Every three years, ICAN’s board, management and staff get together to plan for the next three. This month, the ICAN family met for a day at the Pullman Resort to break out their SWAT and PEST’s, and hash out a plan for the organisation. Reflecting on Winston Churchill’s quote, “Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential,” ICAN CEO Aaron Davis said, “having everyone involved in the strategic planning process provides an opportunity for collective input and insight into the direction we’re heading.”
ICAN Directors Bob Frazer and Graeme Hooper led the strategic planning process, establishing the agenda and facilitating the day. Director Frazer said, “We were excited about the enthusiastic engagement, input and staff commitment to the process.”
Director Hooper said, “I thoroughly enjoyed facilitating the day and reflecting on just how much the organisation has grown over the past nine years. ”
ICAN’s strategic planning process is just one component of larger planning, reporting and review framework. “The greatest highlight to come out of the previous strategic planning period was the establishment of our subsidiary registered training organisation (RTO), ICAN Learn”, said Mr Davis. “The ICAN Learn team led by Bernadette Pasco attended the strategic planning day and like all of ICAN’s business units set some high-level goals for the coming three years.”
Explaining the importance of creating our RTO social enterprise from an ICAN perspective, Mr Davis said, “Building a business like ICAN Learn is intended to help us, ICAN, become financially independent and develop our Indigenous consumer advocacy function. Down the track, we’d love to create campaigns that highlight and address the systemic Indigenous consumer issues our Financial Counsellors see daily. We need to articulate this ‘social enterprise’ point of difference from other RTO’s in the financial counselling and capability marketplace better.”
ICAN’s directors held a board meeting the day after the strategic planning event. “New directors, Kerry Lui, Desmond Tayley and Susan Cook have brought new skills to the board that will help us deliver on the goals we’ve set for the organisation,” said Mr Frazer. “To have Susan Cook, a pioneer in Indigenous Financial Counselling join the board is a real honour.”