2017 LIFE EDUCATION QUEENSLAND Annual Report 2017 21 OUR AMBASSADORS Support for Life Education Grows in Government
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Life Education Queensland ANNUAL REPORT 2017 Empowering our children and young people to make safer and healthier choices through education Contents Our Patrons 1 From the Chairman 2 From the CEO 3 About Life Education 5 Our Reach 6 Educator Profiles 8 Our Programs 10 Our Fundraising 13 Our Impact 16 Supporters 17 Our Committees 18 Our Ambassadors 22 Our Partners 24 Our Team 26 Our Financials 27 LIFE EDUCATION QUEENSLAND Annual Report 2017 Our Patrons The Honourable Robert Borbidge AO The Honourable Dr Anthony Lynham The Honourable Robert Borbidge AO was the 35th Premier of The Honourable Dr Anthony Lynham is the Minister for Queensland and served in the State Parliament as member State Development and Minister for Natural Resources and for Surfers Paradise for just over 20 years. Mines. Before entering Parliament as the Member for the Brisbane seat of Stafford in 2014, Dr Lynham worked as a During this time he held a number of senior positions maxillofacial surgeon. As a surgeon who continuously dealt including senior Ministries, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, with the aftermath of violence, before entering Parliament, Leader of the Opposition and Premier. Dr Lynham was a prominent advocate of policies to Since his resignation from the Queensland Parliament in minimise alcohol fuelled violence. 2001 he has held a number of Board positions in both private Dr Lynham graduated in medicine from the University and publicly listed companies. of Newcastle and completed his maxillofacial surgery In 2006 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia training in Queensland. He is a fellow of the Royal College and awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Griffith University. of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Dr Lynham worked most of his medical career at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s hospital He is currently Chair of the Board of Advice for the Institute and is part of a research team at Prince Charles Hospital. for Glycomics at Griffith University, a member of the Council He also served in the Australian Army. of Griffith University and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Friends of Griffith University (incorporated in the USA). Dr Lynham is an Adjunct Professor at QUT and an Associate Professor at the University of Queensland (UQ) School of He is Chairman of Life Flight Australia which is one of the Medicine. world’s largest not for profit aero medical and rescue providers servicing 75 percent of Queensland’s population with a fleet of 13 helicopters and 3 jets operating from eight bases across the State. He is also Chair of the Legacy Committee for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, Chair of Study Gold Coast, a collaborative venture between the region’s major universities and education providers and Senior Counsel for Government advisory services group GovStrat. He also served on the Independent Distribution Committee for the public appeal for victims of the 2016 Dreamworld tragedy. LIFE EDUCATION QUEENSLAND Annual Report 2017 1 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT In the space of just four years, there Our educators and our mobile learning are now twice as many Queensland centres could never hope to reach children accessing our services than the remotest parts of our great state there were before. without a team of people who make that possible. That’s why Life Education What a remarkable transformation recently re-branded our regular giving – from 107,000 children in 2013, to program and called it ‘Kids Protect more than 215,000 in 2018. It’s a credit Team’, because essentially that’s what to the leadership and strategy of our we are. Through education, we’re helping CEO and Board, and the dedication to instil in young people many of the of our amazing team of educators, protective behaviours they need to grow management, staff and volunteers up safe and healthy. Everything from across the state. sun safety, to healthy eating, to safety This was all made possible because of with medicines, online safety, healthy our supporters. relationships and the avoidance of harm from smoking, alcohol and illegal drugs To parents, school Principals, teachers, – we are a team that’s empowering donors, the Queensland Government, the young people with the knowledge and Primary Health Network, Communities vital skills and strategies to keep them for Children, Teachers Mutual Bank and safe from harm. our many other partners, I say a heart- felt thank you. So I want to thank you most sincerely for being part of our team. As you read Life Education is a charity with a through this annual report, I hope you’ll mission of empowering children and be inspired by the difference we’re young people to make safe and healthy making in the lives of children and young choices. This isn’t just a dream. Through people, and I hope you’ll continue this the support of the community, our journey with us. mission is being converted into real action. Prevention never stops. Each year, tens of thousands of young Queenslanders Our work doesn’t occur in a vacuum, start school and it is our wish that it is brought to life because there is a Healthy Harold and Life Education will community of people who believe in always be there, along with teachers and prevention through education, who parents, to support, guide and empower believe that all kids deserve the best them to live happy and healthy lives. possible start in life, and who are committed to making it happen. Peter Morgan Chairman Life Education Queensland 2 LIFE EDUCATION QUEENSLAND Annual Report 2017 CEO’S REPORT ‘Prevention is better than cure.’ international drug cartels, as well as smaller criminal gangs, that profit from The wisdom of those words are the addiction of Australians to illegal undeniable, yet when it comes to our drugs. Despite the best efforts of law health and wellbeing, they are so often enforcement, the supply of illegal drugs taken for granted. continues to flow, and the damage Out of necessity our health system they cause to our young people and to is still very much mired in a focus on families can be devastating. treatment and rehabilitation due to To add to all of this, our kids are the burden of chronic disease, and the exposed to online dangers where many injuries resulting from accidents bullying is no longer confined to the and assaults across our community. Without your help, our work would not school yard. Tragically in recent times, The system is overwhelmed by having be possible. we’ve seen how online bullying can to treat the symptoms, that there are contribute to depression and even I’d like to also acknowledge our precious few resources left to address suicide of young people. amazing staff and volunteers. Our the causes. educators work face-to-face with Thankfully the majority of young Yet imagine a society where ‘prevention children every day, in schools across the Queenslanders will successfully is better than cure’ became a mantra state, delivering vital health, drug and navigate the challenges of the world that we all adopted, where our lifestyle, safety education. Others work tirelessly around them and grow up to lead our education system and our health behind the scenes providing support to happy, healthy and productive lives. It’s care system were aligned to a focus on our education team, whilst others work important for our nation’s future that maintaining good physical and mental to raise the funds needed so we can we provide them with every opportunity health, and positive relationships. reach as many children as possible. It’s to do so. Imagine the billions of dollars that a wonderful team effort, supported by a could be saved – most importantly In the past year, more than 215,000 committed and passionate Board. imagine the millions of lives that would Queensland children received health Prevention by its very definition means be enhanced as a result. and safety messages through the that the difference we’re making is Life Education program, along with In reality, we live in a society where far greater than we can ever really strategies and skills to apply those there are so many vested interests. understand or measure. A dramatic learnings in their daily life. Fast food companies compete for rescue, a crisis response, or a life- the discretionary dollar from families, It’s a result we’re very proud of, and a saving operation will always get the and from our children. The choice mission that we take very seriously. Our attention – and of course those and availability of alcohol, and the motto is prevention through education, services are vital too. But though our marketing of it to consumers, seems to and we work with over 600 schools work rarely grabs the headlines or grow exponentially each year. Gambling, who believe in that too. And we’re makes the evening news, preventing both online and offline, has never been supported by hundreds of thousands harm in our young people, and building more accessible. And even though of Queensland parents, as well as our children’s capacity to live a healthy cigarette smoking has declined very donors, the Queensland Government, and happy life, is arguably the most significantly in recent decades (saving and our community and corporate important work we can ever do. many thousands of lives), smoking partners. Michael Fawsitt is still one of the leading causes of Raising strong, resilient children is a CEO preventable deaths in Australia. shared responsibility and we’re thankful Life Education Queensland Of course, all of the above activities that there are so many Queenslanders are legal. Beyond this, there are vast who share our passion for prevention.