2 Queen Victoria Women’s Centre Trust Annual Report 2010/2011 VISION The Queen Victoria Women’s Centre is a vibrant place and space; known, valued and used by women to shape the world they want for themselves and for the women of the future. VALUES • Courage and bravery: we draw our inspiration from the founding women who established the Queen Victoria Hospital and the women who fought to save part of the hospital and establish the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre. • Equality: we are committed to advancing gender equity in all aspects of society. • Integrity: we are open, honest and considerate in our relationships and professional and transparent in our actions and decisions. • Respect: we are mindful of the diversity of the needs, aspirations and beliefs of the women and others with whom we engage. StratEGIC DIREctION The Queen Victoria Women’s Centre Trust has developed a Strategic Plan for the period 2009-2012 with the following five objectives to guide the Centre’s work: 1. Provide responsible stewardship of the QV Women’s Centre through achieving financial, environmental and organisational sustainability 2. Optimise the current and future use of and access to the QV Women’s Centre by women and women’s organisations 3. Be recognised as a hub that supports women’s issues, ideas and leadership across ages, cultures, interests and localities 4. Work in partnership with women and women’s organisations to develop their capacity; and 5. Increase the community’s awareness of and support for the QV Women’s Centre. KEY acHIEVEMENTS This year the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre has achieved the following key objectives: • Successfully completed the Women’s Financial Literacy Program, a three-year pilot program which developed the financial know-how of almost 2,700 Victorian women. • Developed and delivered three capacity building workshops to 99 women from diverse women’s organisations. • Successfully secured funds for the SeeMe – Media Literacy project focused on promoting young women’s positive body image and media literacy in high schools. • Provided free meeting room access in the CBD for 21 small and emerging women’s organisations. • Installed the fourth panel of the Shilling Wall, honouring 99 inspirational women. • Connected with over 8,000 women through the Centre’s programs and events. • Completed the development of a long-term heritage and general maintenance plan for the Centre. • Maintained a 98.5 per cent occupancy rate for all leasable space in the building. 1 CONTENTS Accountable Officer’s Declaration 1 Year in Review 2 Chair’s Report 4 Chief Executive Officer’s Report 5 A Place and Space for Women 8 Centre Staff and Volunteers 11 Governance 12 Compliance 14 Financial Statements 17 Acknowledgements 32 Disclosure index 32 Building on a Rich History 33 Accountable Officer’s Declaration Dear Ministers In accordance with the Financial Management Act 1994, I am pleased to submit to you the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre Trust annual report for the year ended 30 June 2011. Catherine Brown Chairperson Queen Victoria Women’s Centre Trust 2 YEAR IN REVIEW The Queen Victoria Women’s Key Performance Indictors Centre has steadily increased its Developing the Centre as a recognised hub that supports women’s issues, ideas and engagement with women and leadership across ages, cultures, interest women’s organisations while and localities is a key strategic objective meeting its financial and compliance of the Trust. requirements. While, the number of Total annual increase in the number of Shilling Wall nominations received women participating in events, training, this year is below annual targets, the programs and information distribution Trust has reviewed its fundraising 2008-09 actual 4200 women strategy and has implemented 2009-10 10,565 improvements to fundraising 2010-11 13,093 systems that should improve future Annual target 2010-11 10,565 fundraising revenue. The increase in grants reflects the successful application for funds for several new projects, including the SeeMe Project. Deputy Lord Mayor Susan Riley (second from left), Catherine Brown (Chair), and guests; Sustainable Fashion Parade, September 2010. Photo: Kohienel Green is the New Black Eco-Fashion Exhibition, September 2010. Catherine Brown (Chair), The Governor-General, Ms Quentin Bryce AC, Photo: Kohienel and Helen Shepherd from BreaCan. Photo: Kelli Morris 3 YEAR IN REVIEW As a statutory body that receives funding from the Victorian Government, the Centre meets a number of important performance criteria. The key indicators and results are summarised in the table below: Key Performance Indicator Target 2010-11 Actual 2010-11 Result Total annual increase in number of women participating in QVWC 10,565 13,093 Achieved events, training, programs and information distribution (5% increase) In-kind partnership support to women and women’s At least 3 WPF 4 WPF areas Achieved organisations in WPF areas* areas Value of in-kind partnership support to women and women’s $28,000 $32,245 Achieved organisations (property management and venue and gallery access) Number of women/year accessing Centre building 700 3,759 Achieved in the evening and on weekends Percentage of participants satisfied with Centre’s educational 85% 91% Achieved workshops, seminars, programs, activities and events Women’s organisations’ capacity building programs, educational workshops and seminars, events and information distribution: • Number of WPF areas represented in those attending 2 WPF areas 4 WPF areas Achieved educational workshops and seminars • Number of women participating 400 1,923 Achieved • Number of women’s organisations participating 20 112 Achieved Women’s Financial Literacy: • Number of state-wide workshops 27 27 Achieved • Number of women participating in workshops 270 244 Not Achieved • Number of seminars conducted 12 12 Achieved • Number of women participating in seminars 360 602 Achieved New Shilling Wall tributes to women 175 53 Not Achieved Annual percentage increase in traffic to 43,000 page views 78,327 page views Achieved Women’s Financial Literacy web pages Achievement and maintenance of occupancy 85% 99.9% Achieved for rental space (excluding function areas) QV Women’s Centre tenant profile includes women’s 4 WPF areas 4 WPF areas Achieved organisations working in WPF areas Raising of cash funds through fundraising efforts $60,000 $95,030 Achieved and achievement of in-kind sponsorship Securing of sponsorship and grants $65,000 $693,816 Achieved * WPF refers to the Victorian Government’s ‘Women’s Policy Framework’ 2008-11. 4 CHAIR’S REPOrt Over the past year the Queen Victoria The Women’s Space Program continued heritage maintenance plan, and PlanCost to provide meeting places for smaller to assist us with costing the heritage and Women’s Centre Trust has continued or emerging women’s organisations ongoing maintenance costs of the Centre. to focus on its strategic objectives, with support from the Lord Mayor’s This important project indicates that the with a particular emphasis on Charitable Foundation. Trust will need to use some reserves and seek additional funding from government increasing the Centre’s connections We were delighted to welcome the and philanthropy to ensure that this unique with women and on our stewardship Governor-General, the Hon. Quentin building is preserved in good condition for Bryce AC, to the Centre in September. the current and future women of Victoria. of this wonderful heritage building. She toured the building, meeting with many This work will continue to be a focus for Words like ‘capacity building’ and of the women’s organisations resident in the next few years. the Centre and also with staff and Trust ‘maintenance planning’ were used Members. We are very fortunate to have We are also exploring the concept of a often during our meetings! such a well-informed, caring and impressive Green Roof to enhance the Atrium on woman as a role model for us. Level 5. Again, this will require more A key strategy was to optimise the number planning and funding to progress but we of women using the Centre’s venues and The Centre contributed written submissions are inspired by the initial concept design participating in the Centre’s programs and to two reviews: the Review of the Equal prepared by Bent Architects. events. Many women’s voices have echoed Opportunity for Women in the Workplace in the Centre’s halls and rooms as we have Act and the Review of the Code of Ethics Genevieve Webb, our former CEO, left the expanded our capacity building work, held for the Australian Association of National Centre in May and Rosa Dall’Armi from new and established events, and worked Advertisers – where our interest was Resurgence has been leading the staff team on the development of the next stage of our particularly about positive body image as Interim CEO. The Trust is taking this work with young women and media literacy. and reducing violence. opportunity to reflect carefully on the CEO Use of the building increased by 24 per position requirements as we embark on Following the state election, we welcomed the Centre’s next stage of development. cent and through our various programs and the Hon. Mary Wooldridge MP as the new online services to almost 8,600 women from Minister for Women’s Affairs (2 December I would like to thank all the organisations all walks of life connected in some way with 2010 to 30 June 2011). The Minister gave that share the Centre with us and all the the Centre. the International Women’s Day Oration operational staff for their outstanding During the year the Programs team and helped us celebrate the installation of contribution to the life of the Queen Victoria worked on developing two new capacity another panel of the Shilling Wall, which Women’s Centre during the year. I would building workshops and online resources celebrates the contribution of women.