IECA Chapter Leader Resource Center

Sample Strategic Plan

1. Mission Statement

   The IECA serves as a global resource for environmental education and exchange of information.  The IECA represents, leads and unifies a diverse group of people worldwide who share a common goal for the prevention and control of erosion.

   The Australasian Chapter seek to achieve this by providing leadership in erosion and sediment control through promotion of sound technical advice, training and dissemination of information

2. Objectives

   In order of priority:

   1. Be able to employ an executive secretary.
   2. Organise 5 one-day seminars per year with the aim to include all states.
   3. Establish national erosion and sediment control training criteria.
   4. Maintain and Increase the I.E.C.A.’s relevance/services to members.
   5. Establish an Australian Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CSPESC) and have it recognised as a prerequisite nationally to provide advice on erosion and sediment control.
   6. Establish a detailed Australian product directory which, is updated annually
   7. Become recognised by Government (at both a state and federal level) as a leader in the Erosion and Sediment Control Industry.
   8. Increase membership by 10% each year.
   9. Maintain annual membership retention of 75 -80%. 
   10. Establish a system of product quality endorsement.
   11. Hold an annual conference.
3. Strategies

   The above objectives need to be prioritised, as some will not be achievable until other objectives are met first.

   1. Be able to employ an executive secretary
      • This is one of the highest priority objectives that the IECA (Australasia) chapter has. Only by employing someone to undertake a range of tasks, will many of the above objectives be met. No one on the Board has the time at present that is required to undertake the work required to implement these objectives.
      • The obvious key to achieving this objective is to obtain the funding required to employ an executive secretary.
      • Level of funding required to employ executive secretary is 6 –20 hours per week at an hourly rate of $18.00 per hour ($20,000 approximately).
      • Determine where the funding is to come from – the income required will need to be sourced from several areas –seminars, grants, membership fees, training, etc.– the Board will need to investigate other possible avenues of income.
      • Develop a job description.
      • Employ an appropriately experienced person.
   2. Organise 5 one-day seminars per year
      • Identify range of seminar topics (for year 2001 start now) at the start of each new year.
      • Determine approximate delivery dates/ time of year for each seminar (can be finalised closer to date) at the start of each new year.
      • Determine locations (eg. which state – at present NSW, QLD and Victoria possibly most easy to hold in) on a yearly basis. For 2001, Board should consider now with locations to be confirmed after annual meeting and election of any new board members.
      • Three month lead in for each seminar to organise speakers, venue, start advertising for event, etc.
      • After each seminar, review process involved and its success as part of continuous improvement in delivery, etc
   3. Establish national erosion and sediment control training criteria
      • This is in progress to provide a standardised training product and should be completed at the beginning of 2001.
      • To facilitate seminar organization develop task checklist for seminar preparation to standardise process for any one-day seminar that IECA organise.
   4. Increase benefits for members
      • Increase networking opportunities for members through the website, conferences, training days, etc.
      • Determine what benefits members want through sending out a simple survey form to present members and prepare an action plan based on the survey results to increase benefits that are practical to deliver.
      • Provide the opportunity for members to either advertise or have a hot link on our website directly to theirs.
   5. Establish Australian Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) and have it recognised as a prerequisite nationally
      • This is currently in progress by the relevant committee. This particular objective can be modified with time to include how the CPESC will be available or how it will be offered.
      • Getting development approval authorities, the construction industry, etc. acknowledging this qualification as required for review of ESCPs, Soil and Water Management Plans, etc. through advertising, canvassing the relevant approval authorities, government, VETAB approval as an accredited course, etc.
   6. Establish detailed Australian product directory
      • Utilise existing directories put out by other organizations (e.g. Earthmovers and Contractors Assoc, etc)
      • Canvas suppliers to determine whether they would be willing to provide product information.
      • Utilise existing IECA product directory, expanding it to include actual product information in directory, (e.g.sediment fence types, fibre matting types, geotextiles, etc.) – getting suppliers to provide that information to put into directory then categorise the applications together with the product name and where it is available from.
      • This expanded product directory can be used as a resource for members and be a selling point for new members.
   7. Become recognised by Government (at both a state and federal level) as a leader in the Erosion and Sediment Control Industry.
      • Identify target Government departments to contact.
      • Write to ministers explaining role of I.E.C.A. (Australasia).(Similar to what has been done in US).
      • Set up meeting with representatives from targeted Government Departments.
      • Have I.E.C.A. represented on relevant Committees (yet to be identified).
      • Determine who is willing to represent I.E.C.A.A. on indentified committees.
      • Identify relevant Government committees that I.E.C.A.A. should approach.
      • Contact identified Committee(s).
   8. Increase membership by 10% each year.
      • Identify tangible benefits to sell to potential members (e.g. Website, product directory, training days, etc.).
      • Each board member ring 10 people in any relevant occupations who they know are not members of the IECA (Australasia) and canvas them to join.
      • Advertise in construction industry/ government publications.
      • Look for opportunities to get educational institutions involved (e.g. universities, TAFE, etc).
      • Increase Association’s profile through joining high profile government committees/ groups.
   9. Maintain annual membership retention of 75-80%
      • Continue to provide benefits to existing members – at present there is little real benefit.
      • The executive secretary to telephone members that do not re-join at the membership renewal time.
   10. Establish a system of product quality endorsement.
       • Investigate the process involved in setting Australian Standards for a product.
       • Investigate opportunities to apply for funding grant to have someone take on this as a project. IECA to coordinate and to oversee project.
       • Once appropriate funding opportunity identified, apply for grant, etc. A part of this process will be to set project goals (e.g. what technical specifications is the IECA after from a standards point of view).
       • If application successful, appoint someone on the Board to oversee/monitor the project. This does not involve doing the work, it is to ensure that the project stays on track and provide an avenue for any IECA input.
   11. Hold an annual conference
       • Develop a Conference Checklist (based on what we have learned to date) to be followed by Conference Organising Committee as a guide to deadlines and performance indicators to be used during organisation of a Conference (not a big deal a one hour think tank).
       • Conference organization to be based on 18mth planning timeframe at the commencement of which the theme, location and organising committee will be identified.
       • Conference committee organises conference from time of committee set up.
4. Strategy Implementation Mechanisms
   • Determine whether a particular strategy requires funding through a grant or whether Board Members can undertake a task.
   • Tasks that can be undertaken by Board Members be assigned to individual Board Members or form committee to enable task to be completed.
   • If funding required – identify potential sources of funding and then apply.
   • Board Members/ or committee assigned a task or tasks set a reasonable time frame to undertake task/s.
   • Board members/ or committee to provide regular updates of progress. 
   • Board members/ or committee to ask for assistance, from Board, if issue arises that it being struggled with.
5. Monitoring/Review

   This strategic plan should be reviewed on an annual basis – with each objective assessed separately.  The strategic plan objectives and strategies should be adjusted accordingly based on each annual assessment by the Board.