Strategic Plan of the Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre 2019-2023
Contents •
Background
•
Environmental Scan
•
Strategic Plan Process
•
SWOT Analysis
•
Vision
•
Strategic Goals and Objectives
•
Mission
•
•
Values
Alignment with Humber College’s 2018-2023 Strategic Plan
Background
•
Established as part of the land agreement for the Welcome Centre
•
Opened in January 2016
•
Report to the Office of the Principal
Process •
Electronic survey
•
Visioning meeting with Advisory Board
•
Informal focus groups with staff, volunteers, visitors
•
Archival review: Interpretive Plan, feedback from previous focus groups, minutes from previous Advisory meetings
Vision
The Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre will be recognized as a vital cultural partner in the Humber College and Etobicoke Lakeshore communities by:
•
Expanding and sharing our knowledge of the natural, built, and personal histories of the Lakeshore Grounds;
•
Growing a unique collection that incorporates both historical records and contemporary art which capture the diverse perspectives of the Lakeshore Grounds;
•
Cultivating a dynamic audience that transcends the boundaries between the Humber College and Etobicoke Lakeshore communities;
•
Providing training opportunities for students and emerging heritage professionals to experience first-hand the operations of a community-focused heritage organization.
Mission
The Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre researches, preserves, and shares the natural and built histories of the Lakeshore Grounds while engaging both the Humber College and Etobicoke Lakeshore communities through a mix of cultural and arts-based exhibitions and programming. We focus primarily on the themes of: • Indigenous heritage • Mental health • Education • Environmental sustainability
Values
At the core of the operations of the Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre are the following values:
•
Sense of Place
•
Inclusive & Accessible
•
Discovery & Exploration
•
Openness & Dialogue
•
Protect & Respect
•
Responsible & Sustainable
•
Standard of Excellence
Sense of Place We acknowledge that we are all a part of the story of the Lakeshore Grounds: past, present, and future Inclusive & Accessible We endeavour to consider the multiple and varied needs of our audiences within all of our offerings - exhibits, events, and programming alike Discovery & Exploration We commit to fostering continued learning and research in which we seek out and nurture the diverse histories that share the Lakeshore Grounds
Openness & Dialogue We strike to ensure that our knowledge, actions, and decision are visible and open to broad discussion Protect & Respect We seek to preserve and record the diverse histories of the Lakeshore Grounds in a nurturing and respectful manner Responsible & Sustainable We aim for and promote a sustainable and responsible approach to all that we do Standard of Excellence We push to meet and exceed a recognized standard of excellence in our research, interpretation, and care of our collections.
Environmental Scan Population Growth
Humber Lakeshore 11,700 FT students in 2017
9.4% increase over 2015
Etobicoke Lakeshore 129,081 residents in 2016
11.8% increase over 2011
Average Age in 2016
Humber Lakeshore 28% age 18 22% 25+ Etobicoke Lakeshore 42 years
SWOT Analysis
strengths •
The team: staff, volunteers, contributors
•
Welcoming, supportive space
•
Engaged community involvement and advocacy
•
Follow-through on interpretive plan
•
Student-focused opportunities
weaknesses •
Lack of awareness; still unknown within the community
•
Lack of clear identity
•
Small team
•
Attendance low on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays
•
Construction around building has been distracting
threats
opportunities
•
•
Increase consistency and visibility of ads, promotional materials / signs Partnerships both within Humber and within the community
•
Volunteer opportunities
•
Expand online presence: exhibits, resources, archive
•
Entrance makes it unclear that space is open to the public
•
Tiny exhibit space: limits exhibits; eliminates possibility of permanent exhibit
•
Lack of storage: limits possibilities for collection growth
•
Limited funding opportunities
Strategic Directions
Create a distinct and recognized brand identity
Develop and cultivate a connected audience
Make accessible the diverse histories of the Lakeshore Grounds Foster engaged training opportunities for emerging heritage professionals
Create a distinct and recognized brand identity The Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre currently lacks a clear and identifiable identity. We will turn our focus towards increasing awareness of the Interpretive Centre to targeted communities. This will be accomplished through the creation of a logo, greater brand clarity, enhanced marketing, and an expanded online presence.
Create a distinct and recognized brand identity
Finalize the logo and branding standards to provide a unique and recognizable visual identity for the Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre
Design and implement a comprehensive marketing and communications plan that focuses on creating greater awareness and reach across communities.
Expand the content available on the website to create a more accessible and informed community resource.
Develop and cultivate a connected audience Within our first year of operations, we were recognized with two awards from our community: “Best Community Service” in Ward 6 from the GEMs of the Etobicoke Lakeshore and an “Award of Merit” from the LAMP Community Health Centre. But we remain an unknown among many of our neighbors and so we are setting our sights on expanding our reach and growing our audience.
Develop and cultivate a connected audience Improve the visibility of the Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre by fostering existing partnerships and seeking new opportunities within both Humber College and the Etobicoke Lakeshore communities
Diversify the types of annual programming offered to reach across the interests of both existing and potential audiences
Expand the ways through which visitors can engage with exhibit content by increasing interactive components, creating teaching or learning guides, and providing resources for further learning
Making accessible the diverse histories of the Lakeshore Grounds The histories of the Lakeshore Grounds are largely inaccessible. The reasoning is two-fold: there have been limited records collected and those materials that do exist are difficult to access. We aim to increase the accessibility to these histories for our audiences through the growth of our collection, the expansion of our research efforts, and the expansion of our online resources.
Making accessible the diverse histories of the Lakeshore Grounds
Create a collections management policy and actively expand our artefact, archival, photographic, and artistic holdings
Re-launch the oral history project to collect the unique experiences and voices connected to the histories of the Lakeshore Grounds
Expand the breadth and content of our publicly-accessibly online resources; explore options for sharing both completed and continuing research projects
Foster engaged training opportunities for emerging heritage professionals
One of the unique features of the Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre is the opportunity for members of our team to have a hands-on experience in all aspects of our offerings: from planning to exhibits to programming. We are looking to continue to build on this strength and grow the training opportunities available both for staff and volunteers.
Foster engaged training opportunities for emerging heritage professionals
Empower staff to seek continual improvement by providing or supporting skill development opportunities and training
Expand both the breadth of volunteer opportunities and recruitment efforts to increase the ways through which people can become involved in exhibits and programming
Foster opportunities for students to gain work relevant skills by continuing to follow a model of work integrated learning for all work-study and internship positions
Alignment with Humber College’s 2018-2023 Strategic Plan Career-Ready Citizens
Experiential Learning Partnerships
Accessible Education
Healthy and Inclusive Community
Pathways to Learning
Health and Wellness
Innovative Options
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
Indigenous Achievement
Sustainability