ARACY Annual Report 2003
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Annual Report 2003 Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth “Working together to enhance the wellbeing and life chances of children and young people.” Note: The highlighted quotes TABLE OF CONTENTS Page used throughout this report are attributable to the Alliance CEO, 1. THE YEAR IN REVIEW 2 Professor Fiona Stanley AC Chairman’s Report 2 Chief Executive Officer’s Report 3 Highlights 2003 5 2. STRATEGIC OVERVIEW 6 Key Strategies 6 Project Structure 7 3. GOVERNANCE and ADMINISTRATION 8 4. REPORT on OPERATIONS 10 Project 1: Collaboration 10 Network Development 10 Consensus Research Agenda 11 Clearing House 11 Communication Strategy 12 Project 2: National Data Network 12 Administration 12 5. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 13 Directors’ Report 13 Independent Audit Report 16 Directors’ Declaration 17 Statement of Financial Performance 18 Statement of Financial Position 18 Statement of Cash Flows 19 Notes to and forming part of the Accounts 19 6. APPENDICES 22 Working Groups 22 Organisational Members 23 OUR PURPOSE: to enhance the wellbeing and life chances of children and young people through the establishment of new collaborations across disciplines and sectors for the development and application of useful knowledge. he Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth was established in 2002 to harness Tthe expertise and resources of individuals and organisations in developing innovative Australian solutions to the range of complex problems affecting the health, development and wellbeing Research Alliance of increasing numbers of young Australians. for Children and The Alliance is building the capacity to connect people and establish networks that will enable Youth the sharing of ideas, information and knowledge across previously discrete boundaries of expertise and endeavour. ABN 100 902 921 The newly forged collaborations that are established through this process will make it possible Level 13, Dumas House, to more effectively and comprehensively address the “big picture” issues that are impacting 2 Havelock Street, on the quality of life of children and young people growing up in Australia. West Perth WA 6005 Phone: 08 9476 7800 This collaborative approach will enhance the nation’s capacity to achieve outcomes that are Fax: 08 9476 7850 significantly better than could be achieved from the more fragmented approaches practised in Email: the past. [email protected] Web: www.aracy.org.au The Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth is a Company Limited by Guarantee. The Alliance is an Approved Research Institute (ARI) with deductible gift recipient status and tax exemption. All research produced by the Alliance will be publicly and freely available. 1 Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth ANNUAL REPORT 2003 1 THE YEAR IN REVIEW Report from the Board Chairman: Michael Chaney he 2003 reporting year is the first full year of operation of the Australian Research Alliance Tfor Children and Youth. Over the course of the year, the Alliance has continued to put in place structures and processes to support a strong and sustainable system of governance and to provide assurance to investors that funding is well managed, accounted for, and achieves the outcomes for which it is intended. The finalisation of the Alliance constitution in December 2002 ensures that the organisation operates under a clear governance framework. A draft business plan prepared in mid 2003 identifies the funding requirements and planned outcomes to the end of 2005. The business plan will be refined and updated on an ongoing basis. During this early period of development, it has been particularly encouraging to note the extent of financial and practical support the Alliance has received both from government and from the philanthropic and corporate sectors. This broadly based level of support has been reinforced by the impressive list of more than 150 member organisations and a comparable number of individual members who have joined the Alliance since membership opened in mid 2003. The establishment of any new organisation poses unique challenges. This applies in particular to one which is as groundbreaking in its vision, goals, structure and method of operating as the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth. In my role as inaugural board chairperson, I am particularly appreciative of the input and support of my fellow board members. Our inaugural directors, Ms Elaine Henry, Justice Tony Fitzgerald and CEO Professor Fiona Stanley and three subsequent appointees, Sir Gustav Nossal, Mr Peter Mason and Mr Paul Kelly have all been very important contributors over the past year. The calibre and breadth of expertise represented in the governing board, together with administrative capacity developed by the national office puts the Alliance in a strong position for the implementation phase of its work program scheduled to commence in the second half of 2004. Michael Chaney Board Chairperson 2 Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth ANNUAL REPORT 2003 1 THE YEAR IN REVIEW Report from the Chief Executive Officer: Professor Fiona Stanley AC he Australian Research Alliance is poised to begin implementing the most broadly based Tcollaborative venture ever attempted in Australia or, as far as we are aware, anywhere else in the world, to address a social issue of major national significance. In the second half of 2004, we will be appointing collaborative teams from across the spectrum of specialised disciplines and diverse sectors to begin the process of developing a comprehensive, integrated approach for tackling the top “big picture” issues that have been identified as requiring priority action if we are to achieve our goal of improving the health, development and wellbeing of young Australians. The priority issues we will be initially addressing are based on input from more than 500 senior researchers, policymakers, and service managers who took part in a series of consultations across the nation in the latter part of 2003 to inform the development of the Alliance’s Consensus Research Agenda. The Agenda is nearing completion and will be announced shortly. “Many of the The diversity of multidisciplinary, cross-sector representation we are envisaging in this first problems group of collaborative teams will provide a breath of knowledge and expertise that will enable us not only to find answers to the big questions that need to be addressed, but also to ensure confronting young that the innovative solutions we come up with are most likely to work in “real life” situations. Australians are the result of The involvement and support of policymakers and service providers throughout the process complex genetic, will ensure that those at the implementation end of the continuum are as well informed of the evidence underpinning our findings as those responsible for gathering and interpreting that biological and evidence. social factors interacting during Our collaborative capacity will be underpinned by the practice model we have been development that developing to guide our cooperative endeavours. This “model of good collaborative practice” will ensure clarity of expectations, appropriate accountability, and establish processes to will not be support the free exchange of ideas and information between participating groups while effectively safeguarding confidentiality, privacy and legal requirements. The knowledge management addressed in capacity being developed through the Alliance’s foundation projects will ensure that isolation from knowledge is integrated, communicated and applied to best effect. each other.” In sum, we will, for the first time ever, have the capacity to join up the critical links in the process chain enabling us to transform our collective concerns, to reliable knowledge, to evidence-based decisions, to effective action in a continuous cycle of monitoring, research, evaluation, communication and feedback. “Inter-related In setting the scene for the ground breaking work program upon which we are about to embark, I wish to particularly acknowledge the early support (both funding and in kind) from problems require government and the philanthropic and corporate sectors and from many of our organisational integrated and individual members which has enabled us to lay organisational foundations that are solutions.” strong enough to support and sustain a venture of this magnitude over the period of time we believe will be required to ensure our long term success. The Alliance has benefited greatly from the insights, expertise, dedication and networks which our inaugural Board members have brought to the very challenging role of presiding over the establishment of our organisation during its early developmental stages. 3 Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth ANNUAL REPORT 2003 1 THE YEAR IN REVIEW “Breadth of Both at a personal level and on behalf of all our members, I would particularly like to collaboration will acknowledge our Chairman Michael Chaney, who, in addition to his chairmanship and give us the contribution to the Board, has provided other forms of practical support including pro bono consultancy support through Wesfarmers. capacity. Integrated The extent of public support for both our vision and our approach has confirmed for us that knowledge will building collaboration of the breadth and depth we are proposing offers the best, and perhaps give us the power. only, possibility for effectively addressing the complex problems confronting the young of today. Informed action will make the Implementation