Launching our co-produced strategy

Launching our co-produced strategy
08/10/2024 Nikki Dudley

On September 24th, Groundswell launched its new strategy, taking us to 2028. Aligning with our values, the process of designing the strategy, right the way up to its launch event, has been a truly participatory process – it makes us proud of what we can achieve together.  

As Martin, HHPA London Partnership Manager, highlights, the participatory co-produced nature of this strategy was vital for several reasons:

Because of the nature of our work, we need to ensure we are feeding up what frontline workers are seeing and what the people we support are experiencing daily. Co-producing our strategy keeps us relevant and flexible enough to adapt.  It felt that views were gathered because they were needed to improve the end result and not just for the sake of completing the process. So, it felt meaningful and unifying.” 

What we heard – the coproduction of our strategy  

We heard – from staff, volunteers, clients, and partners universally – that a huge amount has changed and, in most cases, worsened in the last five years. Moreover, the current, growing and continually evolving challenges we face as a society are massively and disproportionately affecting those experiencing homelessness, poverty, health inequalities and inequity. And we heard, resoundingly, that these issues can only be solved properly, and for the long-term, with the insight and solutions from people experiencing the issues at the heart of this. 

 

Creating Positive Change Together  

The theme that tied everything together when we reviewed what we do and why, was that we are creating positive change in everything we do. As a result, creating positive change together became the centre of our strategy.  

Find out more about our new goals in our strategy. 

When, typically, so many strategies are referred to as ‘something that sits in the bottom of the drawer’, importantly for Groundswell, there was broad consensus and a sense of ownership across the organisation for this new strategy: 

“It’s been really good to be involved in this since the beginning, and right through. I feel like this strategy reflects me, reflects us.” 

“I’m really impressed and enthusiastic about this strategy. It feels like it sings to everything I love about Groundswell, everything I’m passionate about.” 

 

The launch event 

The strategy launch event ended up being a key part of the process – co-created and a truly Groundswellian event with a range of staff and volunteers across the organisation designing and delivering it. The event showcased what we’re doing and what we hope to do going forward. Over 40 staff and volunteers took to the stage at Hoxton Hall to talk about, and celebrate, the roles they play in Groundswell and our work – with a combination of film screenings, talks, presentations, spoken word, story sharing and acting out journeys of a client – all highlighting what the new strategy’s goals meant to them. 

With over 120 colleagues, partners, commissioners and funders joining us, the ‘Greater Together’ launch event demonstrated the commitment we had from all these stakeholders to collaborate on achieving our goals: 

“I came away feeling truly inspired. The energy, passion and comradery of everyone there was really palpable.” 

“Genuinely inspiring. Massively thought-provoking work on how to do deep, ethical, equitable work as communities. Can’t wait for more conversations going forward.” – The Magpie Project 

 

Where now? 

We are enormously proud of and excited about our ambitious strategy. The creation of a strategy is very much just the beginning though. At Groundswell, we are now working on the delivery plan for the strategy, while some key aspects of the strategy are already moving forwards.  

We cannot do it alone though. We won’t stop saying it – we are greater together.