Dublin South City Partnership’s Ambitious Strategic Plan
Dublin South City Partnership (DSCP) is a local development company and registered charity which works to address disadvantage, unemployment and social exclusion in Dublin South City. DSCP provides a range of employment services and facilitates social and educational programmes to foster social inclusion. The organisation aims to deliver positive and lasting change in the South Dublin City area, supporting individuals and local communities to achieve better life outcomes. DSCP manages the SICAP, Local Employment Service, Ability and Tus Programmes on behalf of the government.
DSCP embarked on the development of a new, 5-year strategic plan with 2into3 in May 2021.
The Context
As an organisation serving a diverse and growing catchment area, DSCP faced ongoing and emerging challenges which they sought to prepare for, adapt and respond to in a sustainable way. DSCP’s Stretched capacity limited its ability to innovatively respond to the constantly evolving social, policy and funding environments related to the organisation’s work. DSCP’s income model was dominated by state funding, allowing little flexibility for it to build its organisational capacity and deliver programmes based on the priority needs of its community.
Additionally, DSCP highlighted novel threats posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the increasingly urgent issue of climate change. The organisation sought to understand the effects such threats would have on their communities and act quickly to ensure the best outcomes. As such, it was vital for DSCP to review their role as an advocate for inclusive policy change while developing infrastructure that would allow for innovative, timely community responses and for impact to be measured and communicated effectively.
