Core, Cultural Values

In a cultural assessment process, Senior Citizens, Inc. (now FiftyForward) staff and volunteer leadership individually identified, from 100+ choices, the values they considered most descriptive of the agency. A tally of responses revealed 11 core values, on which the 2005-06 board of directors and staff then voted. Here are the resulting values, in priority order.

Financial Stability. We understand that our success and our credibility hinge upon the wise and efficient use of our resources – especially the contributions and grants we receive to support our operations. Therefore, we follow procedures and practices that assure confidence in our work and keep our agency “in the black” as we face the challenge of raising more money each year to meet the growing demands of needs and services.

Accountability. Our staff and board volunteer leadership hold ourselves answerable to each other and to our funding sources, members, volunteers, those we serve and to the broader senior adult population in Middle Tennessee. Therefore, we do what we say we are going to do, consistent with our mission statement; and we act responsibly to meet our goals, making maximum use of our resources – money, time and talent. Our standards are reflected in our strategic plan, corporate and personnel policies, funding procedures, and written and printed communications.

Mission Focus. All that we do is measured against our mission statement, the foundation for our goals and the standard against which we judge the results of our efforts: The mission of FiftyForward is to help adults 50 and older maintain their independence and active involvement in the community through comprehensive services, advocacy and community education.

Making A Difference. The desire to enhance the lives of our elders as they age is perhaps the most basic emotion shared by FiftyForward staff and volunteers. An action is successful only if it is tied to our mission and its end result positively affects the health and/or wellbeing of a senior adult participant or client.
Community Involvement. Recognizing that FiftyForward cannot be successful alone, we operate within dozens of community partnerships and coalitions for all our centers, programs and services. The synergy created through these collaborations enables our agency and our partners to be more effective in our work.

Continuous Improvement. Faced with a burgeoning senior population, FiftyForward – as the premier senior-service agency in Middle Tennessee – is considered the forerunner in offering innovative, lifelong learning initiatives. We set high goals for ourselves and work to exceed them, exercising responsible stewardship of our resources. We also engage in ongoing self-evaluations and solicit feedback from those we serve.

Diversity (tie vote with Continuous Improvement). Embracing all races, genders, ages, cultures and perspectives, FiftyForward is enriched by the breadth of diversity we strive to achieve in all facets of our organization – from staff and board of directors composition to program and service delivery. Diversity is a benchmark in our strategic plan as we endeavor to make what we do reflective of our diverse community.

Compassion. At FiftyForward, we believe that our elders are treasures, with much still to contribute to society and much still to teach us. With deep gratitude for their legacy to us, we engage in advocacy and action – providing educational forums and drawing public attention to this honorable group of individuals. We aim especially to provide a voice and support for those whose life circumstances preclude them from living with sufficient resources, independence and dignity.

Commitment. All our actions reflect our self-imposed obligation to help older adults in our community live the most independent, active and fulfilling lives possible. We dedicate our work and our resources to benefit those who participate in our centers, take advantage of our programs and receive our services. We also set examples of professional conduct that will represent FiftyForward at its best and reinforce our reputation in the community for excellent service and stewardship.

Open Communication. Understanding that we can achieve success only through clear, two-way channels of communication, from the top level of management through the administrative ranks we attempt to operate transparently and honestly with each other. This commitment also applies to our relationships with members, volunteers, the senior population in Middle Tennessee and the public at large. Our reputation is influenced by the trust we have earned; that trust is grounded in high-quality programs and excellent customer service.

Teamwork. Because FiftyForward has such a small staff, we rely heavily on the synergy we create by working closely together – within and among departments and especially with volunteers. Without a hard working staff and committed volunteers, we would be forced to scale back drastically our hundreds of programs and services.