EMES 10-year strategy 2020-2030
The idea of developing a long-term strategy for EMES was launched at the Executive Committee meeting in September 2017, in connection with the restructuring of the EMES Secretariat and the desire to make the organisation more sustainable and robust. A working group was appointed at that meeting for the task. Contact was made with Yearly Meeting Representatives and Quaker organisations within the Section through EMES’ communication channels (e.g. Among Friends, the various EMES Forums, email etc.) to ask for contributions to a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis and visions for the future. These contributions, together with those from the Executive Committee and the EMES staff, formed the basis for a framework that includes the organisation’s aims and purposes, the vision for 2020-2030 and a long-term strategy with the following key threads:
- linking Quakers and resources
- networking and learning opportunities
- Quaker and interfaith gatherings
- travelling in the ministry and enriching the community life of Quaker Meetings and Groups
- financial support for developments
The first draft of the strategy was presented to the Executive Committee in March 2018. After the committee’s helpful feedback, and the resulting amendments, the strategy was then presented to the Annual Meeting in June 2018. The feedback from the small group discussions at the Annual Meeting was incorporated into the strategy document, which was finally approved by the Executive Committee in November 2018.
From 2020 the 10-year strategy will guide the work of EMES and inform the 3-year workplans, beginning with the workplan for 2020-2022, to be approved by the Annual Meeting in 2019.
