Our new strategic playbook.
Where We Are Going
It's 2046 and here's what our clients, caregivers and staff have to say...
Caregiver
Youth
Front Line Staff
But how did we get here?
FIREFLY has built a strong foundation of care, connection and community. But life is changing for children, youth and families.
We’re seeing more complex needs, greater family pressures, digital challenges and barriers to care across our region.
This playbook was shaped by listening to our staff, families, young people, partners and community, helping us find new ways to meet these changing needs while staying grounded in what matters most.
I’m excited to share with you our new strategic playbook and the core themes we’ll be keeping at the centre of what we do across Northwestern Ontario.
The Three Horizons Thinking
The Three Horizons thinking helped FIREFLY connect the future we are working towards with the choices and actions we need to make today. If we are to bring to life the quotes from a youth, caregiver and staff member above, what do we need to focus on and action right now and in the next couple of years.
Where We Are Going
The future we are working toward.
What We'll Focus On
The strategic directions that guide our decisions and priorities as we move toward that future.
What We Can Do Now
The actions, strengths and experiments that help us make progress today.
What We'll Be Focusing On
These four pillars drive our playbook and the actions we’ll be taking over the years as we work towards the future we envisioned together with staff, clients, caregivers and community partners.
01 / 04
Easier to Navigate
Shape care around the whole child, family and caregiver, streamlining intake and navigation, so support meets rising complexity.
02 / 04
Energized, Valued, Adaptable
Strengthen conditions for the recruitment, retention and well-being of FIREFLY's people, balancing the stability and proactive adaptation needed to deliver responsive care.
03 / 04
Equitable Support
Design flexible, culturally safer, locally-grounded services through an anti-oppressive and decolonizing lens so access, trust and quality do not depend on location in northwestern Ontario.
04 / 04
Moving Systems Together
Coordinate internal and cross-sector partnerships that reduce fragmentation, support basic family needs, stretch limited resources and clarify FIREFLY's role.
What We Can Do Now
Choose how you want to explore our playbook and the actions and areas of focus we’ll begin working on now.
STAFF
FIREFLY Staff
What does this plan mean for FIREFLY Staff?
It means creating the conditions for staff to do meaningful work well. Having the support, capacity and tools to focus on people, learn together, and work as one team to make care better for families and communities.
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01 / 04
Easier to Navigate
Make the next step clear, warm and easy to follow.
"It means making it easier for families to get the support they need. We start by listening to families and involving caregivers from day one. We make the next steps clear, work together across services, and share information so families don’t have to repeat their story. When needs are complex, we bring families into the conversation and work with them to find the right path forward."
02 / 04
Energized, Valued, Adaptable
The people closest to the work have a voice in shaping what comes next.
"This means building strong relationships between front-line teams and leaders, where your knowledge and experience are valued and your voice helps shape decisions. It means creating space to learn, try new approaches and adapt when things change, while making sure workloads are sustainable. We’ll keep learning from what works, improve how we do things, and always connect our decisions back to the experience of children, youth and families."
03 / 04
Equitable Support
Every community is different, and our services need to reflect that.
"Every community is different, and our services need to reflect that. This means building trust through strong, long-term relationships and understanding the realities of northern, rural, remote and Indigenous communities. We need flexible ways to provide care, whether that means working with local providers, using technology, or finding new ways to reach families. And by supporting our staff and reducing turnover, we can build the stable relationships that families count on."
04 / 04
Moving Systems Together
Families should experience care as connected, not separate.
"We need to work more closely with our partners so families experience care as connected, not separate. That means building trust, being open about our roles, strengths and challenges, and solving problems together. By sharing ideas and resources, reducing duplication and improving communication, we can help close gaps between services and make it easier for families to know where to turn."
The same plan. A different perspective.
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CLIENTS
Clients and Caregivers
What does this plan mean for Clients and Caregivers?
It means making support feel easier, more connected and more human. It means being known, valued and included in your own journey, with support that is easier to find, works around your needs, and brings people and systems together so you don’t have to do it all alone.
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01 / 04
Easier to Navigate
I am part of the care team from day one.
"I can expect to be listened to and included from the start. My family’s needs, goals and experiences will help shape our care. I won’t have to figure everything out on my own, and the people supporting me will work together to help me find the right next step."
02 / 04
Energized, Valued, Adaptable
My experience helps shape better care.
“I can expect the people supporting me to keep learning and improving. They will listen to what works, what does not, and how their decisions affect me and my family. The goal is to keep improving care while making sure staff have the support they need to do their best work.”
03 / 04
Equitable Support
Where I live and who I am matters.
“I can expect my culture and experiences to be respected. Support should make sense for where I live and the community I call home. FIREFLY will keep looking for ways to build trust and make services work better in northern, rural, remote and Indigenous communities.”
04 / 04
Moving Systems Together
I can expect the people and organizations supporting me to work together.
“I can expect the people and organizations supporting me to work together. I should not have to be the one connecting all the pieces. By sharing information and solving problems together, partners can help make my support feel more connected and easier to understand.”
The same plan. A different perspective.
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PARTNERS
Community Partners
What does this plan mean for Community Partners?
It means making partnerships feel like true teamwork. By sharing information, connecting services and solving gaps together, we create an experience for families with a more connected system so they don’t have to navigate it all on their own.
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01 / 04
Easier to Navigate
We will work together to support the whole family.
“FIREFLY listens, communicates openly and understands the needs of the families we serve together. We can work as a team, share what we know and help create a more connected experience for children, youth and families.”
02 / 04
Energized, Valued, Adaptable
We learn from each other.
“FIREFLY values our knowledge and experience. We can share ideas, learn from each other and work together to find better ways to support our communities. Strong relationships help us respond when needs change.”
03 / 04
Equitable Support
Local knowledge helps us serve our communities better.
“FIREFLY understands and respects the communities we work in. We can build on local knowledge, relationships and strengths to find approaches that fit the people and places we serve, rather than using the same approach everywhere.”
04 / 04
Moving Systems Together
I can expect the people and organizations supporting me to work together.
“I can expect the people and organizations supporting me to work together. I should not have to be the one connecting all the pieces. By sharing information and solving problems together, partners can help make my support feel more connected and easier to understand.”
Our timeline
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Fall (Sept-Nov)
Winter (Dec-Feb)
Spring (Mar-May)
Summer (Jun-Aug)
Board of Directors
Review prior year results
Receive regular progress updates
Équipe chargée de la stratégie et de la performance
Set organizational priorities, goals, KPIs and success measures
Work with managers to build operational plans
Start reporting on the operational plan to Board and staff
Build dashboard and project tracker
Review and updated the operational plan as needed
Monitor performance indicators and update dashboard
Add new projects and link them back to strategic priorities
Gather feedback through client and partner survey
Start shaping priorities for the upcoming year
Report survey results back to clients and partners
Managers
Help develop program/service operational plans
Identify emerging leaders and champions in teams
Help set team KPIs and deliverables
Review work plans with staff
Execute plans
Share progress updates
Capture team learning and feedback
Create opportunities for staff to share what they are noticing in service delivery
Bring forward learning and priories for the next cycle
Staff
Participate in planning discussions
Recieve regular progress updates
Contribute in team meetings
Share observations and program updates
Bring forward client and family perspectives
Share: what is working, getting in the way, may need to change
Help inform next year's priorities
Clients, Caregivers, Community Agencies
Invited to help shape programs and services through ongoing engagement opportunities
Fill out the Client and Community Partner Survey
Thank you to everyone who took the time to be a part of our strategic visioning. We heard from voices across FIREFLY’s system including staff, caregivers, youth, partners and experts. Thank you for trusting us to use your knowledge, opinions, and expertise to create a playbook that guides us towards a future we all want for the children, youth and families who call Northwestern Ontario home.
Strategic Playbook
Want to explore this playbook on your own?
↓ Download the PDF version
If you have any questions about this, please reach out to us at [email protected].
