Bag Books: our strategic plan

About the charity

- Strategy

Buy through this link to Amazon and we will get 5 - 10% commission.

Buy through this link to Buy.at and you can shop with well-known retailers such as B&Q, BT Broadband, Early Learning Centre, Littlewoods and M&S whilst earning us commission.

Sell your unwanted items via our page on ebay and choose a percentage of the sale price to come to us.

Our strategy 2009-2014

Bag Books was founded in 1993. The Memorandum of Association states the following objects: "to promote the recreation and education of children and adults with special learning difficulties and/or physical disabilities in particular through the use of tactile books and related material in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving their conditions of life."

In October 2008, the Trustees adopted the following:

Mission. A summary of the long-term change or difference we want to make.	Impact. The broader and longer-term changes relating to our mission.
To enhance the lives of children and adults with learning disabilities through the use of multi-sensory books.	The inclusion of people with learning disabilities in genuinely accessible learning, social and leisure activities. Advancing learning, in particular communication, for people with learning disabilities. The inclusion of people with severe and profound intellectual and physical disabilities in the appreciation of literature. Improved quality of life for people with learning disabilities.

Specific Aims. The benefits or changes we are trying to achieve.	Outcomes. The changes or benefits that take place as a result of our work relating to our specific aims.
To develop the emotional perception of children and adults with learning disabilities.	Heightened and extended level of arousal and interest. Increased awareness of, and empathy with, emotional experiences.
To motivate children and adults with learning disabilities to engage with objects and materials, and their peers.	Increased attention, recognition and anticipation. Increased enjoyment and engagement. Increasing awareness of peers. Improved interaction and communication skills. Increased motivation to explore objects and materials.
To develop the language, communication and motor skills of children and adults with learning disabilities.	Greater communication of enjoyment and pleasure. Greater physical involvement with story resources. Improved ability to make a choice and/or carry out simple instructions. Increased understanding of sharing and turn taking. Improved motor skills.
To enable professional workers and parent/carers in contact with people who have a learning disability to make use of tactile and multi-sensory books.	Increased awareness of the benefits of multi-sensory story-telling technique. Improved communication with people who have learning disabilities. An opportunity to work with others e.g. parents working with teachers. Increased awareness and confidence for those not in regular contact with people who have learning disabilities e.g. librarians.
To enable service users to be involved in story development and production.	Improved fine motor skills. Development of workshop knowledge e.g. how tools work and which tasks they relate to. Development of social skills. Broader boundary of experience. Improved acceptance of being touched (people with learning disabilities often develop an aversion to touch) and of handling tools and materials. Increased pride in achievements.

Objectives. The methods or activities by which we achieve our aims.	Outputs. The work generated by the charity relating to our objectives.
To promote Multi-Sensory Storytelling Technique within the academic, library and special educational fields.	Articles in journals. Attendance at specialist exhibitions. Providing workshops at conferences.
To develop a range of developmentally appropriate literature for children and adults with severe and profound and multiple learning disabilities.	New child stories. New teenager/adult stories.
To produce story-packs to a high standard.	Story-packs produced.
To organise a programme of storytelling sessions across the UK.	Storytelling sessions.
To train professional workers and parent/carers in the learning disability field as storytellers.	Training sessions.
To provide story production work experience opportunities to adults with learning disabilities.	Work experience sessions

Inputs. The resources we put into the charity which directly affect the quality and level of our outputs.

A wide base of Trustee skills and experience.
Staff and volunteer time, experience, skills and research.
A well-equipped workshop.
Funding to subsidise costs.
A range of promotional materials such as a general leaflet about our work and display stands.
A range of training aids such as handouts and videos.

The next stages

Our new Chief Executive, Dean Casswell, is now beginning to lead an effort to flesh out a strategy and an operational plan in order to meet the statements above.

The senior staff will assess the environment in which we operate: considering challenges the organisation is likely to face and opportunities we may be able to exploit. As part of this, they will examine the charity's strengths and capacity. From this they will make an informed decision about which actions need to be taken to achieve the aims and objectives taking into account priority, feasibility and risk assessment.

This work will shape a strategy and create a framework within which the organisation can carry out its work. The draft strategy will be presented to the Trustees early in 2009.

Work will then begin on turning the strategy into an operational plan so that we can work towards implementing the decisions made.

Registered Charity Number 1026432	© Copyright, Bag Books 2008
Privacy and Copyright Statements	Text last updated 16 October 2008