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Strategic Plan 2025-2027

Empowering Women of Colour in Australia: A Roadmap for Inclusion, Equity, and Impact (2025-2027)

Women of Colour Australia (WoCA) is proud to present our 2025-2027 strategic plan, “Empowering Women of Colour in Australia: A Roadmap for Inclusion, Equity, and Impact.” This plan serves as a guiding framework for our organisation’s growth, development, and impact over the next three years. Our purpose is to advocate for, support, and strengthen the lives and experiences of Women of Colour in all aspects of life in Australia, with a particular emphasis on promoting representation and inclusion in the workplace. We believe that through collaboration and a focus on our core values of Community, Collaboration, Compassion, Courage, and Commitment, we can create a more inclusive, equitable, and just society for all.

This strategic plan outlines three key priorities: People, Programs, and Partnerships. Our People priority emphasises the importance of building a supportive professional network for Women of Colour, while Programs focus on developing and implementing career-oriented education and initiatives. Partnerships prioritise the cultivation of relationships with like-minded organisations to enhance our collective impact in promoting workplace representation and inclusion.

As we move forward with our strategic plan, we are committed to evaluation and learning to ensure our efforts effectively serve the needs of Women of Colour in the workplace. We also prioritise organisational capacity and sustainability to support our long-term success and growth.

We invite our staff, volunteers, community partners, and the Women of Colour we serve to join us in our efforts to create meaningful and lasting change. Together, we can address the unique challenges faced by Women of Colour in the workplace, amplify Women of Colour’s voices, and create opportunities for professional growth and advancement.

Our Vision

We envision a society where Women of Colour are valued, respected, and have equal access to opportunities, thriving and making meaningful contributions to their organisations and communities.

Our Purpose

To advocate for, support, and strengthen the lives and experiences of Women of Colour in all places and spaces in Australia, with a particular emphasis on promoting representation and inclusion in the workplace.

Our Values

Our values guide our actions and decisions, ensuring that we remain true to our purpose and committed to the communities we serve.

  • Community

We will continue to develop deep and broad engagement with Women of Colour, putting their voices, experiences, and needs at the centre  of everything we do, ensuring that our efforts are inclusive, representative, and impactful. We strive to create safe, supportive, and inclusive spaces that nurture the well-being of all individuals, allowing them to thrive and contribute meaningfully to work and society. 

  • Collaboration

Strong relationships and alliances with stakeholders are the cornerstone of our work. By forging these partnerships, we can amplify our impact. We actively seek opportunities to collaborate with values-aligned people and organisations to build an ecosystem for change.   

  • Compassion

Our work is rooted in empathy and understanding. We approach every interaction with kindness and a deep commitment to serving others. By acknowledging the unique challenges faced by Women of Colour, we create a compassionate environment that nurtures their growth and well-being.

  • Courage

We are unwavering in our pursuit of fairness and justice for Women of Colour. Through our actions, we challenge systemic barriers and advocate for a more inclusive and equitable society. By empowering Women of Colour to reach their full potential, we contribute to a world where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive.

  • Commitment

We are dedicated to conducting our work with honesty, transparency, and accountability. As we strive to make a lasting impact in the lives of Women of Colour, we hold ourselves responsible for our actions and their outcomes. Our commitment to our mission and values is unwavering, ensuring that we remain a trusted and reliable source of support for the communities we serve and our partners.

Strategic Priorities

Women of Colour Australia (WoCA) is a not-for-profit organisation and registered charity dedicated to amplifying the voices of Women of Colour in Australia and promoting a more inclusive and equitable society. WoCA has been at the forefront of advocacy and support, strengthening the lives and experiences of Women of Colour in Australia since 2020.  

Today, WoCA is at a pivotal moment in its journey. Recognising the need to focus its efforts and maximise its impact, the organisation has identified three strategic priorities that will guide its work.

Strategic Priority 1: People - Creating a Strong, Supportive and Empowered Women of Colour Community

Objectives

  1. Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for staff, board members, and volunteer retention and engagement by Q4 2025. This includes:
    • Ongoing professional development opportunities and building communities of support.
    • Fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement within WoCA by promoting open dialogue, feedback, and reflection among staff, board members, and volunteers by Q4 2026.
    • Conducting one-on-one check-ins with each staff member, board member, and volunteer to assess their satisfaction, needs, and goals by Q2 2026.
    • Implementing personalised engagement plans for each individual based on the check-in findings by Q3 2026.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

  1. Staff, board member, and volunteer retention and engagement plan approved by Q4 2025, implemented by Q1 2026.
  2. Percentage of staff, board members, and volunteers who have participated in one-on-one check-ins: 100% by Q2 2026.
  3. Bi-annual knowledge and/or skills-based professional development opportunities starting Q3 2025, with impact measured through attendance metrics and improvements in feelings of connectedness, support, and practical knowledge/skill acquisition.
  4. Organise bi-annual face-to-face events or meet-ups for staff, board members, and volunteers in multiple states across Australia starting Q2 2025.
  5. Encourage forums for knowledge exchange, ideas, and self-reflection within WoCA, as outlined in the retention and engagement plan.
  6. Understanding the volunteer lifecycle, ensuring each volunteer is supported to contribute meaningfully to WoCA and our community, we will implement exit interviews with staff, board members and volunteers to understand their experiences and how we can improve, as well as tracking the impact of WoCA’s initiatives in the personal and professional development of its people. 

Responsibilities

  • Board: Oversee the development and implementation of the retention and engagement strategy for staff, board members, and volunteers.
  • Staff, Board Members, and Volunteers: Participate in one-on-one check-ins and provide feedback.
  • Volunteer Manager: Develop personalised engagement plans for each individual and conduct exit interviews. Plan and execute professional development activities and monitor their impact. Collaborate with other teams to plan bi-annual face-to-face events, conferences, or WoCA-sponsored gatherings.

Strategic Priority 2: Programs - Building Impactful and Adaptable Programs and Learning Modules

Objectives

  1. Design programs and learning modules that are adaptable and flexible to meet the evolving needs of Women of Colour.
  2. Develop and deliver programs and learning modules to multiple regions across Australia and tailor to different sectors.
  3. White-label learning modules into existing external programs to amplify our impact and generate income.
  4. Ensure programs and modules are the intellectual property of WoCA.
  5. Use shadowing delivery of programs as a professional development opportunity for our volunteer base.
  6. Implement feedback mechanisms to continuously gather input from participants and stakeholders on the impact of programs and learning modules.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

  1. Develop and implement a program strategy that addresses the unique needs and challenges faced by Women of Colour by Q4 2025.
  2. Deliver two full programs in different locations in Australia by Q4 2026.
  3. Establish partnerships with at least three different sectors (e.g. STEM, sport, health or education) by Q4 2025.
  4. White-label learning modules into five other programs by Q4 2026.
  5. Reach a minimum of 200 participants across all regions and sectors by Q4 2026.
  6. Establish an impact measurement framework and track the impact of programs and program modules for annual reporting by Q2 2025.

Responsibilities

  • Program Team: Develop and implement the program strategy, ensuring programs are adaptable and meet the needs of Women of Colour.
  • Research and Impact Team: Develop and implement the impact measurement framework and specific measurement tools to track the impact of programs and program modules. Analyse the results and feed this back to the Programs Team.
  • Both leadership and volunteers: Build partnerships and promote the impact of WoCA to attract participants and partners for our programs and learning modules.
  • Board: Provide strategic guidance and support for the development and implementation of the program strategy.

Strategic Priority 3: Partnerships - Cultivating Meaningful and Collaborative Relationships

Objectives

  1. Establish new partnerships with at least five like-minded organisations by Q4 2025 to broaden our reach, impact and access to opportunities by:
    • Identifying and engaging with potential partners that share WoCA’s goals and values.
    • Assessing complementary strengths and resources for mutually beneficial outcomes.
    • Formalising partnerships through agreements, memoranda of understanding or joint application for grants and funding.
    • Collaborating on joint initiatives and events to increase impact and visibility.
    • Encouraging resource sharing and collaboration for greater efficiency and innovation.
  2. Sign five new commercial partnership agreements to provide programs or ongoing advisory aimed at government, corporations or community sector organisations.
  3. Build partnerships with philanthropic organisations and individuals, from within the Women of Colour community as well as our allies.
  4. Secure effective research partnerships to expand our first-hand knowledge of Women of Colour’s experiences in the workplace and develop evidence-based strategies to dismantle systemic barriers to promotion and representation in the workplace, including our ground-breaking Women of Colour in the Workplace Survey.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

  1. Number of new partnerships established: 5 by Q4 2026
  2. Successful grants target of $350,000 achieved by Q4 2027
  3. Philanthropic donations target of $100,000 achieved by Q4 2027, including regular recurring donations to provide ongoing income streams
  4. Revenue generated from new commercial partners established Q4 2026: $350,000 of new revenue
  5. Number of research partnerships established: 3 by Q2 2026
  6. Conduct the Women of Colour in the Workplace Survey every 3 years to gather valuable data and insights and demonstrate use of the survey findings in developing our people, programs and partnerships.
    • People – ensure a psychologically safe space that is responsive to the needs and experiences  of Women of Colour in our organisation
    • Programs- generate new intellectual property that we use to have maximum impact of the representation and inclusion of Women of Colour in the Workplace
    • Partnerships – develop an Annual Impact Report to attract philanthropic donations and demonstrate our expertise through the new knowledge that we generate with our first-hand research to secure both commercial partnerships and alliances. 

Responsibilities

  • Partnerships Manager: Identify, establish, and maintain partnerships with like-minded organisations, including research partnerships and alliances.
  • Program Team: Collaborate with partners on joint programs and grant applications, leveraging survey findings to enhance WoCA’s impact on Women of Colour.
  • Research and Impact Team: Develop and implement the impact measurement framework and specific measurement tools to track the impact of programs and program modules. Analyse the results and compile them into an Annual Impact Report.
  • Communications Team: Develop and implement communication and engagement strategies for partners, fostering strong relationships and collaboration.
  • Board: Provide strategic guidance and support for partnership development and management, including research partnerships, alliances, and program/grant collaborations.

WoCA is dedicated to empowering Women of Colour by focusing on three strategic priorities: People, Programs, and Partnerships. We strive to build a supportive community, develop impactful programs, and foster meaningful relationships that drive positive change.

We encourage all board members, volunteers, and employees to contribute to these strategic priorities, as your active participation is essential for our collective success. Together, we can make a lasting impact and create a brighter future for Women of Colour.

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