New Hope Midcoast Strategic Plan

Goal: Strengthen relationships with our collaborators and build trust within our communities to become the organization people turn to for reliable information about the causes and impact of domestic abuse, and help advocates lead survivors toward safety and self-sufficiency.

In a crisis, people may turn to many different sources for help – parents, friends, clergy, doctors, nurses, therapists, counselors, lawyers, and law enforcement. This expansive network of support is a critical component in the fight against domestic abuse. To achieve our mission, we need to help every part of this support network understand the work we do.

Through our strategic planning process, we learned that victim-survivors may not receive information about us and our services and, even when they do, they may not be sure what our support will look like for them. During this critical time of confusion, anxiety, and concern for their safety and that of their children, they may not follow through to contact us for the services they so desperately need.

Our partners in law enforcement, healthcare, and the legal system need to have a better understanding of New Hope’s services so they can educate survivors they encounter and serve as effective advocates and referrers. Building stronger relationships with these allies increases the chances that victim-survivors will act on a referral, and also open up new pathways for long-term solutions and help improve processes and services across the domestic abuse support system.

How we will build partnerships:

• Continue to grow the Midcoast Coordinated Community Response/Sexual Assault Response Team (CCR/SART), which includes partners from SASSMM (Sexual Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine), law enforcement, the District Attorney’s Office, Victim Witness Advocates, the SAFE Nurse Program, probation, parole, local jails, etc.
• Identify and increase our involvement in existing networks.
• Develop solutions like a NHM referral card for partners that will ensure victim-survivors learn about and connect with NHM in their moment of need
• Use email, newsletters, and person-to-person visits with our partners to update them and build stronger relationships

Goal: By focusing on what our team needs to do their job well, we can better support victim-survivors.

Our team of professionals and volunteers is made up of dedicated, compassionate advocates who are specially trained to deliver support. They do this through an empowerment model that aims to put victim-survivors in control of their own lives and provide them with the tools to chart their own path to safety and self-sufficiency.

As with many service organizations, the last few years have been difficult to navigate. For many reasons, it continues to be challenging to attract new employees. Without a full staff, our capacity for delivering the services we know are critical is diminished – that means fewer prevention education opportunities for area schools, and fewer advocates available to help the public understand how domestic abuse affects communities in unexpected ways. Staff turnover also is especially challenging for our clients, bringing more uncertainty into their lives. Being able to depend on the same caring and welcoming advocates translates into much-needed continuity, stability, and a clearer path to care.

Our staff, volunteers, and board members are key to strengthening our position as a leading voice in the fight against domestic abuse and the support of survivors. Through our strategic plan, we commit to making new investments in the organization’s financial and human resources, and in effective retention strategies. We will recruit, retain, and nurture staff and volunteers who understand how to empower survivors, have the capacity for growth, and believe in the power of strong community relationships.

How we will strengthen our team:

• Competitive wages; enhanced staff benefits, including medical, retirement and work schedules
• Prioritize professional growth and development for all staff
• Work with staff to develop and implement a new employee handbook that addresses current processes and needs, especially post-pandemic

Goal: Develop services and pathways for clear direction. Although services are often not linear for victim-survivors, a well-charted path builds trust and confidence in the process for those on the journey to safety and self-sufficiency.

Victim-survivors often are most vulnerable in the immediate aftermath of their decision to make a change. They are encountering a new system, filled with unfamiliar processes and people. And as days turn to weeks, they must start considering issues and questions other than their physical security: Where will I live? Will I be able to keep my job if I move? How will I afford to buy groceries? Who will watch the children so that I can attend court or find a job? How will the Department of Health and Human Services impact my life? This is when they need continued care – yet feel as though they are wandering alone in the wilderness.

The road to safety and self-sufficiency is often long and winding. It takes time and space for victim-survivors to understand their options, learn what they need to be successful, and then take action. They may feel a loss of agency, or that “the system” has taken over. Through interviews and focus groups, we learned we can play a role in demystifying the process by clearly explaining what survivors can expect so they can plan accordingly, feel more at ease, and maintain more control in their lives.

How we will enhance our services:

• Establish new relationships with relevant organizations to offer more wrap-around services like financial literacy and childcare
• Develop guides that feature staff stories and personal perspectives to demystify complex legal and administrative processes
• Provide more frequent and more diverse support group offerings

Goal: Invest in technology and staff to build a strong fundraising program. Expand our fundraising footprint and increase board engagement in direct solicitation efforts to provide the best support possible to victim-survivors as they progress toward the lives they choose.

Domestic abuse doesn’t just affect individuals or families. It is a pervasive social problem that has deep and broad ramifications in all of Maine’s communities. Its effects spill over into our hospitals, our places of work, and our schools. People who suffer from abuse are at higher risk for mental health challenges and often develop chronic health problems like asthma, heart disease, addiction, and stroke. Abuse affects children’s ability to focus and learn in school. These children are also likely to have higher rates of hostility, anger, anxiety, and mental health instability. Communities simply can’t thrive when individuals and families are suffering.

With a network of support — from nonprofits, government agencies, and private organizations — survivors can find a path forward. The cycle of abuse can be broken. We work in collaboration with schools, healthcare practitioners, law enforcement, and other community agencies in the counties we serve. These partnerships help us prevent domestic abuse and advocate for our clients throughout their journey toward safety and self-sufficiency.

But the needs of our communities are greater than the grants we receive from state and federal government agencies. To address this shortfall, we will reinvigorate our fundraising efforts.

How we will boost sustainability:

• Launch new fundraising initiatives, which may include major donor and planned giving programs
• Foster diversity on the Board of Directors; develop a leadership pipeline to ensure strong future governance; introduce board members to the community

Goals: Build and deliver a robust, comprehensive outreach and prevention program.

A key component of our mission is to help our communities create a safer and healthier future. Through prevention and education programs, we can deepen our understanding of domestic abuse, dating violence, and stalking. These issues impact more than survivors. They are social justice and public health issues that affect individuals, families, communities, and society as a whole. That means to end abuse, we need to engage the full community to work to end all forms of oppression and challenge the cultural beliefs that foster them.

Our prevention and education programming has several goals: First, to identify and address the root causes of abuse. Second, to identify and challenge cultural messages about relationships that enable or excuse abusive behavior. Third, to challenge the culture of shame and silence around abuse and violence and empower survivors to connect with resources.

How we will expand education and prevention programs:

• Forge new relationships with mental health and other healthcare providers and provide comprehensive training from the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence (MCEDV)
• Develop a revised curriculum for schools, offering an expanded range of materials to use before and after classroom presentations
• Through our relationship with MCEDV, work with local representatives to strengthen state policies to protect victim-survivors and help prevent abuse
• Launch community-focused educational opportunities, including Roundtable Discussions and an expert Speaker Series