Facilitating Change Planning in Uncertain Times
About the Client
Sydenham Garden is a community-based charity in South London, working to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of local residents. Its mission is rooted in connection: with nature, with creativity, and with each other. The charity provides therapeutic horticulture, creative activities, training opportunities, and conservation projects, all delivered through an inclusive model that places volunteers and ‘co-workers’ at the centre.
What They Needed
In the context of a challenging and uncertain fundraising landscape, Sydenham Garden wanted to create space for strategic thinking. The senior team and Board recognised the value of stepping back to explore possible scenarios, clarify shared values, and consider how to adapt if needed.
The initial request was for a single session to support strategic reflection; a dedicated thinking space, rather than a decision-making forum. The aim was to support the trustees and Co-Directors better understand the implications of the external environment and lay the groundwork for confident, values-led decisions if future changes were required. As the picture became clearer, this work evolved into a series of structured conversations designed to support the organisation to move thoughtfully from reflection to action.
What We Did Together
I worked closely with the Co-Directors to design a three-part process that would support the Board navigate uncertainty without rushing decisions. The sessions were structured to build on one another, moving from exploratory thinking to planning and, eventually, to agreeing a way forward.
In the first session, we explored the charity’s current position, the wider funding environment, and the charity’s vision and values. Together, we developed a set of guiding principles to anchor future decisions, ensuring that any strategic choices would remain grounded in the organisation’s mission and community. We also explored potential funding and operational scenarios and surfaced what the Board would need in order to make informed and confident decisions as things progressed.
The second session focused on potential operational models. Through facilitated discussion, the group explored how these aligned with the previously agreed principles and long-term direction of the charity. We also identified what additional information, consultation or analysis would be needed to be decision-ready at the next stage.
In the third and final session, the Board and Co-Directors reached an agreement on a preferred way forward. They mapped out a plan for consultation and early implementation, and designed a governance framework to ensure continued oversight and inclusive decision-making.
Throughout the process, my role was to hold an inclusive, supportive space for reflection, challenge and clarity; helping the group navigate complexity while staying connected to their purpose and people. I also provided written summary reports after each session to support ongoing planning and documentation.
The Impact
As a result of this work, Sydenham Garden now has a shared direction of travel, an agreed governance framework, and a plan for implementation and consultation with its stakeholders. The process helped the Board and leadership team move from uncertainty to clarity, while staying true to the values that make Sydenham Garden’s work so vital.
One of the Co-Directors said: “Our governance team came to Flóra with a tangle of strategic questions and no clear way through them. She helped us build a three-step process; starting with our values, testing them against the evidence, then translating that into decisions - that let us process fast-moving information in a structured, accessible way. The result was a strategic direction genuinely grounded in our values and our collective passion as a board, with our community at its heart. Just as importantly, Flóra acted as a critical friend throughout - facilitating, planning, and reflecting back to us - so we ended up confident in our governance rationale and able to communicate it clearly to our stakeholders, giving the whole organisation a shared sense of direction rather than a decision simply handed down from the board.”
Navigating Change with Care?
If your organisation is facing uncertainty, change, or tough decisions, I can help you create space for strategic reflection, scenario planning and values-led action. Get in touch to explore how we might work together.