Annual Report (Period April 1st 2013 – March 31st 2014) Ground Floor, Children’s Memorial Institute 13 Joubert St Ext, Cnr Empire Road. Braamfontein. 2001 Tel: 011 484 9909 Fax: 011 484 3171 [email protected] www.autismsouthafrica.org P.O Box 84209. Greenside. 2034 Section 18A Tax Exemption No: 18/11/13/2213 NPO No: 000 – 454 NPO PBO No: 2997/093/84/5 Auditors Oct∆gon Chartered Accountants Private Bag X02 Highlands North 2037 Tel: 011 531 7300 Chairman’s Report March 2013 The past year has been one of change and growth for Autism South Africa (A;SA). In her first year as National Director, Sandy Klopper has settled in and is doing great work, despite the many challenges. She has done her utmost to galvanise and motivate the staff to achieve as much as possible. In December 2013, for the first time since 2011, all the full-time staff was brought together for a week of training in Johannesburg. It was a much needed team building exercise that gave everyone the opportunity to properly meet each other, as well as Sandy, culminating in a Christmas Lunch. This will be followed up in 2014 with a day of Team building which I believe will go a long way in developing Team A;SA. I am confident that with Sandy at the helm A;SA will prosper and I wish her and “The Team” well. Our 2012 funding proposal to NLDTF was successful, with the much needed funding coming through at the end of 2013. One of the immediate benefits was the appointment of Thando Makapela as our Regional Development Officer for the North West Province. This is a neglected region with virtually no services or facilities for adults and children with ASD. Thando has her work cut out for her, but I am sure she will tackle the challenge with great determination. We are excited about the growth and impact of services, not only in the North West but right across South Africa. A;SA is delighted with the kick-off of “Hands On Autism” which provides affordable, practical and hands on ASD specific training to teachers, therapists and classroom assistants. Developed by Claire Allen, Reinette Lombard and Tam Bennet in collaboration with JHS4Autism School, “Hands On Autism” is a much needed in-depth addition to the workshops currently offered by A;SA and the response has been phenomenal. All of the training provided by A;SA’s is accredited, for continuing education points, by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and the South African Council of Social Service Practitioners (SACSSP). The aim is to have our training accredited by the South African Council of Educators (SACE) for 2014. MGSL has also approved A;SA as a preferred service provider for the Department of Education’s Autism training. Training over the past year has targeted Departments of Education, Public Health and Social Development as well as early childhood development centres and more. The monthly Autism Screening Clinic continued under the guidance of Professor Lorna Jacklin and Doctors Thomson, Bezuidenhout, Kelly and Belsham. Together with an amazing and skilled team of therapists they are providing an invaluable service. I sincerely thank everyone involved with the Clinic for their dedication and passion which has resulted in 33 individuals being diagnosed and/or referred for appropriate intervention. We were saddened when our one year agreement with Wetpaint came to an end and sincerely thank them for all their support and input into our Social Media Campaign. Thanks to their efforts, A;SA started using platforms like Facebook to spread awareness of autism. However, as the old adage of one door closing… another opened with Ogilvy taking on A;SA as a pro-bono clients for 2014/2015. In the short time since Ogilvy has partnered with A;SA, the media coverage and campaign has already proved priceless. Within the first week, Sandy was asked to join CARE Therapy Manager, Krishen Samuels, on Great Expectations on ETV! Thank you to the Ogilvy team and in particular Jacqui O’Sullivan for pointing them our way. I would like to extend my thanks to House of Brave and Mediacom for their continued support. As with most NGO’s in the disability sector, A;SA is dependent on benefactors, for survival. There are times when the financial future of A;SA looks rather precarious but we are extremely fortunate to have generous benefactors willing to assist where possible. I would like to extend heartfelt appreciation and thanks to all of our benefactors, on behalf of A;SA and our all-important beneficiaries. I sincerely thank Insure Group Managers for their incredible donation of R500 000. This is the single largest corporate donation that we have received in our 24 year history. I would like to especially thank two of our loyal funders, the Federated Employers Mutual Assurance Company and ADD Electrical Contractors, whose generous and continued support ensures that support to individuals with Autism continues throughout the country. I would also like to thank Casual Day for selecting A;SA as a national beneficiary for the first time in 2013. In this regard I must thank the companies, schools, hospitals and individuals for their support in purchasing Casual Day stickers from us. Words are not enough to express our gratitude to the RAM Hand-to-Hand Courier Team without whom this would not have been possible. RAM’s contribution is however not restricted to Casual Day, anything A;SA needs sent somewhere in the country is delivered by RAM, free of charge; hands down the best courier company in the land. Fundraising events that took place during the past year included Christmas in July, the annual A;SA Golf Day at Parkview, and Carols by Candlelight. In addition to which the 7de Laan cast rode in the 94.7 cycle race with A;SA and UNICA school being the beneficiaries. A special thank you goes to Hector Kingwill. He started working flexi-time, helping with the financial records and is now working full-time, in retirement. His meticulous eye for detail and work ethic is of great value and greatly appreciated. On 8th May 2013, Hon. Bathabile Dlamini, Minister of Social Development announced during the tabling of the Budget that significant focus will be placed on Autism and that much needed funding will be allocated to this neglected disability. Never before have we drawn the attention of Government and we look forward to the fruits being borne by the lobbying by A;SA over the past 24 years! This is my final year as Chairman of A;SA as I believe it is time for new and younger blood on the NEC. I would like to thank the numerous Members of the NEC and members of staff that I have worked with over the years. All their contributions have been responsible for the significant growth and development of A;SA, since my initial involvement. I am sure that A;SA will continue to grow from strength to strength and I wish the new Chairman and NEC as well as Sandy and her A;SA Team all of the best for a fantastic future. PAUL PRATT. A;SA Chairman National Executive Committee 2012 – 2014 Chairman: Paul Father of an adult with autism. Chairman of ASA Pratt since 2002. Vice-Chairman: Principal Specialist – Dept of Paediatrics and Child David Griessel health University of the Free State. Treasurer: Hector Bookkeeper – friend of Autism South Africa Kingwill Petrus De Vries Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. University of Cape Town Thando Makapela Mother of young adult with autism Petra Dillmann Mother of a young adult with autism. Founding member and Director of Autism Asperger Namibia. Aretha Kausele Mother of a son with autism My first four months of Autism South Africa have been a whirlwind trip of learning and experiences! I could never have anticipated the amount of work, energy and emotion goes into leading the team of Autism SA. My impression thus far… I have found where I belong! Thank you to the team and community for welcoming me so graciously. All the support and assistance given to me while I found my feet has been priceless! I am really looking forward to making a tangible difference to the organisation as well as the community which we serve! Autism South Africa’s face is changing and I do hope that everyone is holding on tightly for the ride! All the Best, Sandy Head Office Staff National Director Sandra Tel: 011 484 9909 Klopper [email protected] Resource Claudia Tel: 011 484 9909 Development Ceresa [email protected] Officer National Education Claire Allen 011 484 9909 Facilitator [email protected] Office Administrator Binwell Keshi 011 484 9909 [email protected] Internal Hector 011 484 9909 Bookkeeper Kingwill [email protected] Regional Development Officers Autism South Antoinette Tel: 071 360 3992 Africa Eastern Bruce-Alexander [email protected] Cape Branch Autism North Thando Tel: 079 392 2786 West Makapela [email protected] (March 2014) Autism South Rosemary Shezi Tel: 071 360 4034 Africa KwaZulu- [email protected] Natal Branch Autism South Ruth Blood Tel: 071 473 4293 Northern [email protected] Cape/Free State Autism South Mary Moeketsi Tel: 071 360 6535 Africa Limpopo [email protected] and Mpumalanga Head Office Media Campaign 2013 On the advice of media experts and the approval of our membership and NEC Autism SA embarked on a ‘shock tactic’ media campaign. To our dismay this campaign was met with high criticism and had to be immediately withdrawn. The intention was to get South Africa talking about Autism, not to offend anyone.