Bedford Annual Report 2008 A Annual Report 2008 B CONTENTS Bedford’s Heart and Soul . 1. Honorary Life Members . 1. 2007/2008 Highlights . 2. Patron’s Message . 5. Vice Patrons . 5. Chairman’s Foreword . 6. Chief Executive’s Report . 10. Bedford Board of Directors . 14. Bedford Executive Team . 16. Bedford Foundation Board . 18. Bedford People . 20. Bedford Day Options . 26. Bedford Housing . 28. Community Employment . 30. Bedford Employment . 32. Community Support . 42. Corporate Governance Statement . 44. Concise Financial Report . 46. Auditor’s Report . 55. Key Supporters . 56. Front Cover Ekayla Latham is a member of Bedford’s Day Options programme at Wallaroo Community Garden on the Copper Coast. This page Jonathon Warnett in the Gambier Contracts Nursery in Mount Gambier. Bedford Annual Report 2008 1 BEDFORD HEART AND SOUL Mission Core Values To provide opportunities and People – Respect each individual support for people with a disability and their right to choose and or disadvantage to achieve their participate goals and fulfil their potential. Teamwork – Work collaboratively and share information Vision Relationships – Develop and Leading the way in services for nurture relationships and people with a disability. partnerships Innovation – Pursue new ideas Achievement – Celebrate success Social Responsibility – Leadership and community involvement Honorary Life Members Bedford Compass Ms A Bolkus Mrs R Davison Mr B L Cornish OAM Mrs L Fuss Mr E V Cox Mrs B King Mr M D Downer Mrs S Kuchta Mr J F Dunkley Mr J Martin Mr F F Fairthorne Mrs J Martin Mr R D Hill-Ling AO Mrs N Pullen Mr K T Jenkins AO† Mrs M Shannon AM OAM Mr M A Kinnaird AO Dr N H Kirby DAIDP Mr R B Lewis AM Mr D E Byrne Mr B P Martin AO Mr D Knight The Hon R G Matheson QC AM Sister M O’Connell Mr H D O’Connor AM Mrs A Tiddy Mrs T M Pye Mr R M Ranford Living Skills Mr T B Simpson Mrs E R Atwell Mr L T Sykes AM Mr S Leibhardt Mr J A Uhrig AC Mrs M D Marshall Mrs B E Worley AM Mrs B C Mudge 2 2007 / 2008 HIGHLIGhts Bedford People Bedford Day Options Opportunity, Choice and Quality Bedford Community Access - Panorama • The year has seen significant growth and • Membership continues to grow with four expansion across all service areas new members • Bedford annual Awards Day celebration held • Members transitioning to supported in June 2008 recognised 76 members of the employment Bedford family for their individual achievements in front of 1,600 guests Living Skills Centre and Wallaroo • Bedford declared the winner of the Innovation Community Garden – Port Pirie Award for large business services at the & Wallaroo inaugural national Business Service Excellence • Five new members joined the two Awards 2008 programmes • The Employee Collective Agreement 2008 • New air conditioning at the Living Skills Centre (ECA) drafted and approved • Funds commited for new building in Wallaroo • New regional areas augmented with new support staff and significant improvements in Compass Day Options – Port Lincoln equipment and facilities • Preparing for significant growth to address • All quality accreditations maintained unmet need in the region • Commonwealth Government identified Bedford as a ‘high performing business Bedford Housing service’ • Provides residential services for 149 • First ever regional Board meeting held in people with a disability at Balyana and in Port Pirie in March 2008 the community • ‘Homes for 100’ programme continues to Training & Skills for Life gather momentum – Bedford now supports • Employees participated in 23,279 hours an additional 15 residents of on and off job training • Ten staff members successfully completed Certificate IV in Frontline Management Bedford Annual Report 2008 3 Community Employment Compass • Recruited four additional people with Career Systems a disability • A focus on quality improvements • 12 employees studying Certificate II in • New initiatives lifting outcomes Business through the Bedford ‘Abilities for All’ programme Bedford Employment Gambier Contracts APG (Horticulture & Grounds • Community salvage and recycling area Maintenance) continues to grow • APG secured and developed a number • Installation of five rainwater tanks will collect of prestigious contracts, which enabled over 1.6 million litres of water per year employees to broaden their skills set and expand the APG service offering Community Support and • Diversifying away from lawn mowing Fundraising • 20 employees undertook TAFE Certificate II Community Rallies for People with in Horticulture and 11 studying Certificate III in Horticulture during the year a Disability • Visit by former Prime Minister John Howard Bedford Furniture in July 2007 to open the new state-of-the-art furniture and warehouse facility at Panorama • Strong sales growth • City-Bay Fun Run provides opportunity for the • New product development a key focus community to support Bedford • Employees continue to be encouraged to • Record numbers support the Bedford improve their skills with training options Big BBQ relevant to their career • Butterfly Ball successful in raising funds for the Bedford Hospitality & Balyana ‘Homes for 100’ programme Conference Centre • The quarterly Bedford Lottery continues to be • New external catering section delivers growth highly popular • The variety of work undertaken by the Mergers with other Disability business ensures employees develop more skills Services • Career Systems joins Bedford in July 2007 Bedford Northern Business Services • Living Skills, Port Pirie, Kadina and Wallaroo, • Kadina – three new employees recruited due joins Bedford in September 2007 to the increase in work available • Gambier Contracts, Mount Gambier joins • Port Pirie – new contracts include tree planting Bedford in February 2008 and grounds maintenance • Compass, Port Lincoln joins Bedford in April 2008 Bedford Packaging • Boards of Millicent Work Option Centre and • Strong sales boosts employment levels Bedford resolve to merge in November 2008 • Handled 13,500,000 items during the year • New clean room to deliver more employment and training opportunities 4 This page Marc Berry is a member of the Bedford Day Options programme at Panorama – Bedford Community Access. Marc is also taking part in a transition to work programme in Bedford Packaging. Bedford Annual Report 2008 5 PATRon’S MessAGE In my first year as Governor of South Australia, I have been inspired by the number of volunteers and organisations providing services that make a real difference to our community. Bedford is one such organisation. I feel very privileged to be Patron of Bedford, an organisation that is very much a part of South Australia’s social fabric, both past, present and more importantly in the future. I have visited various Bedford sites during the year and continue to be amazed by the inclusive culture and the dedication to supportive work, to learning and to each individual shown by all of those who form part of the Bedford family. I was fortunate enough to attend the annual Bedford Awards Day celebrations this year at the Convention Centre, with over 1,600 other guests. Presenting the Year of Service awards to those who had achieved an amazing 25 or 40 years at Bedford is testament to the continuity and quality of support and innovation at the core of how Bedford works. Over this last year, through merger activity and innovative working practices, Bedford has started addressing regional access to services. People with a disability in Port Pirie, Kadina, Wallaroo, Port Lincoln, Mount Gambier and soon Millicent have increased access to the support and opportunities that were once only available in the metropolitan area. I have been impressed by Bedford’s focus on addressing people’s needs in a caring and supportive environment and I would like to take this opportunity to praise the entire Bedford family on your achievements over the past year. I look forward to your continued success in creating a brighter future for people with a disability or disadvantage in South Australia. Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce AC CSC RANR GOVERNOR OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA VICE PATRONS Mr F F Fairthorne Mr R D Hill-Ling AO Mr K T Jenkins AO† Mr M A Kinnaird AO Mr R B Lewis AM The Hon R G Matheson QC AC Mr J A Uhrig AC 6 CHAIRMAN’S FORewoRD I am pleased to present Bedford’s 2007/2008 Annual Report. In reviewing our progress, I am struck by the absolute change in how Bedford has operated for over 63 years from a metropolitan Adelaide based service, to this year moving to one embracing the State. This year we see the fruits of Bedford’s ambitious The effect of this growth on our resources plan to complement its metropolitan services with and organisation structure should not be services relevant to regional communities. This underestimated. The Board recognises the is not only an expansion of existing employment significant impact and the flexibility required of services, but an expansion into new areas of day the executive team and staff to put this growth options and new employment sectors such as programme in place, while maintaining the quality office cleaning, primary production, and salvage and range of existing service provisions. and recycling. In particular, the groundwork for this growth On July 1, Career Systems officially joined the has centred upon diligent financial, legal Bedford group. In September 2007, a merger and operational evaluation, as well as an with Living Skills based in Port Pirie, Kadina and assessment of potential service delivery benefits. Wallaroo, spearheaded our regional growth. In It has also included a review and alignment of February, the merger with Gambier Contacts in human resources and consultation with local Mount Gambier in the South East was followed communities, in order to understand the needs of in April 2008 by a merger with Compass the newly merged entities, their employees, staff, Contracting Services in Port Lincoln. families and stakeholders. This growth of services for people with a disability into regional South Australia has been a source of great pride to my fellow Board Members and me.