Review of a National Community Mental Health Outreach Initiative
Status: Completed 2024
Client: National peak body for community mental health
Background
A national peak body commissioned Beacon Strategies to review the operations and future direction of a large-scale mental health outreach initiative. The initiative aimed to improve mental health awareness and connection to supports through direct community engagement. With the program reaching maturity, the client sought an independent perspective on how well the initiative was performing and how it aligned with the organisation’s strategy and future priorities.
Approach
We undertook a focused review of the initiative with five key lines of inquiry:
• Alignment of project expenditure with budget
• Fidelity to program design and contractual intent
• Effectiveness of governance and administration
• Cultural appropriateness of delivery
• Strategic fit with the broader work of the organisation
Our work included document review, targeted consultations, and analysis of governance and financial arrangements. We synthesised findings and provided clear recommendations to support the organisation’s decision-making.
Outcome
The review found the initiative was generally viewed positively by stakeholders, particularly in its community reach and intent. However, areas for improvement were identified in financial oversight, strategic integration, and maintaining fidelity to the original design. Our recommendations focused on strengthening governance, improving financial monitoring, addressing implementation drift, and clarifying how the initiative fits within the organisation’s future strategic direction.
Link to our vision 'a more impactful social purpose sector'
This project supports our vision by enabling a national mental health organisation to assess and adapt a large-scale initiative to ensure it remains sustainable, strategically aligned, and responsive to community needs.
We support national peak bodies and advocacy organisations to review programs and clarify direction.
Explore more of our work in Organisational Strategy, Design and Review here.
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