Our Strategic Goals
The strategic goals and priority actions of VC
Long Term Change...
A world of freedom, peace and justice, where marginalised and vulnerable people have greater opportunities to realise their goals.
In 2024, VC underwent a comprehensive and inclusive strategy renewal process involving VC members, staff, partners, and stakeholders who came together to discuss where we are, where we would like to go and how we are to get there. The process was facilitated by external consultants Caplor Horizon.
The strategy (2024-27), entitled “Building Resilient Communities through Global Solidarity” was approved in April 2024. Reflecting on the process, participating members commented that the plan and its values deeply reflected ‘the heart of VC’. Three high level goals were identified to:
- Influence Transformative Change;
- Enable Impactful Development; and
- Enhance our Organisational Capacity
Goal 1: Influence Transformative Change
Be responsive to emerging and fast changing global needs.
We will do this by:
- Journeying with marginalised and vulnerable people in communities to realise their goals.
- Advocating for systemic change and supporting progross towards achieving the SDGs through our four key programme areas: health, education, livelihoods and human rights including disability rights.
- Establishing and fostering linkages and networks with other likeminded organisations for reciprocal learning and partnerships and promoting international solidarity volunteering.
- Working within the missionary approach to development and contributing to its evolution.
- Engaging with global citizenship education through different platforms.
- Mainstreaming environmental awareness throughout our work.
Goal 2: Enable Impactful Development
Be responsive to communities and partners with whom we work.
We will do this by:
- Proactively researching and identifying target areas and stakeholders to ensure we are effectively meeting our vision and mission.
- Supporting the role of lay missionaries/volunteers as a component of VC's approach.
- Expanding and updating our training in line with global challenges.
- Building the capacity of partners through training. deployment of skilled volunteers, accompaniment, and financial support.
- Embracing localisation - where local people take responsibility for their own future.
- Effectively building capacities of vulnerable communities to address/mitigate the challenges they face.
- Being guided by relevant international policies and frameworks.
Goal 3: Enhance Organisational Capacity
Be responsive to changing organisational needs; become a more effective change agent.
We will do this by:
- Adopting an inclusive and consultative approach to our strategic decision making and governance.
- Revitalising and reenergising our membership.
- Improving communication internally and externally.
- Ensuring governance, accountability and organisational safeguarding is in line with evolving standards.
- Supporting the welfare of staff and members.
- Developing an ambitious and robust financial sustainability strategy.
- Identifying new donors and partnerships.
Our Theory of Change
The problem we are trying to solve:
- Chronic inequality and injustice (including climate, political and economic injustice).
- Marginalised and vulnerable people in communities who cannot access health, education and livelihood opportunities or realise their human rights.
- Partners’ lack of capacity to achieve their objectives as key agents of change.
- Poor policies and/or lack of policies in important areas.
- Negative attitudes and behaviour e.g. stigma, social exclusion.
We will respond by working with:
- Marginalised and vulnerable people in communities who cannot access health, education and livelihood opportunities or realise their human rights including:
- People directly impacted by climate change
- People living in rural isolated communities
- People in informal urban settlements
- Orphans and vulnerable children
- People living with disabilities
- Displaced people
- People in post-conflict areas - Local partners
- Local/national governments
Our entry point for reaching these people:
- Partner organisations – community based organisations
- (CBOs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- Dioceses
- Missionary congregations
- Local duty bearers e.g. local government structures
- Media and technology
Steps needed to bring about change…
Engaging stakeholders (partners, communities, duty bearers etc.) to identify challenges and solutions.
Designing and implementing interventions that effectively address and mitigate the challenges.
Ensuring partners have the resources and capacity to increase their impact on the lives of the people with whom they work.
Advocating for systemic change and supporting progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Networking with other organisations and collaborators.
The Results
Working towards a world of freedom, peace and justice
Measurable effect of our work
- Better access to quality education.
- Improved access to health services.
- More people with a sustainable livelihood.
- Marginalised and vulnerable people are able to realise their human rights.
- Communities are more resilient to the impact of climate change.
- Government policy-changes that benefit target groups.
- Increased capacity of partners to deliver quality services.
Wider benefits of our work
- Overall reduced marginalisation, with communities enjoying a good standard of education, improved health, better livelihoods and being able to realise their human rights.
- Strengthened civil society in the areas we work.
- Increased awareness within Ireland of the challenges facing the communities with whom we work.
- Enhanced social cohesion and empowerment.
- Increased action on climate justice.
Long term change
A world of freedom, peace and justice, where marginalised and
vulnerable people have greater opportunities to realise their goals.