clontarffoundationannualreport2014 Football is the vehicle, not the main game. CONTENTS Who We Are and What We Do 2 Chairman & CEO’s Report 3 Corporate Structure 17 Academy Locations 19 Auditor’s Report 21 Financial Report 23 Partners 45 PARENT’S LETTER To the amazing staff at the Midwest Bryce has also enjoyed fi nding out some Clontarf Academy, of his Aboriginal culture that he was unaware of due to losing his grandfather We thank you from the bottom of who he was extremely close to. our hearts for taking on our at times challenging, obnoxious, arrogant, but at Bryce speaks very highly of all the staff other times funny, caring helpful son. at the Academy and refers to you all as father fi gures to all the boys in the Bryce has shown great change and Academy. improvement in a lot of areas since being welcomed into the Academy, his grades So we just wanted to say thank you for all have improved, he has made some new the support you have given Bryce and I friends but mostly it is his openness to know he will do good things with the skills communicate with others. you have shown him as he starts the next big adventure in his life. Before joining the Academy Bryce was very withdrawn and had a lot of trouble With this we would like to take this fi tting in, but you guys helped him opportunity to wish you all a very Merry overcome this with your constant support Christmas and a safe and happy 2015. and encouragement. Frances and Jacko Maisy CLONTARF FOUNDATION 2 WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO The Clontarf Foundation exists to improve the employment, healthy lifestyles and education, discipline, life skills, self-esteem and football. In order to remain in the programme, employment prospects of young Aboriginal participants must continue to work at their men and by doing so, equips them to schooling and embrace the objectives of participate more meaningfully in society. the Foundation. The Foundation believes that failure to Academy members are not selected on experience achievement when young, football ability, although many of those coupled with a position of under-privilege can attracted to the Academy have some lead to alienation, anger and to more serious aptitude for the game. In order to remain in consequences. As a prelude to tackling the Academy, members must consistently these and other issues, participants are fi rst endeavour to: provided with an opportunity to succeed and • attend school regularly, in turn to raise their self-esteem. • apply themselves to the study of The vehicle for achieving this outcome appropriate courses, is football. • embrace the Academy’s requirements for behaviour and self discipline. The Foundation works by using the existing passion that Aboriginal boys have for football Upon completing the programme, graduates to attract the boys to school and keep them are assisted to fi nd employment. Specialist there. Our programmes are delivered through Employment Offi cers are engaged to do this, a network of Academies established in as well as to provide support until graduates partnership with schools. Any Aboriginal male become comfortable with their new jobs enrolled at the school is eligible to participate and surroundings. in the Clontarf Academy. The approach has proven to be very Our Academies provide an important successful, not only in attracting young school-engagement mechanism for many men to school and retaining them but also at-risk students who would otherwise not in having them embrace more disciplined, attend or have low school attendance. purposeful and healthy lifestyles. Full-time, locally-based Clontarf staff mentor and counsel students on a range of behavioural and lifestyle issues while the school caters for their educational needs. Using a comprehensive approach of supportive relationships, a welcoming environment, and a diverse range of activities, the students develop improved self-esteem and confi dence which enables them to participate in education, Kobi Duncan from the Moree Academy (NSW) completes his employment and society in a positive way. schoolwork during Academy time. Carnarvon Academy (WA) Academy activities are planned within students explore the vast Pilbara the focus areas of education, leadership, region on a trip to Karratha. CHAIRMAN AND CEO’S REPORT 2014 OVERVIEW The Government also announced that Chance initiative to an end. We wish to thank funding under this new regime would the members of the Sporting Chance team We are pleased to report that 2014 - our be available under the ‘Indigenous for their support and for the manner in which 15th year of operation - was another Advancement Strategy’ and existing and they assisted us. It was a pleasure to work successful year for the Clontarf Foundation: new providers who believed they could help with all of you. the Government achieve their objectives, • Six new Academies were opened (three 2014 was also noteworthy for the decision were encouraged to apply, demonstrating in regional NSW and three in the Perth taken by the Queensland Government how their organisations’ aims and results metropolitan area). to set aside funding for up to nine new satisfied the revised criteria. The majority of • Participant numbers continued to climb Academies catering for 500 boys in South Clontarf’s programmes are impacted by this to a new record of 2,863. East Queensland. The announcement, change in approach and the Foundation has • Average school attendance improved which was the culmination of several years responded accordingly. We have recently (80% compared to 77% for the of persistent lobbying by the people of been advised that the Federal Government previous year). Cherbourg, represents another milestone will continue to fund all of Clontarf’s existing • The percentage of Year 12 students for the Foundation. More than two thirds of programmes. remaining engaged in employment or Australia’s Indigenous people live in New further education after 12 months In the May 2014 Budget the Government South Wales and Queensland, therefore increased from 75% to 80%. also announced that the Clontarf Foundation within five years (and of course subject would receive an additional $13.4 million to the availability of funding and Clontarf During the year, the Federal Government over the next three years – the Federal continuing to perform) these two States reviewed certain aspects of its Indigenous funding required for the programme to could host more Academies and cater policy and assessed the effectiveness of its reach another 3,000 boys. for more participants than the rest of expenditure on Indigenous programmes. Australia combined. Preliminary work on As a result of both these initiatives, the We were delighted by this demonstration the Queensland project is all but complete, Government announced that: of confidence in the programme and its with the new Academies expected to open results, and wish to thank Prime Minister • future Federal funding would only progressively from Term 2 this year. Abbott, Minister Scullion, their immediate be directed towards delivering three key advisors and departmental staff for the faith In last year’s Annual Report, we referred to outcomes – children in school, adults at shown in us. a study of Indigenous education within the work and safer communities, Northern Territory carried out by prominent • henceforth, all Indigenous projects would The year also brought the constructive education consultant Bruce Wilson. be assessed against a new, more working relationship that we have enjoyed stringent set of criteria. with DEEWR over the life of the Sporting Midwest Academy (WA) boys making a splash while on a leadership camp in Kalbarri. CLONTARF FOUNDATION 4 In particular, one of his comments relating We continue to monitor events and should The offi cial function held in the to poor attendance by students in remote the situation improve suffi ciently, we are Great Hall at Parliament House Canberra communities bears repeating: prepared to reopen the Academy. However, to farewell the retiring Governor General and this appears highly unlikely to occur any now Life Patron of Clontarf, the Honourable “……..factors that are outside the control time soon. Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO, was yet of schools, such as cultural and ceremonial another highlight in a successful year. For activities; family mobility; timing of royalty On a more positive note, the assignment two of our Brewarrina boys Tai Gordon and payments; the Darwin show and similar commissioned to establish the economic Nathan Johnson, it proved to be the ultimate events; football carnivals and rodeos; impact and fi nancial return on investment of highlight. Both boys and Operations Offi cer lack of parent and community support for Clontarf’s work was an unqualifi ed success. Charley McHughes were selected to take attendance; overcrowding; social disruption In their fi nal report dated November 2014, part in the ceremony and in particular, to affecting children including gambling, independent economic consultants ACIL present Dame Quentin with a Certifi cate substance abuse and violence; lack of Allen state that over his working life, a of Appreciation in recognition of her employment and the routines and benefi ts Clontarf graduate compared to his outstanding contribution to Clontarf. As far as that accompany employment among ‘non-Clontarf’ counterpart is likely to: most of the dignitaries in attendance were parents; and natural events that disrupt • pay $51,000 more income tax, concerned, Tai and Nathan ‘stole the show.’ attendance …..” • receive $74,000 less in welfare Well done boys, you did yourselves, your Unfortunately, in 2014 a number of the payments, families, and the Foundation proud! issues referred to above caused us to • require $55,000 less treatment from suspend operations at our Academy in the health system, Roebourne. • avoid $114,000 worth of costs associated with offending and Clontarf opened its Roebourne Academy imprisonment.