Identifying a shared purpose and values

  • Values
  • Purpose
  • Brand personality
  • Change
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Identifying a shared purpose

Background

The Garwood Foundation was founded in 1952. Its aims are to provide a wide range of services for local people with disabilities, their families and carers.

The Foundation operates three distinct services which include a school for severely disabled children and young people; a registered residential home serving up to 13 disabled adults and a day centre for up to 40 adults with multiple physical and learning disabilities.

The brief

The aim was to identify whether there was a brand archetype that represents the Garwood Foundation as a whole and the shared values that influence decision making and behaviours across all three services.

What we did

We facilitated two creative and participative exercise workshops with trustees and staff from Rutherford School, Bramley Hill Centre and Jean Garwood House and a service user from the day centre.

With the assistance of a visual aids, participants were taken through an exercise which aimed to identify a character that best represents the Garwood Foundation’s personality, and which influences decision making and behaviours.

Highlights

  • The exercise is inclusive and accessible to all as there are no right or wrong answers. The choices people made were based on their unique personal experience of the Garwood Foundation.
  • Participants embraced the exercise in a positive way.
  • A clear shared purpose and set of values emerged from the evidence.
  • The brief was fulfilled.

Testimonial

“When I joined the Garwood Foundation an early piece of work was to identify a commonality of purpose across our various services. This was so that we could strengthen our brand and influence our organisational behaviour.

“Having worked with Essential PR and Marketing before, I asked Julie to facilitate a Brand Archetypes exercise with our staff.

“Two separate groups came up with quite similar findings and, with further analysis from Julie, a new simple vision statement as well as a fresh set of values emerged.

“We achieved a lot in one day, and our next step will be to consider a new visual brand. Therefore, I have pleasure in recommending Julie Jackson at Essential PR and Marketing.”

Ross White, CEO The Garwood Foundation