(NDS News Update; extract: 2013-14 Annual Report - SRS Inc. · SRS has seen an increase in services...
Transcript of (NDS News Update; extract: 2013-14 Annual Report - SRS Inc. · SRS has seen an increase in services...
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PRESIDENT & CEO REPORT
It is with great pleasure that we present this report for the 2013/ 2014 to you, which to state the obvious; it has
been a year of progress and many achievements. We believe the work over the past year has seen continued
development and positive change in direction, positioning SRS for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
(NDIS) future.
There has been a significant time and energy invested in reviewing the systems we rely on and the organisational
functions we perform thus ensuring that we remain a proactive service which has a dynamic team in all areas of
our business focused on bringing new ideas to fruition.
With service development on the agenda, this also brings new challenges and opportunities and we can definitely
say that Benetook Chooks hasn’t failed to deliver on either point. Developing a hobby farm with layer chooks has
extended the possibilities beyond historical programs and accommodation to a whole new level. It has also
extended us as a team to step beyond our expertise of building accommodation for people with disabilities to
developing meaningful programs with chooks and eggs. There have been many days we have looked to each
other for guidance to tackle the next puzzle and tackle the steep learning curve - undoubtedly one of the most
interesting years SRS has experienced.
While the key focus has been on developing the Benetook Chooks the hobby farm, our commitment towards
providing suitable accommodation options continues to be the key focus of SRS now and into the future. It is
reported that “The number of Victorians with a disability waiting to access vital supports has increased by 443,
with the Disability Support Register (DSR) rising from 3949 in June 2013 to 4392 in June 14, according to the
recently released 2013-14 Annual Report of the Department of Human Services.
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This represents an increase of just over 11% in the last financial year, and is consistent with annual growth in the
DSR of about 10% in each of the two previous financial years.
Over the past four years, the DSR has grown from:
2011 2012 2013 2014
3275 3600 3949 4392
This most recent DSR figure of 4392 does not include the Barwon NDIS region, where approximately 200 people
who were on the DSR are now receiving supports via the NDIS. (NDS News Update; extract: 2013-14 Annual Report
of the Department of Human Services)
We thank DHS Mildura for assisting SRS during the year. The introduction of a Mallee division has provided only
positive outcomes for Sunraysia. Having a team in Mildura is a terrific welcomed change. We acknowledge that
for the DHS staff this has at times been challenging and overwhelming with ongoing changes during this the
transition year and look forward to the next financial year with anticipation.
SRS has seen an increase in services from ADHC NSW. Over the years SRS has remained committed and
connected to families over the river. It has been pleasing to see in this financial year that the rural and remote
families are achieving better services and support. Thank you to all the staff, with special thanks to Kim
McGrath and Peter Lupton.
We would like to also thank the Ouyen based rural and remote service led by John Steel for excellence in service
provision to the rural and remote communities. John has continued to be creative, providing innovative solutions
that have made a great difference to the people who reside in these rural communities.
We once again sincerely thank Davison Motor Group for their ongoing commitment and generosity providing SRS
vehicles at no cost to help make this all happen.
The SRS Management Team is a unique multi skilled team. Maintaining a flat management structure comes with
challenges which we are pleased to report this year has been very successful and productive in terms of
outcomes for our customers and professional achievements.
We thank you all: Managers, Coordinators, Administrators and Active Support Assistants for your professionalism
and dedication.
Marian Luehman Don Seward
CEO President
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SRS Board of Management
Great things are only possible when great people work as one and we are extremely fortunate at SRS that our
volunteer Board of Management are all committed to the best outcomes for the families and the people we
support. Having a consistent, dynamic board is the key to the progress we continue to make strategically and
prudently.
During the year Frances, Dan and Don have all remained committed to SRS while enduring their personal
debilitating challenges with resilience and composure.
In remembrance of two amazing inaugural board members
During the year Mrs Loris Thornton and Mr Brian Gambetta passed away. Both were instrumental in the
formation of what SRS is today and both inaugural members holding office for over 27 years as the Vice President
and President respectfully and being awarded life memberships in 2001.
Regrettably, due to health reasons both submitted their resignation at the 2004 AGM and in commemoration we
quote the following extracts from the 2004 AGM report.
Loris in true form sent a gift card with the following words which was read at out at the AGM 2004:
Thank you all and keep up the good work. Sorry but I am not well enough to keep going.
Loris Thornton
Vice President
Brian Gambetta’s 2004 report was also worthy of significant note:
I have pleasure in presenting the Presidents report for the service for 2004.
With Marian’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer the service has moved forward to a new level of
governance. The COM has become the board and several of us have attended training in the rules of
governance that control the powers and responsibilities of such a constituted board. One of the most important
changes is that we are now outsourcing our office and accounting procedures and we expect that this will
result in economies, but more important give us an opportunity for a top level management.
Regrettably Sunshine has passed its use by date and in spite of the sentimental attachment, we old timers hold
for where it all started, maintenance costs and the need to meet rising standards dictate its replacement.
Accordingly we have purchased an excellent piece of land close to the Centre Plaza and to the most frequent
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bus routes and in the near future a new facility to take over the function of Sunshine will be built. This will be
the most exciting project in our near future. Although our finances are in a sound position we will have to
again be in fundraising mode to achieve this. I don’t know if the name Sunshine House will survive. Probably
not in view of its function and the new ethos, but that will not be without a tinge of regret from many of us.
With such a large staff, we could not be without a few glitches but by and large I want to pay tribute to the
dedication, hard work and efficiency of the people we rely on to deliver the services; to let them know the
board appreciates them and how much it depends on them.
This will be my last report as President. It is 27 years since Tony Waller asked me to take the job (assuring me
there was nothing to it) and that is probably far too long to maintain the enthusiasm and dynamics of an
organization. We have people on the board of great dedication and ability, whose take over can only be for the
better. Thanks to everyone over the years for your support and hard work, your friendship and tolerance and I
leave the position with confidence the best is yet to come.
With regrets and pride,
Brian Gambetta
In remembrance of our clients, Noella and Natalie
July of 2013 also saw the passing of two of our most beloved and long-standing clients, Noella Hemming and
Natalie Hamilton. Noella and Natalie both had been part of the SRS stable of support for many years each,
bringing with them their own shares of cherished memories for everyone who knew them. While we are sad that
Noella and Natalie are gone, we are moreover elated to have had the chance to know them and experience the
joys of being able to share in their lives.
Thank you to the families and people we support
We thank you all for using our services and trusting in SRS quality support and care while enjoying our programs.
The constructive feedback, completion of evaluations and phone calls help significantly to improve our services.
Our fees and charges have not increased over the past five years with slight reductions in shared accommodation.
We hope that with your support we can continue to maintain quality service provision while keeping our
overheads at a minimum.
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PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
Brittany’s 21st Birthday
On Saturday 1st February Brittany celebrated her
21st Birthday with family and friends at the 12th
Street Football and Umpires rooms. Brittany looked
absolutely stunning in her red 21st dress and crown!
Congratulations Lyn and Mark Edgecumbe on the
fantastic afternoon that you arranged for Brittany -
the food, music and cake were a big hit.
Christmas Greetings
Santa and helpers made a grand entrance to client
homes again this year spreading Christmas Cheer to
all. The excitement was infectious with the sound of
Christmas Carols in the background sung by SRS
staff made for a happy time for all. SRS staff are
back practicing for Christmas 2014 the clients did
say there is room for improvement.
Australia Day Celebration
“G’day, mate!” - BOB, TICA and ILSS clients enjoyed
a sunny Australia Day Breakfast at the Irymple ovals.
They enjoyed the band music and other ceremonies
especially the very Australian BBQ snags in
bread.
Respite School Holiday Program
The SRS School Holiday Program has been a great
success, booked to full capacity each term break.
The clients have enjoyed the new Benetook Chooks
facility where they have enjoyed camp fire cooking,
building shelter, collecting eggs, feeding the chooks,
egg dying, mosaic egg pictures and healthy
sandwich making. The fun jungle is always a hit, the
big orange fun, Park for Play an opportunity to get
rid of some energy and the cinema is a favourite.
The clients had the opportunity to get locked up (for
only minor misdemeanours) at the Old Wentworth
Gaol. Clients enjoy the Perry Sand hills and a great
BBQ lunch, and fortunately no one was lost in the
maze at Woodsies.
Frail Aged and Dementia Programs
The frail aged dementia program is an enjoyable
event for 6 ladies every Monday in addition to the
support they are given in the home. This is an
opportunity for the ladies to be included in the
community and they all enjoy sharing their
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knowledge and memories with all. The ladies have
been very creative participating in embroidery,
participating in and learning the technique of
mosaicking to create beautiful crafts and
scrapbooking. The ladies are working on developing
a Benetook Chooks recipe
book. A special thank you
goes out to Golden City
Support Services for making
the funding available to
SRS.
Michael starts his
Cert II
SRS client Michael Pedersen
commenced a Certificate II
in Landscaping in 2013
through SRS. In this time,
he’s received eight hundred dollars to purchase the
tools and equipment needed to complete his
traineeship. Between escapades of shopping with
his mentor Scott Collier to stock up the tool box,
Mick’s been working at Eileen Street, redeveloping
the gardens under the watchful eye of his trainer
and assessor, Gerb Walding from Murray Mallee
Training.
Tasha’s work
placement at the
Consulting Suite
Tasha Whitton, a BOB
resident, is currently
undertaking a Certificate I in
Work Education, building her
skill set via woodwork, nails
and beauty work, plus cutting
her teeth with hands-on work
at Benetook Chooks two days
a week. In addition, she’s also
accomplished some great work at the SRS
Consulting Suite, working with all of the staff at
various points to try her hand at office duties such
as scanning, use of the phones, collating workpapers
and learning computer skills.
Fantastic feedback from Respite holiday
families!
“The staff were fab, I would sing their
praises everywhere.”
“The kids come home worn out and
slept very well.”
“A good variety of activities, it was
great that lunch was provided.”
“SRS have provided my children
activities that they haven’t been able
to participate in before.”
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SRS Recipe Book
What do we find hidden in our old-fashioned
recipes? We find life as lived in another time,
often one more connected to the most basic
elements of food like produced at Benetook
Chooks.
BENETOOK CHOOKS
The year has seen an unruly block with a dilapidated house transformed into a cottage home with sheds and
fencing, but all the improvements were overshadowed with the arrival of 49 Chooks - on 20 May, the first
essential part of Benetook chooks business commenced. The excitement was shared by all who attended the
inaugural arrival of the chooks.
The changes continue monthly and we thank Andre Van Roekel for project managing the transformation. The
committed team coordinated by Jill Martin have collectively inspired the participants to become involved in the
project. The fence became a team effort with Tom, Scott and Blair all stepping up and completing the
contract. Behind the scenes, the management team at SRS have put in hours adhering
to the rigorous never-ending red tape
to ensure success at Benetook.
Sponsor a Chook gained momentum
during the year surpassing 200. We
thank all the wonderful volunteers,
supporters; the donations, the advice, the equipment and the encouragement from the
community and extend an open invitation to drop in and see the changes or join the volunteer list and become
part of Benetook chooks.
We thank Landcare for their ongoing partnership and expertise and a special thank you to John T Reid Charitable
Trust for seeing the potential and supporting this venture.
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[full ]
“Benny the Chook” and Dan Carter thank all the wonderful
people who have kindly donated towards the project.
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OUR STAFF
Reflection Day 2014
“History in the making” was the theme of the 2014’s Reflection Day with the NDIS, Benetook Chooks, Quality
auditing and Policy and Procedures completing the agenda. The employees in attendance enjoyed robust
discussions contributing to the strategic direction and planning of SRS.
The day concluded with a statement from Marian Luehman, CEO: “SRS has commenced a chapter in history that
you are all a welcome part of and the part you play is only limited by your imagination and your view on life.”
Our Staff – Our Future
It’s no exaggeration to say that our staff is our most important asset and the linchpin of our ability to provide the
service to our community that we do. 2013-14 saw the SRS family growing once more, welcoming many fresh
faces into the fold!
Nikki Buchecker and Eve Meppem both commenced traineeships in Disability, each taking on a new career
direction with SRS.
Kerry Cobcroft, Tanya Graham, Dean Lascelles and Natalie Lont
now coordinate SRS’ Dementia, Community Respite and Johns
Street programs respectively; we also said goodbye to service
coordinator Mick Joslyn. Mick continues to be an avid SRS
supporter after his retirement, being a prominent figure on the
SRS fundraising committee. Thank you to Lyn Townsend, General
Manager for her diligence and guidance supporting all the staff to
achieve their goals and aspirations with SRS.
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Thank you to all our staff for your commitment and loyalty day in and day out, providing quality care and training
to the families and people we support!
2013-14 was also an excellent time for our trainees Jan Adamson, Matt Hicks and Hannah McCullagh, with all
three successfully achieving Certificate IV in Disability, and Lyn Townsend and Kathryn Lang achieving Advanced
Diplomas in Management and Disability. Marian Luehman also achieved a Foundations Directorships Certificate
from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
72% 61% 50% Female staff at SRS SRS staff over the age of 40 With SRS for 5 years or more
Celebrating Staff Milestones
Sandra Gavin
25 years of service
Marian Luehman
25 years of service
Bron Lang
15 years of service
Colleen Heeps
10 years of service
Hayley Shaw
10 years of service
Alan Chalkley retires after 22 years with SRS
On Wednesday 21 January, Alan announced his retirement, which
SRS accepted with thanks and gratitude. Alan had been with SRS
since 1992 and working in a program linked to SRS since 1988.
Alan has donated $20.00 from every pay, with an estimated
contribution of $11,440.00. He has remained loyal to families that
he has supported during the many years of service and continued
to provide support outside of working hours. We could all learn a
few lessons from Alan, and surely some of us have.
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Non-Government Service Providers: a winner with their employees
An exclusive NDS survey and report shows that non-government (NGO) disability service provider employees are
passionate about their jobs and about working in the sector. Common sector and organisational priority areas are
also identified for those organisations seeking to develop 'Employer of Choice' capabilities.
The Engaging the Workforce report found that:
Staff in the disability sector tend to be highly engaged, and are particularly satisfied with their job and
the nature of the work they do.
Staff also tend to feel that their organisation is successful in meeting its objectives and clients' needs.
96% of staff like the work they do - 24% higher than the all-industry average job satisfaction rate.
82% of staff in the disability sector are satisfied with their work-life balance - 9% higher than the all-industry
average job satisfaction rate. (NDS News update 20 Aug 2014: NDS with Voice Project)
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FUNDRAISING
2014 has been a bumper year for SRS’ fundraising campaigns, featuring a mix of our
stalwart stable of annual events with numerous surprises.
October 2013: Thai-Riffic Fundraiser
SRS’ Thai-Riffic fundraising dinner is fast becoming a
tradition and 2014 was no exception, garnering an
outstanding turnout, a fantastic result in funds raised,
not to mention lots and lots of delicious Thai cuisine!
The night was a huge successe with over $4,000
raised. We would like to thank all our valued
supporters, staff and fundraising committee for all
their hard work, and a big thank you to John from Thai
Riffic for his time and the beautiful food.
April 2014: Carnevale, Italian Style
The very first Italian-style fundraiser for SRS attracted
140 patrons to Oak Valley Estate Winery on 5 April.
Providing a luncheon underneath the vines with a five-
course banquet provided by Stefano De Pieri, the day
ended with traditional short black coffee and Italian
canolli and custard, all punctuated with the sound of
accordion players that had clients and other guests
alike moving. Thank you all for attending and making
the day special.
April 2014: Lunar Fest Parade
Red Cliffs’ annual Lunar Fest parade played host to a
very special float for SRS, helping to raise awareness
and support for the Benetook Chooks project – the
fruits of which included numerous sponsorships for
Benetook Chooks’ “Sponsor a Chook” campaign, all
made possible by the
generous helping hands
from Jill Martin, Belinda
Jenkins, Graeme
McCarthy and all the SRS
clients who came along.
March 2014:
Bunnings
The mainstay fundraising
event at Bunnings Warehouse on Fifteenth Street was
as successful as ever, raising over one thousand dollars
on the day. Our thanks go out to Bunnings for their
characteristic support and all the clients and staff who
volunteered their time to make the event a fun day
bringing success.
November 2013: Pizza Café
The annual Pizza Café event received an exceptional
amount of guests and supporters, raising a grand total
of over six thousand dollars, all of which made way for
much-needed equipment and materials for the
Benetook Chooks project! Proceeds from the event
were further bolstered by the auction, helped along by
generous bids from Joseph and the Pizza Café team.
Thank you, Sunraysia!
Save the date: Our next Pizza Café event is on November
11! For more details, visit www.srsinc.com.au.
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OUR SPONSORS IN 2013-14
In addition to a fantastic year of SRS-run fundraising events, the 2014 financial year also saw significant
contributions made by several organisations via grants and other initiatives, without which many of our initiatives
wouldn’t be possible.
Commonwealth Bank Staff
Community Fund
Phyllis Connor Memorial
Trust
Herbert Allen Bequest
Charitable Trust
Department of Human
Services
John T Reid Charitable
Trusts
Foundation for Rural and
Regional Renewal
Lions Club Mildura
Mildura Rural City Council
Mallee Catchment
Management Authority
Connecting Up
Qualia Wine Services
Thai-Riffic
Bankmecu
Stefano’s Café and Bakery
Pizza Café at the Grand
Mildura Brewery
Banjos Bakery
Mildura Weekly
99.5FM
Sunraysia Daily
PFD Foods
Thomson Linen
Murray River Salt
DVDit
Green Goddess Flowers
Quality Foods Albury
Ange Lamattina
Vegetables
Iron Horse Intermodel
Bendigo Community Bank
Wentworth
Optus Community Grants
Program
Victorian Landcare Grant
Coles Landcare Grant
In 2013-2014, all funds received went towards Benetook Chooks growth and development.
Thank you all for making a real and significant difference towards the development of meaningful activities for
people with disabilities!
• 14 •
2013-14 BALANCE SHEET
Consolidated Profit & Loss Statement For the Year Ended 30 June 2014
2014
$
2013
$
Revenue Received 4,451,620 3,955,904
Reversal of Provision for Settlement - 109,880
Less Operating Expenses 3,852,889 3,388,410
Operating Surplus before Income Tax 598,731 677,374
Total Comprehensive income for the year 598,731 677,374
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position As at 30 June 2014
2014
$
2013
$
Total Assets 7,141,187 6,376,497
Total Liabilities 1,054,865 888,907
Net Assets 6,086,322 5,487,590
EQUITY
Reserves 1,214,047 1,214,046
Accumulated Surplus 4,872,275 4,273,544
Total Equity 6,086,322 5,487,590
(Accompanying notes form part of these financial statements. A full financial version is available to financial
members upon request.)
Sunraysia Residential Services Inc.
877 Fifteenth Street
Mildura, VIC 3500
P: 03 5022 1741
www.srsinc.com.au