The term ‘plan’ is often a turn off. It tends to be perceived as bureaucracy and paperwork; taking up more valuable volunteer time. A better approach is to think of it as a series of actions, a “things to do” list. A good plan will, ultimately, save people time and should be viewed in this way.
There is no right or wrong way to produce a development plan for your club but the following guidelines should give you some ideas about how to get started. There are two ‘scales’ of plan:
- A development plan: a long term plan (usually three to five years); focusing on the club's "vision" for the future.
- An action plan: a short term plan (usually one year); this prioritises short term actions required to get the club on the right path to achieving its long term "vision".
All good plans are built on strong foundations aiming to answer a few simple questions:
1. Where are we now? - the AUDIT
2. Where do we want to be? – the AIMS
3. How will we get there? – the PLAN
4. When and how will we know we have achieved our targets – the REVIEW
1. Where are we now? - the AUDIT
Clubs provide varying sporting opportunities for people of different ages, levels of interest and ability. Before you begin to plan for the future it is important that you consider the club’s current circumstances. By looking at what it does now by, conducting an audit the club can identify its strengths and weaknesses, as well as assessing possible opportunities or threats to its future. This process provides a base for setting realistic objectives for the clubs future. An audit can be structured around what is commonly referred to as a SWOT analysis:
- Assessment of your Strengths - e.g. lots of volunteer helpers
- Evaluation of your Weaknesses - e.g. few qualified volunteer helpers or coaches
- Identifying Opportunities -e.g. potential links with the local secondary school
- Considering potential Threats -e.g. reduction in junior members this season
In addition to your own club audit you can also look at local sports provision and identify what support might be available from other sports providers or potential partners. For example, there may be coaches or officials working for the local authority or in local schools who could offer your club additional support, or young people attending an after school club who would like to develop their skills in a club. For an audit to be useful and a true basis for planning, time is required to complete it honestly and accurately.
2. Where do we want to be? - the AIMS
Having established your current status (where are we now) and started to consider where you want to be (and completed your SWOT analysis) you should be ready to identify key objectives for the future, look at how to build on your strengths and tackle club weaknesses. Your aims should be SMART:
- Specific to your club.
- Measurable – consider how club progress will be assessed.
- Agreed – it is vital that (for example) committee members, other volunteers, coaches, players and parents are involved in the process.
- Realistic – the aims should be challenging yet achievable.
- Timescales – you must consider how much time will be needed to achieve the aims.
A worked example of how the SWOT analysis can be used to generate a club's aims is available in the Resources panel.
You should now be ready to formulate an ‘Action Plan’ to identify how you will achieve these objectives.
3. How will we get there? - the PLAN
Once the club has completed the audit and identified your aims, the third stage - action planning - should fall easily into place. The Plan sets out how you will work to deliver the club's ‘vision’ and achieve the stated objectives. You will, first, need to break down each aim into specific targets for the first year and proposed, longer-term targets for future years If an aim is not achievable in year 1 then a target for that specific year should be set and then built upon of the following years.
The Plan should be used to establish the timescales, costs and people involved in delivering each objective. To produce an Action Plan you will probably need to address the following five questions:
The Target - WHAT do you want to achieve?
The Action - HOW can it be achieved?
Timescale - WHEN will it be done?
Led/delivered by - WHO is going to do it?
Cost - What will it COST in terms of money, time, people and facilities.
This plan can also be adapted for use as a business plan to underpin applications for certain grants. There are many styles of action plan; again, you'll find examples of different planning templates in the Resources panel.
4. How well did we do? - the REVIEW
Once the action plan and detailed outcomes are agreed it is a working document, and should be reviewed and updated periodically, at least annually by the designated planning group. Monitoring club progress is invaluable for ensuring that it continues to move forward. Provided that targets set in the action plan are measurable, this process should be simple and not too time-consuming. There should be a report to members on achievement on short/long term targets
The plan should be a working document that can be modified and adapted to reflect the progress and changes of circumstance.
Plan review will also enable you to reflect on the progress the club has made and where it is now. It is also, at regular intervals, to formally and informally acknowledge the hard work undertaken by volunteers (committee members, administrators, coaches and officials) to make it happen!
Who should be involved in planning?
Before you start the planning process you should consider the best way of managing the process internally. It is important that members are actively involved in shaping the club's future so consult with them. Ensure that those driving the plans development represent and understand all interests in the club. It is, however, recommended that a small working group is identified to prepare the necessary paperwork and draw up the key action points.
Remember: It is the club that has to DO the work, not the action planner(s) and the process is as important as the final document itself.
