Business and Strategic Planning
Turn2us (London)
Background
Over 14 million people in the UK live in poverty, including 3.5 million children. Turn2us is a national charity that helps people when times get tough, and challenges preconceptions about poverty. It provides grants to people in need, helps people boost income by connecting them to benefits and grants to which they are entitled, and highlights ways to reduce costs.
Issue
Turn2us appointed a new CEO, Tom Lawson, in March 2019, with a mission to review and strengthen the culture, strategy and organisation of this well-established charity, firing up its capability and resolve to address the issue of poverty in the UK. A rigorous and inclusive process had been designed to develop the purpose and strategy, including consultation with staff, partners and service users. The CEO wished for additional support to engage the whole team and Trustees to shape the strategy and buy into it fully, to give it maximum chance of success.
Solution
Cranfield Trust identified a volunteer to work with Tom Lawson during the strategy development process. The volunteer needed to be an experienced facilitator (including of large-scale events) and be comfortable working with many stakeholders, including another consultant. Gareth Williams met the CEO to scope the role and ensure personal fit. He co-designed, prepared for and co-facilitated a full-day strategy development workshop for 60 people - the Turn2us office team, and few volunteers /people with lived experience. He co-facilitated a second strategy review workshop with the senior leadership team, and wrote up the outputs of both workshops and provided other insights to assist the process. Finally Gareth worked with Tom to develop and facilitate an Away Day with Trustees to review and build on the draft strategy. The work allowed Tom to finalise the new strategy in line with the December 2019 deadline.
Impact
Tom developed the new purpose and strategy with input and support from his leadership team, the rest of the
Turn2us team, and other key stakeholders. This gave the whole organisation greater clarity, energy and focus at time of continuing external need as well as internal organisational change. The Trustees contributed to the strategy, and approved the final version in line with the timetable. The strategy provided the foundation for the 2020 annual plan, focusing activities and fundraising.
‘Thank you again for all of your work on this. I’m very pleased with it; yesterday the team leaders worked on the annual plan for next year, using the strategy as the starting point and everyone was bought in to it. Success’ - Tom Lawson, CEO, Turn2us to Gareth (Cranfield Trust) and Roberta (external consultant): 3 Dec 2019
