Annual Review 2018VisAbility

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Contents

Message from the Chair & Chief Executive Officer........3

Treasurer’s Report..........................................................8

Board Members............................................................11

Our Supporters.............................................................12

Contact Details.............................................................19

VisAbility Story 2018 Poster Description......................21

Guide Dogs Tasmania Our Story 2018 Poster

Description....................................................................26

Guide Dogs Western Australia Our Story 2018 Poster

Description....................................................................30

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Message from the Chair & Chief Executive Officer

Recognition. Transformation. People. As we reach the

halfway mark of 2018, and we reflect on the months that

have past, these three key themes define the

extraordinary progress we’ve experienced on this year’s

journey.

At VisAbility, we never stop discovering new ways to be

relevant. New ways to be sustainable. New ways to

build strong partnerships. We stand up, front up and are

willing to put in the hard work; to take a bold new

direction. This year we have grown in ways we never

knew we could.

This year VisAbility gained significant recognition from

Government, winning notable grants across a number of

sectors. We were recognised with a five-year contract to

deliver Disability Employment Services for people with a

sensory disability in Western Australia and Tasmania.

Our new employment service is delivered in partnership

with CoAct, the fourth largest national provider of

employment services in Australia.

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We were one of only two service providers recognised

through the Federal Government’s Print Disability

Services Program, a crucial project providing $5.7

million to produce alternative formats to meet the needs

of people living with a print disability.

The Australian Electoral Commission recognised

VisAbility as the preferred supplier of accessible material

to people who are blind or have low vision. We were

also appointed to the National Panel of Assessors under

Job Access for the next five years.

Every stride we take is towards our vision of

independence for people with disability. We are here to

empower. To enable. To engage.

And we have continued to effect transformational

change. Earlier this year, VisAbility was selected as the

only Western Australian organisation to take part in the

NOUS Community Partnership Scheme. We’re

transforming our social media presence through work

with ground-breaking social media experts Hancock

Creative through the Bankwest Foundation Gain and

Retain Program. 4

Through VisAbility’s Strategic Directions 2018-2021,

seven priority themes define our strategic direction over

the next three years. Our actions are shaped around the

Australian Business Excellence Framework (ABEF).

We’ve undergone a transformation in the way we

operate. VisAbility’s NDIS funded services continue to

grow strongly, with 94% of funding previously provided

through block grants successfully replaced with

individualised funding under the NDIS. This will ensure

the continuity of services for clients now and into the

future.

Guide Dogs WA and Guide Dogs Tasmania are

meaningful, well-loved brands. Through the Guide Dogs

Australia alliance, we play a vital role in providing people

in Australia with quality, nation-wide Guide Dog

services. In a coup for our brands, this year Guide Dogs

was again recognised as Australia’s Most Trusted

Charity, for the sixth consecutive year.

In a first for our organisation, two Autism Assistance

Dogs graduated in Western Australia. These dogs have

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truly transformed the lives of their new families -

providing safety, independence, inclusion and

companionship.

Our people are encouraged to pursue their areas of

passion and are given a voice in their areas of expertise,

both within our organisation and the broader community.

We encourage learning, collaboration and knowledge

sharing – and support a culture where meaningful

connections are made between people of different roles

and responsibilities.

We are proud of the strong bank of expertise we have

built over many years. Our culture is one of trust,

freedom and responsibility. Our ethos on managing

performance? We let the results speak for themselves.

At VisAbility, we believe that trust is always more

powerful than control.

The contributions from the Western Australian and

Tasmanian communities are generous, inspiring and

sincerely appreciated. Donations, volunteering, gifts in

wills and generous contributions from our supporters

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and funders have helped us transform the lives of

people with disability for over 100 years, and ensured

this into the future.

Thank you to our talented Board and our deeply

knowledgeable staff. The path we tread isn’t always

easy, but we move forward with strength of conviction

and a clear purpose. Our inspiration is the

transformations we have seen in our people: our clients

and their families, our leadership team, our employees

and our communities.

We will continue to strive to achieve this and much

more. To have a clear vision; to be ever prepared; to

break new ground; to be unafraid of whom we need to

be.

This is our vision for independence. We’re proud to be

leading the way.

Debbie Schaffer OAMChair

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Dr Clare AllenChief Executive Officer

Treasurer’s Report

“Your grant funding and donations matter: every single

dollar of it.”

Throughout the 2017-18 financial year, VisAbility, now a

multi-state service provider, mobilised 98.9% of its total

revenue of which $11.85m is from your grant funding

and donations. This was used to positively impact upon

the lives of Western Australians and Tasmanians who

are blind or vision impaired and who have other

disabilities, through a combination of programs and

services.

VisAbility has performed well during the financial year.

Total revenue and income increased by 4.2%, ($555k)

while total expenses decreased by 7.5% ($1.10m).

Grants and subsidies from federal and state government

and other local funders represent 45% (2017: 51%) of

VisAbility’s total revenue. Accordingly, I would like to

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acknowledge our partnering funders for their financial

contribution towards essential programs and invaluable

client services.

Donations, bequests and fundraising appeals

contributed 40% (2017: 31%) to the total revenue to

support our client service delivery work and to pay

support costs that underpin the activities of our

philanthropic arms, Guide Dogs WA and Guide Dogs

Tasmania.

Bequests and legacies are always critical to our ongoing

work because they enable us to provide services

additional to those funded by government. I am very

grateful to those who leave their legacy to VisAbility.

Despite the decline in government grants, NDIS income

and other fee for service almost doubled compared to

the previous year. Total expenses (excluding

depreciation and amortization) decreased by $970k.

I would like to commend VisAbility’s management for

working tirelessly to ensure the organisation’s

sustainability so we can continue delivering life-changing

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services to Western Australians and Tasmanians who

have a disability.

I would like to thank my Board colleagues for donating

their time, skills and experience. I also express my

appreciation to the staff for the great work they do every

day and for their dedication to our mission and vision, to

VisAbility members for their support, to the many worthy

organisations and to our dedicated volunteers for the in-

kind support we received. Thank you.

Financial Summary

Statement of Financial Position

Total Assets $25,948,647

Total Liabilities $4,467,917

Total Net Assets $21,480,730

Total Equity* $21,480,730

*The Total Equity includes $4.8m contribution from the

merger with Guide Dogs Tasmania last financial year.

The financial summary should be read in conjunction

with the accompanying notes set out on Annual Audited

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Financial Statements. For a complete copy, visit

www.visability.com.au or contact our office.

Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income

Total Revenue and

Income$13,860,780

Total Expenses $13,708,933

Board Members

Debbie Schaffer OAM Chair

David Bevan

Jenny Dawson

Lorraine Driscoll

Kym Georgiou

David Ligovich

Scott Marston

Prof. Iain Murray AM

Sue Shoobridge

Helen Smith OAM

Hayden White

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Our Supporters

Gifts in Wills and Major Supporters

AdvanceAlexander Edwin Poad

Alice Jean Tremlett

Anthony John PorterAntonio Panaia

ASGATCOAtholie Gwen HoughtonBankwestBatteryworldBourke Memorial Trust

Brian Cowan

Bruce Wall TrustCatherine May Hardy

Cecilia Lee Che Veal

Cecily Sinclair Smith

Chung Wah Association Inc.City Of BelmontCity Of GosnellsCity Of Perth

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Corrs Chambers WestgarthCottesloe VetCyril Maitland Brown

Department Of Mines, Industry, Regulation & SafetyDoreen Letcher

Dorothy Joy Jones

Edward Bruce WickingsEvelyn Mary Oates

Fairbrother FoundationFrank Heinz Ebell

Friends of the Community - TasmaniaGeoffrey Charles Draper

Gerty Ewen

Gloria Mary Moyse

GreenstoneGrill’d Brookfield PlaceGuide Dogs Australia - The late Valma June Cook

Gustaf Ringstrom

HawaiianHoliday Inn Perth City CentreHoundstooth Studio by Alex Cearns

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IdexxIsobel James Thurza

Jackson McDonaldJanet Lucy Shaw

Jean Freda Hanlon

Kathleen Patricia Ellen Young

Kevin and Edna Appleton

King and Wood MallesonsLesley JohnstoneMadge Herma Meadows

Marjorie Gladys WolfeMary Louise JonesMelvie Mary BennettMerial (Nexgard, Paragard, Heartgard)

Metro TasmaniaMishak Turner

Mosmans RestaurantNeil Thomas

New Town ToyotaNorma Joan Tyler

Norman Gordon BradfordOlive Ruth Atherton Bonny

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Particia E Dorlandt

Perpetual - Alan and Lilian Cameron TrustPerpetual - Francis John Longhurst TrustPerpetual - Hansen and Kean TrustPerpetual - Harry Frederick Carter TrustPerpetual - Jean Marion Isobel TrustPerpetual - Jeanne Krajanich TrustPerpetual - John W R TrustPerpetual - Lindsay and Nan Wilkinson TrustPerpetual - Margaret Harper TrustPerpetual - Maud CreaseyPerpetual - Mildred TonksPerpetual - William H SchuetzPerpetual - Henry AbbottPerth UpmarketPETstockPrecision ArtPublic Trustee - The Alan Dexter Strawbridge Trust

Rappaw PrintsRF and RE Cane Charitable TrustRio TintoRiverton Leisureplex

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Robert John Russell

Sally Tracey

SpecsaversSwan TaxisThelma Joyce ElmerThink Fragile X FoundationTony Wood

Town of Victoria ParkTrixie Franklin

Valma E Davenport

Vetcentre MontroseVerna Rowbotham

William Eastcott Higgs

William Garrod

Puppy Sponsors

Barbara SelfBridget StottBryce and Fae BurrowColes - Western AustraliaFremantle Ports AuthorityGuide Dog Day 2018

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Henry and Malita RonchiIvan HalbertJean ArkleyJo Wheatley John HughanLiz and Lucas WilkMcCusker Charitable FoundationPrairie Dunes PlaceSwan Taxis Team Jog for a Dog Teoh FamilyTerry KrysynaThe late Mr Brian CowanThe late Mr StrawbridgeThe late Mr Tony WoodThelma StewartThink Fragile X FoundationTony and Felicity WalchWheatley Family Foundation

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Guide Dogs Australia

Guide Dogs Tasmania and Guide Dogs WA belong to

the Guide Dogs Australia alliance, and work

collaboratively with the four other Guide Dogs schools

across Australia.

Our collaboration ensures a high standard of service

delivery across the nation. Thank you to the national

partners who support this alliance and allow us to

provide life-changing services to people across

Australia.

Life Members

Ron Anderson OAM

Cam Ansell

Michael Barton

Connie Craig OAM

Professor Geoff Gallop AC

Dixie Gunning OAM

Tony Hagan

Peter Hickson

Lester James

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Dorothy Judd

Kim Laurence

Tina Mackay

Ross McLean OAM

Steve Moore

Elizabeth Needham

Jean Perron

Dr L.S. (Stan) Perron AM

Peter Potter MBE

Ruth Reid AM Cit. WA

John Rodgers

Roma Shilling

John Thompson

Contact Details

Western Australia

The Perron Centre

61 Kitchener Avenue

Victoria Park WA 6100

PO Box 101 Victoria Park 6979

Tel: 1800 VISION (847 466)

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Tasmania

164 Elizabeth Street

North Hobart TAS 7002

PO Box 82 North Hobart TAS 7002

Tel: 1800 484 333

Email: info@visability.com.au

VisAbility website: visability.com.au

Connect with us on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/visabilityAU/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/association-for-

the-blind-of-wa---guide-dogs-wa

ACN 604 293 209

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VisAbility Story 2018 Poster Description

Visible

We communicate transparently. We trust, and can be

trusted. We connect and participate. We are open, and

true. We have a voice.

At VisAbility we live and breathe our values. We have

focused on becoming more accessible and visible,

connecting with our clients and fostering our relevance

to our communities. An impressive 34% of our services

have been provided in the community, and 66% at our

hubs. Our service delivery breakdown was 6%

Accessible Information, 26% Therapy for Children and

Youth, 28% Leisure, Sport and Recreation, and 40%

Therapy for Adults.

Belonging

We welcome everyone. We see a world where everyone

is equal, everyone is included. Our vision for

independence is strong. We're continually striving to

connect with our far-reaching community, and this year

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we established two new community hubs, in addition to

our five regional hubs.

Talking books make the world of difference to a person

with vision impairment, connecting them to the world

around them. This impact can't be understated when

you learn that 72,449 digital talking books were listened

to from our library over the past year!

We value everyone who works with us and are proud to

say we have 432 volunteers contributing 20,300 hours to

VisAbility. Astonishingly, the total employment duration

of all our employees is 637 years!

Opportunity

We believe in abundance and diversity. In a world where

everyone can achieve their goals. In a world that

continues to evolve, discovering new ways for people to

grow.

We are proud to deliver services to clients of all ages

and over the past year we have connected with 4,185

people in Western Australia and 858 people in

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Tasmania. Our employment program is exceptional and

life-changing. Twenty-four job seekers are now

employed thanks to this remarkable program.

We value the drive and enthusiasm of young people

entering the workforce. Last year we hosted 36 student

placements at VisAbility and employed three new

graduates.

Empathy

We walk this journey with you. We are brave, and

vulnerable. We want to step inside your shoes. To see

things from your perspective. To see things differently.

Stepping into one another's shoes gives us a better

opportunity to meet our community's needs. We

partnered with the State Library of Western Australia to

include Braille in Babyways Touch and Feel Backpacks,

so that parents of children with vision impairment don’t

miss out on this important new parent resource.

We added 1,102 new titles to our online library collection

and had 23 organisation attend our free access

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workshops. We’re thrilled to have received an

impressive $92,000 in funding for our How I Learn

project: an important new project empowering young

people with a disability to share their unique learning

and accessibility needs with their teachers.

Greatness

We are giants in our domain, the best at what we do.

We lead, we achieve, we break new ground. We have a

depth of knowledge that is unparalleled.

We are proud that in delivering 83,600 service hours, we

have achieved an outstanding 93% customer service

ranking of good to excellent. We are also a National

Disability Services Award finalist in Western Australia for

our ground-breaking ROAM program.

Acknowledging our work in accessibility, we have been

awarded funding through the Print Disability Services

Program, amounting to $1,653,300 over three years

(2018-2021).

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We are transforming our Social Media Strategy through

grants received from TasCOSS NDIS Providers

Development Fund (TAS) and Bankwest Foundation

Handcock Creative Gain and Retain Program (WA).

We will continue to strive for excellence in everything we

do, and to always have a clear vision for transforming

the future for people with a disability. This is our vision

for independence. We’re proud to be leading the way.

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Guide Dogs Tasmania Our Story 2018 Poster Description

Guide Dog Program

2017-18 was a big year for Guide Dogs Tasmania, with

new puppies, new staff members and new events all

resulting in an exciting year for the organisation.

In the Guide Dog Services department, the addition of a

Cadet Guide Dog Mobility Instructor resulted in more

dogs being trained during the year, quicker services to

clients, and the expansion of services with our

Companion and Therapy Dog Program.

During the year we welcomed 11 new pups into our

program; almost double the number we took on the year

before. Thanks to the Blind Foundation New Zealand,

we were able to source a more continuous supply of

pups that will help ensure we keep up with the demand

of Guide Dogs in Tasmania well into the future.

The new additions to our puppy program, took the total

number of dogs in training to 14. All of those little legs

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walked a combined total of 9,000 kilometres this year!

The organisation also held 24 group puppy classes,

visited the vet 98 times, and fed the hungry puppies a

total of 2,730 kilograms of kibble!

To support the additional puppies joining the program,

we had an increase in Puppy Development volunteers

with 23 new families coming on board. We also saw a

high retention rate of current volunteers at 86% - a great

achievement!

During the year we placed four Guide Dogs with clients

across Tasmania, along with one Companion Dog, and

carried out 59 aftercare visits. Our total number of

working Guide Dogs at the end of 2017 – 18 was 21, an

increase of three from the previous year. We’re excited

to see this number steadily grow over the next few years

to reflect the recent growth in puppy numbers.

Due to the growth in the Guide Dog department, we

were able to hold our first Test Drive a Guide Dog Day

for young Tasmanians living with vision impairment. This

full-day, hands-on workshop was a huge success,

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generating several Guide Dog referrals and promoting

our services through the extensive media coverage on

the day. Out of the six participants, aged 14 – 21 years,

66% have gone on to pursue a Guide Dog as a mobility

option – a fantastic outcome!

Fundraising

Supporting our Guide Dog services was the

Engagement and Fundraising Department, which

brought in $973,217 of donations across the year. Part

of this revenue came from our iconic Collection Dog

program, which continued to perform outstandingly

thanks to the steady stream of donations coming in from

the 1,983 sites hosting Collection Dogs.

A restructure of our Engagement and Fundraising

Department occurred at the beginning of the 2017-18

year. This saw the creation of three new roles, and the

appointment of one, full time staff member. With a

refreshed team, our Street Appeal was a great success,

raising over $13,000 from generous Tasmanians.

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Across the year, we held a total of 130 fundraising

events and our Ambassador Dog Dexter visited 85 sites

– talk about busy!

Along with our dedicated staff, our fundraising

volunteers were vital to the success of these events,

helping with the organisation and running of many. We

also had great support from our corporate volunteers,

who contributed a total of 80 hours during the year. In

fact, across the whole organisation, volunteers

contributed around 139,776 hours during 2017-18!

That concludes the highlights from 2017 – 18 – a year of

growth and new opportunities in many areas of the

organisation. For us, what this really means is that we

can provide more services to even more Tasmanians

who need our assistance. Let’s bring on an even better

2018 – 19!

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Guide Dogs Western Australia Our Story 2018 Poster Description

Guide Dog Program

2017-2018 was a busy and successful year for Guide

Dogs WA. During the year we welcomed 21 new

puppies to the pack. The puppies were sourced from

Guide Dog Schools across Australia and the Blind

Foundation in New Zealand. The new arrivals took the

total number of puppies in training to 39.

We were able to match 10 trained Guide Dogs with

Western Australians during the year, bringing the total

number of working dogs we support across the state to

51. A total of 111 aftercare visits were made to our

working dogs and clients in the community.

Our Buddy Dogs for Kids program achieved an

important milestone this year with the placement of the

first two trained Autism Assistance Dogs with Perth

families. With the objective of improving quality of life for

a child living with autism and their family, these first two

dogs have had a profound and positive effect on the

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safety, independence and inclusion of the children and

their families. In addition, another 10 Therapy and

Companion Dogs were placed with individuals and

families living with disability in Western Australia.

To support the increased number of puppies and

diversified training program, we welcomed to our team a

Guide Dog Services Coordinator to oversee all aspects

of the Guide Dog Services department. In addition, our

first two Cadet Guide Dog Trainers both successfully

completed their 18 month traineeship in April and joined

the team as qualified Guide Dog Trainers.

The increase in the number of puppies and dogs also

resulted in an increase in the number of veterinary visits,

which totalled 136 during the year. There were 39 group

puppy classes held during the year. The puppies and

dogs in training chewed on 630 toys and nylabones and

consumed 8,190 kilograms of kibble during the year.

That is a lot of kibble – 8.19 metric tons!

The dogs and puppies in training clocked up a total of

23,100 kilometres of training walks, which is the

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equivalent of walking from Perth to Sydney, seven

times!

Fundraising

The Engagement and Development department provide

the fundraising and marketing services for Guide Dogs

WA. The fundraising income was $4,606,045, which was

derived from a number of programs, including bequests,

donations, Puppy Pals, community fundraising events

such as the HBF Run for a Reason and the annual

Guide Dog Day Street appeal plus the 1,325 full size

and mini dog collection containers located in

businesses, offices and venues across Western

Australia.

Ambassador Dogs Annie, Maddy and Eva made 280

public relations appearances during the year, attending

supporter fundraising events across the metropolitan

area.

A total of 118 community fundraising events were held,

making a valuable contribution to the fundraising

income.

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None of this would have been achieved without the

invaluable support from a dedicated team of volunteers

who supported all aspects of the fundraising and training

program. A huge 145,600 volunteer hours contributed to

the work of the organisation. Corporate volunteers

contributed another 110 hours.

We look forward to continued growth and development

in the new financial year and achieving our vision for

independence.

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