What the Future Holds?

John Harvey is the Communications Lead for Parents Plus with 12 years of hands-on experience delivering strategic communications and brand management. John is a passionate and creative communication professional helping organisations redefine how they engage their communities and tell their stories in a digital-first world. 

The last 5 years have seen an unprecedented number of generational issues with the healthcare system including the cyber attack, the Covid-19 pandemic, record overcrowding, the cost of living crisis and a mass exodus from the workforce which has seen a 44% increase in Irish doctors emigrating to Australia.

With all this turmoil the only guarantee we have is that crises’ are here to stay making it imperative that healthcare charities, NGOs and service providers be prepared for new target groups who can appear in crisis. 

Parents Plus' Professional Programs are systemic, solution-focused, group-based interventions designed for delivery in clinical and community settings as treatment programs. If there is a possibility of new target groups appearing from a crisis in the future then we need to have an understanding of who this group may be. With this in mind, we decided to try to foresee what we may be facing in the future through a long-term strategic trend report.

The process started by researching the current global economic and social environment. Key trends and drivers of change were identified, such as globalisation, digital transformation, increased diversity, inequality, climate emergency, social unrest and political instability.

These drivers of change were analysed and used to identify the potential impact that they may have on the target groups of the healthcare system. 

From the research, there was a significant amount of learnings that directly impacted the marketing functions of organisations so the information was compiled into this report in the hopes that it may be of use to other charitable organisations looking towards the future.

Key learnings from the trend report - 

• Get comfortable with change:
  • In an uncertain future, the only thing that is guaranteed is that radical change will be a constant. Including huge political upheaval, long-term social unrest continued nationalism and most importantly the impacts of the climate crisis.
     
• Gen Z hold the key:
  • Gen Z is on its way to becoming the most influential generation the world has ever known. Already impacting culture at a speed and scale in a way never before seen. As they move into positions of influence in industry and politics their impact will be far-reaching and generational.
     
• Data Literacy will be King:
  • Digital upskilling is already recognized as vital with many institutions around the globe working to close the digital literacy gap. In the not-too-distant future, people without these skills will be comparable to people today who are unable to read or write. With the vast majority being left behind, isolated in society, and growth opportunities closed off to them. 
     
• A culture of connectivity:
  • As people’s virtual and digital requirements persist in scale and complexity, greater and more personalised connectivity will prove a lifeline. Two-dimensional interfaces will seem antiquated as we enter a new world of VR/AR with tools that will expand our understanding of the world on a macro and micro level and cultivate a unique way of engaging with organisations, products, and people.
     
• The rise of the machines: 
  • Machine learning, edge computing and Generative AI will fundamentally change how we communicate with our audiences, communities and each other. AI creations will not only be indistinguishable from human experts but they will surpass them in creativity, quality and effectiveness.

About Parents Plus:

Parents Plus is a charity that trains and mentors those who work in Community, Health, Education, and Disability services, to improve outcomes for families, with our evidence-based parenting and mental health programmes.

In the last 10 years, Parents Plus has supported over 1,000 organisations in Ireland and internationally to create sustainable change in their service delivery, strengthening over 100,000 families.

You can learn more about the organisation at www.parentsplus.ie