Watch our All Girls Standing Strong Highlight Video
ALL GIRLS
STANDING STRONG
CANADIAN STRATEGIC PLAN:
2023-
2027
VISION STATEMENT + GOALS
The World Economic Forum believes that it will be 132 years before we achieve gender equality.
We say that’s not good enough. Not when millions of girls face barriers and are denied their basic human rights simply because of their age and gender. We know that a better world is possible and we won’t stop our work until we are all equal.
Our mission hasn’t changed. Creating a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls will continue to inspire everything we do. But our five-year All Girls Standing Strong (AGSS) strategy is designed to beat the clock in advancing girls’ rights.
To do that, we’re going to increase our impact, strengthen our legitimacy, future-proof our work and continue to build a thriving organization that supports these goals.
Why girls?
Investing in girls is one of the most effective ways to fight global poverty and create communities that are healthier and more resilient, just and peaceful. When girls thrive in a more equal world, we are all stronger for it.
All Girls Standing Strong aims to beat the clock in closing the global gender gap. By 2027, this strategy will improve the lives of 30 million children, including 15 million girls.
Watch our All Girls Standing Strong Highlight Video
Strategic Moves
When girls thrive in an equal world, we’re all stronger for it. Our five-year All Girls Standing Strong strategy will help make that happen.
It’s easy to put goals down on paper. The ones we’ve set in our All Girls Standing Strong five-year strategy are ambitious because they require a significant shift in our mindset, structure and operating model. But it will be worth it – especially for the 30 million children, half of them girls, who will be living in a more just world, in part because of our efforts. Cameron Craig, our vice president of finance, frequently reminds us that we’re in a “marathon, not a sprint.”
COVID-19 taught us to be prepared to adapt to the unexpected. The strategy that you read today is dynamic. It will evolve as we explore opportunities and challenges over the next five years. Our plan is both daunting and exciting because it means we’re staying relevant and recognizing the need to keep pace with global trends.
This isn’t a top-down strategy. More than 200 staff participated in its creation. Please see page 34 of the full strategy, where staff members share what inspires them about our commitment to increase our impact, strengthen our legitimacy, future-proof our work and build a thriving organization. Here’s what excites me most about our four strategic focus areas.
Read MoreWhat Is Influencing Us
A summary of global context and trends that shaped the strategic plan.
COVID-19
Every country and economy in the world has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated inequalities, increased rates of poverty by at least 9% and slowed global economic expansion to 3.6% in 2022. These effects are felt disproportionally by women and girls as the pandemic continues to unravel decades of hard-fought progress for girls’ rights. At an operational level, the impact of the pandemic on the workforce has required employers, including Plan International Canada, to rapidly modernize operations, focus on wellness and work-life balance and determine how to attain a sustainable level of quality performance.
Climate Crisis
In addition to the pandemic, we are witnessing a human-made climate emergency that will continue to make humanitarian crises and gender inequality worse. Climate change escalates social, political and economic tensions in fragile and conflict-affected states. Since 2010, 1.3 billion people have been seriously affected by extreme weather, with girls being most vulnerable to its effects.
Watch Evelyn Wambui talking about hunger and thirst in Tana River County in Kenya
Humanitarian Crises
Protracted crises and disasters are increasing, and in 2020, an estimated 23 million people were pushed into poverty due to fragility, conflict and violence – over 70% were women, youth and children. Climate change and conflict cause greater risks of gender-based violence, disruption to health services and education and increased rates of child, early and forced marriage. We are also now seeing the emergence of a devastating global food crisis, with countries struggling with conflict, climate change and economic turbulence. Forty-five million people are close to starvation right now, with women and children being hit the hardest – they account for 70% of the world’s hungry. When food is scarce, girls often eat less and eat last.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 sparked a global recognition of the need for all organizations to address systemic racism, inspiring a recommitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I).
Supporter Preferences
Disparities in wealth continue to deepen, with fewer people donating to charitable causes; however, those who do give are now giving larger amounts, with expectations of more restricted giving and higher accountability. Younger supporters relate less to traditional means of giving, preferring both digital and cause-related giving. As economies suffer, supporters are turning toward local needs and away from global causes.
Youth
Over a billion young people make up the largest generation of youth in history. They are at the forefront of many modern social-justice movements – a number of which focus on shifting power and altering historical systems that perpetuate racism and colonialism, with the aid sector facing criticism and demands to address colonial power structures. Youth are also demanding representation in the decision-making spaces that impact their lives.
Shrinking Civic Space
Even in democratic countries, civil-society organizations and the media are being attacked, and the space available for public discourse has become fraught with aggression and intimidation as populist and nationalist movements dominate the social and political agendas.
Shift in Global Power
We are seeing a shift in global power: Overseas development assistance is decreasing, while supporters and local civil-society actors from the Global South are challenging traditional aid flows and power structures.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
While those with access to digital technology and connectivity benefit from the seemingly ubiquitous availability of data and information, those without are left further behind by the digital divide.
This Is Our Roadmap
Shifting Gears
There are four strategic focus areas and 13 goals. Some of these goals we’ve been working on for some time (focus), others we’ve recently emphasized (confirm) and some mark a new direction for us (change). We’ve indicated each goal’s status with Focus, Confirm, and Change icons.
Focus
Further focus on and deepen strengths that have been built over the past five-plus years.
Confirm
Confirm and extend more recent shifts.
Change
Change approach more significantly, requiring greater lift to capability, alignment and investment.
Face Time
We matched each of the illustrated girls to one of the four focus areas in the strategy and also associated that focus area with a colour.
Focus 1
Increase Impact
Focus 2
Strengthen Legitimacy
Focus 3
Future-Proof
Focus 4
Enhance Our thriving Organization
ALL GIRLS STANDING STRONG
Purpose Statement
We strive for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.
Global ambition statement
All girls standing strong creating global change.
Plan International Canada Strategy: 2023–2027
Focus 1Increase Impact
|
Focus 2Strengthened legitmacy
|
Focus 3Future proofing
|
|
Strategic Enablers
|
||
Focus 4Enhance our thriving organization
|
||
increase impact
Focus
GLOBAL CONTEXT
Tens of millions of people are being pushed into poverty due to increased fragility, conflict, violence, climate crises and the pandemic, and the vast majority are women and children. There is a growing need for intervention through both humanitarian and development initiatives that challenge the root causes of gender inequality. High-quality, up-to-date data analysis and rigorous monitoring, evaluation and reporting are required to be successful. Plus, persuasive evidence-based commentary is needed so that we can build trust and advocate for greater change.
I’m excited about our dual-mandate work. We’re not living in a time where development and humanitarian disasters can be treated as happening separately. We can’t address these situations with a historical development mindset.”
Dylan Ungerman PROGRAM OFFICER, PLAN INTERNATIONAL CANADA
1
The Goal
Continue to deepen our impact through gender-transformative programming.
How we will achieve it
Deepen our gender-transformative programming, which helps girls learn, lead, decide and thrive in the core areas of education, health, protection from violence, youth leadership and empowerment. Our humanitarian response and resilience efforts will include innovative solutions that help communities build resilience against crises including climate change.
from
Put girls’ rights at the centre of our mission, goals and objectives.
to 
Continue to put girls’ rights at the centre of our mission, goals and objectives. Girls remain at the very core of our work – this hasn’t changed.
2
The Goal
Strengthen impact evidence, reporting and decision making across all funding sources.
How we will achieve it
Strengthen our evidence of impact and our ability to report across all funding sources. Share these tangible results in a manner that resonates with all supporters, program stakeholders and decision makers.
from
Focus on reach and revenue as a means to measure impact.
to
Focus on a more detailed and robust understanding of measurable impact – beyond revenue and reach – in our goals, decisions, reporting and communications.
3
The Goal
Strengthen our capabilities and position ourselves as a dual-mandate organization that specializes in the nexus (overlap) between humanitarian and development programming, with a focus on adolescent girls in fragile contexts.
How we will achieve it
Increase our impact by improving our agility. Strengthen our capacity and readiness to act as a dual-mandate (humanitarian/development) organization that supports nexus programming, with a focus on adolescent girls in fragile contexts.
from
Focus primarily on long-term international development while growing our strength in responding to humanitarian needs within the communities we serve.
to
Become the leading global organization supporting girls in crisis. As a dual-mandate organization, we will increase our presence in the space where long-term development and humanitarian needs intersect.
Strengthened Legitmacy
Focus
GLOBAL CONTEXT
Our sector is evolving from a traditional north-south aid colonial-influenced relationship to one that shifts power closer to where the projects are taking place. Our Child Sponsorship model, which is important in maintaining our community presence and financial sustainability, must evolve to remain current and aligned with our focus on child-led initiatives. The model needs to allow more flexibility so that we can respond to increasing fragility and volatility in the communities we serve. We are also seeing youth at the forefront of social-justice movements and are committed to putting youth voices at the centre of decision making.
Our localization strategy prepares us for a future shaped by a commitment to anti-racism and decolonization. We’re putting girls and youth at the centre of our decisions, and we’re shifting the decision making power and dollars to local communities.”
Sarah Kramer CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, PLAN INTERNATIONAL CANADA
4
The Goal
Shift power closer to the point of impact through localization and strengthened partnerships.
How we will achieve it
We will support Country Office localization ambitions, enabling greater capacity and capability, while actively shifting resources and decision making closer to the point of impact. We will continue to influence and, where it’s within our jurisdiction, advance diversity and representation across all levels of governance and decision making, including involving youth in the design, delivery and governance of projects.
from
Consult and collaborate with Country Offices regarding programs and funding, with decisions and oversight centred at the Canadian National Office.
to
Actively shift power and decision making closer to those who are working on, and impacted by, Plan International’s programming interventions.
5
The Goal
Optimize and modernize impactful Child Sponsorship.
How we will achieve it
Evolve the narrative and programming so that Child Sponsorship continues to be an effective strategy for sustained donor support. Focus on integrated, community-level impact that leverages multiple sources of funds for maximum sustained local impact. We call this the Plan Effect.
from
Traditional approach to Child Sponsorship.
to
Optimize Child Sponsorship as an integrated component of our program strategy while modernizing and employing digital-first marketing and communications.
6
The Goal
Amplify the voice of youth in Canada to advocate for and support Plan International’s global purpose and ambitions.
How we will achieve it
Consistently co-create our programming and influencing strategies with young people as decision makers and active drivers of change. Increase collaboration on youth-focused initiatives across the federation. Strengthen the capabilities and connectedness of youth as global citizens.
from
Build a Canada-focused youth-led movement.
to
Engage youth in Canada to activate their global citizenship in a more strategic way, positioning Plan International as the go-to subject-matter expert in youth-centred approaches to advocacy, engagement and policy influencing.
future Proofing
Focus
GLOBAL CONTEXT
We have some notable funding challenges ahead, as governments reduce their contributions and supporters place more restrictions on how their giving is allocated. The pandemic has also turned supporters’ attention to local needs, and their increased interest in giving to humanitarian crises is lessening their interest in international-development-based giving. We need to be a compelling and consistent voice that draws attention to global issues. We want supporters and stakeholders to turn to us for meaningful and trustworthy insights on humanitarian and development matters.
Reinvigorating our brand isn’t just about being more recognizable; it’s about doing a better job of showing what we do and what our values are. If we do that well, people will want to pay attention.”
Mandy Sherman SENIOR MANAGER, CONTENT & EDITORIAL, PLAN INTERNATIONAL CANADA
7
The Goal
Grow sustainable quality income.
How we will achieve it
We will grow income at a sustainable level through current, emerging and innovative revenue sources. There will be an optimal mix of types of funds so we can maximize impact in the countries where we work while also enabling effective operation in Canada. Our funding strategy will also ensure that Canada contributes to the effectiveness and sustainability of the broader global enterprise.
from
A focus on Canadian institutional grants, top-line income and new-supporter growth.
to
A sustainable mix of flexible, strategically restricted and fully restricted funds, with a focus on supporter retention and stewardship.
8
The Goal
Develop our brand identity with a compelling voice.
How we will achieve it
We will embrace our global strengths through our brand strategy and leverage the determined-optimist mindset, which attracts and unites employees, supporters and partners. Expressing a clear point of view and perspective on global issues will bring a new boldness to our voice. We will embrace a social-justice mindset and a youthful persona. Finally, we’ll become known as the go-to Canadian organization for girls’ rights. This reputation will be shaped through engaging storytelling that brings our audiences closer to where the changes are happening.
from
A suite of strong program and product brands linked to children’s rights and equality for girls.
to
Consistent communications from all stakeholders. Influential messenging that reflects a social-justice perspective that holds us and others accountable for efforts to decolonize the aid sector.
Enhancing our thriving organization
Focus
GLOBAL CONTEXT
The ways we learned to adapt and evolve during the COVID-19 pandemic hold important lessons for our personal and professional lives. New ways of working and an emphasis on wellness and sustainable performance make us a more people-centred workplace. There is also a heightened commitment to expand diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in all sectors. Finally, there’s recognition of the need to be a more insight-driven digital organization, as it will help us work more effectively and be more agile in meeting the needs of our supporters and stakeholders.
I enjoy working in an agile environment, which is why I am excited about the technical solutions we are bringing in. I think they will allow teams to perform their jobs more efficiently so they can spend time doing that they’re good at.
Angela Klein, SENIOR BUSINESS ANALYST, PLAN INTERNATIONAL CANADA
9
The Goal
Build on our core values, putting people at the centre, to promote wellness, engagement and sustainable performance.
How we will achieve it
Being people-centred will be an explicit enterprise value. We are committed to focusing on employee well-being, engagement, development and sustainable high performance.
from
Individual and team performance with an emphasis on short-term results and growth.
to
Emphasis on the wellness and engagement of our people, with a focus on excellent and sustainable performance.
10
The Goal
Continue our diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) journey.
How we will achieve it
Continue our DE&I journey by implementing the FY21–24 strategy and investing in policy, training and communications. We’ll create safe spaces where everyone can contribute their full value.
from
Respond to social shifts and requests from staff to build a clear DE&I strategy that complies with global and local policies.
to
DE&I is part of our cultural fabric and infused in our governance and decision making. We are known as an organization where everyone can bring their whole selves to work.
11
The Goal
Be an insight-driven digital enterprise.
How we will achieve it
Continue our journey to become a more integrated, connected and insight-driven digital organization through enhancements in our people, data, processes and technology, including enterprise-wide data-driven modelling.
from
Catch-up siloed investments in large digital and technology projects.
to
Enhance the capability of people, processes, data and technology to become a more stakeholder-centric, insight-driven, innovative, agile and integrated enterprise.
12
The Goal
Have efficient structures and systems that enable teams to be agile and work more effectively and collaboratively.
How we will achieve it
Improve organization-wide collaboration and right-size decision making. Increase agility and solidify the hybrid working model and other structures and systems that increase effectiveness, efficiency and quality while supporting innovation.
from
Functional business-unit silos and risk-averse decision-making culture.
to
Integrated and collaborative culture that supports agility and innovation.
13
The Goal
Strengthen enterprise-wide knowledge-management capabilities to optimize the utilization of evidence, insights and learnings.
How we will achieve it
Develop our capability to leverage evidence, insights and learnings that will enable more efficient and effective supporter engagement and fundraising. Invest in people, processes, systems and tools to meet enterprise-knowledge demands, including thought leadership.
from
Siloed storage of knowledge, shared ad hoc with a narrow focus.
to
Searchable, user-friendly knowledge-management system that is relevant to different audiences.
Join our mailing list to receive updates
By signing up you agree to receive our emails.