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AFDA Strategic – 2022-2025 – Planning for the Future
AFDA Strategic Plan 2022 – 2025
Planning for the Future
AFDA has launched a new Strategic Plan to help shape the future of the Association for the next three years. In June this year AFDA National Councillors and professional facilitator John Mero met to develop a three-year strategic plan covering the period 2022-2025.
The new Strategic Plan for 2022 – 2025 helps to ensure AFDA is well equipped to assist members with the myriad of issues facing the industry now and for the future including industry disruptors, increased scrutiny, costs and perceived diminished value of a funeral.
AFDA is the national peak body for the funeral industry with Member firms in every State and Territory. AFDA’s key objective continues to be to optimise the funeral experience and ensure quality delivery of service to the wider community by enhancing and promoting professional funeral standards.
Members and stakeholders had the opportunity to contribute to the new Strategic Plan via a Member survey, Zoom and in-person meetings. Thank you to those that contributed as the feedback, vision and insight has been incredibly important to guide the direction of what AFDA will look like for the future. The Strategic Plan is underpinned by our Mission, Purpose, Vision and Values for 2022-2025:
• Mission – Promoting the benefit of funerals and professional standards
• Purpose – To assist members in supporting their communities
• Vision – To be the voice of the funeral industry
• Values – Standards, Transparency, Accountability, Professionalism, Leadership, Ethics and Support.
To achieve these objectives the following strategic goals have been adopted for 2022-2025:
• Membership Retention and Growth
• Dynamic Representation and Advocacy
• Commercial Viability through Diversity and Expansion
• Continuing Professional Development
• Promoting the Value of Funerals to the Community. • launch a targeted growth campaign.
As part of AFDA’s commitment to members to deliver unrivalled support we will be undertaking a review and assessment of AFDA’s member benefits by looking to feedback garnered in the member survey, ways to offer more value adds and continue to explore how we can best support the needs of a diverse funeral industry.
Key areas of focus include:
• AFDA App – work will commence on a refresh of the AFDA App to not only provide up-todate information on AFDA events but valuable on the go information for our members. An Android version of the App will also be developed for the first time.
• Members website – in conjunction with an extensive review and update of AFDA manuals and policy guidelines work will commence on updating the content, tools and information available in the members only area of the website to assist members in their day to day businesses.
The new Strategic Plan helps to ensure AFDA is well equipped to assist members
MEMBERSHIP RETENTION AND GROWTH
AFDA continues to focus on our strategic goal of membership retention and growth. The number of funerals conducted by our members has increased year on year from 53,600 funerals conducted by members in 2019 to 99,275 funerals conducted by members in 2022 strengthening AFDA’s scale and relevance. As part of the three-year plan AFDA will evaluate:
• the need for differing member categories,
• increase promotion of our offerings to nonmembers; and
DYNAMIC REPRESENTATION AND ADVOCACY
The AFDA has an important role in building awareness and leading a national conversation to help increase understanding of the work of funeral professionals and their role in caring for the deceased of loved ones. As part of the three-year plan AFDA will be working to proactively engage with the industry, government, community and media by developing a stronger narrative on the industry and the role of funerals to people and the community supported by:
• Ongoing research commissioned by AFDA and conducted by McCrindle Research. The third part of this research will explore
the contribution of members to the community and will gather evidence of the positive work of members and the industry with the aim of generating positive media activity.
• Continuing to advocate and shape policy on behalf of members by proactively engaging with Government on issues such as ATO GST Right of Interment and Price Transparency.
• Updating the AFDA promotional handbook and sending to the industry to promote who AFDA is, the benefits of membership, our advocacy work, sponsorship and advertising opportunities, and to recognise those who have contributed so much to our Association since its inception.
• Promoting the important contribution of the funeral industry and its staff to not only grieving families but also their communities as well as attracting new participants to the funeral industry to ensure a viable industry for AFDA Members.
As part of the three-year plan AFDA will identify methods to increase commercial viability including further opportunities to license the Your Goodbye campaign, investigating new membership categories and different avenues to attract non-members. An extensive review and update of the AFDA Constitution will assist in evaluating membership categories and foundational matters such as size and role of Councils.
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
AFDA has distinguished itself as a leader in the delivery of training for its members. With the advent of COVID-19 and the disruption of in-person training AFDA is working to future proof training as part of its three-year plan including:
• Developing an online learning hub for members and their staff which will contain an array of online courses suitable for all industry participants.
• Developing a training needs matrix to not only determine the skills and attributes of members but also to identity any gaps in training requirements to further enrich the funeral sector.
• Continuing the AFDA webinar series with relevant and inspiring speakers in conjunction with face-to-face learning to round out AFDA’s offering of continuing professional development.
• Governance and media training for AFDA National Councillors and Executives as required to ensure a competent and efficient Board who are also best prepared to promote the important and positive work of our industry.
PROMOTING THE VALUE OF FUNERALS TO THE COMMUNITY
Another focus of the three-year plan is looking to partnerships that increase awareness of AFDA, the difference in choosing an AFDA Member over a non-member and that promote the work of our members to their communities. This includes a focus on:
• Brand awareness – AFDA will be embarking on an extensive project with Palliative Care Australia, work closely with MyTributes to build AFDA brand awareness online and highlight AFDA Members over nonmembers to the public as well as increasing our presence at industry events such as Dying to Know Day.
• Media – During the height of COVID-19 the media turned to AFDA for comment and this has continued beyond the pandemic. AFDA aims to leverage its position as the key contact for media and proactively lead communications by pitching positive news stories about the funeral industry. AFDA will also work to increase its presence on social media channels and further promote the work of our members and the industry.
• Marketing – The Your Goodbye campaign will be further developed for members to utilise and educate their communities in the value and benefits of a funeral ceremony. The Your Goodbye campaign encourages families and friends to start the conversation about funeral choices and why funerals are so important to those left behind.
For assistance at any time or for further information on how AFDA tools and resources can help in your business contact National Office on 03 9859 9966 or admin@afda.org.au
