Marketing professional practice assignment

Marketing Professional Practice Assignment of affiliation Background of Turning Point The Turning Point is the 4th attemptby the Christian Community since 1970 to set up a refuge of recovery for women who are seeking for recovery from drug addiction in Singapore. Besides reaching out to mandated clients, The Turning Point continues its practice of taking in women addicts from the streets. The Turning Point is also reaching out to younger clients who fall into the trap of vices and crime and other behavioral addiction such as alcoholism, problem gambling, and domestic violence. Since 1996, The Turning Point has been running a baking therapy for the residents. Volunteers started this therapy. Residents learn the skills of baking and craft work1. Craft therapy stimulates their creativity in a structured and routine program. Imparting spiritual values and coping with skills to residents has always been an emphasis in the recovery program since addiction is often a lifestyle that is bred from a dysfunctional family upbringing. 2. Turning Point Mission, Vision, and Objective Mission Turning Pointaspires to be captains of lives of female ex-substance abusers and ex-offenders committed to Turning Point residential program. Turning Point will use their resources to steer them towards becoming responsible citizens with the help of their families and the community. Vision To help female ex-substance abusers and ex-offenders to recover from the lifestyle of substance abuse, and crime a 2halfway house setting that extends into 3aftercare to facilitate social integration. Turning Point program is based on Christian principles and teachings. Objective To provide discharged inmates’prisoners with facilities for their gradual transition from incarceration to community life To optimize the full capacity of Turning Point To provide opportunities for all Turning Point residents to develop their talents To provide a safe, supportive and stimulating environment for Turning Point residents To provide clients with programs and treatment services directed toward reducing the disadvantages and problems of returning to the community after a period of incarceration To provide a sufficiently secure environment for clients, designed both to safeguard the community by reducing the opportunity for unobserved deviant behavior, and to insure the clients’ health and well-being To provide the necessary support for operations for the house, and to allocate resources among house functions in the most efficient manner 3. Current Services and Strategies Turning Point currently has several services that it provides for the prisoner, giving the prisoner an all rounded care. These services included: Holistic development Turning Point imparts spiritual values and social skills to the residents and conduct sessions based on text extracted from the bible4. The residents are encouraged to attend church on Sundays, our outing day Relapse prevention rehabilitation program and self discovery Residents undergo a 20 session relapse prevention program on topics such as Self-identity, Denial, Powerlessness, Moral Values and the Harmful Effects of Drugs/Substances5. In addition, training workshops that enhance the self-esteem and self-image are organized and motivational speakers and facilitators are invited to inspire the residents to change their lifestyles for the better Counseling Residents attend individual, couple or family counseling sessions to help them address any emotional baggage they may be carrying which may lead to low self-esteem and image, and mistrust of others Work therapy Turning Point runs baking and handicraft therapy sessions to stimulate creativity in structured ways. Volunteers help to promote and self cookies and crafted pieces Turning Point also held activities in the community outreach involving residents perform community service a nursing home every 3 months. Moreover, residents get to mingle with the senior citizens and help with simple chores6. This is an opportunity for residents to engage with the community as well as to perform a small gesture of giving back to the community. Current strategies that Turning Point is using comprise websites, annual report of Turning Point and sending letters to corporate companies for donations 4. Recommended Strategies and Budgeting list STRATEGY DESCRIPTION COST BREAKDOWN Usage of Social Media Platforms and increase interactivity on current websites Creating Facebook, Twitter, and other social media accounts, Turning Point is able to reach out to a mass audience None Fundraiser (Selling handicrafts of prisoners) Residents of Turning Point could make handicrafts in their weekly activities or their passion that allow the Turning Point to fundraise using these crafts Basic cost of raw materials Booths Turning Point could participate and make a booth in charity events Cost of renting the booth Open House Turning Point could held open house and invite some corporate companies by sending letter them to them. This open house all open for public Cost for foods and drinks 5. Turning Point Environments 5. 1 Internal Environment (TOWS analysis) THREATS OPPORTUNITIES Insufficiency of resources to support the entire population that keeps growing each day Making good use of available human resources. Their human resource team comprise of qualified staff that is committed to their work7. Also there are volunteers who are willing to offer voluntary services. Such efforts should be channeled towards organization growth. Accepting failures- the organization admits that taking risks come with possibility of failures. Either way, they are hopeful that they can learn from their mistakes. Their challenge is to always keep trying and heading to the required direction. Activities and processes; the craft therapy processes can help them produce meaningful products to sell to the society and get good amount of money to support their work. They can raise funds from the various projects that they undertake. Discouragements- these come in form of backbiting, which in turn de-motivates many members. This mainly happens to members who feel they are least appreciated in the organization. They have an upper hand in getting financial aid from friends, well-wishers and other organizations in support for the work8. This can make them more stable hence increasing their level of effectiveness and impact in the society. Allowing risks- success comes with many risks attached, the organization accepts to take risk and challenges and venture into more viable projects even in uncertain times. They can make good use of their resources to get the best. Adequate building and land can be used in a much more productive manner to realize profits. This can help support the available population effectively Cost of employing a strong management team to help in managing its affairs Since they are exempted from paying taxes, they can channel that money into a more reasonable use that will edify them. WEAKNESS STRENGTHS Differences in ideology at the top management. This mainly happens when issues involving decision making are involved. Exemption from paying tax. This means they can provide various products at discounts without incurring losses. The volunteering staff may feel that their efforts are too much and at some point may ask for payment, a factor that is not in the organization’s policy regarding volunteer work. As an NGO, turning point has various volunteer staff from the community that is willing to extend their services. This is important and helps them a great deal to meet their set goals. Disunity among members. As a charity organization, they need to work together to achieve their common goal. Due to difference in opinions, members can find themselves disagreeing hence preventing attainment of goals. The company board of directors is mostly comprised of volunteers, a factor that makes the company work to meet its objectives effectively. 5. 2 External Environment 5. 2. 1 Competitors of turning point Turning point, being a charity organization has very few competitors. This therefore provides them with safe running9. However, there are critics that emanate from various people within the community they live in. Such critics are targeted towards the church and the management of turning point. 5. 2. 2 Macro Environment (PESTLE analysis) The government is highly committed to provision of adequate facilities to its citizens. The introduction of e-government in Singapore has also helped in improving the level of service provision. The e-government is dedicated to provision of more e-services, encouragement of innovation and creativity to citizens. Singapore’s economy has one of the highest trades to GDP ratios world wide. The country is approximated to export 200% of its GDP. These factors make the country very conducive for running of the Turning points activity. The economic environment is friendly and therefore the organization can experience high level of productivity to help it in smooth running. The level of cooperation between the public and the private sector is high. In terms of social developments, the national education system is excellent and the people inside Turning point program can really benefit from it. There is also recruitment of new talents a factor which has greatly enhanced the nation’s productivity. Due to the high level of technology in Singapore, turning point can experience one of the greatest technological revolutions hence making it productive and close to its goals. 6. Key Issues and Challenges faced by Turning Point 6. 1 Financial The Turning point being a charity organization requires sufficient funds to run its activities. However, due to the magnitude of support they offer to the community, they lack adequate funds to meet their support efficiently. Their engagement in activities like financial advice and support means that they incur many expenses trying to meet the needs of their clients10. The incoming members like the addicts and those from the prisons also need support and all these can be achieved by having a strong financial support. Also, being a non- profit organization, they incur expenses a factor that greatly diminishes their financial capability. 6. 2 Housing Despite having sufficient housing for the current members, there is likelihood of requiring more since the number keeps growing from time to time. The organization being a rehabilitation centre that reaches many people, their number keeps increasing from time to time. This factor brings up the need for sufficient housing facility. Housing is one of the basic needs that this organization requires, lack of which they will not be able to accommodate their desired number of people11. The staff is also expanding and the number is likely to outgrow. Such factors should be taken care to ensure that the company is not got unawares by the upcoming organizational needs. 6. 3 Education This organization also engages in providing educational support to people. They advice people on various steps to take in certain situations; consequently, they go as far as assisting the needy. They also educate people on various values that they need to posses in the community12. Offering such education is costly and needs a lot of resources to be effective. Since their target is quality, they need quality materials to ensure that their members get the best. A good financial background is therefore required to make this possible. Support from donors and other grants can help them achieve their basic goals. 6. 4 Others The organization also engages in provision of career counseling and job referral; financial advice and also assistance for the needy and educational advice and assistance as well13. In terms of recreation and creative therapy, the organization encourages its members to participate in sports alongside the gardening activities. Bibliography Chew, Phyllis Ghim Lian. ” The Singapore Council of Women and the Women’s Movement.” Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, March 1, 1994. Goh, Daniel P. S.. ” State and Social Christianity in Post-Colonial Singapore.” SOJOURN: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia , April 1, 2010. Hanvey, Christopher P., and Terry Philpot. Sweet charity: the role and workings of voluntary organisations. London: Routledge, 1996. Public Policy and Voluntary Initiatives What Roles Have Governments Played?.. Paris: OECD Publishing, 2001. SWOT analysis Western Washington University College of Business and Economics.. Bellingham, Wash.: Western Washington University, 2009. SWOT analysis: a tool for making better business decisions. Washington, D. C.: U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Risk Management Agency, 2008. Snider, Phil, and Emily Bowen. Toward a hopeful future: why the emergent church is good news for mainline congregations. Cleveland, Ohio: Pilgrim Press, 2010. Stubbs, Lucy. Charity pages: organisations servicing the voluntary sector.. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1995. Tax reform and the NGO sector: early impressions on the pattern of corporate donations and individual philanthropy. Braamfontein [South Africa: SANGOCO Publications, 1998. ” tturningp. com.” tturningp. com. http://www. tturningp. com (accessed April 6, 2013).