Barnardos NZ Strategic Plan 2009-2012

Ki Aotearoa nei he taonga te tamaiti, me āna manako ki te whanake.

In Aotearoa New Zealand childhood is valued and each child's hope and potential are nurtured.

This plan has been developed by Barnardos Strategic Leadership Team and the National Practice Team in consultation with staff, and with the guidance and direction of the Barnardos New Zealand Board.

Tena koutou katoa,

It is my privilege as Kaiwhakahaere of Barnardos New Zealand to introduce you to this Strategic Plan for our organisation for 2009 to 2012.

Whatever your role in or connection to Barnardos - as a staff member, funder, stakeholder, colleague or client, you have a vested interest in the direction and functioning of this organisation and the outcomes of its collective efforts.

Barnardos New Zealand has a proud and credible history that originates with support for the work of the organisation in the United Kingdom under the vision and guidance of our founder, Dr. Thomas Barnardo. After a century of support for this work, the dedication and commitment of the Barnardos fundraisers in this country was rewarded with the establishment of Barnardos as a service provider in New Zealand in 1969.

Nearly forty years on we can look back on the growth and development of Barnardos in New Zealand, the exceptional contributions of many wonderful people and community groups, and the opportunities it has provided to us to contribute something of value to the lives of the children, young people and families of our communities.

The challenge we face is to retain the unswerving vision, commitment and compassion of Dr Tom whilst planning and working in a way that is relevant to today - a way that takes full advantage of the circumstances and opportunities that are available to Barnardos New Zealand in 2009.

We find ourselves in a time where there is unprecedented commitment by Government to work more effectively with the community, a desire and pragmatic belief within the community to do better collectively with what we have, and a seemingly inexhaustible requirement to do more for our children.

Working with Government, Community, Families and with Children themselves to ensure the best possible start in life for all children and enhancing their experience of childhood is both our aspiration and our responsibility. As a large, highly respected advocate and supporter of children in Aotearoa New Zealand, we need to apply all our skills, capabilities and experience to make life better for our tamariki, our mokopuna - for all children!

This plan is about how we intend to approach that responsibility over the next three years. Under the four key themes of Community, Integration, People and Leadership, and Ngā Pou e Whā (Maori Strategy), we have committed to a number of Service Outcomes and Organisational Health and Capability Outcomes that we believe will enable us to be even more effective in our endeavours for children over the next three years.

Aspiration and endeavour come with risks and vulnerabilities and we need to plan for and manage those contingencies as we take this journey together.

I believe that the capabilities we have, the vision we share and the structure and direction provided by this plan will guide and direct our efforts as we strive to live up to our overriding commitment; Ko Nga Tamariki I te Tuatahi - Children Come First.

Murray Edridge
Chief Executive