CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SERVING TERRITORIANS 1965-2015 ANNUALANNUAL REPORT REPORT 2014/15 2014/15 SOMERVILLE.ORG.AU i 50 years of serving Territorians. Highlights of the year Somerville Community Services Annual Report for Contents 2014/15 reports on our activities during the year Highlights of the year .......................................1 including our financial performance, key achievements Our organisation .............................................3 and challenges. Somerville is committed to listening, learning and From the President...........................................4 responding to the needs of our community in a bid From the CEO ..................................................6 We celebrated to improve the quality of people’s lives. Our Intended readers include: Key challenges 2014/15 ....................................8 The Year at a Glance • Our clients, Service Users and their families who utilise Key challenges 2015/16 ....................................9 our services Five year snapshot ......................................... 10 During 2014/15: • Government regulatory and funding bodies, both • We achieved Award and Certificate level Accreditation from the Reporting against our strategic plan ................ 12 Federal and Territory Australian Service Excellence Standards (ASES). • The communities in which we operate 2014-15 Financial summary ............................ 22 • Provided family and financial support and counselling services to 4,093 new and existing clients • Our community partners who provide additional Our governance ............................................. 28 services to our clients Officer the ChiefReport Executive from • Provided assistance to 1303 homeless Territorians Board of Directors .......................................... 30 At its very beginning in 1965, Somerville reality is the absence of the NDIS would see the Gratitude • Managed eleven (11) supported accommodation houses that provided 24 was committed to improving the lives of taxpayer losing out to failed policies and dollars • Somerville Community Services staff and volunteers Territorians. In 2014 our organisation has would continue to be absorbed by crises. Somerville continues to be grateful for the •The Our Northern corporate Synod of theand Uniting community Church in supporters and donors Organisation chart ......................................... 35 hour care to 47 people with developmental disabilities support we receive from our many individual, Australia and UnitingCare have again led our continued to fulfil our Mission delivering on • Employed 264 hard-working staff the key strengths and core responsibilities Palmerston Community Centre - family and business donors and sponsors. We thinking and decision making in an admirable Management team ......................................... 36 which underpin our work as a local community continue to work closely with the Northern fashion. • We were supported by 240 generous volunteers Stage 2 Territory and Commonwealth Governments in service. This year has been impressive, the opportunity Somerville’s programs ....................................... a bid to realise our Mission through dynamic This major capital works project is complete, Forto reflect the mostupon our part achievements a report is of this nature cannot extend • Recorded a total operating revenue of $14,061,857 In Disability, Financial and Family Services service provision. our Official Opening was held on the 12th of tooverwhelming. recognising The Somervilleindividual team staffof 227 staff achievements for which Family Services ..................................... 40 we have worked tirelessly to ensure best May. Staff are now located in the Palmerston practice service delivery is our focus. We have Thank you to our generous and committed are to be congratulated and may I be so bold to Community Centre providing a range of there are many, so I acknowledge here the valuable Financial Servces ................................... 50 commenced the review of our service programs Patrons – the Hon. Austin Asche AC, QC and say, are simply the best! of serving Territorians complimentary services to Territorians. These Dr Valerie Asche AM. contributions of our Somerville staff in working towards to achieve solid quality assurance results. Our services include Family Services – counselling our goals and providing a high quality of service delivery. Disability Services ................................. 56 external assessment is scheduled for August and support, Supported Accommodation, Thank you to our President, Chris Tudor and 2014. Our internal undertaking to go from Targeted Family and Support Services, “My Board members who continually lead Somerville Assets, Infrastructure and Maintenance ... 66 strength to strength in all of our programs Time” Education Program, the Child & Family with real commitment and the understanding of is assisted by the high levels of commitment Contact Centre, Financial Counselling and good governance in a changing and challenging Human Resources, Information consistently displayed by staff in their day to day Support, Money Management, 1800 007 007 world. We held our 50 year work. Technology and Administration ............. 70 Helpline Service, Emergency Relief and the No Elaine Castles is to be commended for being celebration at Government Interest Loans Scheme. Vicki O’Halloran AM Our new Family Services Program – Somerville consistently positive and a driving force in Events .......................................................... 76 House hosted by the Child and Family Contact Centre will see us Chief Executive Officer Finances keeping up with the numerous demands in an Vicki O’Halloran AM trial a 12 month service to work with families to often frantic and challenging workplace. Chief Executive Officer Corporate support ......................................... 82 Administrator of the Northern improve their relationship with their children, Somerville is working toward ending the Our managers and staff are a unique group of Somerville Community Services Inc. Territory, The Honourable improve the parent’s capacity to interact with financial year with a smaller than expected people committed to delivering the best quality Our supporters .............................................. 83 their children, and improve the skills of parents deficit. All actions undertaken over the past 12 John Hardy OAM, where we so they are able to ensure their children are safe of service – thank you one and all. CONTACT US months have been consistent with our Strategic Our volunteers .............................................. 85 recognised our achievements and well. Directions. Report from the Chief Executive Officer the ChiefReport Executive from General and our longest serving staff. NDIS NT Government funded programs continue Our staff ....................................................... 86 to be the principal source of income. We have Over the last few months the National Disability increased our overall income by 7.9%. The Email: [email protected] Accounting and Financial Management ............ 88 Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has attracted a fair Commonwealth Government continues to Web: www.somerville.org.au degree of media attention with numerous fund our Financial Counselling and Money Financial report ............................................. 89 Also in celebration, we concerns raised about planning, assessments, Management programs. Financial Counselling Helpline costings and future sustainability and more Glossary ..................................................... 101 launched our latest book recently the capability review and the timetable Without indexation and despite the increased cost of living in the Northern Territory, our Phone: 1800 007 007 titled ‘Crossing the Divide.’ for implementation. Acronym list ........................................ 103 careful purchasing plan has reigned in our The book is a story of The National Disability Insurance Agency expenditure for another year Social media is welcoming scrutiny and listening to the Index ..........................................................104 compassion and commitment feedback about the refinement of processes. We Celebrations LIKE US must remind ourselves we are just months into ‘Somerville.Community.Services’ Our logo ........................................................IB through 50 years of an 8 year marathon which involves trial sites Some of the key events and celebrations over the community service in the NT. to streamline and review processes and also last 12 months include: TWEET US requires tolerance during a time of significant • Margaret Somerville’s 101st birthday. ‘SomervilleCS’ transitioning. • Accreditation with the Australian There have in the last month been several Childhood Foundation “Safeguarding commentators reflecting on the long-term Children Program”. cost of the NDIS. The general tenor of this • Major construction works and Official commentary has been to position the scheme as Opening of the Palmerston Community an expensive new social program. Centre. ii ANNUAL REPORT 2015 1 SOMERVILLE.ORG.AU 1 The focus on the NDIS as purely a social policy • Launch of a new Somerville Cookbook. reform which sits on the expense side of the • Somerville Community Services Strategic government ledger entirely misses the point that Plan reviewed and updated. this scheme is also a key significant economic We have commenced planning for our 50th reform designed to deliver