Promoting Women in Sport: Developing a Strategic and Operational Plan for Womensport and Recreation Tasmania (WSRT)
Folket Consultancy is made up of a team of folks who enjoy working on projects that positively impact our communities. This case study explores the collaboration between Womensport & Recreation Tasmania Inc. (WSRT) and Folket Consultancy in developing a comprehensive strategic and operational plan to promote gender equality and inclusivity in sports and recreation.
About Womensport & Recreation Tasmania Inc. (WSRT)
Womensport & Recreation Tasmania Inc. (WSRT) promotes equality and inclusivity in sports and recreation, seeking a future where female participation and contribution in sport are equally valued, benefiting all Tasmanians. It is Womensport & Recreation Tasmania's mission to promote, encourage, support, inspire and celebrate regular physical activity for women and girls and to provide a representative voice influencing effective public policy in Tasmania. WSRT was due to update their strategic and operational plan for the organisation. With this in mind, they sought support from Folket Consultancy to develop and run a facilitated workshop to help design the strategy and operational plan for the organisation.
Developing a strategy and an operational plan looks different to every organisation. Folket Consultancy always commence a new project with an explorative session with the client. In this meeting, we discuss the needs of the client, their desired outcomes, and seek to understand their objectives and goals. We then tailor the team based on the required skills and map out an appropriate approach using these insights.
On this project, Folket Consultants Linda Karlsson and Danielle O’Hara led the work, each providing expertise in facilitation, workshop design, and communications.
An Iterative Approach to Strategic & Operational Planning
In collaboration with WSRT, the following approach was adopted:
Tailored Research and Client Liaison
We conducted thorough review of internal documentation and current research on female participation in sport and recreation.
The research material was tailored based on WSRT identified content.
Design and Facilitation of a Strategic Planning Workshop
Folket Consultancy designed and delivered a participatory workshop for key stakeholders. This included board members and relevant staff.
This workshop facilitated discussions to identify key priorities, outcomes, strategies, and measurements for the strategic plan.
It was important that the work aligned with previous strategic plans and relevant documentation and research.
Collaborative Strategic Plan Development:
Using the insights from the workshop, Folket commenced to produce a comprehensive three-year strategic plan for WSRT.
The strategic plan was informed by the research findings and outcomes from the strategic planning workshop.
We used an iterative process where WSRT had opportunities to provide input and feedback on the strategy throughout the development to make sure it was reflective of their expectations and needs.
Once the strategic plan was developed and signed off, the next step was to look at the operational plan. We used a similar approach again.
Operational Planning Workshop Aligned with the Strategic Plan:
Folket designed and delivered a workshop with key stakeholders to identify and outline key initiatives and activities for the organisation.
Throughout this workshop, we linked the activities and initiatives back to the newly developed strategic plan to ensure alignment.
Collaborative Operational Plan Development
Following the workshop, Folket Consultanc developed an operational plan based on outcomes from the workshop.
Again, w used an iterative process where WSRT had opportunities to provide input and feedback on the operational plan throughout the development to make sure it was reflective of their expectations and needs.
Working in collaboration to solve challenges and achieve goals
The collaborative effort between Womensport & Recreation Tasmania Inc. (WSRT) and Folket Consultancy resulted in the creation of a usable and relevant strategic and operational plan for WSRT. By investing in research at the start of the project and using an iterative model with the client, we were able to produce a strategy and a plan that was both comprehensive and reflective of WSRT’s goals and expectations. It was a great opportunity for Folket Consultancy to play our part in supporting a community organisation promoting women’s equal participation and contributions in sport across Tasmania, Australia and beyond.
To learn more about Folket Consultancy’s expertise in designing and developing workshops, strategy and operational plans, please contact us.
About Folket Consultancy
Hej! "Folket" is Swedish and means "The People", think 'folks' in English. We’re a boutique consultancy based in lutruwita/Tasmania. Founded by Linda Karlsson, Folket Consultancy is a collective of experienced consultants. Our team of folks love to work on collaborative projects that create an impact in our communities. Between us, we offer expertise in evaluation, research, facilitation of workshops and community consultation, co-design and program development, community and stakeholder engagement, as well as strategic communication. We tailor our team and services to your needs. Do you think you have a Folket job? Let’s explore how we can collaborate, contact Folket Consultancy here.