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Home , Peter Hitchener, Queensland

VICTORIA australian capital national office territory 413 canterbury road surrey hills VIC 3127 T. 1300 225 369 building c 2 lansell cct wanniassa act 2903 616 Riversdale road camberwell VIC 3124 t. (02) 6231 2540 T. 1300 225 369 queensland southport 137 main road 13 sykes court moonah tas 7009 southport qld 4215 t. (03) 6228 0443 t. 1300 780 233 launceston ipswich 177 invermay road 7 jacaranda st invermay tas 7250 east ipswich qld 4305 t. (03) 6240 8601 t. (07) 3812 3437 19 - 33 south st jimboomba qld 4280 t. (07) 5547 8077

Able Services

ABN 83 024 339 234 ACN 005 783 175 [email protected] www.ableaustralia.org.au

Follow us on who we are 2 the year in focus 4 from the chairperson 6 from the ceo 7 board of directors 8 deafblind services 12 supported independent living 14 community participation 16 community transport & support 18 FAMILY & COMMUNITY SUPPORT 20 growth & renewal corporate services 21 fundraising 22 The roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme represents a new era for people with a disability and the service providers that support them. communications & events 24 The cover of this year’s Annual Report represents the many opportunities for renewal and growth that this new era presents for organisations like Able Australia. Inside you will see that we have worked hard over the past 12 months to ensure our roots are firmly planted in the ground to help secure our long-term future, while consciously regenerating ourselves as a more efficient and professional people & culture 26 service provider of choice across both the disability and community support sectors.

We may have many branches, but we only have one goal… to deliver a better life experience for every person we support. supporters 28 contents our services our supporters

who we are Able Australia provides a range of services, including: Able Australia’s Patron is Peter Hitchener - a Melbourne based journalist and newsreader for National • Supported Independent Living - long-term in Melbourne. Mr Hitchener has been our Patron since residential accommodation 1998 and generously contributes his time to assist Able Australia. • Respite – Short-term respite accommodation • Deafblind Services – Outreach community support Ahmed Kelly was appointed Able Australia Ambassador for people living with deafblindness in 2012. Ahmed is a successful Paralympic swimmer Able Australia is one of From its humble beginnings in 1967 as the Victorian Deaf and a passionate support of Able Australia’s work Blind and Rubella Children’s Association, Able Australia • Community Participation – Community-based day around the country. Australia’s leading not-for- has grown into a diverse and dynamic organisation activities that supports more than 4000 people throughout the profit organisations, delivering Australian Capital Territory, , South • Transport – transport solutions assisting vulnerable high quality, person-centred Australia, Tasmania, Queensland and . community members to stay connected to their community services to people living with Today, we employ more than 500 staff and are supported multiple disabilities, including by over 300 volunteers who are passionate about ensuring • Improved Health & Wellbeing – services that support individuals with their specific wellbeing needs deafblindness and those receiving every person we support is seen, heard, respected, valued and connected. • Improved Daily Living Skills – training and education community support services. for individuals and families with specific disability support needs.

Able Australia derives funding from government and its own fundraising activities, including donations, raffles, trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, 2 bequests and events. 3 2015|16 the year in focus key numbers

2015 staff by state staff by gender

july Able Day on the Bay

august Senior’s Week

Sensory room at Dandenong house completed Gearing Up Expo in Hobart and Launceston september Youth Board established Annual General Meeting and Celebration Claire Tellefson wins the Debbie Prior Award Able Australia sponsors the NDIS Conference in Anittel appointed as IT Support services provider Frank Harris retires from the Able Australia Board Able Golf Swing events in Victoria and Tasmania ableart exhibition in Federation Square, Melbourne november Community Transport trial begins in Launceston International Day of People with Disability december ‘Thank you’ luncheon for donors Able Day in the Sky

victoria 37% male 2016 australian capital territory 63% female national office Able ACT works with the Australian Botanical queensland Deafblind Camp january Gardens Summer Sounds Concerts ‘Kooringal House’ in Launceston celebrates its 10th anniversary tasmania The Burrow is relaunched as an art space in Hobart february DHHS service review by KPMG NDIS Steering Group formed • Internal auditing program launched new south wales ‘pop up’ Ablelink training sessions in Tasmania march Able ACT works with Australian Botanical Gardens Enlighten New National Office opens Festival Youth With Disability project begins reaching out to schools in Ipswich, Queensland New home in Moorabbin, Victoria officially opened april ‘pop up’ Ablelink training sessions in Queensland •

Community Arts Hub launched in Richmond, Victoria may Volunteer’s Week

Deafblind Awareness Week FundABLE Future event in Ipswich, Queensland raises over $45,000 Able Morning Tea events across the country New office in Lowood, Queensland opens Beyond the School Gate in Launceston • • 4 5 from the chairperson from the ceo david clark kaye collard

Over the past 12 months we have made some Our longer term strategy continued to evolve during In some ways, preparing this column for the Annual significant strides forward in our efforts to become the past 12 months and we are exploring new ways to Report is one of my favourite times of year because it a more efficient and fiscally responsible service expand our disability support expertise. provides a rare opportunity to stop and reflect on the provider. many things we have achieved during the past year. The roll out of the NDIS in Queensland (2017) is already Our investment into new IT systems in 2014-15 is starting providing an opportunity for us to complement our Service innovation continued to be an important part of The expansion of our to pay off through better access to reliable and accurate community support offering with a range of new disability our long-term future and I have been encouraged by the disability service offering information. TechnologyOne is allowing us to make services in the . South Australia establishment of many new programs this year. into Queensland continued during more critically informed decisions, while an integrated remains an opportunity too where there is a genuine the year with the appointment of a dedicated Disability payroll, general ledger, fundraising, HR and budgeting/ need for supported accommodation and deafblind case Our inaugural FundABLE Future event in 2015 helped Development Officer. This role will be a vital link between forecasting platform has given us a clearer picture of our coordination. us create a new community arts hub in Victoria, an our organisation, government representative and people true costs and revenue. Carelink+ (our client management orientation and mobility training program for the deafblind with a disability during the lead up to the NDIS being tool) remains a work in progress and we anticipate full Fundraising continued to play an important role in our community and a transitional program for young people rolled out across the state in 2017. use and integration with TechnologyOne by the end of financial performance, with income up 63% on budget. with a disability in Queensland. It has been great to see the financial year. Brand awareness and innovation will be features of our these innovative programs get off the ground this year We have come a long way over the past 12 months, business plan for the year ahead, along with our new and I am sure they all have a very bright future. particularly in terms of improving our information and Financially, 2015-16 was a challenging year, especially Fundraising strategy in 2016-17. skills sharing between states and we will be seeking to with a number of key service areas beginning their A particular highlight was the 10th anniversary of our continue this work during the year ahead. transition to the NDIS. Unfortunately we closed the In fact innovation played a large part in our successful supported accommodation home in Kooringal Ave, year with an increased operating shortfall, which was FundABLE Future event in Ipswich this year. This creative Launceston. It was a significant milestone for all of us, as Investing in our people will be another priority during due to some operational deficits within Victoria, ACT, crowd funding event helped get three new community Kooringal was Able Australia’s first property in Tasmania the year ahead and we are already exploring a range of Queensland and Deafblind Services. A better alignment programs up and running while creating a lot of buzz and remains a shining example of our ability to create a better or more flexible arrangements to ensure we can of our service delivery against our funding model will be a about our brand. This type of creative thinking will be safe and caring living environment. attract and retain great people. An important part of this priority during the year ahead. important if we are to get our message across in an will involve identifying and supporting our future leaders increasingly competitive Fundraising market. In addition, the purchase of our first wholly owned to ensure we are continually capturing new and more The good news is that our total client-facing expenditure residential facility in Old Beach (Hobart) enabled us to innovative ways of doing things. (ie: how much income we directly spend on supporting I would like to congratulate CEO, Kaye Collard and her provide services to two NDIS funded clients for whom people) represented 87% of total labour costs. This is National Management Team on steering the organisation housing stock was difficult to find. Some of this work is already underway through the Able an important KPI for the National Management Team and through a busy and at times, difficult year. Their leadership Australia Youth Board. Comprising both external and one that is regularly monitored to ensure we remain in through a period of great change and consolidation has Our new property in Moorabbin, Victoria was officially internal people under of 35, the Youth Board brings line with the benchmark set by our funding bodies and helped lay the foundations for a very sound future. opened during the year, providing a bigger, more contemporary new ideas into the organisation in return competitors. disability-friendly home environment for the residents for some valuable exposure to a formal Board structure My thanks to my fellow Board members for volunteering who formerly lived at our Bentleigh home. and mentoring. I thank them for their commitment and A service review commissioned by the Victorian so much of their time. I would particularly like to thank input over the past 12 months. Department of Health and Human Services during the Frank Harris who retired from the Board last October and In fact there was quite a bit of movement in Victoria year provided us with a rare opportunity to have our we wish him all the best for the future. throughout the year, with the Retirees program moving I would like to thank the Board and my National operations reviewed by an external consultant. This type to our Able East location in Camberwell and the National Management Team colleagues for their support and of ‘external health check’ is something we wouldn’t Frank’s successor is Meg Downie – a Director of KPMG’s Office moving into new premises in Surrey Hills. encouragement throughout the year. I am delighted to normally have the time or resources to do and provided Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare Industry welcome Peter Batsakis (General Manager – Corporate some excellent feedback on what we are doing well and Group since 1999. Meg has a very strong interest in the These moves helped free up some much-need space Services), whose broad experience in the financial and what we could be doing better. growth and strategic positioning of organisations and will at our Camberwell site for the Deafblind Services and disability sectors will ensure we are well equipped to be a great asset to Able Australia. Victorian Operations teams, while creating a dedicated meet the commercial challenges that the NDIS presents. training space to support and upskill our people in the Finally my thanks to all of the staff, volunteers and donors best way possible. My thanks to our dedicated staff and volunteers across who have made such a significant contribution to the the country who remain so committed to assisting the organisation throughout 2015-16. I am looking forward To the north, our operation in the ACT played an important people we support to achieve their life goals. to seeing what we can achieve together during the role in planning for our NDIS future. As one of the first year ahead. areas to experience the full NDIS roll out, the ACT has Finally, my thanks to each and every one of our taught us a lot about how to engage effectively with the participants and their families and carers. Every day I agency responsible for managing the NDIS and the type am inspired by your courage and zest for life and I look of support that people with a disability will (and won’t) be forward to celebrating our journey together as part of our looking for. 50th anniversary festivities in 2017.

6 7 board of directors

Peter Reilly | Treasurer - Director since 2012 david clark | chairperson - director since november 2012 Bachelor of Business Accounting; Associate - the Institute of Chartered Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Accountants, Registered Tax agent since 1976, Associate - Institute of Company Directors. David was appointed Chairperson of the Able Australia Board in December 2013. He is an Coach with more than 20 Peter has more than 30 years’ experience as a senior executive and years’ experience in senior executive roles within a diverse range of has demonstrated success in a range of areas including general organisations. His background is in Human Resources and Senior management, building high performance teams, developing Executive Management roles, working primarily in the food and and implementing financial and business plans, directing public beverage industry. David has worked in , USA, and the companies and ensuring funding requirements are met in high growth Pacific and has deep experience in organisational change. organisations. Peter is a Director of Melba Opera Trust and Chairman of the St. Bernard’s Foundation. David’s Able Australia Board Committee membership includes: Peter’s Able Australia Board Committee membership includes: • Finance, Investment and Remuneration Committee • Chair - Finance, Investment and Remuneration Committee

Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors

frank harris oam jp | deputy chairperson - director 2008 - 2015 Mike Bottomley | Director since 2012

Frank is a retired Bail Justice (Dept Justice Appointment) and currently Mike currently owns and operates several businesses throughout a practising . He has more than 37 years’ Queensland and New South Wales including Aitken Welding Supplies, experience at an executive level in disability service organisations Abrasive Diamond and Industrial and INSESA. Mike has also been a and is the current Patron at Crisis Support Services. strong supporter of several community organisations including Apex, Life Saving, Rotary and church council. Frank’s Able Australia Board Committee membership includes: Mike’s Able Australia Board Committee membership includes: • Finance, Investment and Remuneration Committee • Quality and Efficacy Committee • Public Relations, Marketing and Fundraising Committee

Julie Hore | Deputy Chairperson - Director since 2007 Bachelor of Commerce; Bachelor of Laws (Hon) Laura Meagher | Director since 2008 Bachelor of Commerce (Law); Bachelor of Management (HR); Diploma of Julie is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Public Relations Directors. Her experience includes the private sector as a commercial , corporate legal practice for and Shell UK, and Laura is a committed and passionate professional with experience in multiple senior management, project and strategy roles in the Shell marketing, communications, culture and people across a variety of group of companies. industries including automotive, finance & insurance and building & construction for over 15 years. Julie’s Able Australia Board Committee membership includes: Laura’s Able Australia Board Committee membership includes: • Chair - Public Relations, Marketing and Fundraising Committee • Public Relations, Marketing and Fundraising Committee • Chair - Quality and Efficacy Committee

8 9 board of directors meeting of directors 2015|16

jul aug sept oct nov dec jan feb mar apr may jun total attend

Hon. Don Wing AM | Director since 2011 no no no agm Bachelor of Laws board meetings meeting meeting meeting

Don practised as a and Solicitor for 20 years before being julie hore yes yes yes yes yes yes yes no 8 7 elected to the in the of Tasmania. During his 29 years as an Independent Member, he served as donald wing yes yes no yes no yes no yes 8 5 President of the Council for six years and was of Launceston from 1983-1987. Don is a member and patron of a number of peter reilly yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes 8 8 community, humanitarian and sporting organisations.

Don’s Able Australia Board Committee membership includes: frank harris yes yes yes 3 3

• Quality and Efficacy Committee mike bottomley yes yes yes yes no yes yes yes 8 7

david clarke no yes no yes yes yes no yes 8 5

laura meagher no no yes yes yes yes no yes 8 5

finance investment & jul aug sept oct nov dec jan feb mar apr may jun total attend remuneration meetings

peter reilly yes yes yes 3 3

frank harris yes no no 1 1

david clark yes yes yes 3 3

public relations, marketing & jul aug sept oct nov dec jan feb mar apr may jun total attend fundraising meetings

julie hore yes yes yes 3 3

laura meagher yes yes yes 3 3

mike bottomley yes yes yes 3 3

quality & efficiancy jul aug sept oct nov dec jan feb mar apr may jun total attend meetings

laura meagher yes yes yes 3 3

don wing yes yes yes 3 3

frank harris no 1 0

10 11 deafblind services

The introduction of new programs and a greater These partnerships have opened up new opportunities Although still based in Melbourne, Ablelink emphasis on consultation were strong themes for for Able Australia to play a lead role in workshops began reaching out to new people in Deafblind Services throughout 2015-16. about deafblindness issues. Deafblind Services staff Tasmania, Queensland and New South Wales are increasingly being asked to participate in national through a series of ‘pop-up’ training sessions. With participants becoming more confident and vocal disability forums about the NDIS, activities hosted by These sessions were designed to reach out to in expressing their needs and wants, a range of new National Disability Services and other forums around new deafblind contacts and help improve their services such as Orientation and Mobility training and the country to share our knowledge and expertise in this access to smart phones using braille devices and Financial Digital Literacy were introduced during the space. low vision aides. The workshops facilitate peer year. These types of initiatives allow us to better meet the training so the deafblind community can improve their individual needs of the people we support, while helping Social and recreation activities continue to be one of our digital literacy skills and improve their independence. to grow our participant numbers. We have already seen most popular attractions, with the National Deafblind growth in this area with support hours jumping from 400 Camp being a particular highlight. This year’s event Our association with the Conexu Foundation helped to over 1000 hours. was held in Narrabeen, NSW. It was the first time the facilitate a new technology trial to help people with camp had been held outside of Victoria and was a huge hearing and vision loss to access telephone calls using a During the year, the title ‘Support Worker’ was changed success with 164 deafblind campers, volunteers and unique ‘caption to braille’ service. This project was a first to ‘Deafblind Communication Guide’ to better reflect the staff taking part. Visits to the Sydney Opera House, daily of its kind in Australia and won a national Telco Award in changing requirements of the role and the unique support sporting activities and the opportunity for participants to the category of Community Contribution at the Annual required by people with deafblindness. experience surfing for the first time brought a little magic Communications Alliance and CommsDay Award, 2016. to the three-day event. The expansion into South Australia, New South Wales and Demand for Social Haptics Communication (where Queensland which commenced in 2015 began delivering In Victoria, the Deafblind Outreach Program continued messages are conveyed using the sense of ) some success in 2015-16. Awareness and requests for its growth during the year. This unique program is training continued to grow throughout the year. A number support from Able Australia is growing, while the number completely participant-driven and involves Deafblind of Social Haptic Communication workshops were held of participants has increased by 30 per cent in each Communication Guides working closely with individuals around the country throughout 2015-16 and requests for state. Our increased presence in these areas has helped to tailor their support according to their needs. training were received from as far away as Istanbul, establish a number of strategic partnerships and service Turkey. These opportunities will be explored further support agreements with like-minded organisations such Increased participation by those members of the during the year ahead. as Deaf Societies and various blindness service groups deafblind community with residual hearing and/or vision such as Vision Australia and Guide Dogs. has helped deliver some significant outcomes in this In 2016-17, the recruitment of volunteers space. Demand for this service is likely to grow as the for social activities in NSW, QLD and SA will NDIS is rolled out and Able Australia will continue to be be a priority, along with a greater emphasis the lead agency in this area. on reaching out to deafblind people living in regional and rural areas. In association with this program, the team has been working closely with the NDIA (the agency responsible Close involvement and monitoring of the NDIS for administering the NDIS) to register Deafblind Case roll out will continue to ensure our development and Management as a recognised Support Coordination service expansion remains in line with the expectations Service. This will assist the deafblind community of both our current and future participants and the NDIA. and participants within Able Australia to access, setup and engage with the services they need. Deafblind International The Art Therapy program became part of the Deafblind Services operation during the year which led to the 17th World Conference establishment of a new arts-based project for people with deafblindness. Able Australia’s world-class expertise in the provision of Winning the right to host such a prestigious event is a support services to the deafblind community was formally great honour and a clear indication that Able Australia is The Deafblind Arts and Craft group was one of several recognised early in the year when it was appointed host one of the world’s foremost authorities on deafblindness new initiatives to come out of the 2015 FundABLE Future of the Deafblind International 17th World Conference. issues. event and supports deafblind participants to explore their creativity through a variety of guided art and craft To be held on the Gold Coast from 12 to 16 August 2019, Although the conference is some years away, planning activities. this conference will bring people with deafblindness, and preparation work is already underway to ensure the academics, medical and professional researchers Deafblind International 17th World Conference is one of More broadly, around 60 people are now participating in involved in deafblindness and other service providers the most memorable yet. the Art Therapy program, which has created many new from around the world together to share their experiences ways for them to express themselves more freely. 12 and discover the latest developments within the sector. 13 supported independent living

Through our range of supported independent living The past year in Victoria has seen some significant options, we assist every individual we work with to improvements to the various homes we manage in live a valued and respected life, as independently as metropolitan Melbourne. possible. The long-overdue shift from our property in Bentleigh to As one of the first in Australia to undergo a full a new home in Moorabbin provided more space and a rollout of the NDIS, the ACT has been a very active market more disability-friendly environment for the residents who for Able Australia over the past 12 months. proudly hosted their own house-warming event in May.

The changing nature of the sector has meant the Funding from the Freemason’s Foundation Victoria provision of quality and consistent support has been allowed us to convert an old garage at our Dandenong more important than ever. As part of this, our staff have house into a new sensory room. Sensory stimulation assisted many participants to apply for NDIS supports is an important therapy for people with limited or non- and to attend NDIS planning meetings with their parents responsive sensory nerves, as it offers a range of and guardians. experiences that arouse their responses.

Throughout the year we provided 24 hour Person-Centred planning continued to be a major focus accommodation support to 14 people throughout the year, as more and more residents started in the ACT - most requiring high- considering what they need to live the life they choose support/complex care. Of under the NDIS. For example, one vision impaired these, nine have already resident in Mitcham was given professional training to transitioned to the NDIS, help her manage her walking skills when out and about in with the remainder to her neighbourhood. follow in late 2016. As a result she is now noticeably more confident when In addition, the engaging with the public. This greater confidence has led ACT team is now to her taking control of other aspects of her life, including providing NDIA a healthier eating plan and successfully managing her funded flexible own diabetes regime. supports to 17 participants - In Tasmania, the introduction of service agreements across five through our all homes in Launceston was a significant achievement Supported Independent during 2015-16. These agreements provided all residents Living program and 12 still with a clear picture of their rights and responsibilities as living with family or independently. Able Australia participants, while clearly documenting what Able Australia will (and won’t) provide. Importantly, many of the learnings gained through these initial experiences with the NDIS The 10th anniversary of our home at Kooringal Drive are informing the organisation’s strategy and financial in Legana was a significant milestone during the year modelling interstate. and an ideal way to highlight Able Australia’s long-term commitment to the people of Launceston. Support Coordination has emerged as a new opportunity as more participants seek out new activities that align The birthday event was attended by members of with the goals set out in their NDIS life plan. Parliament, local councillors and even some of the original staff who all came together to celebrate with the The coordination of social support, community access, residents. travel training and other supports as requested will play an important role in our service offering during the year The opening of our first fully NDIS-funded house at Henty ahead. Close in Hobart was another major achievement. The purchase of the property was the first step in a new era The transfer of properties in Weavell Place and Adinda for our operation in Tasmania and we were pleased to St to a new service provider was successfully managed welcome one new and one existing participant into the to completion without the need for redundancies, while two-bedroom house. a greater effort to minimise the use of temporary agency staff and overtime has helped meet budget targets. 14 15 community participation

Social interaction and community engagement are This pilot included incursions and excursions to local essential parts of daily life which is why our wide community hubs, events and activity centres and will be range of community-based day activities continued evaluated during the year ahead with a view to creating a to be so popular throughout 2015-16. service model that is sustainable under the NDIS.

In Victoria, a new sensory room at our Able East location In Tasmania a sensory garden, funded through the in Camberwell provided a variety of visual and textured 2015 FundABLE Future event, was completed touch structures to provide a range of activity options to for the people we support at our ‘Birribi’ site in stimulate the senses. With the Retirees Program moving Launceston. Artificial turf, scented and edible to Able East during the year, the sensory room was a plants, water features and textured touch items timely addition to the site. were installed to provide a tranquil retreat where day service participants can feel safe, relaxed A considerable effort was put into building our network and intellectually stimulated. of local businesses capable of providing day activities for the people we support. New programs such as ‘Bounce Therapy’ at the local Police and Community Youth Guide Dogs Victoria, Meals on Wheels, the Kevin Heinz Club were introduced, while our relationship Garden Centre and That’s the Thing About Fishing were with the Princess Theatre continued to provide the particularly supportive during the year and we will be people we support with an opportunity to attend dress looking for new ways to continue these relationships in rehearsals of professional theatre productions. 2016-17. The shift towards the provision of individually tailored Gaining a better understanding of young people with a programs for participants continued, with staff undergoing disability and their specific needs has been a priority over person-centred thinking, planning and active support. the past year, which has led to more regular contact with local schools. In Launceston, a new Community Transport operation based on our successful Queensland model, was trialled A successful two-year pilot school holiday program and provided an opportunity to a volunteer-based for primary and secondary school-aged people with transport service for some of the younger people we disabilities concluded during the year. support. The outcomes of the trial and the longer- art and music term viability of the program will be assessed in 2016-17. Music and art therapy remained a popular choice for The annual ableart exhibition in Federation Square was people wishing to take part during the year. These again a major highlight for the Art Therapy program. More engaging therapy services have continued their evolution than 100 works of art created by the program participants to become more person-centred and are increasingly went on display, with nearly 50 paintings being sold along being provided in group or individual sessions to best the way. This increasingly popular exhibition will have an meet the needs of each individual. extended in 2016-17.

Partnerships with key community-based organisations The establishment of a Deafblind Arts and Craft group and other disability service providers continued to be was another highlight and has experienced some steady an excellent source of referrals to the Music Therapy growth since its establishment early in 2016. Based at the program having helped build a solid participant Richmond Community Learning Centre, the program has database. This will be particularly important as more developed in line with the individual needs of participants. growth opportunities open up through the NDIS. Early feedback has been very promising, particularly from people who have been supported to achieve new goals The annual Music Therapy Christmas Party was once and experience new activities for the first time. again one of the major highlights of the year, with program participants using the occasion to perform in The Creative Arts Painting Program acquired four new front of an audience. participants plus a referral from the program’s first NDIS funded participant. This represents a significant step The Arts Therapy program continued to provide a creative towards a new era for the Arts Therapy program and outlet for people with a disability and continued its journey sustainability under the new system will be a significant towards a broader, more person-centred arts offering. focus during the year ahead.

16 17 community transport & support

Information and knowledge sharing continued to In addition, an alliance with Volunteering Services Australia The relocation of the Lowood operation to a new facility The diversity of activities continued to expand and included be important themes for our Community Transport to support our volunteer recruitment requirements helped was a major development during the year. The larger, special activities for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, service throughout 2015-16. streamline the volunteer recruitment process. This more accessible building will enable the development of International Women’s Day, Seniors Week and Men’s development is already helping to ensure new volunteers new group activities whilst increasing transport outputs Health Week. The Men’s Health Week event (Wise Guys) A new partnership with Volunteering Services Australia are meeting our strict organisational standards more within the region. was particularly successful and achieved a nomination paved the way for us to trial our community transport easily. for an Australia Day Award early in 2016. model in Launceston for the first time. Working closely The provision of disability services became a higher with the Launceston Disability Services team, the new The various supplier networks that help keep our national priority during the year following the announcement that One of the true highlights of the year was the success program is slowly taking off and the sustainability of a car fleet service operational were overhauled during the the NDIS would commence its full roll out in Queensland of the FundABLE future event in Ipswich. More than 80 formal community transport program will be assessed year which helped significantly improve the efficiency of from July 2017. The early goal was to increase brand members of the local and surrounding community joined during the year ahead. our vehicle maintenance and repairs processes. awareness amongst the local disability sector by hosting in the fun of the night to help raise some much needed monthly group information sessions that would help funds to establish three new community-based programs. The rebranding of our fleet vehicles during the year Elsewhere, a range of new strategies were developed to participants, parents and guardians understand the helped to raise our brand profile throughout South East help reinvigorate our group transport activity offering in the transition process a little better. More than $45,000 in cash and in-kind support was raised Queensland and helped strengthen the perception that and West Moreton regions. These strategies on the night, meaning these exciting new programs will Able Australia is a premier community transport operator. helped generate a positive increase in participant New partnerships with key disability sector groups such come to life in 2017. numbers and will be rolled out in the Southport region as Queensland Disability Network and NDS contributed Earlier in the year, an extension to our service reach was during 2016-17. to our success in this space, while new programs such as The appointment of a new youth leader in Jimboomba made possible through the securing of additional funding the Youth With Disability Program enabled us to reach out was a significant development for the Flipside Youth streams through Volunteering Gold Coast. This sub- A series of new partnering arrangements with other to a new generation of people with a disability. program. contracting arrangement allows us to take our transport service providers in the Jimboomba region has created offering into the Logan River and West Moreton regions some new opportunities for us to expand our community Developed through a 2015 FundABLE Future grant, This appointment, along with the development of an and reach out to people in remote locations. service programs and increase our local transport activity this new program took off during the year and helped achievable action plan will help us to connect with more in 2017. many younger people prepare for their transition into of the region’s younger people who may be in need of independent living. Early feedback suggests there is a some additional support and guidance. genuine need for support like this and it is hoped this will continue to grow during the year ahead. A new program of social outings for groups and individuals was successfully implemented across all locations during The Active Living Program for Seniors continued to play the year and has already helped to increase activity in an important role in supporting older people throughout this space. This program will continue to evolve during the West Moreton region to stay socially connected to the year ahead as we continue to learn more about the their local community. individual needs of our participants.

The number of participant in the Community Visitor Scheme increased during the year, despite a reduction in the number of volunteer visitors.

Actively recruiting more volunteers will be a priority for 2016-17, along with the regular provision of training to help increase their knowledge and skills.

18 19 Family & Community Support corporate services

The 2015-16 year was a period of Over the past 12 months we have designed a new Like most organisations seeking a long- The Fundraising module was the last to go live in April transformation for our traditional respite- program called Family and Community Support which term future under the NDIS, finding new and and has paved the way for us to replace our aging donor seeks to meet this very important function for both the database system. In addition, the system’s ability to target based services as they continued to evolve individuals with disabilities and their families and carers. better ways of doing things has been an different market segments (such as location, personal into a more NDIS appropriate offering. important goal for Able Australia over the preferences and past transaction value) will greatly This new-look service will roll out in 2016-17, offering: past 12 months. improve our donor event and campaign management For many years, Able Australia has offered a wide variety processes. of respite support, including short-term facility-based • Short-term care and support for people with The Corporate Services area is largely responsible respite, one-to-one respite in the community and short- disabilities to achieve their individual goals for the ‘behind the scenes’ tasks such as Finance and From a budgeting perspective, TechnologyOne has term group support during the day. • A realistic response to individual support needs Information Technology and completed some large-scale helped us to eliminate the traditional (and cumbersome) • Tailored support plans to help people achieve their projects to achieve that goal during 2015-16. spreadsheet system, while providing more timely, However the introduction of the NDIS has changed things life goals and aspirations transparent and accurate budget information. significantly as the spotlight moved onto the delivery of One of the biggest achievements for the year was the things that individuals want. As a result, the sector as a In addition, a new-look intake and service coordination implementation of new technology systems such as During the year ahead, work will continue on the whole is now moving towards more community-based procedure will provide us with a much better understanding TechnologyOne and Carelink+. Both projects were part integration of the two systems to ensure our staff records support programs and services that assist individuals to of what each participant’s specific needs are and how we of our biggest ever ICT infrastructure investment and will and invoicing systems are streamlined and as accurate access their community to participate in activities of their can connect them with the right service. be instrumental in our ability to successfully step into the and efficient as possible. choice. more commercially-focussed NDIS world. It is an exciting time for Able Australia and the sector as Financially, the 2015-16 year was difficult and ended What we have historically referred to as ‘respite’, will a whole. We are confident this new service combined Carelink+ was specifically selected for its ability to with a deficit. With shortfalls being recorded in most soon be known as something different as the emphasis with our ongoing commitment to one-to-one and group capture and store the most accurate client information states, there will be a much greater focus on ensuring our shifts away from ‘giving families a break’ and towards support opportunities, will help convert the traditional possible and will help us deliver a greater variety of services are working to our strengths and operating as ‘facilitating meaningful life experiences’ for people with client-provider arrangement into genuine partnerships. service experiences that truly meets the needs of each efficiently as possible in the year ahead. a disability. individual. Throughout 2015-16 we have invested a great deal of time in ensuring our frontline staff fully understand Part of the financial challenge lies in the NDIS transition the need for a system and most importantly, how to use trial site areas such as the ACT and Tasmania, where it. some programs experienced a funding decrease as a result of the new model. However we did learn a lot To date, Carelink+ has significantly improved the from this experience and these lessons will stand us management of our client information systems and in good stead when the NDIS continues its full roll out is gradually starting to incorporate other important during 2017. Another contributing factor was the weak functions such as payroll. The ACT was the first area to global economy and low interest rates which negatively use Carelink+ in this way, and we are already seeing more impacted on our various financial investments. accurate and efficient time recording data as a result. This functionality will be rolled out to other areas The National Office team’s long awaited move to new during 2016-17. premises in Surrey Hills became a reality during the year, freeing up some much needed space in our Camberwell In addition, Carelink+ is now fully operational building. The Camberwell building has since been for all transport services in Queensland renovated and will allow all of our Victorian Operations which has led to a dramatic turnaround and Deafblind Services staff to be housed together under in the accuracy of our record keeping. the one roof for the first time in several years.

It is still early days, however we The appointment of a new IT services provider made are already identifying new and an immediate impact on our ICT capability. Anittel was better ways of doing things as selected from a short list of very capable providers and staff around the country become their appointment and immediately reduced the level of IT more familiar with Carelink+’s issues and service downtime. capability and potential. Anittel successfully tendered to provide and support TechnologyOne has helped create a single our new national phone system which is currently being system for our back of house function (Finance, rolled out in offices around the country. Where possible, HR, Payroll and Fundraising), meaning we can this state-of-the-art system utilises the internet rather now get a more accurate, fully integrated picture of than the traditional phone line system, resulting in cost our financial position when needed. savings and usability. 20 21 fundraising

Growth, innovation and greater connection to The steady growth we our donors and supporters were key themes for have seen with our Appeal Fundraising throughout 2015-16. Campaigns in recent years continued in 2015-16. Our 2015 Thanks to the ongoing generosity of our donors, the Christmas Appeal was particularly 2015/16 financial year saw a 63% growth in forecast successful, with a 110% increase income. It was a great result that can in part be attributed in net income, a notable increase in to a renewed focus on customer service and donor response rates, a 73% reduction in engagement. campaign costs and a 14% growth in average gift. To start with, a new 1300 number was set up to provide donors across the country with direct access to the The Bequests Program continues to be the largest fundraising staff to make donations and enquiries. income stream of the Fundraising portfolio. We are very fortunate to have so many generous members In December 2015, we had the pleasure of meeting some of the community who are willing to bequeath a lasting of our donors in person at a special luncheon to mark legacy to our organisation. International Day of People with Disability. This was followed by a similar event in June 2016 to celebrate Elsewhere, a new nationwide awareness and fundraising International Day of Deafblind Awareness. campaign was launched in 2016 to coincide with Deafblind Awareness Week. Both events were extremely successful and the positive feedback we received will ensure we continue to engage The ‘Able Morning Tea’ campaign encouraged members with our supporters in this way during the year ahead. of the general public to get together with their friends, family or work colleagues and consider what life might be Our supporter newsletter was given a facelift this like with deafblindness. year, renamed as “Friends of Able” and sent out as an e-newsletter to donors with a registered email address for A range of fact sheets, recipes and fun games were made the first time. This new approach clearly struck a chord, available through the website to make each event as attracting over 40 new donations with an average value of much fun as it was informative. $40. A very promising new income stream. Morning Teas were successfully held in Queensland, all Importantly, this highly successful event provided some This invaluable support has enabled us to continue the way down the east coast in Sydney and through to significant brand awareness throughout the West Moreton running a variety of crucial programs for the people we a High School in Caroline Springs (Victoria). We expect region and helped solidified some important strategic support. this important awareness and fundraising activity will relationships with important community organisations continue to grow year-on-year in the future. such as the Ipswich . The biggest challenge for fundraising in the year ahead will be to build our brand awareness within the disability Our crowd funding event, FundABLE Our efforts to obtain funding through a variety of grants sector and the wider community. Future made a return in June and trusts over the past year have delivered some good but this time in Ipswich, results, despite the ever-increasing competition in this The Fundraising and Communications teams have been Queensland. space. Some of the more significant contributions collaborating to overcome this challenge by exploring included: social media and traditional advertising campaigns. More than 80 people from the local • $37,000 from Gandel Philanthropy for digital literacy As part of this, a ‘Faces of Able Australia’ social media community attended skills training for Tasmanians with deafblindness campaign was initiated during Volunteer Week in May on the night ready to and allowed us to profile a variety of volunteers and Able be entertained by our • $25,000 from Herbert Smith Freehills for Arts Therapy Australia staff in Queensland. MC for the night (Olympic Programs and Exhibitions Gold Medallist, Duncan This successful initiative was expanded during the lead • $28,000 from the Collier Charitable Fund for a Armstrong) and to pledge their up to Deafblind Awareness Week and will continue as an Deafblind Recreation Program cash or in-kind donations to three effective tool to showcase the work we do. These stories have been added to the Able Australia website. new community programs. An incredible • $9,688 from the Sidney Fund for Tasmanian $35,000 was pledged on the night, with children with complex, multiple disabilities to subsequent donations taking the total to participate in a school holiday program. more than $45,000. 2022 23 communications & events

The new marketing opportunities that were opened up In fact NDIS preparation was a major focus following the completion of the rebranding process in during the first half of 2016 to ensure both 2015 started to take shape during the 2015-16 year, Able Australia and the people we support making it an exciting but hectic 12 months. have a better understanding of the changes to come and how the transition will play The reactivation of our Facebook and Twitter accounts out. opened up many new opportunities to share our important news with the wider community and generated some Internally, the communication focus has steady growth in the number of followers. A major review highlighted every staff member’s role as of our social media strategy early in 2016 identified some a brand ambassador and the importance areas for improvement which will be implemented during of providing an authentic customer the year ahead. experience to current and future participants. This increased social media activity has had a knock on effect for our website, generating a steady increase in Able Australia made the news on a visitation during the year. number of occasions throughout the year, including television coverage of the The implementation of a new ‘text to voice’ program relaunch of The Burrow in Hobart (a public (Readspeaker) was one of several significant art space sponsored by Able Australia), radio developments for the website during the year and helped coverage of the ableart exhibition in Federation Square us take another important step towards achieving our and newspaper coverage of our FundABLE Future event accessibility goals. in Ipswich. This year, Duncan made an additional appearance as host The annual ableart exhibition in Melbourne’s Federation of our FundABLE Future event in Ipswich (Queensland). Square was another opportunity to showcase our brand In addition, the development of a new NDIS-focussed As usual, our Deafblind Awareness Week media campaign After a successful ‘corporate-focussed’ event in 2015, alongside some remarkable works of art generated by section on the site will play an important role in our future generated plenty of interest thanks to the involvement of this live crowd funding concept was remodelled as the people we support. A change of date from May to marketing strategies. our campaign spokesperson Olympic Gold Medallist, a community event and invited members of the local November was a great success, with a visible increase in Duncan Armstrong. Focussing on our Able Morning community to pledge cash or in-kind support to get three visitation to the exhibition itself. A communications plan for Able Australia’s transition to Tea campaign as a theme, Duncan made two national new community-based programs off the ground. the NDIS was developed during the year. This important television appearances on the Seven and Ten networks Our two major golf days continued to grow in popularity work came out of wider NDIS Steering Group and will and participated in over 60 radio interviews across the The successful event raised more than $45,000 as well as in 2015-16. More than 70 people attended our day out inform the way in which we share NDIS-related information country to help shine the spotlight on deafblindness as some priceless brand awareness and goodwill. at the Launceston Golf Club to help raise $4500 while with our staff and our external contacts. a condition. in Victoria, around the same number of golfers took to With the pending roll out of the NDIS making brand the prestigious greens of the National Gold Club at Cape recognition within the sector more important than ever, a Schank. A partnership with our national fleet providers greater focus was put on creating a stronger presence for (Custom Fleet) ensured a huge turnout at this event, Able Australia at major events and expos. which helped raise over $8000 to support the deafblind theatre production – Imagined Touch. High profile sponsorship opportunities at sector events such as the NDIS New World Conference in Brisbane and During the year, we hosted events to celebrate a significant the Australian Society for Intellectual Disability milestone for two of our supported independent living Conference in Melbourne were among houses. Early in the year, a special event was held at many activities throughout the year our house in Kooringal Avenue (Launceston) to mark to help keep our name front its 10th year of operation, while dozens of guests were and centre. invited into our new property in Moorabbin (Victoria) for a housewarming. Both events were an exciting way for the residents to showcase their homes with pride.

2224 25 PEOPLE AND CULture

The 2015-16 year brought about a significant The new position of Learning & Development Manager name change for the Human Resources was created and successfully filled, while a new system of reporting on Learning and Development across the team to better reflect the diversity of this country was set up to better monitor compliance training important internal function. and qualifications of all staff.

With Human Resources, Best Practice, Quality and The Intranet Document Repository system (aka the Compliance and Training now falling under the Intranet) was rebuilt to improve access to operational People and Culture banner, it was a very busy policies/procedures/forms and resources, while the new year across the board, particularly in terms of IT system (TechnologyOne) continued to provide better audits. system reliability while assisting with the transition of documents to an electronic format. One of the biggest events for the year was a review commissioned by the Victorian We continued to look at new ways of investing in our Department of Health and Human Services. people by offering a wide range of new training programs, This was effectively an external health check covering topics such as: of our operation in Victoria and provided some excellent feedback on what we are • Epilepsy doing right and what we could be doing • Autism awareness better both in Victoria and in other areas. • Zero tolerance to abuse and neglect Staff across the organisation were supported by the People and Culture team to meet • Positive behaviour support training compliance with the ISO 9001:2008 external audit, while Victorian staff were assisted to There are strong signs that our culture is well on the way meet compliance for a Disability Standards towards the goals we have set with an ISO 9001:2008 external audit. auditor commenting that they “see evidence of change management and the development of ‘OneAble’. Staff in Tasmania were assisted to meet compliance with a Department ‘desk top’ audit against required standards. quality & compliance

To encourage continuous service improvement across the organisation, an The rebuilding and relaunching of both the Continuous internal auditing program was developed Improvement Management System and the Able Practice during the year. Model of Support was a major project during the year.

An auditing team made up of staff volunteers This much-needed system overhaul involved reviewing is now conducting regular internal audits in all and updating our suite of important documents such areas to ensure we are providing services to the as policies, procedures, forms and other resources to people we support at the best possible standard. ensure our critical service documents are relevant and at industry standard. Developing a range of new processes to help attract, develop and retain high quality staff and The creation of a Child Safe Standards Framework volunteers was a high priority throughout the year. was another important piece of work. This framework has formalised the rights and responsibilities of all It was pleasing to see so many staff recognised for staff supporting children as part of their daily work and their longevity of service at our Annual Celebration documents a minimum safety standard for participants. in October. Amongst many milestones on the day, we were able to formally congratulate two people Our improved engagement with disability services who had clocked up 20 years of amazing service with providers across the country has helped align our Quality Able Australia – a great sign that we are continuously Standards Framework models with some of the sector’s improving our staff retention practices. leading organisations.

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3M Lions Club of Lowood AccessPay Council trusts Apple Marketing Group Pty Ltd Mobile Muster Australian Office National Australia Bank Australian Communications Consumer Action Network Bank National Disability Services Brighton Council NEKON PTY LTD Collier Charitable Fund Bristol Paint Officeworks Deafness Foundation City of Manningham Queensland Police Service Equity Trustees City of Monash Quota International Freemasons Foundation Victoria City of Boroondara Rotary Limited Clarendon Community Grants Royal Victorian Aero Club Flora & Frank Leith Charitable Trust ORGANISATIONAL Brooks High School Tasmania Somerset Regional Council St Vincent De Paul Gandel Philanthropy Coles Community Food – SecondBite Tasmanian Commercial Loans Gorman Foundation STRUCTURE 2015-16 Tek Print & Design Herbert Smith Freehills Foundation Community Sector Banking Telstra Daisy’s Garden Supplies VISITS Pierce Armstrong Foundation Department of Social Security (DSS) Vodafone Foundation Sidney Myer Fund Degani Bakery Café Volunteering Gold Coast Inc. RACV Foundation Digital Camera Warehouse Volunteering Services Australia State Trustees Dulux Voss Photography Foodbank Qld Sub-fund accounts of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation GE Capital Woolworths Limited (Woolworths Fresh Food Rescue) Gold Coast City Council The Marian and E.H. Flack Trust Grill’d YFS (Youth and Family Services) V V Marshman Trust Bay Council Haymes Paint P&B Hyams (a sub-fund of the Friendly Care Chemart Pharmacy Hewlett Packard Australian Communities Foundation) Triabunna District School Ipswich City Council Mazda Foundation Parent - Dawn Askin Allport Bequest Jimboomba Early Childhood Launceston Golf Club Education Centre Sidney Myer Fund The Good Guys Jobs Australia Guardian Chemist Launceston City Council Lake Pedder Fishing Club Leonda by the Yarra Hotel Charles Rockerfeller Family

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