Strategic Planning with CMHA Niagara
Timeline: May – October 2018
Client: Canadian Mental Health Association Niagara
As Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Niagara embarked on their latest strategic planning process, they wanted to put clients and families at the centre of their work. CMHA Niagara engaged Overlap to lead their strategic planning process.
Overlap began by identifying the needs and ideas of clients and staff through facilitated workshops, short-burst interviews, and an online survey. The findings from this community engagement then informed the organization’s board and leadership team as they set a direction for the coming years. Overlap facilitated the group through a half-day mission and vision session as well as a two-day strategic retreat. In the mission and vision session, the organization identified a focus on hope, dignity, and meaning. The group evolved their current mission and vision statements to reflect this desired experience for their clients and community.
During the two-day retreat, Overlap guided the group to identify a set of strategic goals and a set of interconnected actions to achieve the goals. These transformational conversations shifted the group’s perspective from treating illness to building wellness. Among other things, the group identified a goal to achieve greater community presence through preventative care.
Overlap then worked with CMHA Niagara to develop the sentiments and outputs of the retreat into the final Strategic Plan, which was published in late 2018.
