In June the RHLI asked Its supporters to help quantify its 'Vision and Ualues1 for the future.

Here Undrew Freemantle, Director of the Institution, reports on the outcomeM any thousands of people intimately involved in the work of the RNLI, including crew members, shore helpers, volunteer fundraisers, staff. Shoreline and Offshore members and Governors, contributed to the Vision and Values exercise last June.

The purpose of this article is to tell you what we did, how it was done and, crucially, what the practical outcome of this exercise is.

The exercise seemed to generate tremendous strength of feeling - both positive and negative. Some of you felt it was simply a waste of time and money, that it was the work of highly paid external consultants or that we were trying to fix something that isn't broken. On the other hand, many of you were delighted to have your opinions sought and relished the opportunity to contribute to the future direction of the RNLI.

The Vision and Values exercise was not an attempt to redefine the purpose of the RNLI - we are all unanimous in our understanding of the RNLI's purpose (to save lives at sea), where the Institution has come from and where it is now. The aim of this exercise was to stimulate comment about the RNLI's/Mmre by consulting with a wide cross section of people who have an interest in or involvement with the RNLI. The resulting Vision and Values statements will help us in planning for our future. Whilst we are all tremendously proud of the Institution's history, we should also be aware that organisations that stand still rarely flourish.

Having read the ideas and comments made in the thousands of completed questionnaires and letters we have received, there is no doubt that there are parts of this exercise that we could have done better. Despite very careful planning and consultation, hindsight seems to bring a new perspective! We could have used more appropriate language and we could have asked you to respond in a less structured way than by using a questionnaire. Perhaps most importantly of all, we could have explained better how your feedback would be used so that you appreciated that the words you submitted for the Vision and Values statements would help guide the RNLI's strategic plan for 2000 and beyond.

WHAT DID Uie DO? Back in February 1999, an in-house team of five, led by Ian Ventham, the Head of Fundraising, and comprising staff members from the Operations, Technical and Fundraising Departments agreed a plan to elicit views on the future of the RNLI.

HOW DID UIE DO IT? We decided to use a simple questionnaire distributed to the following people, all of whom have a strong interest in the future of our organisation: • All crew members and shore helpers •All Committee of Management, Executive, and Standing Committee members • Station and Financial Branch Officials • All Souvenir Secretaries • All staff members • A 3% representative sample of Shoreline, Offshore, and Governor members.

The questionnaire was designed 'in-house' but the non-profit making body. Electoral Reform Ballot Services, were asked to carry out the printing, mailing and receipt of replies, because they could do this more efficiently and cheaply than we could ourselves. Some 30,000 questionnaires were despatched in June.

Response In all, 2,558 questionnaires were sent back representing a response rate of approximately 8.5%. Perhaps surprisingly, this response rate is considered by experts to be neither very high, nor very low; certainly, it is considered to be a very representative sample of your views.

We also received many hundreds of letters in addition to the completed questionnaires.

What did you say? Clearly, there were some strong views about the exercise and many people wrote back either directly to the RNLI or on the questionnaire to criticise it as a waste of time and money Overall. Iff? took this view. On the other hand, 90% of you responded w ith real enthusiasmand offered some considered opinions and innovative ideas.

The main purpose of the questionnaire was to collate the actual words that should appear in our Vision and Values statements. As well as submitting your words, many of you also added additional comments and views. 7% of respondents offered a general statement of support for the RNLI and praise for the crews and 5% of you voiced the opinion that the purpose of the RNLI should remain unchanged. Another view frequently aired was the value of the voluntary nature of the RNLI and the importance of state-of-the-art boats and equipment for our crews.A commonly voiced concern (emanating mainly from volunteer fundraisers themselves) was the current average age of our supporters and volunteer fundraisers. Many of you felt that we should be taking active steps to recruit younger volunteers and members. Innovation was close to your hearts too; you felt that we should become more proactive in our educational role with more work in the Sea Safety arena and that we should concentrate on developing creative and diverse methods of fundraising.

We were delighted and impressed to receive over a hundred poems and limericks which clearly represented hours of creative thought.

There was plenty of humour and light relief contained in them, together with some very emotional and stirring poetry. Interestingly, the poems reflected the overall view, with 90% of them positive and supportive and 10% of them negative. Space prevents us from printing them all.

but we hope that you enjoy the cross section we have chosen.

WHICH WORDS DID VOU CHOOSE? We have grouped together similar words to produce a 'top six' list of words for the Vision and another list for Values. The percentages are the proportion of all respondents who suggested each word listed : uision Excellent / best / professional / first choice / efficient / effective 71 % Trustworthy / reliable / responsive / dependable / dedicated / committed 61 % Innovative / creative / progressive / modem / forward thinking / planning 52' Recognised / respected / acknowledged -Wf ' • Understanding / caring / meeting individuals needs 36% International / world class / world leader / leadership 33' r unuies Courageous / brave / dedicated / committed / selfless 84% Expert / professional / quality / efficient / effective 79% Voluntary / volunteers 62% Reliable / trustworthy / dependable / responsible, responsive 50% Recognised / respected / acknowledged 47 % Community / accessible to all / available 46% A lowering sky A heaving sea A crippled boat waiting anxiously A lifeboat racing to its aid Another rescue safely madeWHAT now? Using the most commonly used synonyms and following detailed discussion with senior staff of the RNLI and Trustees, the following decisions have been made: PURPOSE 'The RNLI exists to save lives at sea' UlSIOfl 'To be recognised universally as the most effective, innovative and dependable lifeboat service' UHLUES In all we do or say we will: • Recognise the courage, commitment and humanity of our crews.

• Maintain our volunteer ethos.

• Harness staff professionalism and expertise in support of our volunteers.

• Strive for high standards.

• Preserve our independence and the trust of the public.

• Encourage open and effective communication.

ncrions • Improve lifeboat cover: - Reach 95% of casualties within 30 minutes of launch.

- Reach virtually any point out to 50 miles within two hours of launch in fair weather.

- 68 Severns and Trents on station by the year 2005.

- All Atlantic stations to have A75s by 2005 (except where replaced by FIB 1).

• Develop new lifeboat designs: - Develop Fast Slipway Boat 2 (FSB2) to enter service in 2004.

- Develop: - Fast Response Boat (FRB1) to enter service in 2005.

- Fast Inshore Boat (FIB 1) to enter service in 2002.

- Inshore Boat (IB I ) to enter service in 2001.

• Pursue innovative ways of extending the role of the RNLI to save more lives: - Trial use of light hovercraft to add to lifeboat cover in suitable locations.

- Investigate rescue cover on inland waters.

- Research beach safety and rescue cover.

- Prepare plans to support civil emergencies.

• Expand the sea safety initiative: - National awareness of Sea Check.

- Children's sea safety campaign.

- Fishermen's safety campaign.

- Leisure sea users campaign.

• Continue to raise enough money: - Sustain regional fundraising and membership.

- Develop new markets (eg Offshore).

- Sustain legacy messages.

- Develop other fundraising where cost effective.

• Significantly increase public awareness: - Address family audiences more effectively.

- Improve press contacts nationally and locally.

- Improve visitor access to stations and Headquarters.

- Further develop RNLI website.

- Create regional youth education programme.

- Bring the levels of prompted awareness of the under 20s to at least 40% by 2003.

• Invest in development and training of volunteers and staff: - Establish an RNLI college and develop it as an acknowledged centre of excellence.

- Obtain external accreditation for training, where appropriate.

- Create externally validated certificates of competence.

- Introduce competence based training throughout the RNLI.

- Introduce progressive development training and opportunities. •A ' J _J J.

continued • Encourage innovation: - Design and introduce a suggestion scheme.

- Measure the quality of services in the RNLI against those of other organisations.

- Seek to identify potential in performance appraisal.

- Maintain competitive staff terms and conditions.

• Improve welfare for retired volunteers, staff and their families: - Create RNLI Family Association.

- Improve use of Lifeboatmens' Benevolent Fund.

- Investigate other needs (eg sheltered housing) for retired crew.

• Improve the RNLI's service to the International Lifeboat Federation (ILF): - Introduce enhanced services to ILF Members on the basis of voluntary subscriptions.

- Double the membership of the ILF.

- Provide an efficient and cost-effective service to sell ex- RNLI lifeboats.

- Offer training courses for overseas lifeboat services and other appropriate organisations.

- Offer training and assistance overseas, where appropriate.

Selfless is what we are Respect is what we need Courageous can describe us We are a caring breed Teamwork is our key A professional approach indeed Finally, may I offer my warmest thanks to all those who contributed to this exercise, the good sense of which I hope is much clearer now than it may have been at the outset! Andrew Freemantle Director As we said, not everyone was in favour of the Vision and Values exercise. Truthful as ever we add this poem as a tailpiece...

When I'm standing outside Tescos Collecting in the rain I like to think my efforts Are never done in vain But now I know my money Rescues no-one from the seas But goes instead to paying for Daft questionnaires like these!.