Play and Connection Blueprint (Play Matters Australia)

About

Beacon Strategies worked with Play Matters Australia to develop a Play and Connection Blueprint, creating a shared framework to guide how the organisation understands, designs and communicates its work with children, families and communities. 

• Service: Organisational Strategy; Service Design 

• Sector: Not for Profits 

• Client: Play Matters Australia 

• Status: Completed June 2026 

Background 

Play Matters Australia engaged Beacon Strategies to support development of an organisation-wide Play and Connection Blueprint. The project was designed to bring together evidence, stakeholder perspectives, existing programs and organisational knowledge into a single framework that could support strategic alignment, service design and future planning. 

Approach 

We used a structured discovery and sensemaking process that combined evidence review, stakeholder engagement, service mapping and collaborative design activities. 

• Reviewed existing organisational information, evidence and program data. 

• Engaged with staff, volunteers, families, partners and stakeholders to understand experiences and perspectives. 

• Mapped programs and services to develop a clearer picture of the existing service offering. 

• Facilitated workshops and collaborative planning activities with Play Matters Australia. 

• Developed a Blueprint and supporting implementation resources for future consideration and use. 

Outcome 

The project resulted in a Play and Connection Blueprint that provides a shared framework for describing Play Matters Australia’s approach to supporting children, families and communities through play and connection. 

The Blueprint brings together organisational practice, programs and services, capabilities, partnerships, and intended outcomes into a single reference point. It was designed to support consistency of language, future planning, communication and ongoing organisational development. 

The project also included supporting resources and implementation planning materials intended to assist Play Matters Australia as it considers how the Blueprint may be applied and embedded over time. 

Link to our vision 

A more impactful social purpose sector — this project supports our vision of a more impactful social purpose sector by helping an organisation create a clearer and more consistent framework for understanding its work, communicating its value and planning for the future. 

How we can help 

We support not-for-profit organisations to bring together strategy, service design, evidence and stakeholder perspectives into practical frameworks that strengthen organisational alignment and support future planning.