Northcott Disability Services Annual Report 2011 Contents NORTHCOTT IN 2010/11 ORGANIsaTIONAL PERFORMANCE 1............Our Purpose, Vision and Values 56..........Organisational Structure 2............Our Patron and Ambassadors 57..........Our Management 3............Chairman’s Report 60..........Our Staff 4............Who we are 63..........Occupational Health and Safety 6............Our Services 64..........Our Feedback Mechanisms 8............CEO’s Report 65..........Corporate Social Responsibility 10..........The Year in Review 66..........Research at Northcott 12..........Reporting Against our Strategic Plan 70..........Fundraising 14..........2011-2014 Strategic Plan 74..........Our Events 16..........Our Clients 76..........Our Volunteers 78..........SpineCare Foundation OUR SERVICES 79..........Tertiary Scholarships 80..........Developments in the Sector 20..........Where We Work 22..........Statewide Services 26..........Far North Coast FINANCIAL SUMMARY 28..........Mid North Coast 84..........Board of Directors 30..........New England 86..........Financial Summary 32..........Central and Orana/Far West 90..........Governance Statement 34..........Hunter and Central Coast 36..........Illawarra THANK YOU 38..........Southern Highlands and ACT 93..........Thank You 40..........Riverina/Murray 96..........Tribute 42..........Nepean 44..........Northern Sydney 46..........Cumberland/Prospect 48..........Inner West 50..........South West Sydney 52..........Sydney Metropolitan-wide Services The Northcott Society, trading as Northcott Disability Services, is a registered charity and has been endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office as a tax deductible gift recipient for charity tax concessions. The Northcott Society holds a charitable fundraising authority under Section 16 of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991. The Northcott Society is a public company limited by guarantee and is taken to be registered as a company under the Corporations Law of New South Wales. ABN: 87 302 054 152 ACN: 000 022 971 Acknowledgements Text and Design: Northcott Disability Services’ Marketing , Communications and Media Team Printing: Unique Print Production Services Photography: Matthew Vasilescu Photography and ESJAY creative ii Northcott Disability Services Annual Report 2011 Our Purpose, Vision and Values OUR MEMBERSHIPS OUR PURPOSE Northcott is a member organisation of Ability First Our purpose is to build an inclusive society Australia and Cerebral Palsy where people can live the life they choose. Australia. Northcott is also an affiliate of US-based disability We do this in partnership with our clients and services organisation Easter Seals. stakeholders to ensure we provide services that are professional, client focused and designed to assist people with disabilities and their communities achieve their goals and aspirations. OUR VISION We will grow our services because clients choose us as their provider of choice. OUR CORE VaLUES Friendly and considerate Committed and enthusiastic Innovative and responsive Ethical and courageous Professional and competent Northcott in 2010/11 1 Our Patron and Ambassadors Thank you to Her Excellency and our Client and Celebrity Ambassadors for their continued support and commitment to Northcott Disability Services. We are grateful for the time and advocacy these individuals give on behalf of the organisation and our clients. OUR PATRON OUR 2011 CLIENT AMBassaDORS Her Excellency Professor Marie Diana Jelovic has four children, Ben Keyte is 22 years old with Bashir AC CVO, Governor of New one with autism. She accessed a rare condition, known as South Wales, is passionate about Northcott’s Intensive Family Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, helping people with disabilities lead Support service, a family focused characterised by the immobility a fulfilling life as valued and active in-home support service for families of one or more joints. Ben has members of the community. in crisis. Diana is grateful for the received support from Northcott practical help and emotional since he was three years old, This year, Her Excellency turned support Northcott provided, which accessing a broad range of services the first sod of soil to mark the has enabled life at home to run including respite, recreation beginning of construction to a more smoothly, providing a positive and leisure, day programs and new house Northcott will build in impact on the whole family. Northcott’s equipment and Wagga Wagga. This will provide technology services. a fully accessible home for five younger people currently living in aged care facilities. OUR CELEBRITY AMBassaDORS Alex Blackwell Dr Cindy Pan International cricketer and Medical Practitioner, writer Vice-Captain of the Australian and media spokesperson Women’s Cricket team Joel Reddy Jean Kittson NRL football player Comedian, performer and writer Peter Wynn Mike Munro Former Parramatta Eels TV presenter and media personality football player Stephen O’Keefe NSW SpeedBlitz Blues Cricketer 2 Northcott Disability Services Annual Report 2011 Chairman’s Report The last 12 months have once again been exciting and challenging for Northcott Disability Services. We have continued to review our operations and programs to ensure that we are operating as effectively and efficiently as possible. While we have worked on a number of growth projects, this year was largely one of consolidation following a period of significant growth. The focus on operations has helped us in further consolidating our financial position, in that our operations deficit has been reduced once again. An overall surplus for the year of $524k was a pleasing outcome. The changes that have been made will benefit Northcott well into the future and enhance our ability to deal with the many changes we face in the disability sector over the coming years. On the services front we have made significant progress with the two homes (in Wagga Wagga and Mt Hutton, Newcastle) that we are building for 11 younger people with a disability currently living in aged care centres. We have also continued to develop our regional network and have strengthened systems and management in order to ensure the continued development and growth of our regional offices. The progress that has been made toward a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has been exciting and encouraging. Northcott has been a very active participant in this process and I encourage you to get involved in supporting the proposed NDIS. The Board and Management are very conscious that the scheme, coupled with the move towards a more person centred approach to meeting the needs of people with a disability, will mean that Northcott faces some quite significant change ahead. With this in mind we have made progress on a number of initiatives that are moving us toward where we need to be. I am encouraged by the commitment, enthusiasm and understanding of our staff of the need for this approach, even though the journey will be challenging. Northcott has always been at the forefront of change in the sector and the ability to embrace change is a strength of our culture. A key focus for the coming year is to increase our capacity for innovation, which combined with our culture of embracing change, will provide a powerful driving force for Northcott in the future. I would like to thank our supporters, donors and other stakeholders for their ongoing support during the year. This support is very much appreciated and essential to enable us to continue to evolve and enhance our services. I would also like to thank the Board for their support, guidance and commitment during the year. Also, thank you to Kerry and her team for their wonderful efforts and achievements during the past year. Michael Briggs Chairman, Northcott Disability Services Northcott in 2010/11 3 Who we are Northcott Disability Services supports people with disabilities to reach their full potential by offering a range of services and programs which promote a genuinely inclusive society. In all that it does, Northcott has adapted to the needs of its clients, encouraging inclusion and access to the community. Established in 1929 as The NSW provides can often mean the government funding, Northcott Society for Crippled Children, difference between a life of relies on the generosity of Northcott was founded by The Rotary isolation and segregation and a individuals, organisations and Club of Sydney to provide services life of greater self-reliance and community groups to continue to for children with tuberculosis, polio confidence. Support and services provide services to people with and other diseases. are not only directly provided to disabilities, particularly in programs our clients, but also to their carers, where no government funding or Today, Northcott is a leading siblings and the entire family. limited support is available. service provider for people with a broad range of disabilities living A broad range of programs Northcott’s purpose is to build an in New South Wales (NSW). is provided to people with a inclusive society. This is achieved by The organisation supports more wide range of disabilities. Some supporting people with disabilities than 10,000 children and adults people with rare or lesser known to develop their skills and achieve with disabilities, their families disabilities find Northcott to be their goals, including their potential and carers across NSW and the the only provider of appropriate for independence and ability to Australian Capital Territory (ACT). support and services. participate in