Carers NSW Inc. Carers NSW Inc, PO Box 20156, World Square NSW 2002 Roden Cutler House, Level 18, 24 Campbell Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Ph 02 9280 4744 Fax 02 9280 4755 Carers can call 1800 242 636 (free call except from mobiles) Annual Report 2008/9 [email protected] Annual Report www.carersnsw.asn.au www.youngcarersnsw.asn.au All contents © Carers NSW ISSN 1837 – 4263 2009/10 Contents About Carers NSW 2 President’s and CEO’s Report 3 Board of Directors 5 Highlights 8 Our Funders 14 Our Stakeholders 14 Program Reports 15 Committees, Key Meetings and Partnerships 26 Carers NSW Inc Annual Report 2009/10 Friends of Carers NSW 30 Parliamentary Friends of Carers NSW 31 Volunteers 32 Financial Report 33 Supporters 43 Location of Carers NSW Offices 44 1 About Carers NSW Carers NSW is the peak organisation for PRIVACY carers in New South Wales. It is governed We respect the privacy of individuals and by an honorary Board of Directors. will implement measures to protect privacy In NSW there are estimated to be 750,000 and confidentiality in line with current best carers. Carers are relatives and friends who practice. are caring for people with a disability, mental QUALITY AND PROFESSIONALISM illness, drug and alcohol dependencies, We aim for quality, high productivity and chronic condition, terminal illness or who professionalism in all we do. Our policies, are frail aged. processes and services will be evidence- Carers NSW is part of the National Network of based and outcome orientated. Carers Associations and works collaboratively PROGRESSIVE AND RESULTS BASED to lead change and action with and for carers. We are committed to actions that result in Our Vision an improved and more sustainable future for carers. We will be results-based and our caring is accepted as a shared community efforts will be measured and reported on responsibility through our success measures. all carers in NSW are recognised, valued and supported by the community and by Our Core Business and Roles governments. Carers NSW performs a range of roles that are culturally and age appropriate to the Our Values diversity of carers in NSW. Carers NSW: Carers NSW operates with a set of values that delivers services direct to carers including underpins our interactions and activities with providing information, referrals, emotional stakeholders: support, and counselling RESPECT provides leadership and develops policy We respect the rights of carers and the people on major issues affecting carers they support to make choices and determine provides strategic input and systemic their own lives. advocacy into key government, non INVOLVING CARERS government, academic and corporate sector initiatives related to carers We actively involve and listen to carers. Their views guide our policies, advocacy develops, pilots and delivers education and and services. training to assist carers, service providers, health professionals and other stakeholders DIVERSITY develops, promotes and distributes We value the diversity of people and information, resources and publications communities and are respectful of, and to carers and other stakeholders and responsive to, these differences. promotes carer issues through events, We acknowledge the need to be culturally media and other public activities appropriate and sensitive to the needs of builds partnerships and alliances and carers from different cultural, language, ethnic provides expert advice on ways to better or religious backgrounds, as well as to carers support carers of different age, gender or sexual preferences. fosters research, and collects and analyses ABORIGINAL CULTURE AND HERITAGE data to provide a sound evidence base on Carers NSW Inc Annual Report 2009/10 We respect and value Aboriginal cultural which carer issues can be progressed heritage and are committed to self- strengthens Carers NSW’s efficiency and determination for, and reconciliation with, effectiveness as a peak organisation. Aboriginal people. 2 About Carers NSW President’s and CEO’s Report 2009/10 has been an exciting year for on its first Sydney based event in Carers NSW, characterised by increasing collaboration with the City of Sydney, membership, new partnerships and services Centrelink and Babana Aboriginal Men’s and, significantly, an escalating political Group. These partnerships (and others focus on carers through carer legislation. formed through this event) have extended through to other work the organisation It is very pleasing to see that membership does. Once again, carer support groups of Carers NSW is continuing to grow around the state received grants from strongly, with more carers, support groups Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC), and service providers receiving Carers Department of Human Services NSW, with News and other Carers NSW resources more than 200 events held during Carers than ever before. A survey of our newsletter Week. These events continue to be a valued readers confirmed that they rely on Carers part of celebrating Carers Week for carers. NSW for up to date news and information. Feedback on the newsletter as a whole The end of 2009 saw Caroline Jones, was overwhelmingly positive. This is very broadcaster, author and former carer, pleasing and encourages us to work even deliver the Clare Stevenson Lecture, held harder to remain not just relevant, but vital in honour of our founder. Caroline spoke in our role as the peak organisation for about her experiences caring for her elderly carers in NSW. father and step mother in the last years of their lives, and reflected upon some of the Our services and staff have also expanded feelings carers face in their struggle to keep during the last 12 months. The Carer Line going. The Lecture struck a real chord with (our phone information and support service the audience and it was wonderful to have for carers) trialled expanded hours, while Caroline join us. our in-house counsellors also increased their case loads. Our regional programs 2010 has been groundbreaking, in a Carers NSW Inc Annual Report 2009/10 continued to flourish, with the addition of political sense, with the passing of the the self-directed package support program, Carers (Recognition) Act 2010 in NSW My Plan My Choice, being piloted by Carers Parliament, and the tabling of national carer NSW on the Mid North Coast. recognition legislation. Carers NSW also continues to increase In March 2010, Andrew Constance, MP for its presence in the community through Bega, introduced the Carers Recognition partnerships with other organisations Bill into NSW Parliament. Carers NSW was and education and training. As well as highly involved in the process and helped regular education and training workshops, develop the legislation. While this Bill wasn’t guest speaking and attendance at forums passed by Parliament, similar legislation, continued to be important in our work. also drawn up in consultation with Carers NSW and introduced by the Minister for New partnerships have been formed Health, Carmel Tebbutt, was passed in NSW through events such as Carers Week. Parliament in May. Carers Week 2009 saw Carers NSW put 3 President’s and CEO’s Report The Carers (Recognition) Act 2010: This new Act has followed years of advocating for legislation by Carers NSW provides a NSW Carers Charter to and we are extremely satisfied to have seen recognise the role and contribution of it supported in a bi-partisan way. Now we those who care for family members or await action in Federal Parliament where friends who have a disability, a medical national legislation has been tabled. condition (such as a terminal or chronic illness), a mental illness or who are frail The Carers NSW Board and staff continue and aged to work towards achieving our vision that caring is accepted as a shared community requires certain public sector agencies responsibility and all carers in NSW are to take action to reflect the principles of recognised, valued and supported by the the NSW Carers Charter when providing community and by governments. services that affect carers We look forward to a great year ahead, and establishes a Carers Advisory Council acknowledge all the tremendous work by so (with primary carers the majority of many people that has been done in the past members and a Minister to Chair). 12 months. This is a big win for the 750,000 carers in NSW, and finally brings us into line with other states and territories in formally recognising carers as individuals in their own right, not just in relation to the person they care for. In addition, the legislation in NSW, unlike that in other states and territories, provides for assessment of carers’ own health and other needs. Laraine Toms Elena Katrakis President Chief Executive Officer Carers NSW Inc Annual Report 2009/10 4 President’s and CEO’s Report Board of Directors 2009/10 The Board of Directors is responsible for the strategic and policy directions of Carers NSW to ensure the organisation achieves its aims for carers. It reviews standards, policies and procedures in accordance with the constitution, and is financially and legally accountable for use of funds. There are 11 Board members, including four office bearers, with provision for up to three co-opted members. The Board operates a Finance Committee and time-limited working groups on specific issues as required. Laraine Toms Jim Warren MA BA Dip Ed Churchill Fellow FCA FCPA FAICD FAIM President Honorary Treasurer Member of the Finance Committee Chair of the Finance Committee Laraine Toms is a carer with a background Jim Warren was born in Fiji, educated in in education who has extensive experience New Zealand and spent his entire working as a carer advocate and educator in mental career, including 25 years as a partner, health and more recently in aged care. She with PricewaterhouseCoopers. During has been on the Board of Carers NSW for over 42 years with the firm Jim lived and seven years, is co-chair of the NSW Mental worked in four countries and undertook Health Priority Taskforce, Chair of the Home assignments in more than 20 others.