Where We've Been

CISV Strategic Plan 2004 - 2009
This Strategic Plan began in 2004 and ran through the end of December 2009. A five-year plan with five priority areas:
Leadership is the Key to Success Increasing Quality through Co-operation with Other Organizations How to Find a Fair Way to Financially Support the Organization in Every Continent How to Consolidate (strengthen) Existing Chapters How to Avoid Excluding People, Groups, NAs and Nations from CISV
An Innovative Approach to Strategic Planning Different organizations choose different ways to assess and plan for the future. In 2004, CISV decided to undertake a Strategic Planning process that would involve every level of the organization in an inclusive and dynamic way. "They were skeptical about the feasibility. They certainly did not expect such a positive reaction from so many quarters" -- the glowing testimony of CISVer Sharon King of Starfield Consulting, who was instrumental in the design and facilitation of the strategic planning process recently undertaken by CISV.

Getting back to our Roots

In common with most organizations that have been around for a substantial number of years, CISV periodically reviews past achievements, examines current needs and, on the basis of these, sets out its targets and ambitions for the next few years. Nothing new so far, except that in this instance CISV has based its strategic planning on the reactions, wishes and values of grassroots CISVers-- the members, volunteers and participants on the ground, at chapter level around the world. These people are the lifeblood of CISV, past, present and future and their input was essential in this global review.

SP2.1

SP3.1

A storybook of achievements

In order to initiate this process the then International Leadership Training and Development Committee (ILTC) distributed information and toolkits to every National Association (NA). Each NA was asked to appoint a National Interview Coordinator as well as a local coordinator for each Chapter. The toolkit enabled them to conduct interviews at chapter level with CISVers from all backgrounds, youth participants, leaders, parents and administrators, so as to discover what, in their eyes, makes CISV special. The information was collated by each of the National Interview Coordinators and their summaries forwarded to ILTC.

“I value the ability that CISV has to inspire…” CISV Storybook

This approach involved people at all levels of the organization in one global initiative. The questions were designed to discover not only how CISV had influenced the interviewee, but also what that person expected from CISV and wanted CISV to develop.

“…I still remember the exact moment when my world got a whole lot bigger.” CISV Storybook

One of the aims of the research was to generate a collection of stories and anecdotes of CISV at its best, a personal record of inspirational anecdotes. This CISV storybook provides a stunning testimony to CISV's achievements and, thereby, guides us toward ongoing success. Interviewees were asked about the values that they perceived as being special to CISV and about their personal wishes as regards the organization. Click here to read the CISV Storybook