Vinnies: Aligning a National Charity Through Insightful Research

St Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies) Goals for Working with 10 THOUSAND FEET

The annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout brings together business and community leaders to raise awareness and funds to support the 122,500 Australians experiencing homelessness.

Vinnies engaged 10 THOUSAND FEET to: Understand participant motivations and perceptions; Evaluate campaign concepts and messaging; Identify opportunities to enhance engagement, retention, and impact; Ensure the event remains relevant, emotionally resonant, and well-organised.

Type of Research Conducted

10 THOUSAND FEET conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 16 participants, including ongoing, first-time, and lapsed CEOs, as well as Ambassadors. 30 minute interviews were conducted via phone or online, led by senior researchers with over 20 years of experience.

Result

The research delivered:

• A deep understanding of the emotional connection to Vinnies and the cause.

• CEO perceptions of Vinnies to inform impactful, audience-aligned campaign creative.

• An understanding of what makes the CEO Sleepout a transformative experience.

• Clear direction for refining campaign messaging, improving storytelling, and enhancing the event experience.

Vinnies were extremely pleased with the research. As a federated organisation, where multiple states contribute to decision-making, the insights helped align stakeholders across regions, replacing fragmented opinions with a unified evidence base. This clarity enabled Vinnies to confidently brief their creative agency and refine how the event is promoted and delivered.

The research also gave participating CEOs a voice in shaping the future direction of the program, helping bring these important stakeholders along on the journey as the Vinnies CEO Sleepout continues to evolve.

Vinnies’ experience working with 10 THOUSAND FEET

Vinnies received:
• Rich, actionable insights from a trusted research partner.
• A collaborative and respectful process, with senior researchers who understood the sensitivity and depth of the topic.
• Strategic recommendations grounded in participant feedback and aligned with Vinnies’ mission.

“The team was very patient and flexible to work with during the process. They were dedicated to understanding our history and background as well as our desired outcomes, which resulted in meaningful research and insights from the selected participants. They guided us every step of the way.” Anne Burrow, Fundraising Coordinator, Vinnies

Vinnies’ time investment

• Minimal client time required: Vinnies provided input on the discussion guide, supported coordination and provided access to participants.
• Interviews and analysis were conducted independently by 10 THOUSAND FEET.
• The final report delivered a comprehensive synthesis of insights and recommendations.
• Two stakeholder presentations took place with the senior executive and also a CEO Ambassadors group.

Let’s start a conversation

We’ve helped other clients transform their organisations and would love to be part of your story.

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North Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2060

Email

info@10thousandfeet.com

Phone

02 8080 7544