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AUKMM Team Gets Together for A Day Focused on Strategy and Team Building

Published on 03 April 2024 06:55 AM

On Tuesday 30th January, the team here at Age UK Mid Mersey convened at The Heath Business Park in Runcorn for a Team Away Day, marking a significant moment of reflection, strategy discussion, and team building.

The day commenced with a warm welcome from our new CEO Rachel McKernan and introductions from staff members before delving into discussions surrounding AUKMM’s strategy, mission, and priorities for the rest of the year.

CEO Rachel McKernan presented the agenda for the day, outlining the organisation's 2023-2026 Strategic Plan. The team then engaged in a thought-provoking activity which creatively likened AUKMM to a hot air balloon, exploring elements that help the organisation soar and identifying potential obstacles that weigh it down. This enlightening activity prompted us to deeply reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of our current practices, encouraging us to generate innovative ideas that will help us deliver optimal services for our valued client-base.

One notable outcome was the recognition of the need for an enhanced Marketing & PR strategy, emphasising a robust online and Social Media presence and community engagement, ensuring consistent public visibility and accessibility so that individuals in need of our services are well-informed about where and how to find us. This revelation aligns with one of AUKMM's key focuses outlined in the Strategic Plan for the year.

The next focus of the day was to look inward at the team members that make up AUKMM.  Recognising the paramount importance of providing quality support and ensuring each team member feels heard and valued is critical in order to deliver the highest quality service to our clients. A brainstorming session generated a list of improvements aimed at creating a more supportive and conducive work environment, emphasising professional development opportunities.

In a unique exercise, we were then challenged to "invite a client to lunch" giving a chance to let our artistic skills shine. Drawing and creating profiles of AUKMM clients allowed the team to step into the shoes of our service-users, promoting a client-centric approach and encouraging a reflective mind-set.

As the day came to an end, we exchanged our usual roles to become fashion designers and models. This hands-on activity involved designing outfits that symbolised AUKMM, fostering a visually compelling representation of the organisation's identity.

The Team Away Day’s activities aligned seamlessly with AUKMM's four strategic priorities: Building organisational resilience, investing in our people, focusing on service development, and elevating AUKMM's profile. The team, filled with motivation and ambition, walked away from the experience ready to contribute to the organisation's growth and betterment of services for our valued clients.