Pieter Simenon Youth Organization (non-profit)
The nonprofit organization Jongerenwerking Pieter Simenon works with young people who face challenges in multiple areas of life, or who cause problems due to behavior that violates social norms or juvenile delinquency.
Everything they do is always carried out within a framework that focuses on the young person or victim, their living environment, and society.
The question
This nonprofit organization has an innovative and creative DNA. They see movement in the sector and don’t want to let that momentum slip away. Policy developments—focused on early detection, prevention, and support close to the target group—align perfectly with their beliefs. So now is the perfect time to reflect on their strategy.
We helped with the implementation and rollout of those strategic decisions. What roles and positions are needed, how will decision-making and consultation work, and how will teams collaborate across different locations in the future? The challenge was threefold: a strategy, a revamped organizational model, and a high-level action plan that would enable them to take action on their own.
The impact
Bart De Bleser and Siska Van Houtte first, the Pieter Simenon Youth Program had a core group formed, consisting of people from all levels of the organization: people working in the field, strategic staff, coordinators, and representatives from the various regions—all of whom are highly relevant to their work. The process was fairly traditional, using our S&L methodologies to clarify key issues and seek answers to questions such as: What makes you unique? What is the core of the problem? We conducted several exploratory exercises and created an impact model to guide their strategic development paths.
A second, equally important part of the process involved rethinking how collaboration and support structures could drive this renewed vision of the future. How to get the entire organization on board with the change initiative.
The challenge
What initially seemed like the biggest challenge became the key ingredient in a success story. The barriers between all business units and regions began to crumble, thanks to a growing mutual understanding. Employees now receive more recognition for their contributions and roles. For example, by weaving role-playing exercises throughout the process, team members were able to internalize the implications of the new strategy; they could experience each other’s perspectives and the path forward, and let it sink in. As an organization that operates in a highly participatory manner, this was a must.
Once the strategy was in place, we organized a team-building session with the entire team. This was a crucial step in getting everyone on board and keeping them there.
The Collaboration
The core group has truly become a group of ambassadors for the strategy. A project like this couldn’t have turned out much better. The collaboration, the need, and the enthusiasm to connect with one another and learn from each other were strikingly evident and a joy to witness. What’s more, the core group still meets regularly, even now that the strategic process has been completed. This allows them to stay in touch, monitor progress together, and coordinate quickly. There’s an action plan, plenty of enthusiasm, and a top-notch team that can make adjustments where necessary and uphold the nonprofit’s principles.
3 Tips from Roel Gerits and Ilse Jaspers (management team)
Embrace the fact that we face challenges. Talking about them together is the first step toward tackling them.
1. A strong public image is linked to deep-rooted internal connections.
2. Go for the low-hanging fruit first, then aim higher.
3. We’re still working on finding a common language, but we’re adopting the ABC from Siska and Bart at S&L.
Does this case appeal to you?
We'd be happy to listen to the specific needs of your organization. We'll come as a pair to listen to your request and make an initial proposal. Based on the feedback and further co-creation, we'll provide a final proposal.
