritually, morally and socially. We will identify the most vulnerable children, particularly those deprived of parental care and those who find themselves on the margins of or excluded from communities. We will work with families and communities, and at the local, national and international level, to ensure all children receive the care and protection they need.

5 07 World Vision UK Our strategy for Our strategic priorities Priority 2: A transformed supporter experience People today expect greater accountability and transparency in public life, and higher standards of customer care. This applies to charities too. Supporters want to see evidence that their donations are being used effectively and they want the experience of supporting a charity to be an enriching one. The digital revolution has made the world smaller too. It s now possible for someone in Aberdeen to connect with someone in Zambia at the click of a mouse to chat, watch videos, share photos. Online networks are transforming the way charities and their supporters communicate. World Vision carries out life-changing work, transforming the lives of children and families around the world. World Vision should be life-changing for our supporters too. We need compelling ways to communicate the impact we have to our different audiences, from individual supporters to government departments. To do this effectively, we need a better understanding of who those audiences are and what motivates them. New technology opens up opportunities for forging much closer interaction between people in the UK and the children and communities they support. Connecting more closely with the people whose lives World Vision helps transform will inspire our supporters, and motivate them to become more involved in our cause. The experience we provide will also help us attract more supporters. Ultimately, this means we will be able to transform the lives of more children. > Reach out to the audiences we can inspire We can t hope to engage everybody, so we will concentrate on engaging specific audiences, by understanding their needs and working out the best way to communicate with them. > Enable closer connections between supporters and those they support We will embrace new technologies and develop innovative ways for our supporters to experience the challenges, fears, hopes and realities of the children and communities they support. We will also develop new products and services to inspire our supporters. > Build compelling evidence of our impact Relevant, insightful and well-analysed data will enable us to speak with an authoritative voice to our key audiences, especially governments. Photo: World Vision Priority 3: Growing our income and influence Almost nine million children under-five are still dying each year from preventable causes, such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria. At least two-thirds of these lives could be saved within five years with proven, cost-effective interventions. Through our global Child Health Now campaign, World Vision will be pressing governments to meet their promise to reduce child mortality by 2015 in line with the deadline for the Millennium Development Goals. It s easy to donate; the hard work is putting right the wrong things that have caused poverty. Child sponsor Amanda Bausor, speaking after her visit to World Vision projects in Bangladesh. The economic downturn will continue to impact household and government budgets over the next few years. Public donations to charities and government spending on aid and development will both come under increased pressure. The best-known organisations raise the most income and have the most influence it s a virtuous circle. But becoming one of these leading organisations will not be easy. To raise our profile, attract new supporters and increase donations we will need to invest in fundraising and marketing, and improve our excellence in managing grants. Sound planning means we can do this without reducing what we spend on long-term development and humanitarian relief. > Increase our income from public donations by a growing amount each year. We will invest more in fundraising, brand awareness and marketing to achieve this. > grow our grant income from national governments and multilateral sources. We will also support programme staff overseas in developing their donor relationships, and accessing and managing grants that will benefit the poorest, most vulnerable children. > Become more influential with policy-makers. We aim to be recognised as one of the most influential organisations in our sector, and the leading voice on at least one of our areas of expertise (child protection, humanitarian action and child health). We plan to develop strategic partnerships with universities and think-tanks and improve the knowledge and evidence we have on key issues. Photo: World Vision > Raise awareness of our work and our cause through high-profile public campaigning. We will increase the proportion of our donors who also support us through campaigning to at least 30%.

6 09 World Vision UK Our strategy for Our strategic priorities Transforming lives Priority 4: Being an inspiring and effective organisation World Vision UK has huge potential. We have highly engaged staff, committed to our vision, and extensive grassroots support. We have a significant global presence through the World Vision partnership, and an unparalleled ability to form connections between people. But we could do much more. We are inspired by our work supporting vulnerable children and families and we want to inspire others with the difference our projects make. To do this, we need to be focused and effective in everything we do. Stronger leadership and better use of the operational systems we already have in place can unleash our potential to transform more lives. We must be absolutely accountable in our finances and our processes, and we must prepare for and engage with risk to ensure a continued platform for growth. > confidently and consistently live out our Christian identity internally and externally. We will invest in a clear, compelling brand that reflects this. > nurture and empower our staff, develop new talent, and invest in our leaders and managers. > Invest in innovation, enabling staff to come up with new ways to inspire support and transform children s lives. > Strengthen our accountability, through enhanced financial and project management. This strategy isn t about business as usual, or making small changes to the way we do things. It s about transforming World Vision UK. We will: > transform the way we measure our impact > transform the experience of people who support us > transform our income and influence > transform the way we work The whole purpose of doing this is to improve the lives of the vulnerable children and families we support. By making these vital changes we will: > transform the lives of eight million of the world s poorest children. We hope you will be part of this transformation. Working at World Vision is a life-changing experience, and the sense of purpose, drive, passion and professionalism is both inspiring and humbling. Andy Scrivens, Supporter Care Manager Photo: World Vision

7 World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. We are a federal partnership and work in almost 100 countries worldwide, serving 100 million people. World Vision UK Opal Drive, Fox Milne Milton Keynes, MK15 0ZR United Kingdom World Vision is a registered charity no , a company limited by guarantee and registered in England no Registered office as above. tel: fax: info@worldvision.org.uk