Aulneau Renewal Centre Charting a Course for the Future

13 July, 2023 | Aulneau Renewal Centre

Aulneau Renewal Centre (ARC), which offers therapeutic supports to children, adults and families in Winnipeg and Steinbach, has launched a new strategic plan. The process for creating the five-year plan included an extensive community consultation process that has shed light on where ARC is thriving and where they can lean in more to better serve clients.

With the support of consultants Denise Bélanger and John Hutton, ARC held consultations with staff, board members, external community partners such as Accueil francophone, Chez Rachel and Nor’West Co-op Community Health, plus a few Réseau Compassion Network (RCN) member organisations.

Elizabete Halprin, the Executive Director of ARC, shares that the process took nearly a year and has been a validating experience. “As I’m still fairly new in this role, it was really powerful for me to see how the partnerships created by being a part of the RCN family has benefitted us,” continues Halprin. “It was interesting to hear from other organisations both in terms of feedback on our vision and our goals, but also it invited us to think about ways that we can work more closely together. Our strategic planning process has actually opened the door to more opportunities for collaboration.”

Elizabete Halprin

Halprin acknowledges that for clients and staff, the opportunity to contribute to the planning process was powerful. “We heard from participants that they felt heard and included,” she continues. “Overall, the feedback was very positive so we knew it was about creating three strong pillars that would continue to guide us for the next several years.”

The pillars focus on supporting, building and extending the mission of ARC. The support pillar includes financial sustainability, communications with internal and external partners and items like policies. “It’s not the most exciting stuff, but it’s important!” Halprin shares with a laugh.

The second pillar of building on the mission focuses on attachment-based therapies for clients. Reunification programs, parent coaches and ongoing professional development for staff are cited as areas that can continue to be enhanced to provide services to more people across the province.

The last pillar, extending the mission, explores how ARC can better understand who they’re serving and how best to support them. “This is about always being able to engage meaningfully and respectfully with our community,” says Halprin. “We have many great people around us to help us to learn and grow in our own journey of reconciliation, equity and diversity.”

As the team at ARC turn to operationalizing their new strategic plan, Halprin is thankful for all who contributed to the process. “I’ve been lucky to join this team just as we began planning. This is a big, ambitious plan for our team, but what was wonderful was seeing that so many of the projects we’re working on were already aligned with the direction we’re headed in,” says Halprin. “It’s reassuring to know that we’re on the right path, and we know that because it’s been confirmed by so many in the community. This whole process was unifying within the team and that means so much. I’m really grateful.”