Carers Link East Dunbartonshire are faced with a challenge that so many charities can relate to: when you’re full to capacity, how do you make the space to focus on long-term sustainability?
It hasn’t been for the want of trying; the team have attended Lasting Difference workshops and programmes but have found it difficult to create the time and space to turn their learning and knowledge into something meaningful.
For Carers Link, the next step has been to openly make the commitment to turn their aims into actions, by writing long-term sustainability into their strategic plan. Actions include:
- Building their evidence base to effectively demonstrate the impact the work they do.
- Making sure their resources match their ambitions by embedding a robust, sustainable and mixed funding model.
- Continuing to invest in fundraising.
- Having a robust fundraising, communications and social media strategy.
- Developing and implementing a long-term, centred approach to supporting talent development and succession planning throughout the organisation.
- Involving staff and volunteers in embedding their values throughout the charity.
And finally, they have recognised that bringing others on your journey can give you the support and encouragement you need when the tank is running low. Their final action is committing to the principles and practices of organisational sustainability through the Lasting Difference Symbol. We’re delighted to welcome them to our network of Symbol Holders.
CEO Jennifer Roe said,
“We have identified the key issues and identified the model to help us tackle it. Making the commitment to doing something is the first step in making the space and time to then follow through.”