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Strategic Issues

What are 'strategic issues', and why are they important to me?

 

The term 'strategic issues' would best be described as the overarching influences that are effecting the direction of the wider youth and children's work community. This could be organisation-based, locally, regionally, nationally or internationally.

 

Influence could come from:

• service users, members and participants
• local statutory authorities
• other VCF sector groups
• infrastructure organisations
• regional government
• national or international government

 

In many cases, particularly if you're a small local group that's financially self-sufficient, strategic policy and decision making will be of very little interest or influence to what you and your organisation does.

 

However, on the occasions when new laws are brought in e.g. ISA (Independent Safeguarding Authority), these strategic issues can have a big influence over your organisation. You could also see funding streams driven by new strategic priorities e.g. Youth Opportunities Fund/Youth Capital Fund, or see new opportunities arise from strategic planning e.g. Children's Action Teams.

 

These pages will hopefully help you understand in a simple way some of the key strategic issues at the moment and looking to the future.