What is the Strategic Plan and why do we need it?
Every organisation needs a plan of what it wants to achieve. This helps everyone to focus on what needs to be done and to make sure that they have the right resources to do it. It also means that all parts of the organisation are aligned and working towards the same goal instead of working in different directions. Without such planning, we may fail to capitalise on opportunities to improve our communities or deal adequately in situations where we have responsibilities.
What will be in this strategic document?
The strategic plan will give an overview of the following:
1. Where are we?
2. Where we are going?
3. How are we going to get there?
4. How will we know when we get there?
What progress has been so far?
Since the last update on 30th January 2003 (insert link to this document) the following actions have been taken:
Desk research audit
We have collected various historical documents including recent recommendations from conventions such as the Women Convention, Medical Convention, Convention on Senior Citizen, various reports from the Boards and Desks; and analysing these to identify common themes that will guide the strategic plan.
Qualitative and quantitative research
We are working on a comprehensive set of questions that we plan to ask 1000 randomly selected people. People will be randomly selected from Africa, Australia, Canada, Dubai, India, Pakistan, and the United States. Responses from these questions will form the basis of what the grassroots are telling us about the World Federation.
We are also working on what questions to ask all regional and a random selection of jamaat leaders who are direct members of the World Federation. The answer to these questions will then form the underlying assumptions of how our community leaders view the World Federation.
We are going to be meeting with the Board chairmen, the Secretariat staff and the desks at the World Federation and seek their views of how the World Federation could best serve.
Open Forum
We have identified six regions where we plan to undertake an exercise of seeking views from the grassroots about the World Federation. The purpose for these foras is to identify for the World Federation where are we at now and where we need to go.
Web based questionnaire
We are developing a web- based questionnaire that will be available for community members to respond to and this will give us further insight into what people want from the World Federation.
The Team
We have formed a group that is helping us with this process. These are Abbas Abdulhamid Kanji, Dr Ahmed Hassam, Ahmed Hassan, Jabir Walji, Murtaza Datoo, Safder Jaffer, Shafique Govani, Shelina Janmohamed and Yasin Rahim.
Will this document be long on words and short on actions?
This the first time the World Federation has ever embarked upon a project of this kind. As such we are bound to learn from this experience. The intention is not to have a long document but rather a living document that serves as a guide to our community. The strategic plan is a vision for the future based on research and planning which will highlight what community members are saying where the World Federation needs to go as an organisation and what resources will need to be mobilised to meet these needs. There will also be targets and performance metrics to make sure the World Federation is meeting these needs. The planning is a consultative process and as such, this document will be available for all to view and comment upon by Sunday 21st September 2003.
The Conference, to be held in Dubai on 8th, 9th and 10th of October 2003, will then deliberate upon the final document that will take into account comments received.
How can I send my views so that it is considered?
The World Federation exists to serve. As such, your views are important. You must contribute to the process by sending us your thoughts by email. Please write to strategicplan@world-federation.org
How will I know what progress has been made?
There will be regular briefing every month available on the WF website. The next briefing will come out on Sunday 27th April 2003.
The style that has been adopted to inform people about the strategic plan is in the format of “frequently asked questions.” Please do let us have your comments on this approach. You can send your comments to strategicplan@world-federation.org