Purpose & Strategic Importance
Formal approval is only the beginning. This moment should be used to communicate the plan widely, inspire people, and start shifting how the National Society works.
Activities & Decisions
Making the plan visible
Once finalised, the plan must be visible at all levels so that volunteers, members, and staff:
- See what they have contributed to.
- Understand changes that may affect them in the future.
- Feel motivated to act on the new direction.
Why internal communication matters
- Builds ownership by showing staff and volunteers their input shaped the plan.
- Strengthens motivation and inspiration through leadership messages.
- Ensures everyone understands their role in implementation.
- Helps shift branches and members from expecting directives to actively owning the plan.
Tools for sharing the strategy
National Societies often use a mix of formats to make the plan accessible and memorable:
- Attractive brochures (digital and/or printed) summarising the plan.
- Posters displayed in offices and branches.
- Presentations — online and in-person — to explain the plan and answer questions.
- Briefing materials for national and branch leaders with key messages.
- Content on internal social media to keep momentum.
It is recommended to develop an internal communications plan alongside the strategy to maintain energy after approval. For large Societies, a full rollout across all branches and volunteers may take up to a year.
Examples & Learning
Argentine Red Cross
“In the last Strategic Plan, we made the effort to have a shorter and lighter version and invested more in internal communication. For instance, we created a 6 square meters puzzle with a visual, that summarises the plan, that we played with volunteers. Today many make regularly reference to the Strategic Plan without necessary knowing it in detail.”
— Undersecretary of Organisational Development, Argentine Red Cross
Salvadoran Red Cross
“In the context of our first strategic plan, we shared it at the branch level but it remained among the respective governing bodies. For the second one, we made a short version to share with volunteers. Altogether it contributed to change the perspective of the branch from ‘what will the Headquarters give us?’ to ‘how are we going to implement our plan?’”
— Director of Administration and Finance, Salvadoran Red Cross