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Propelling the future of early learning and child care in Manitoba with MCCA

How the Manitoba Child Care Association turned their strategic planning into an inspiring, creative and intentional process 


The Manitoba Child Care Association (MCCA), the largest provincial child care association in Canada, is known for their early learning and child care advocacy in Manitoba since 1974.  

 

Their mission is clear: to advocate for a quality child care system, to advance early learning and child care education as a profession, and provide services to its members.  

 

The Challenge 

MCCA was to create their next strategic 5-year plan, but the team of nearly 20 people (made up of mostly Board of Directors and a few Leadership Team staff) was adamant that the planning process be quick, collaborative, and uncomplicated unlike in the past. Though there was a commitment to strategic planning from the Board of Directors and Leadership Team, previous planning sessions felt routine and familiar. The group was looking for a more inspiring, motivating and action-oriented approach to planning. 

 

So, with an eye on the past and their minds on the future: How will MCCA support and advocate for a quality child care system in Manitoba that will truly resonate with their membership? But also, how will MCCA develop this plan more collaboratively and effectively?  

 

The Solution 

Turning to Sidekick for their expertise in strategy, our strategic planning framework allowed the many brilliant minds at MCCA to come together, creating an incredible buzz and energy. (Spoiler alert:  the final plan!) The group had mixed experiences with strategy and planning workshops, so Sidekick asked them to adopt a specific mindset before getting started: To trust the process.  

 

“Unlike other strategic planning sessions, this process was inspiring, creative and intentional.” – Jodie Kehl, Executive Director, MCCA 

 

Inspired by Inclusive Design Thinking methods and Sidekick’s Entrepreneurial Design, Sidekick and MCCA considered all aspects of the organization and audiences to craft an optimal and inclusive plan, while encouraging themselves to think bigger and differently, and having some fun at the same time. 

 

“The expertise, emotions, and energy from these sessions resulted in a meaningful 5-year strategic plan that will guide MCCA’s work with focus and purpose. Thanks, Sidekick!”  – Jodie Kehl, Executive Director, MCCA 

1. Discover & Frame – Getting into it! 

This initial phase gathered insights and understanding of the core WHY of MCCA's work. Sidekick's engagement plan leveraged a few key pieces: 

  • Member, board, and staff surveys 

  • Market research to understand the early learning and child care landscape in Manitoba 

  • Understanding MCCA’s organizational model, through our 4P Assessment (Psst: You can learn more about Sidekick’s propriety 4P Assessment here.)  

 


MCCA's 4P Assessment

2. Ideate & Iterate - Solutions began to take shape here!  

Taking insights from the discovery, Sidekick facilitated a two-day strategic planning workshop with the Board and Executive Team, bringing strategic and operations POVs together. 

 

The group leveraged our best practice tools such as a V/TO and an OKR to get clear and specific on tactics, goals, and measurables.  Remember: MCCA wanted this process to be ‘clear and uncomplicated’. 

 

The group refined MCCA's Mission, Vision, and Values, developed a 5-year vision, crafted SMART goals, and identified new key strategies all to be reviewed by key stakeholders.  

 

3. Optimize – The final stages! 

With stakeholder feedback in hand, Sidekick fine-tuned the Strategic Plan, which was presented to and approved by MCCA's board. For MCCA, this was a pivotal moment because they arrived at a plan they were excited about and got to it in an easy, collaborative, and energizing way! 

 

The Impact 

The MCCA team, even those with a more arduous past with strategic planning, enjoyed the strategic planning process and fostered ownership and commitment across the organization.  MCCA is now equipped to pursue their goals, KPIs, and dreams with renewed energy and purpose.  


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