Annual Report 2011 Table of Contents
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Annual Report 2011 Table of Contents • Mission • Highlights • Values • Financials • Message from the Board Chair and the • Our Team Executive Director • Thank You • Our Programs • Contact Information Our Power To Be Adventure Therapy inspires youth and families in need of Mission: support to discover their limitless abilities through nature-based programs. Respect: Practicing inclusiveness and appreciation for everyone. Our Integrity: Building trust through accountability. Values: Innovation: Creating opportunities to grow and sustain our impact with excellence. Message from the Board Chair and the Executive Director Thanks to the extraordinary support of our staff, volunteers, community partners, corporate supporters, foundations and individual donors, Power To Be experienced a pivotal year in 2011. We reached more participants than ever before while setting a strong foundation to achieve our vision of creating a community where the power of nature is accessible to everyone. Our mission is to inspire youth and families in need of support to discover their limitless abilities through nature-based programs. To witness the delivery and impact of our programs is extraordinary. Both program streams, Adaptive Recreation and Wilderness School, achieved incredible milestones in 2011. The Wilderness School celebrated its graduating class hosted by the Honorable Lieutenant Governor Steven L. Point at the Government House. Adaptive Recreation grew substantially in Victoria and the Lower Mainland with new programs for the deaf and hard of hearing, youth living with type 1 diabetes, and the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society. 2011 marked significant achievements, but also great beginnings. Under the Board’s direction, Power To Be invested more staff resources into operations to support exciting program growth for years to come. Important strides were made in communications, IT and financial infrastructure. During Claudia’s first year as Chair, the Board established the necessary committee structure to transition into a governance model. For the first time in Power To Be’s history, the Board and management team are working on a long-term strategic plan to ensure Power To Be’s future success and sustainability. Being a Director at Power To Be requires passion and a strong commitment to serve our mission. We want to acknowledge the enormous contribution of three retiring Directors who served on the Board with distinction; Michael Dingle, our past Chair, Tim Maloney who chaired many committees and served seven years with the Board and Sarah Cormode for her invaluable Program Committee insights. Their contributions cannot be overstated. On behalf of the entire Power To Be team and participants served, we sincerely thank all of the donors, supporters, community partners and volunteers who make our impact possible. Their trusted contributions give life to our mission. We look forward to growing together in the promising years ahead. Claudia Blum, Board Chair Tim Cormode, Executive Director Adaptive Recreation Program Adaptive Recreation offers inclusive nature-based recreation activities for people living with a barrier or disability. Power To Be combines an ability-centered perspective and the benefits of “I don’t know where to begin when trying to thank you nature to strengthen people’s connections with themselves, their communities and their for this incredible opportunity to go to Tofino. This was surroundings. our best family excursion ever and I want to thank you for inviting us and putting everything in place for an Adaptive Recreation programs serve youth with autism, families living with an acquired brain injury, amazing weekend of surfing and fun. I cannot tell you youth who are deaf or hard of hearing, people living with type 1 diabetes, cancer survivors, and in words how comfortable you made us all feel, and those with a variety of other developmental, cognitive and physical disabilities. just the fact that this was a family adventure made it so special. This is what makes Power To Be such a unique organization. You understand the obstacles facing individuals with developmental delays and strive to provide unique opportunities that are customized to each person’s abilities and challenges. It is a rare opportunity that includes the whole family; it really is the ultimate definition of inclusion.” - Adaptive Recreation Participant Parent Wilderness School The Wilderness School fosters positive social development and life skills for a range of youth living in our community. Adventurous weekend programs are offered every month, and multi-day expeditions each summer. Participants engage in leadership activities, connect with the wilderness and develop their communication skills. The multi-year program instills confidence, creates stability and builds structure so that the youth have the tools to succeed in school, at home and in their communities. “I would like to thank all of you at Power To Be for letting me join. This program has changed my life and perspective of others. Not only have I learned about the wilderness, I learned about co-operating, skill building, leading others and following others as well. Power To Be has kept me on my toes. They kept pushing me forward and are part of the reason where I am today. Thank you to all those who made Power To Be possible, I am very grateful to be part of this organization and have these opportunities of a lifetime.” -Wilderness School Graduate 2011 Highlights Every year Power To Be expands its programs and community impact in a sustained and quality manner. Thanks to the people and supporters who drive the mission forward, here are some noteworthy highlights from 2011. 534 Participants Served $1.27M Revenue 14% Growth in Programmatic Output 24 Committed Advisory Board Members 6879 Volunteer Hours 8 Dedicated Board Directors 294 Volunteers 16 Exceptional Full-Time Employees 71 Community Partners Awards 2011 Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Crystal Award for Business Excellence 2011 British Columbia Community Achievement Award The Power To Be… The Power To Be Active The Ferns & Fiddleheads group (youth on the autism spectrum) pioneer a new activity, cycling. Participants rode the Galloping Goose Trail to Thetis Lake for a day of fun and games in nature. The Power To Be Adventurous The winter holds no bounds for Wilderness School participants as they develop outdoor survival skills and paddle on Cowichan Lake. The Power To Be Limitless In Vancouver, Power To Be and InterFit — a non-profit providing hiking and trail riding for people with various abilities — partnered for an overnight trip to Twin Islands for an amazing expedition of kayaking, trail riding and camping; two participants even circumnavigated the island with a walker and trail rider! The Power To Be… The Power To Be Brave Wilderness School participants challenge their technical skills on the ropes and in the outdoors for a day of leadership training and assisted rappelling. The Power To Be Celebrated The Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia hosted a graduation ceremony at Government House to celebrate the accomplishments of the Wilderness School youth. Highlights included the Coast Salish Anthem and a keynote message from Warren MacDonald, an inspirational double-leg amputee adventurer. The Power To Be Connected Participants experience an increase in their understanding and connection with their family and community. The Power To Be… The Power To Be Supportive Leadership youth in the Wilderness School spend a day at Burnside Gorge Community Centre baking and serving pancakes for its Annual Christmas Breakfast, and helped the Victoria Women’s Transition House Society makeover their children’s counselling room. The Power To Be Inspired While on a camping trip for families living with an acquired brain injury, a father and son find new inspiration in one another and in the outdoors. The Power To Be Generous 2011 resulted in the highest revenue in the history of Power To Be thanks to the incredible generosity of individuals, companies and foundations that make these community programs possible. The Power To Be… The Power To Be Committed Welcomed, celebrated and remembered, Power To Be volunteers continue to share their time and talent. Their tremendous dedication to give a helping hand lifts the spirits of participants and staff alike. The Power To Be Responsible Power To Be continues to expand programs and meet its growth targets under the privileged expertise of the Board of Directors. Their committed guidance creates greater impact in our community. The Power To Be Caring With a hands-on approach, the skilled staff of Power To Be continue to lead the way in inclusive outdoor program delivery for youth and families in need of support. Their commitment and impact in the community is unwavering. Financials: Building our Future 2011 was a robust financial year largely due to 23% growth in revenue while exhibiting a disciplined approach to expenditures. While spending only increased by 10% over 2010, programmatic output increased by 14%. This was achieved through innovative collaboration, and the generosity of donors, volunteers and community partners. Power To Be focused on developing the integrity of the organization in 2011 by investing time and resources into the systems that support program delivery such as IT, equipment, communication resources and financial practices. Additionally, predictable sources of funding through multi-year corporate sponsors continued to rise, ending the year with a net surplus,