st laurence community services inc. annual report 2011-12

ANNUAL REPORT 2011 | 2012

2

Annual Report Objectives St Laurence’s 2011-2012 Annual Report reflects St Laurence’s identity, values and culture for all our stakeholders. The Annual Report highlights our commitment to being the leading service provider through innovative thinking and adoption of a completely person centred approach in all we do. The Annual Report summarises our accomplishments and future plans to service our communities.

St Laurence in Our Communities

ContentsAbout St Laurence Community Services Inc. 3

Chairman’s Report 4

CEO’s Report 6

Enhancing Our Communities: Major Investments in 2011-12 8

Delivering the 2010-13 Strategic Goals 10

Aged and Community Care Services 16

Social Engagement Services 20

A Little More on MyPath 24

Employment & Training 26

Social Inclusion Unit 28

Consumer Governance: Recognising Our Clients 32

Consumer Governance: A Word from Our Consumers 34

Fundraising in Our Community 36

Human Resources: A Strategic Focus 38

Finance Report 41

Our Board 45

Our Executive Management Team 47

Our Members 47

Acknowledgments 49

St Laurence Locations and Contact Details 50Innovationwith a person centred approach to being the

leading service provider

St Laurence Community Services Inc. Reg No. A0033023X

600 employees, 250 active volunteers, 28 members, 11 directors, delivering

services since 1959, operating over

26 sites throughout the Barwon and

Grampians regions of Victoria, formally

established for 16 years… St Laurence has

the experience, knowledge and capacity

to deliver innovative, quality services that

help people experience life

3

St Laurence is an incorporated association under the Victorian Associations Incorporation Act 1981.

Since 1959 we have specialised in caring for people as they age, supporting them in their own home or in our residential care home.

In addition, St Laurence provides leading community services to people who have a disability or who are suffering from disadvantage.

St Laurence also offers employment and training opportunities within our community, ensuring employers who are looking to employ a reliable and dedicated workforce are met with the best prospects of finding an employee.

As a not-for-profit organisation, St Laurence heavily relies on donations to cover the shortfall in government fees and funding so we can continue to provide a wide range of services:

• Residential aged care (high care/low care)

• Support services to assist people who are ageing

• Respite care facilities

• Supported low income housing

• Community-based, individualised support for people with disability

• Assistance for people experiencing disadvantage

• Employment and vocational training services

• Social enterprises

St Laurence’s committed employees and volunteers are passionate about listening to what individuals have to say. Together, we deliver innovative, quality services that enhance people’s lives.

Our Mission

“Helping people help themselves”.

Our Vision

We innovate and build resilient, inclusive communities to help people achieve their full potential.

About St Laurence Community Services Inc.

Integrity Equity & Access

InclusivenessEmpowerment

Dignity

4

I am pleased to present this report on behalf of the St Laurence Board of Directors.

The past 12 months have seen St Laurence successfully navigate the ongoing turbulence that confronts many parts of the Australian economy and the global finance markets. As governments become increasingly focussed on returning their budgets to surplus we recognise that increasingly we cannot rely on governments to cover the full costs of our delivery of the contracted services.

This situation is unlikely to change in the near years. It therefore drives charitable organisations like St Laurence to be clear about their priorities; to discern the implications of long-term policy trends for future service design; and to be open to new ways of delivering security of services in local communities. The latter is of particular significance to St Laurence whose footprint is essentially a rural one.

In this environment it is important to acknowledge our financial position. St Laurence assets as of July 2012 continue to bring an acceptable level of stability and confidence to the future of the Association. The ongoing prudence that the Directors bring to the stewardship of our resources means any drawdown on capital must not only bring immediate benefit to those we seek to assist but do so in a manner that is sustainable in the long term beyond the lifetime of particular government funding fads.

Last year I reported several initiatives taken by the Directors to strengthen governance mechanisms and decision-making processes. We continue to assure ourselves that the newly developed integrated risk management system is aligned to the Board’s risk appetite and satisfactorily addresses the diverse potential risks confronting the Association on a daily basis. In addition, with respect to St Laurence’s ongoing expansion, we have worked with the management to put in place robust decision making regimes that rely on analysis of comprehensive business models and potential future scenarios.

During the year the Directors have approved a major capital works program at the Colac campus totalling nearly $1.2m. This is a substantial commitment of the Association’s resources. It represents the belief of the Board that our reoriented disability services have a healthy future because they will deliver a new generation of training and assistance compared to what is presently being offered in Victoria.

Indeed, the research and development undertaken over the past two and a half years to develop the client-directed MyPATH suite of disability services is being particularly vindicated by the decision of Australian

governments to establish a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The reorientation of our existing vocational training business, our respite accommodation facilities and our in-home support and care programs towards a service model that is strongly client-directed means St Laurence is able to strongly respond to the challenges for new types of service responses that will be generated by the NDIS as it rolls out across Australia.

The Board has encouraged the management to continue to be at the leading edge of reorienting services to take on a consumer governance outlook and to do so as part of the organisation’s strong continuous improvement framework. If we want to deliver the very best services we must be open to learning what we do well . . . and what we are not doing so well at present.

We are satisfied with the progress being made to achieve St Laurence’s nine Strategic Goals and have been pleased to learn of the local innovations in many service arenas, which have been the direct result of initiatives taken by the employees. We extend our gratitude to all the employees for their strong commitment and the hard work they perform on a daily basis in the name of St Laurence.

On behalf of my fellow Directors, I thank the Chief Executive Officer and his team for their ongoing enthusiasm and creativity. The professional commitment to excellence from each of the executive members provides confidence to the Board that there is strong leadership at the helm of the organisation.

Finally, I wish to acknowledge all of the Directors for the completion of another successful year. During the year we farewelled Mr Michael Malouf and we thank him for his strong contribution. I extend special gratitude to Dr Michael King our Deputy Chairman, Mr Geoff Williams who chairs the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee and Mr Andrew Boag who chairs the Governance and Strategy Committee.

Given the size of the Association and, of greater relevance, the complexity of the many and varied businesses we the Directors take responsibility for, it requires significant effort from this team of local people who attend to the affairs of St Laurence in an entirely voluntary capacity.

Chairman’s Report

Mr Don Blackmore Chairman

5

If we want to

deliver the very

best serviceswe must be open to learning

what we do well

6

The past 12 months has seen St Laurence undertake significant development of our workforce in order to better respond to the needs of individuals and communities.

As a society we are moving away from the “doing for” approach towards the “doing alongside” approach. This is in an environment where an increasing proportion of our nation’s population is moving out of the work stage into retirement living where longevity of life is directly tied to participation in active ageing options.

The active and independent ‘baby boomers’ are demanding quality services provided with a deal of respect. The emphasis has moved away from charity towards entitlement. In this new world, deliverers of human services like St Laurence must recognise that our current and future clients will exercise choice much more readily than in the past. There will be no future for human service organisations incapable of moving beyond their historical origins in a passive welfare environment.

For this reason we need to reorient our services to make them even more receptive to our clients. The services our clients consume make them the new customers of the 21st century. Interestingly, but not surprising the baby boomers are flexing their choice via a rediscovery of the power of the consumer movement that evolved during the 1960s and 1970s.

The new model regards clients as active directors of the services others want to deliver to them. Clients acting as consumers now hold the upper hand in the traditional provider-user relationship. Changes in the way care and support services are to be delivered in Australia are being pursued by both the Commonwealth and the State Governments.

Organisations that can understand, accept and pursue innovative ways to deliver consumer directed care approaches have a rosy future.

During the course of the reporting period, we have made substantial progress in educating our workforce about this important change in government policy and its implications for how we can positively respond to the challenges this change will bring about. We have successively achieved a consumer-directed focus in a number of our aged care services and, with the support of an enthusiastic workforce, are moving towards client driven planning in our disability services.

After two and a half years of research and development our new integrated suite of services for people with a disability was launched in April 2012. “MyPATH” is a world-leading curriculum-based approach to learning

for people with a disability. It presently offers 10 different pathways to achieve increased independence in the least restrictive learning environment. This unique initiative readies St Laurence to be an active and leading player in responding to the National Disability Insurance Scheme pilot project in the Barwon Region from July 2013.

These new policy settings will bring governance as well as operational challenges.

In order to fully realise the benefit of the shift to consumer-directed servicing we have commenced development of a consumer governance framework to help St Laurence, at all levels of the organisation, be more responsive to the aspirations and desires of those we serve.

This project is also giving greater confidence to our front line employees to listen and to respond to feedback from our clients and customers. Our employees are excited to have new tools to help them better ‘hear’ the opinions of those they assist. They have my full support as we move forward in a world where consumers will demand that quality support and care services be provided when and where the individual wants.

At the governance level it has been another exciting year working with our Directors. On behalf of the executive and senior employees I thank the Directors for the vision, stamina and wisdom they bring to the task of stewarding St Laurence through the present tricky times. They strongly recognise St Laurence risks going backwards if we stand still by not responding to shifts in government policy directions. We are blessed to have Directors who have the ability to achieve a balance between holding a strong line on accountability whilst mentoring new ideas and reporting mechanisms.

The complexity of St Laurence grows. And, this alone might frighten the uninitiated director or senior employee. But this is our shared reality.

The growing Commonwealth and State Government induced red tape does little to make the life of directors of charitable boards easier.

Charities build our nation’s social capital. Governments need to be reminded that directors of charitable organisations give freely of their time and should not be compared to their cousins who sit on company boards and, more often than not, are very handsomely remunerated for their time.

CEO’s Report

Mr Toby oConnor Chief Executive Officer

7

Organisations that can

understand, accept and pursue

innovative ways to deliver consumer directed care approaches

have a rosy future

8

Enhancing Our Communities: Major Investments in 2011-12MyPATH – A Radical New Disability Service Delivery Framework

St Laurence has launched a radical new approach to the delivery of services for people with a disability.

MyPATH is the result of two and a half years of research and development. The goal of this initiative was to bring the delivery of disability day services in Victoria into the 21st century. A person centred approach has been tied to a curriculum-based framework, which underpins learning. This new approach revolutionises the way these services historically have been delivered.

The interactive MyPATH website was developed in conjunction with the launch of these services and can be found at www.mypath.org.au.

See pages 24-25 for more information.

$1.2m Redevelopment of Colac Site

St Laurence has committed $1.2m to undertake a comprehensive renovation of our Queen Street, Colac property. The project will deliver a state of the art learning and community facility for people with a disability.

The key features of this new facility will include:

• Fully accessible building to meet new access standards

• New learning and support environment to cater to a newly designed, curriculum approach to learning

• Fully accredited industrial kitchen supporting

completion of certificate level training

• New information and communication technology resources

• Upgrade of current St Laurence social enterprise ‘Kui Nursery’.

In announcing the redevelopment the CEO stated “St Laurence is committed through investment to offering our communities the most innovative and comprehensive services throughout south-west Victoria for people with a disability.”

It’s All About You

St Laurence has developed a brand new, continuous improvement approach to service, titled the Consumer Governance Project.

The Consumer Governance Project aims to encourage greater representation of consumers, increased opportunities for consumer voice and active engagement of consumers in the way services are developed and delivered at St Laurence.

The Consumer Governance Project will build a new framework to enable St Laurence to enshrine consumer participation, contribution and representation across all levels and aspects of our operations.

This year we have:

• Introduced five new Consumer Advisory Groups for clients accessing Respite Services, Aged Residential Care, Support & Care, Housing and Case Management services

• Put new consumer feedback boxes and feedback mechanisms in place

• Initiated employee training and greater awareness of accessible communication strategies

• Developed new policies, procedures and resources for consumer voice, consumer stories and consumer representation.

Wide stakeholder consultation with employees and consumers will continue throughout 2012 and beyond to build the Consumer Governance Framework to ensure that all services are consumer focused and consumer driven.

http://www.mypath.org.au

9

Integrated Risk Management Framework (IRMF)

St Laurence has developed and published a comprehensive risk management framework aligned to the international standard for risk management ISO31000:2009.

This year has seen consolidation of the framework and incremental improvements to the developed risk reporting structures to provide for improved risk reporting and management of risk at both the strategic and operational levels.

Monthly strategic risks reports are compiled for the Board of Directors

and the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, detailing all incidents or events that have the potential to alter the risk exposure of the Association. This provides the Board of Directors and the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee with timely and accurate information on the key risks that may impact the Association achieving its strategic goals.

Risk identification workshops continue to be undertaken within the operational environment of St Laurence and a number of tools have been developed to assist managers and employees identify, measure, manage and treat risks. ‘TickitonDemand’, St Laurence’s Risk and Compliance software, has increased the flow of information on risks and incidents and allows for increased transparency and accountability in how incidents and risks are managed.

Risk is now a regular item of discussion throughout the organisation, as the embedding of the IRMF continues and the risk culture of the organisation progresses in its maturity.

The St Laurence IRMF is an exemplary example of best practice in managing an organisation’s risk and can be widely applied. The IRMF has been published as a comprehensive reference document which is available to other organisations.

9INTEGRATED R ISK MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK

STATEMENT OF RISK APPETITE‘Risk appetite’ is fundamental to an organisation’s understanding and management of risk.

St Laurence’s Statement of Risk Appetite has been endorsed by the SLCS Board of Directors – refer Box 1.

RISK MANAGEMENT POLICYUsing the Statement of Risk Appetite as a central reference, the Chief Executive Officer has approved the Risk Management Policy to be applied at the operational level across the whole organisation – refer to Appendix 3.

All St Laurence employees are required to implement the Risk Management Policy in the conduct of their daily duties.

The SLCS Risk Management Policy is an integral component of the IRMF.

INTEGRATED RISK MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORKA diagrammatic representation of the IRMF is provided at Figure 3. This diagram outlines the overall process for the management of risk within St Laurence and reflects the five attributes of a continuous improvement environment necessary to successfully achieve a comprehensive framework to manage risk, and the seven risk management processes outlined in the international standard.

Figure 3: Foundations of the Integrated Risk Management Framework

Establishing the Risk Context

Risk Identification

Analyse Risks

Risk Evaluation

Risk Treatment

RISK ASSESSMENT

SLCS Risk Management Policy

SLCS Strategic Plan

Board of DirectorsStatement of Risk Appetite

Com

mun

icat

ion

& Co

nsul

tatio

n

Monitor & Review

10

STRATEGIC GOAL 1:

DELIVER INNOVATIVE QUALITY SERVICES THAT RESPOND TO CLIENT NEED

Our Key Achievements

A Consumer Governance Framework (see pages 32-33) implemented across all service areas as a strategy for continuous improvement, putting the client at the centre of everything we do.

Through consideration of innovative, evidence-based research, a radical new disability service branded MyPATH (see pages 24-25) has been developed and implemented in 2012 to reflect key policy directions.

All recommendations from a Disability Service Standards Audit 2011 have been fully implemented into St Laurence’s Employment Services division to reflect best practice standards for providing innovative services to respond to client need.

Aged and Community Care service models have been updated in April 2012 with client needs at the forefront of policy change, to ensure compliance with new Funding Agreements.

Having the client at the centre of everything we do at St Laurence ensures that we are always responding to community demands and are at the forefront of change. We reflect the needs of our consumers.

THE NINE STRATEGIC GOALS

Delivering the 2010-13 Strategic Goals

1DELIVER INNOVATIVE QUALITY SERVICES THAT RESPOND TO

CLIENT NEED 2ACTIVELY LISTEN TO INDIVIDUALS &

COMMUNITIES TO LEARN HOW BEST TO HELP

PEOPLE HELP THEMSELVES 3PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE

SERVICES THAT INCREASE CLIENTS’ INCLUSION IN THEIR

COMMUNITY

4DELIVER EFFECTIVE SERVICES THAT

REPRESENT GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY 5MAINTAIN A HIGHLY

SKILLED, MOTIVATED & COMMITTED WORKFORCE 6BE AN EMPLOYER OF

CHOICE

7GROW SERVICES TO RESPOND TO UNMET COMMUNITY NEED 8DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS

THAT FOSTER & INCREASE SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AT A

LOCAL LEVEL 9DELIVER OUR SERVICES USING BEST PRACTICE

GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS






COMMUNITY




CHOICE




GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS

11

. STRATEGIC GOAL 2:

ACTIVELY LISTEN TO INDIVIDUALS & COMMUNITIES TO LEARN HOW BEST TO HELP PEOPLE HELP THEMSELVES


Individualised assessments continue to capture support needs and are well documented and actioned across all service delivery areas.

Monthly discussion groups, quarterly relative and representative meetings and the commencement of Consumer Advisory Groups - as part of the Consumer Governance Framework - are all used to obtain assistance in planning and designing quality services.

Vocational and curriculum-based frameworks have been developed under the new MyPATH program in easy english with convenient online access to allow clients and their families to shape their own learning and development goals (see pages 24-25).

‘Independent Lives’ is an initiative by St Laurence that achieves independent living for people with a disability. Click here to view the interactive DVD.

St Laurence’s Employment Services (Jobs Services Australia, Disability Employment Services and Advanced Career Training) is involved in the Whittington Works initiative with City of Greater Geelong to develop greater opportunities for jobseekers so that they can learn how best to help themselves.

Education and training has been provided to employees in relation to communication with residents with dementia, clients who need additional literacy support through use of ‘easy english’ and visual cues, clients and families of a different race or background, and clients suffering from various disabilities that require information presented to them in a different manner.

All St Laurence programs and activities are designed to build on strengths and to assist clients to maintain and enhance the skills they need to remain living in the community and experience life.

STRATEGIC GOAL 3:

PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE SERVICES THAT INCREASE CLIENTS’ INCLUSION IN THEIR COMMUNITY


Online and social media strategies have been developed to provide additional touch points for clients to connect with St Laurence and their community.

Monthly online newsletters detail new policy changes, good news stories and St Laurence activities in the community. These newsletters all feature a ‘feedback’ button for ease of contact.

National Relay Service training was undertaken for all administration and communications employees and inclusion of NRS contact details on websites for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech impediment.

Development of an Employment Services plain-language website and a social media strategy. Completion due by October, 2012. www.stlaurence.org.au and www.mypath.org.au already incorporate plain-language and easy access features.

Programs and services adapted to individual needs through such initiatives as the inclusion of pets in programs and couples being housed together despite differing care needs.

Groups from other areas of the community enlisted to interact and participate in activities with St Laurence clients. Schools and local churches interacting with residents within our aged care division, and visiting St Laurence disability day services, are examples of this integration.

Links with other service providers to deliver community inclusive programs have been initiated. July 2011 saw St Laurence enter a partnership with St John of God Hospital and Barwon Health in an initiative called ‘Strive2Thrive’,






COMMUNITY




CHOICE




GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS






COMMUNITY




CHOICE




GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox1zgFGwOxs&feature=share

http://www.stlaurence.org.au


12

which is a rehabilitation program for people living with breast cancer to utilise the knowledge and support at St Laurence’s own Healthy Ageing and Wellbeing Centre.

Use of advocacy to promote the voice of clients to federal, state and local government, providing valuable access for clients to have a say and shape policies in their own communities.

Implementation of Planning and Support Coordinators who have been specially trained to ensure there is a timely response to queries from families and people seeking support.

Proactive communication with clients and potential clients to ensure no one is being left behind. This is done through one-to-one client meetings, working with schools to identify students with a disability that may benefit from receiving services offered by St Laurence, using surveys, individual assessments, Google Analytics, and email reporting mechanisms to understand the St Laurence client and their preferred methods of communication.

MyPATH is a wholly accessible, new service offering that increases client’s capabilities and inclusion into their communities (see pages 24-25).

St Laurence vocational and learning pathways provide accessible opportunities for growth and development to live happily within one’s own community and experience life to the full.

STRATEGIC GOAL 4:

DELIVER EFFECTIVE SERVICES THAT REPRESENT GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY


Annual assessment is stringently conducted across all program areas for the efficacy of St Laurence services, which draws on the direct survey feedback from clients and their families. All assessments have been done on time throughout the course of the 2010-13 Strategic Plan.

A commitment by St Laurence to deliver the outcomes required by funders and purchasers. Internal audits, reporting strategies, data tracking and information gathering all aid in ensuring we are proactive in delivering the most optimum services within the industry. Recently implemented in the Employment Services division is a custom-designed compliance tool called the ‘Caseload Diary Report’. This report is run on a weekly basis and flags areas of potential non-compliance to keep St Laurence delivering effective services.

Benchmarking performance rates at a national level ensures St Laurence operates under best practice strategies in delivering effective services.

Annual financial audits and cost ratio analyses are provided to the St Laurence Board of Directors.

Comprehensive complaints handling processes, client surveys, the Consumer Governance Framework (see pages 32-33), client interviews and client satisfaction surveys all aid in ensuring the delivery of effective services.

St Laurence has developed comprehensive internal audits and monitoring procedures to ensure best practise service models are adopted so that we can provide the best services to our community.

STRATEGIC GOAL 5:

MAINTAIN A HIGHLY SKILLED, MOTIVATED & COMMITTED WORKFORCE


Regular team meeting updates regarding the progress of a division against the organisations strategic goals are actioned across the organisation.

Roadshows are held organisation-wide, every six weeks and conducted by the CEO. These provide a valuable link between organisational goals, divisional plans, new and upcoming policies that affect the industry, and activities in the field.

Work plans, on-to-one supervisory meetings and employee meetings are utilised monthly to listen to employee’s wants and needs and aim to work towards the development of new skills. Annual work plans are developed and reviews require a discussion about each employee’s commitment and achievement with regard to meeting the mission, vision and values of St Laurence. Individual key performance indicators are linked to the organisation’s goals.

Multiple ‘Enterprise Business Agreements’ are negotiated across all divisions with Employee Representatives to advocate for employee wants and needs.






COMMUNITY




CHOICE




GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS






COMMUNITY




CHOICE




GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS

13

Career pathways are clearly articulated to employees so that advancement is linked to skill development and increased capacity.

St Laurence has initiated an ‘Emerging Leaders’ program that links the Diploma of Management with key areas of growth and development for St Laurence.

Paid training and education is undertaken to develop the skills of the existing workforce. All divisions have a dedicated budget to ensure education and training is made available to employees ongoing.

Assessment of training and education needs by the Human Resource department ensures that skill development is ongoing and consistent with the organisation’s strategic goals.

Employees are regularly rewarded for positive performance through Employee of the Month awards, voucher systems for over-performance and positive reinforcement strategies developed for managers to implement on a daily basis.

St Laurence values its employees and works under an organisational structure that ensures continued growth of skills and capacity.

STRATEGIC GOAL 6:

BE AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE


At St Laurence, we offer workforce employment conditions that are competitive, comply with all industrial standards and are above the Award rate.

St Laurence has ensured that each employee is provided with employment conditions consistent with the ‘Enterprise Business Agreements’ that are in place and that a proactive workforce culture exists.

Clear direction and supervision through regularly updated position descriptions and work plans is offered to all employees. Understanding what is expected as an employee is instrumental in reaching performance goals.

Occupational health and safety is on the agenda at all meetings to ensure workplace safety.

Internal communication systems are carefully managed to ensure all employees are up to date with St Laurence developments and initiatives. Use of a customised intranet, road shows, regular newsletters and updates from the CEO, emails, use of noticeboards, messages on payslips, SMS tools, social networking tools, external websites, good news stories, competition incentives, and direct communications ensure key messages are received by all 600 plus employees.

An Employee’s Consultative Committee exists for employees to find resolutions for various issues. This committee then reports back to management on how St Laurence can better become an employer of choice.

As well as providing many in-house opportunities for education and training, all employees are actively encouraged to participate in training and personal development opportunities outside of the organisation.

Employees have access to St Laurence’s Healthy Ageing and Wellbeing Centre.

A Flexible Management approach is adopted amongst all managers at St Laurence, ensuring employees remain motivated.

A collaborative team culture ensures St Laurence is a friendly place to work, with activities occurring frequently to encourage employee interaction.

At St Laurence, every employee understands that their needs are put first within the areas of training and education, personal development, rates of pay, career development and safety.

STRATEGIC GOAL 7:

GROW SERVICES TO RESPOND TO UNMET COMMUNITY NEED


Heavy investments into the growth of services at St Laurence have been actioned during the reporting period to meet community needs. These include:

• $2 million Flinders Wing redevelopment to expand high care residential facilities, providing an extra 19 beds for dementia clients (2011).






COMMUNITY




CHOICE




GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS






COMMUNITY




CHOICE




GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS

14

• $1.2 million investment into the redevelopment of Queen Street, Colac property, creating a state of the art learning and community facility for people in Colac with a disability, and further expanding the services of Australian Disability Enterprise ‘Kui Nursery’ (2012).

• $400,000 investment into the development of MyPATH (2012).

St Laurence has established a range of ‘Social Enterprises’ to facilitate employment and training opportunities for disadvantaged people across greater Geelong and Colac.

Regular collaboration with stakeholders identifies and addresses unmet community needs. One such example includes participating in the ‘Samaritan House Development’ group in Geelong to establish a new service for homeless men.

Tender submissions have been submitted for Job Services Australia and Disability Employment Services. Business opportunities are being pursued in materials resources for training and labour hire, in order to meet employer need and skill shortages.

As a community services organisation, St Laurence is in a phase of continual growth and development as community needs arise in line with new government initiatives.

STRATEGIC GOAL 8:

DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS THAT FOSTER & INCREASE SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AT A LOCAL LEVEL


St Laurence has strategies in place to foster relationships with national industry bodies to stay abreast of latest public policy developments and changes in Commonwealth service delivery areas. This is done by being members of various industry groups such as:

• National Disability Services

• Case Management Society Australia

• Leading Aged Services Australia

• Anglicare Australia

• Australian Network on Disability

• Jobs Australia

• Disability Employment Australia.

St Laurence participates in state and regional peak bodies to influence the direction of state and regional initiatives; to stay abreast of latest public policy initiatives; and, to build strong collaborative partnerships. These bodies include:

• Leading Age Services Australia Consumer Directed Care Working Party

• Anglicare Australia Aged Care Network

• Carer Respite National Working Group

• Case Management State Wide Network

• Linkages State Wide Network

• Barwon South West Dementia Steering Committee

• National Disability Services - Victoria

St Laurence has championed ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’, corporate volunteering and like initiatives to provide hope in disadvantaged communities and to increase social engagement. Development of groups such as the Kardinia Cats and the Having a Say Conference Development Committee are examples of this.

St Laurence actively seeks out and creates opportunities to partner with other civil society organisations in order to respond to disadvantaged or at-risk communities. St Laurence is working alongside Northern Futures promoting education and employment in the Norlane and Corio postcodes, providing placement opportunities and post-graduation employment to four people to date.






COMMUNITY




CHOICE




GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS

15

At St Laurence, we operate under a continuous improvement model. Strategies, models and frameworks have been effectively put in place over the past three years that provide the

ability to succeed in our strategic plan, and continually improve upon these goals as consumer and community

needs change.

St Laurence proactively lobbied with Geelong Region Action Network of Disability agencies to ensure Geelong is the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) launch site and National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) location.

Working together with like organisations or peak bodies will ensure our community works inclusively to engage all members.

STRATEGIC GOAL 9:

DELIVER OUR SERVICES USING BEST PRACTICE GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS


St Laurence has commenced the registration process to become a registered Housing Agency to ensure the continued improvement of our housing assets.

St Laurence ensures that all divisional reports accurately represent activities of the division and that advice presented to the Board of Directors is managed with due diligence.

Internal auditing, performance monitoring and training of best practice procedures ensures vigilance in maintaining the alignment of the Board’s governance and risk frameworks to best practice.

St Laurence has established evidence-based reporting systems for the purpose of verifying the efficacy and efficiency of delivered services through our Integrated Risk Management Framework procedures and strong documentary evidence to support and verify that what is presented is accurate and responsible.

St Laurence delivers accurate financial reports on a monthly basis.

Strong leadership and management across St Laurence is built through the development of future managers by providing team leader opportunities and frontline management training programs.

The organisational structure of St Laurence lends itself to a best practice governance system based on full accountability for the allocation of assets and resources and draws on the notion of ‘subsidiarity’, which sees decision-making processes as close as possible to the local level.






COMMUNITY




CHOICE




GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS

16

St Laurence has been delivering services to our senior community since 1959. This is how we began and is still at the heart of what we do.

Programs are designed to help people live with dignity, choice and independence, whether they are residing at home or in a care facility.

From housing and residential care through to day therapy, respite care and community activity programs, we focus on helping our senior community (and their carers) to experience life.

As a long-standing, recognised aged care provider, we have seen many changes in the expectations of our community and the funding arrangements with both State and Commonwealth departments.

In 2011, St Laurence took a strong advocacy position to help forge the future direction of such initiatives as the ‘Aged Care Reform: Living Longer Living Better’. We maintain strong national, state and regional network connections to ensure that we can be a voice for our local community.

In preparation for the forthcoming government initiative of Aged Care Reform, St Laurence has reviewed the Service Delivery Models in all service areas to ensure our care is further tailored to meet the changing needs of individuals.

St Laurence will continue to provide the continuum of care to ageing Victorians with particular focus on early interventions including activities at our Healthy Ageing and Wellbeing Centre (HAWC) and Day Therapy Programs, facilitating independence and experience of life.

Case Management Services

St Laurence’s team of 23 Aged and Disability Case Managers provide services to people who are ageing or living with a disability. The objective is to maintain independence for living in one’s own home or with loved ones through St Laurence’s Active Service model that empowers clients to set their individual goals.

Over 900 clients are supported by the St Laurence Case Management Team. Additionally, we facilitate the coordination of Linkages packages, Community Aged Care packages, Extended Aged Care at Home and, Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia services for our clients. The newly established St Laurence Linkages Panel provides a framework to guide waitlist management and review resource allocation, to maximise the effect of the program to meet the highest needs.

St Laurence’s ongoing commitment to being a client centred service provider ensures that we listen to our communities’ needs first. The formalisation of our Consumer Governance Framework (see pages 32-33) supports the review of all policies and procedures in light of consumer need, with the goal of adapting service models to ensure the changing needs within the community are being met.

Support & Care Services

The St Laurence Support & Care team is committed to offering clients and their families choice for the level of service they receive in their homes. The client has control over which employees provide the service, service times and service type. In this way the St Laurence Support & Care service model offers people the opportunity to reach their individual goals and aspirations.

Over a 12 month period, St Laurence Support & Care provided a huge 44,693 hours of high quality support to 521 people who are frail, aged, and people with disabilities. St Laurence assisted people with personal support services, homecare, respite, community access and professional home maintenance services, therefore assisting people to continue to remain in their homes and participate in their communities.

Who do we provide services to?

• Privately funded clients

• Veterans

• People with Individual Support Packages

• Transport Accident Commission clients

• Work Cover clients

• Packaged Care clients.

The Support & Care service has been remodelled in 2012 taking the Senior Practitioner role to a fulltime position enhancing support for direct care workers in the field. Over 70 St Laurence employees with either a Certificate III in Home and Community Care/Aged Care or a Certificate IV in Disability provide in-home support and care services across the western region of Victoria.

Aged and Community Care Services

“St Laurence was fantastic.

They helped me and my mum

navigate through difficult times.” ~ Jane Smith, Geelong

17

Residential Services

On the expansive St Laurence Park grounds sits Costa House, an aged care residential facility that embodies a lively atmosphere with plenty of community involvement to keep the residents involved in community activities.

Costa House operates under a continuous improvement system that includes Costa House resident discussion groups instigating changes, setting activity agendas, and maintaining Costa House as a wonderful place to reside within a home-like caring environment.

In preparation for the external Residential Aged Care Accreditation audit scheduled in January 2012, Costa House underwent a self-assessment process, reviewing interaction with residents and management of compliance within the facility. Costa House notably achieved a result of compliance in all of the 44 Standards with three years accreditation. Residents expressed a high degree of satisfaction with the opportunities provided to participate in decisions about their life and their home. A verbal commendation was provided from Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency Ltd. for the St Laurence Integrated Risk Management Framework as well as for the St Laurence volunteer programs with regard to the contribution to the quality of care residents experience.

A Costa House employee survey reflected this year that 95% of employees would recommend Costa House as a great place to work. With all these accolades, it’s easy to see why Aged Care services are still at the heart of St Laurence after more than 50 years.

Respite and Active Ageing

With extensive respite and active ageing services, St Laurence offers a range of initiatives to ensure these services are person centred and are built around the goal of ensuring all clients and their carers are able to experience life to their highest potential.

The Respite Services team have been heavily involved in listening to client feedback through the newly initiated Consumer Governance Framework (see pages 32-33), and as a result, Leisure and Lifestyle positions have been introduced into St Laurence House and Eric Hart Day Centre. These positions ensure direct care employees promote activities and projects that stimulate participants and encourage use of cognitive abilities, memory and fine motor skills. Such activities thus far include art and craft, crosswords, word and board games, community visits, music and gardening.

Recognising the link between good mental and physical health, Respite and Active Ageing services have expanded the ‘Remember, Exercise Matters’ pilot into day programs. ‘Remember Exercise Matters’ is a formal program that is a blend of physical and cognitive exercises. The physical component is run by expert Active Ageing services employees from the St Laurence Healthy Ageing and Wellbeing Centre (HAWC).

18

Taking advantage of St Laurence’s entire suite of services, the Respite and Active Ageing team are able to link together to provide a comprehensive and successful program to St Laurence’s ageing client base.

Active Ageing Initiatives

Our Healthy Ageing and Wellbeing initiatives include a gymnasium for those in the community who are ageing or who live with a chronic illness or disability. All members of our HAWC gym receive ongoing assessment by exercise professionals. Programs are strength based and individually tailored to maintain and enhance members’ capacity to continue to live in their community and experience life.

The HAWC model of service delivery has undergone major, positive changes through 2011-12 with a new timetable and a revamped model. The recent move to a new premise in Belmont Square, Thompson Street, has been extremely well received by members and will enable HAWC to introduce an expanded range of exercise programs across the coming year.

HAWC has partnered successfully with Barwon Health to provide ‘Strive2Thrive’ programs for people recovering from cancer.

An internal audit conducted in 2012 showed significantly increased capacity for all participants that were involved in the audit. Of the participants, seven of these are currently using the respite services of St Laurence House in Newtown and have been at risk of moving into permanent care. This assessment showed significant growth in capacity for these members, allowing them to stay in their own homes for longer.

Looking Beyond 2012

The economic constraints being introduced across all aged care funding arrangements will impact on St Laurence’s aged and community services. There is a commitment from the Board of Directors and Executive Management Team to manage these changes to maximise system efficiencies and strategically position the organisation to grow and to continue to provide the full continuum of St Laurence aged care services into the future.

A strong relationship with Leading Aged Services Australia and National Aged Care Alliance will ensure St Laurence is fully informed, advocating for clients’ needs and on the front foot to respond to changes in the sector over the next 12 months.

This year we undertook a review of the employee culture within the organisation whilst looking ahead to further improve the robust employee supervision framework by providing education and training in reflective practice.

The Aged and Community Care Division will continue to build on the Consumer Governance Framework (see pages 32-33) maximising the potential for consumer input into service modelling and delivery.

The St Laurence values of integrity, equity & access, inclusiveness, empowerment and dignity ensure we remain a ‘consumer directed’ service provider in the area of aged and community services. St Laurence has been a leader in this area for more than 50 years, and these values hold us to being the best providers long into the future.

Aged Care services are still at the

heart of St Laurence after more than

50 years

20

St Laurence’s Social Engagement division delivers a broad range of quality care and support services specially developed for people with a disability and their carers; services and supports designed to provide real and valuable assistance to those in our community who are socially isolated, disadvantaged or seeking assistance to learn and develop independence skills; and the provision of services for people on low incomes. There are four program areas:

• Community Access

• Housing – Retirement Village and Social Housing programs

• Outreach Services

• Australian Disability Enterprises.

The fundamental approach of giving real choice in the type and timing of delivering support services characterises our commitment to service quality.

Community Access

The Community Access program currently provides support to over 270 individuals with a disability across Geelong, Colac and Ballarat.

MyPATH

MyPATH is a curriculum based approach to life-long learning, designed to promote independence and respond to individual life choices using an innovative and responsive approach to development. This approach provides a range of choices across 10 pathways and 30 modules.

In addition, this program supports employment, volunteering and work experience opportunities through Transition to Employment initiatives developed as part of MyPATH. MyPATH is designed to support entry level development into Accredited Training opportunities offered by St Laurence to help our clients experience life (refer to pages 24-25 for more information).

STAR

St Laurence Adventure Recreation (STAR) is a Community Access program for people with a disability to get out and enjoy the great outdoors, sports and leisure activities. STAR programs are often used by clients wishing to have a fun and enjoyable break, although many find themselves building skills for confidence, working in teams, and fitness. STAR also facilitates holiday and day excursions to all over the country, and even the world, for people wishing to go on that trip of a lifetime!

Nationally Accredited Training: MyPATH+

In delivering a range of accredited training opportunities to people with a disability, a new program is being developed as an extension of MyPATH (aptly called MyPATH+) and has already supported 80 people to complete:

• Courses in Initial Education for Adults

• Certificate I in General Education for Adults (Introductory)

• Certificate I in General Education for Adults

• Certificate I in Transition Education

• Certificate I in Work Education

MyPATH+ builds on our commitment to lifelong learning and provides a fantastic pathway to volunteering, work experience, and supported and open employment opportunities through a range of nationally accredited training courses.

The St Laurence Community Access programs of MyPATH, MyPATH+ and STAR all work towards developing new opportunities for people with a disability to experience life.

Housing Services

St Laurence Housing Services encompass the Retirement Village at Lara and three social housing properties in Geelong, creating 112 independent living units in the Retirement Village and 60 social housing units across Geelong. The units support approximately 205 residents. Our focus is on the delivery of stable tenancy for older people in affordable housing.

Reflecting current economic and social challenges, St Laurence sees a strong demand for affordable housing, with over 60 people currently on the waiting list.

Excitingly, St Laurence has made significant progress towards becoming a Registered Housing Provider with Victoria’s Housing Registrar. Achieving this will give St Laurence greater scope to grow as a provider of affordable housing in the Geelong area to meet the unmet needs of people living on low incomes within our community.

Social Engagement Services“St Laurence has been great.

They helped me get a job and they work one on one with me. We always do

good things on my recreation day too! The employees are great and keep me

focused on my goals.” ~ Nathan Hesslewood, STAR participant

21

This past year has seen a strong focus on developing and improving relationships with our tenants and residents, to engage in an equal conversation about what we can do better to meet their expectations and to give them the opportunity to have a greater say in the services they receive from us.

Outreach

St Laurence’s Outreach programs provide a range of services, supports and activities for people from all walks of life across the Geelong Community.

On the back of money raised at the 2011 fundraising dinner, St Laurence has been able to continue the Independent Lives Project (ILP) supporting young people with a disability to live independently in the community. Founding members of the inaugural ILP have been able to take another step with their independence by relocating to new accommodation that more adequately meets their lifestyle needs. Three new participants have recently commenced in the program and have already achieved significant milestones in living independently. Click here to view the interactive DVD detailing the ILP.

The St Laurence Supporting Accommodation for Vulnerable Victorians Initiative (SAVVI) is a program that provides support for people experiencing disadvantage to encourage them to be active participants in their community. The SAVVI program has achieved significant positive outcomes for residents of Supported Residential Services, improving the viability of these services and building the capacity of the residents to access community based social and recreational activities.

A Men’s Program is also run by St Laurence through the Kardinia Centre in Geelong and is designed specifically

for men to enjoy a range of planned activities including social outings. The Men’s Program consistently caters for an average of 30 participants on Tuesdays and Fridays each week. The Men’s Program aims to reduce social isolation and assists with referrals to other community supports and services.

St Laurence runs Community Reconnections and Housing Support for the Aged programs that have provided support to over 120 people in the south-west Barwon region who were either homeless or at risk of homelessness throughout 2011-12. Employees also provided casual assistance to almost 1600 individuals over the phone during this time. Both the Community Reconnections program and the Housing Support for the Aged program have built strong working relationships with other key community service agencies and have gained a reputation for providing flexible and timely interventions for people in need.

Australian Disability Enterprises

St Laurence’s social enterprise initiatives provide a wide range of supported employment and business services within the Geelong and Colac communities.

There are currently 68 supported employee positions being held across Geelong and Colac.

These enterprises are operated by people with disability and people who experience social or financial disadvantage with professional instructors who act as mentors.

These initiatives allow for those most in need in our communities to develop skills to lead them into open employment, and to be involved and experience life within their community.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox1zgFGwOxs&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox1zgFGwOxs&feature=youtu.be

22

Colac Ironing Service

Colac Ironing Service provides a professional ironing and laundry service to the Colac region and delivers secure, high value work opportunities for the supported employee workforce.

This past year has seen the ironing service move sites, resulting in a vast increase in business activity. The supported employees have thrived in this new environment and continue to rise to the challenges this busy enterprise produces on a daily basis.

St Laurence Paper Services

St Laurence Paper Services provides a clean, efficient, reliable and cost competitive recycling service for businesses of all sizes. St Laurence Paper Services is an initiative that provides employment and opportunities to people with a disability whilst being supported by qualified, professional instructors.

Employees work within Paper Services to offer premium services to Geelong and Colac businesses in the areas of:

• Paper and cardboard recycling

• Destruction of confidential documents

• Paper conversion, which uses paper resources to produce envelopes, bags, boxes and the like.

Whilst the Paper Services business processes a large volume of product and ships internationally, the focus remains strongly on ensuring people employed receive ongoing support to maintain, at a minimum, their existing employment status with the goal of gaining open employment wherever possible. To this end, four people entered open employment over the course of this year. Development of skills such as obtaining a forklift license, growth in confidence, and ability to work in a team environment, are all instrumental in moving people out into open employment to live independently and experience life.

The Pickle Gallery

The Pickle Gallery operates from a well-appointed commercial kitchen in Queen Street, Colac. Originally created to provide cooking experience for people with disabilities, the quality of the product soon began to drive demand for more. The Pickle Gallery has vastly increased product output. New marketing initiatives including an online store at www.thepicklegallery.com.au have seen sales increase markedly.

Supported employees have improved their skills across new production activities and enthusiastically participate in sales events such as fairs, markets and expos.

Integrated Property Maintenance

The Integrated Property Maintenance program, with the assistance of our supported employees, provides property maintenance services to commercially contracted properties.

The Integrated Property Maintenance team see continual growth and development as increased marketing activities generate an increase in work opportunities. Commercial properties have been particularly fruitful as these have provided regular and work intensive jobs for these teams.

Art Unlimited

Art Unlimited provides a unique opportunity for people with a disability to produce and sell individual artworks through St Laurence’s professional arts studio.

This year has been particularly exciting with a number of works being presented in exhibitions in Sydney and down the eastern coast of New South Wales. Major exhibitions were also conducted at the Ballarat Post Office Gallery and the Geelong Art Gallery. In addition to the major exhibitions, a number of smaller displays are regularly exhibited in local cafes.

There is much anticipation as the Studio Director continues to develop a presence for the studio in the general art community with particular emphasis on an ‘Outsider Art’ status.

Kui Nursery

Located on our Queen Street site in Colac, we operate a commercial nursery which produces a variety of trees, shrubs and small plants for sale, seed propagation services and a range of garden ornaments and pots.

Kui Nursery has achieved a significant milestone this year with the official opening of its new customer service centre in June 2012. The increased emphasis on production of stock from seed and cuttings has vastly increased the range of production activities undertaken by the supported employees, which in turn enhances their ability to gain open employment in the horticulture field.

“It has been wonderful to witness the

self-confidence and pride generated through these community activities,

emanating from St Laurence’s investment into these new production facilities.”

~ Alex Gunning, General Manager of Social Engagement Services

http://www.thepicklegallery.com.au

23

Looking Beyond 2012

The Australian Disability Enterprises were successful in this reporting period in receiving an NDIS readiness grant, funded by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Looking to the future, this grant will allow for growth in supports to people with a disability participating in vocational training within a workplace environment in order to achieve the skills necessary to enter into full and active employment.

St Laurence’s Social Engagement division, with its implementation of the new disability service delivery model of MyPATH, has set the pathways for a future of innovative and leading edge support services provided to people with a disability beyond 2012, as the industry moves into a new era of support offerings.

The future sees continued expansion for the MyPATH initiative through 2012-13 and beyond by leading into Accredited Training programs through MyPATH+.

At St Laurence, we pride ourselves in offering the best supports with the most choices for our clients to reach their goals and experience life. Our values of integrity, equity & access, inclusiveness, empowerment and dignity hold us in good stead to offer person-centred, individualised services now and into the future.

Art Unlimited Exhibition at the Geelong Gallery,

showcasing professional works by artists with a

disability

24

MyPATH is the result of two and a half years research and development. The goal of this initiative for St Laurence was to bring the delivery of disability day services in Victoria into the 21st century. A person directed approach has been tied to a curriculum based framework which underpins learning. This new approach revolutionises the way these services historically have been delivered.

MyPATH demonstrates St Laurence’s commitment to pursue the Government’s agenda of moving towards services that are driven by the wants, the aspirations and the desires of those who have a need due to a disability.

This initiative represents a very clear break from the historical, institutional ‘one size fits all’ approach that has so characterized the style of community-based assistance provided to people with a disability in Australia.

What is MyPATH? The vision for MyPATH is a simple one that everyone can readily identify with; MyPATH makes people’s dreams come true.

The starting point for MyPATH is a ‘can do’ approach.

A ‘can do’ approach and a belief that people with a disability are the best persons to determine what they want to learn, where they want to learn it and when they want to receive instruction, mentoring or support to attain their dream.

At present we are delivering the first 10 Pathways (each with its own set of individual Modules) across Geelong and Colac. We plan to increase the number and diversity of Pathways as we grow our business.

MyPATH delivers consumer choice and provides a variety of services. The material was trialled by consumers and their families and employees during the development phase. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the National Injury

A Little More on MyPATH

Life Skills

MODULE 1.1 MODULE 2.1 MODULE 3.1 MODULE 4.1 MODULE 5.1 MODULE 6.1



Community Spirit Adventure Sports Healthy Ageing Visual Arts Quick Cooking Our Environment

Communication Fitness Mind, Body & Spirit Creative Arts Cooking Essentials Green Gardens

Independent Living Leisure & Recreation Health Awareness Performance Arts Classy Cooking Pets, Animals & Creatures

Healthy Living& Wellbeing

Culture &The Arts

PATHWAY 1 PATHWAY 2 PATHWAY 3 PATHWAY 4 PATHWAY 5 PATHWAY 6

MyPATH is designed to promote independence and respond to individual life choices using an innovative and fun curriculum approach to lifelong learning.

MyPATH gives you choice with 10 experience and learning pathways and 30 different modules to choose from.

MyPATH can lead to accredited training as well as supported and openemployment.

MyPATH > to being my best

Adventure & Recreation STAR All Things FoodLife Skills








Culture &The Arts






Adventure & Recreation STAR All Things Food

24

25

Insurance Scheme (NIIS) were announced during the first year of the development work. Our new approach to delivering services to people with a disability directly aligns with the objectives of these national disabilities insurance schemes.

In making MyPATH a reality, St Laurence demonstrates to the community that people with a disability are valuable citizens with aspirations, talents and a growing confidence to vote with their feet if they do not like the services they are getting – services delivered by Non-Government Organisations and government bodies. St Laurence is interested in partnering with other organisations such as Anglicare Australia to deliver MyPATH in other regions and states.

MyPATH is a consumer driven, menu choice of services and supports that sets the groundwork to respond to the NDIS initiative.

The interactive MyPATH website can be found at www.mypath.org.au

Life Skills








Culture &The Arts






Adventure & Recreation STAR All Things Food

MODULE 6.1 MODULE 7.1 MODULE 9.1MODULE 8.1



Quick Cooking Our Environment Art Techo Pathways to Work

This pathway gives you the choice and freedom to design your own supports that may not have been covered in Pathways 1-9.

Home Maintenance

Cooking Essentials Green Gardens Social Media VolunteeringEquipment & Vehicle Maintenance

Classy Cooking Pets, Animals & Creatures

Computers 4 Learning WorkskillsBuilding, Construction & Restoration

Gardens& Environment

InformationCommunication& Technology

ICT


d Fix ‘n’ Things Transition to Employment Options

Individual Community Support

Conditions apply.




Quick Cooking Our Environment Art Techo Pathways to Work

This pathway gives you the choice and freedom to design your own supports that may not have been covered in Pathways 1-9.

Home Maintenance

Cooking Essentials Green Gardens Social Media VolunteeringEquipment & Vehicle Maintenance

Classy Cooking Pets, Animals & Creatures

Computers 4 Learning WorkskillsBuilding, Construction & Restoration

Gardens& Environment

InformationCommunication& Technology

ICT


d Fix ‘n’ Things Transition to Employment Options

Individual Community Support

Conditions apply.

25


26

The St Laurence Employment Services division is a leading provider of regional employment services in Victoria, providing services to people with a disability and to mainstream job seekers.

St Laurence is growing stronger community and employer partnerships to support the delivery of vocationally focused training and employment assistance services that are client focused.

St Laurence’s employment consultants achieve sustainable employment outcomes for job seekers, offering career development opportunities in a range of different industry sectors throughout the south west Barwon region of Victoria.

Working with local industries and focusing on local skills shortages, St Laurence facilitates employment outcomes that give rise to positive economic and social outcomes for local communities.

Advanced Career Training (ACT)

ACT is St Laurence’s Registered Training Organisation. This reporting period has seen a total of 807 people undertake training to receive full qualifications or develop their skills through short courses. ACT training programs provide people with new skills and allow for further development of current skills to help them secure sustainable employment.

During the last year ACT has more closely aligned itself with St Laurence’s business areas including our contracted employment services and our ageing and disability services. This has helped with the implementation of a more coordinated and client focused approach to the way in which all St Laurence services are delivered.

ACT engaged a Resource Development Specialist to assist in developing training resources, which can be carefully crafted to respond to feedback from clients, employers and St Laurence employment consultants.

ACT continues to work closely with other business areas within St Laurence to deliver a suite of services to clients. ACT has also been actively involved in community work through programs such as ‘Northern Futures’ and ‘Whittington Works!’

Meet Joanne

In a very rocky time in her life, Joanne actively sought to change the path her life was on and came to ACT to undertake a Certificate III in Aged Care.

At 51 years of age and being away from study for many years, Joanne found it daunting but was warmly accepted into the class. But juggling study and part time work was a struggle and Joanne soon found herself facing some very difficult life challenges with an ill father and the death of a close friend.

Furthermore, during a visit to her father in hospital, Joanne’s house was burgled. As if these roadblocks weren’t enough, a miscommunication with her landlord left Joanne with only one and a half hours’ notice to vacate her property. Joanne had hit an all-time low.

But what Joanne hadn’t banked on was the camaraderie and community spirit of her ACT classmates. Joanne had notified her trainer advising that she would be unable to attend class until further notice due to her eviction. Within 15 minutes, her classmates and their partners were at her house to help her move – one of them with a removalist truck!

Joanne has now completed her course, has stable accommodation and has secured paid employment as a personal carer.

Employment & Training

“Being able to help other people now that I’ve come out at the other end makes this

truly the best job in the world!” ~ Joanne Zagame, ACT client.

27

Disability Employment Services (DES)

St Laurence has delivered disability employment services in south-western Victoria for 16 years. Over the past 12 months, these services have been delivered in the Geelong and Hampden (Colac and Warrnambool) regions, providing support to people with a disability to obtain vocational and soft skills to secure and maintain employment.

The DES team work with people who have physical, intellectual, learning and other types of disability. At St Laurence, we promote the goal of self-determination by developing skills and giving clients choices to forge their own pathways. Raising employer awareness and understanding and facilitating the entire process also helps provide for quality and sustainable employment opportunities.

Significant steps have been taken in the reorientation of the service paradigm to offer people greater choices and better integrated specialist supports that are focused on promoting inclusion.

Jobs Services Australia (JSA)

St Laurence delivers JSA programs in Geelong, Hampden and the Grampians. As a result of the quality of services that have been delivered, St Laurence has managed to secure a JSA contract extension in each of these regions through until 2015.

St Laurence’s JSA continues to work on local urban regeneration projects with Northern Futures and Whittington Works! to develop partnerships with employers and other community organisations to provide employment and social outcomes that benefit the local community.

A number of significant enhancements have been made in the delivery of JSA programs during the reporting period. One being a clearer program management structure with a JSA Program Manager now appointed to oversee operations of all JSA sites to drive consistent quality of service.

A JSA Quality Group has been established to ensure service delivery is compliant with program requirements, as well as upstanding the core St Laurence values of integrity, equity & access, inclusiveness, empowerment and dignity.

“We are grateful for St Laurence’s ongoing support,

especially in the area of supported wage employees. We hope that this

mutually beneficial arrangement can continue in times to come”.

~ Employer, Colac

Looking Beyond 2012

The division plans to continue to develop a person centred approach to being an innovative and leading service provider. There will continue to be a focus on developing the skills of employees to provide a client focused service.

Working with St Laurence employees and with job seekers, we will refine our service delivery models to better facilitate active client engagement.

Over the coming 12 months the Employment Services division will continue to achieve more sustainable employment outcomes for its clients. St Laurence Employment Services will continue to provide seamless support to assist all jobseekers, especially our most disadvantaged jobseekers and those who have been unemployed for extended periods.

We will work more closely with local employers to develop strategic partnerships that are aimed at meeting the workforce needs of employers and addressing issues of local workforce participation and inter-generational disadvantage.

28

Another participant received an Employee of the Month award from the CEO recognising his commitment as a living book amongst other achievements in his work with St Laurence Paper Services. One ‘reader’ commented on the activity as a great way to “embody a sense of community and people’s connectedness to each other”.

The Human Library’s low implementation costs and its adaptability mean the model has the potential to be tailored to meet a variety of community needs in a variety of community occasions such as expos, fairs and festivals, and educational settings. This social inclusion strategy has been strongly encouraged by many local and state based agencies. St Laurence is therefore seeking further funding to lead a multi-agency approach to further developing the Human Library model prioritising the continued benefits for St Laurence clients.

Community Partnerships: Our Volunteers

The person centred approach to supporting individuals at St Laurence is assisted by our band of 250 volunteers. Our volunteers contribute in a wide variety of tasks across a number of sites, extending from Lara to Geelong, Ballarat and Colac.

St Laurence volunteers actively work towards offering valuable and unique experiences directly to our clients. One example of a person centred program developed with the help of our volunteers came after a resident survey at our Costa House Aged Care facility indicated that more activities for male residents should be offered. From this survey, and with the knowledge of the skill set of our volunteers, woodwork and ‘handyman’ programs were developed, satisfying the needs of our clients.

Over the past year we have also been moving towards an online model for volunteers, to make registration and engagement easier.

The Social Inclusion Unit is now in its third year and continues to work towards ensuring all St Laurence programs work towards a consumer focused and a socially inclusive agenda.

This year has seen expansion of the Social Inclusion Unit to now include Community Partnerships and the Consumer Governance Project (see pages 32-33). Community Development is still at the core of the Social Inclusion Unit.

This year has seen the launch of a Social Inclusion Advisory Committee to ensure that work continues to reflect the need of the greater community and is aware of evidence-based, best practice work processes. The Social Inclusion Unit is also gathering client feedback as a way of ensuring that consumers’ voices are heard and listened to and used to help us ensure that we continue to deliver the best services we can.

Looking forward to the next 12 months, the Social Inclusion Unit will look to consolidate its consumer focus, with a greater emphasis on evaluation to ensure we are delivering the best services we can.

Community Development

The highlight for Community Development has been the Human Library, a community engagement model. Visitors (readers) to the St Laurence Human Library are given the opportunity to speak to real people on loan (living books) for 20 minute blocks.

This unique model was developed by idealistic youngsters in Denmark and is designed to encourage understanding amongst people who perhaps would not ordinarily meet and give visitors the opportunity to learn something from someone new with an interesting story to tell.

At the annual Blokes Day Out held in Geelong earlier this year, we piloted the first Human Library event. Six St Laurence service users were engaged to act as the living books, telling their stories to a ready and willing audience. An evaluation of this project determined its success, largely due to its ability to provide access to voices which are frequently underrepresented in our community; in this case a voice for older men and men living with disabilities.

Click here to view the interactive online DVD.

Overall the participants reported an increased confidence; one noted how good it was to be able to tell his story “…even though I can’t read or write”.

Social Inclusion Unit

One reader commented on the activity as

a great way to “embody a sense of

community and people’s

connectedness to each other”

29

Volunteer Recognition

St Laurence volunteers are thanked at two formal events throughout the year - the National Volunteer Week movie screening event and the St Laurence Volunteers Christmas party. Recognition of Service awards are presented at these events.

The following volunteers received recognition in 2012:

5 Years

Eric Wright Judith Wright Wes Wilson Yvonne Mc Donald Tas Ryan Wendy Taylor Mim Green Dorothy Kuhn Jean DeBaere Bobbi Granger Anne Eamer Les Dove Frank Vallustro Ian Middleton Marie Titford Alan Bradley Gwyneth Wilson

10 Years

Nancy Rye Don Gray Ray Galvin Di Nolan Margaret Dobbings

15 Years

Irene Telfer Grace Morse Col Allen Jean Allen Margaret Cabel Gaye Smedley David Marsh Yvonne Broadbent

20 Years

Beverley Brotheridge Gillian Hall

25 Years

Arch Smith

We thank the above recognition recipients and all our volunteers

who help to make Father Tucker’s vision for a more just and socially engaged community

a reality.

30

Corporate Partnerships

St Laurence has a number of Annual Partners who donate valuable funds to the St Laurence Donation Fund. As a not-for-profit organisation, St Laurence relies heavily on donations to cover the shortfall in government fees and funding so we can continue to provide a wide range of services.

Platinum Partner

Gold Partner

Silver Partners

In addition, a number of organisations participated in Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives during the reporting period. These projects ranged from regeneration of facilities for day program sites, through to volunteering at fundraising events.

St Laurence would like to acknowledge the contribution of the following organisations who contributed to corporate projects:

Adroit Insurance

Deakin University

LBW Chartered Accountants

LP Communications

Manchester Imports

PRD Nationwide Geelong & Lara

Principle Focus

Tuckers Funeral Services

Village Cinemas Geelong

31

Celebrating 10 years of

partnership with Ryrie Office Machines.

32

St Laurence exists only to serve our clients.

The way our dedicated workforce supports our clients demonstrates how the St Laurence team places our clients at the centre of everything we do.

This foundation has been used to introduce a Consumer Governance approach to how St Laurence will operate into the future.

The ultimate goal of this approach is to encourage every St Laurence ‘consumer’ to take an active role in planning their support and in directing the services they receive from St Laurence.

Consumer Governance Framework

A Consumer Governance Framework is being developed and implemented organisation-wide to ensure opportunities for consumer representation, consumer engagement, consumer participation and consumer feedback are created across St Laurence.

The Consumer Governance Framework provides St Laurence with a structure and practice guidelines that make sure services are consumer focused and consumer driven. Key components include:

1. Consumer Representation - creating opportunities for consumers to present and be represented in St Laurence forums where practices are developed and decisions are made.

2. Consumer Voice - identifying new avenues for capturing positive stories from consumers about their lives, experiences and achievements.

3. Consumer Participation - maximising opportunities for consumers to be actively engaged in St Laurence events, organising committees and activities.

4. Consumer Feedback, Ideas & Information - developing a ‘Toolkit’ of materials and processes designed to assist employees in listening to the voice of consumers.

5. Consumer Governance Practice Guidelines - building policy and practices that recognise consumers as being at the centre of St Laurence’s service delivery models.

Consumer Governance: Recognising Our Clients

The St Laurence Consumer Approach

St Laurence will directly engage with individuals and/or their family, carer or significant other, so they can choose:

• the type of service they want;

• how often they want to receive the service;

• where they want to receive the service; and

• sometimes the price of the service.

As a consumer they will tell us what personal outcomes they expect to achieve with our assistance. They will determine if the support and services we deliver to them represent ‘good value for money’.

33

Consumer Feedback, Ideas & Information Project

Listening to our consumers

Consumer feedback is the best way to tell us how well we are meeting their needs. Are we giving consumers what they want? Are we delivering the service or support we promised we would? Are they getting the outcomes they need to do what they want?

The Consumer Feedback & Information Project sits under the Consumer Governance Framework to give our employees a toolkit of survey forms and interview skills which will better equip our workforce to listen to the voice of our clients as consumers.

This project will not duplicate information already being collected from our clients.

The tools and procedures will help employees to listen to the views and opinions expressed by consumers and to respond where services do not deliver the required outcome for a consumer.

This project is a key component of the St Laurence Consumer Governance Framework because it will help us to hear what a consumer is saying about their experience of the service we deliver to them.

We will continue to apply and develop this Consumer Governance approach in everything we do in order to remain the leading provider of community services.

34

St Laurence Park - President’s Report

The theme for our Annual Report this year - “Innovation with a person centred approach to being the leading service provider” - says a lot about what makes St Laurence great.

St Laurence Park retirement village is set on 42 acres of creek-side parkland in Lara. The park offers security and peace of mind. It consists of fully self-contained accommodation in 93 units and 22 apartments.

The St Laurence Residents Park Committee is a group that has a voice and looks after the well-being of the residents.

Since becoming president of St Laurence Park Residents Committee I have been honoured to be associated with enthusiastic members who enjoy getting together and brainstorming ideas to make life at ‘The Park’ better.

This year we commenced a new initiative to renovate Tucker Court Activities Centre which I have committed a great deal of time to ensuring that the final outcome met everyone’s needs. This project is now complete with the fundraising efforts of the committee raising over $30k, and I am happy to report this new centre is a fantastic place for social activities and celebrations.

During the year we built on a program to increase social gatherings and outings to get residents out into the community more. On the first Sunday of each month a new trip is planned and the following of attendees for these has risen from one bus load to two.

On behalf of the residents of St Laurence Park I would like to thank management for their support and the members for their continued commitment to make the place we live the very best it can be!

I will be moving on from my role as president after a four year reign and wish all the best for the incoming president.

Mr Ian Breguet St Laurence Park Residents Committee President

Consumer Governance: A Word From Our Consumers

“You really couldn’t find a better place than St Laurence Park”

~ Dorothy

“My wife and I had lived in our family home for 50 years. A

friend recommended St Laurence Park as a place to live and we

have never been happier. For all the time we lived in our family home we had an acquaintance

with our neighbours but nothing compares to the friendships and

feeling of belonging we have found here” ~ Allan

35

Consumer Advisory Groups

The MyPATH Client Representative Group has continued to meet on a quarterly basis, contributing to the planning of supports offered under the MyPATH program. With the implementation of MyPATH this year, this client representative group have been instrumental in providing feedback and opinions from the view of the consumer.

This year has also seen the establishment of five new consumer forums, working under the new Consumer Governance Framework that puts the consumer voice at the centre of all we do:

The FAB Houses Gathering

Respite Feedback Group

Costa House Consumer Advisory Group

Support & Care Feedback Gathering

Ballarat Regional Feedback Group.

Here’s what people are saying already…

“I have enjoyed these meetings and I feel these get togethers

will open up a lot of people’s views on different subjects

that apply to everyone!” ~ Consumer representative,

FAB Houses Gathering

36

The future of Marketing, PR and Fundraising events at St Laurence will further build on this new fundraising program strategy, and be focused on raising awareness for local community causes through local events, expos, seminars, information sessions, rallies and forums.

We can all get involved in helping others experience life.

You can make a difference by:

• attending our events

• making a donation

• becoming a volunteer

• becoming a corporate partner

• using our services.

St Laurence is a Public Benevolent Institution, which means any donation of $2 or over is tax deductable.

St Laurence’s Important Events of the Year 2011/2012

October 2011 Annual General Meeting St Laurence Dinner, Geelong St Laurence Fair

November/December 2011 Christmas Drive

February 2012 Having a Say Conference

March 2012 Annual St Laurence Corporate Golf Challenge

April 2012 Blokes Day Out “Thank You to Our Partners” Event Official Launch of MyPATH

The St Laurence Donation Fund boasts the rare promise that 100% of the monies donated by you go directly back into local community activities; maximising the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities.

To this end, 2012 and beyond sees a more focused fundraising program strategy that utilises internal marketing resources to reach out to the community for support.

This year has already seen wonderful support offered by our community through St Laurence hosted events.

The Annual St Laurence Corporate Golf Challenge held in March, raised in excess of $5,000 and provided a day out of the office for our valued supporters.

Public fundraising efforts have also been heavily focused in Colac during this reporting period to support the redevelopment of the St Laurence Disability Services site in Queen Street. $100,000 has been sought through community fundraising efforts and grant requests for specialised equipment that will be required upon the conclusion of the building works. This project has utilised public fundraising efforts such as:

• a corporate Breakfast Fundraiser, auctioning local sporting memorabilia

• a school Holiday Movie Drive

• donation tins placed in all local businesses

• major raffles

• sausage sizzles

• volunteers seeking donations at public events.

The future of St Laurence events will see the ‘Blue & White Ball’ become part of the Geelong landscape in its calendar of events, raising money and awareness for valued community causes. The next reporting period will see significant growth in fundraising dollars received thanks to this initiative.

In addition, the St Laurence fundraising program strategy will continue to grow its attribute marketing promotions. Throughout major gift giving seasons, St Laurence will heavily appeal to the public to make donations to help somebody else’s dad, brother, sister, mum; someone else’s family.

Fundraising in Our Community

38

Work Health Checks, Healthy Minds and now Healthier Bodies

In September 2011 St Laurence facilitated the roll out of the Worksafe Victoria free work health check initiative. Over a six week period 142 employees took advantage of the basic health and lifestyle check.

There were three key initiatives that St Laurence has introduced to support our employees in creating a healthy work environment and support healthier lifestyle choices:

Coaches

Senior leaders in the organisation have been paired with participants to act in the role of a ‘coach’. Coaches meet with their paired emerging leader on a monthly basis and provide guidance and support on matters relating to the course and the management of workplace issues.

This year, there are 13 participants in the program working across the organisation including several who do not currently hold managerial positions.

St Laurence recognises the importance of developing our workforce to achieve our strategic goals both now and into the future. Over the last year a number of important steps have been taken to better support both our leaders and our employees in this endeavour.

Firstly, the position of Workforce Director was created to provide a proactive and long term focus to developing our workforce in readiness for the proposed government policy changes in disability and aged care. Whilst we have asked the initial focus of this role to be negotiating the five enterprise agreements, a number of other important leadership development and employee health and wellbeing activities have also been completed this year.

Emerging Leaders and Coaching

In previous years, St Laurence has offered managers the opportunity to participate in a Diploma of Management training program. The aim of the program was to ensure managers were equipped with the appropriate management skills needed to support employees in their teams. In 2012, the program has been refreshed with the aim of developing future leaders and first time managers.

Three key improvements have been made to the program to further support leaders with skills and knowledge specific to the St Laurence environment. These include:

St Laurence specific training

There are 10 training units delivered in class room based sessions over an eight month period. This year the course information has been developed to closely align with St Laurence policy and procedures. In addition to developing generalist skills in areas such as performance management, recruitment of employees, and risk management, participants are also receiving training on how the internal processes relating to these areas operate.

Work-based projects

Program participants are required to develop work based projects that will provide them with opportunities to implement their new knowledge from the Diploma of Management training program. The projects have real applications to improve the operations of a business unit, as well as being an opportunity for individuals to develop their personal skills and knowledge.

“Working with my Emerging Leader,

who is not from my division, has helped me to broaden

my understanding of the different areas of St Laurence and how all of us, as leaders,

can make a real difference in supporting employees

to achieve organisational goals” ~ Coach, 2012 Program

“This program is opening new doors and enabling me to work at a higher level.

The opportunity to share experiences withpeople from across the organisation

is invaluable” ~ Participant, 2012 Program

Human Resources: A Strategic Focus

39

St Laurence Goes Smoke Free

In 2011 St Laurence went smoke free. The aim of the policy is to minimise the direct harmful effects of smoking and the indirect harmful and uncomfortable effects associated with passive smoking on individuals when attending any St Laurence property, whether commercial or residential.

To provide employees with an incentive to QUIT, St Laurence committed to provide $250 subsidies to any employee wishing to QUIT.

Healthy Eating Policy

St Laurence has recognised that the consumption of nutritious food is important to the wellbeing of employees. To support this, St Laurence seeks to provide appropriate food choices for catering at meetings and forums through the implementation of the Greater Healthier Choices Strategy. The strategy requires that the nutritional value of all food served at St Laurence events should be provided at ratio of 40:40:20. 40% of the food must have maximum nutritional value, 40% may have average nutritional value, and no more than 20% may have poor nutritional value.

Healthy Choice Vending Machines

St Laurence has introduced a trial of healthy choice vending machines at five of its locations. The vending machines offer several healthy eating options that employees can choose from.

Employees Returning to Work

Last year, St Laurence entered into a partnership with Adroit Workers Compensation Services to assist St Laurence to better manage workplace injuries and employees returning to work.

We now have a more person centred approach to injury management including:

• Early intervention and support for employees with any physical or psychological issue identified

• Fast access to appropriate treatment to enable injured employees to recover and return to work promptly

• Better education and support for employees and managers about the ‘return to work’ processes.

This approach has had a great result in reducing the lost time from injuries from 8204 hours in 2010 to 1230 hours in 2011. So far in 2012 there have been no lost time injuries!

This year St Laurence will focus on further improving our Occupational Health and Safety Management systems with a particular focus on preventing injuries from happening.

St Laurence Community Services Time Lost Totals by Year

40

5 yearsCheryl Andrew St Laurence HouseMoyra Davies HRLuke Edwards ITJan Feldman Case ManagementJohn Regalado Costa HouseMitch Young Case ManagementDamian Lawson Support Employee - Kui NurseryShona Mccreadie-Jones Case ManagementPaul Bennett Community AccessSam Saya MaintenanceAndrew Bistak Housing SupportFrank Varenica IPMLeonie Clarke Support Employee - Kui NurseryJean Watt Community AccessMarianne Young Case ManagementCatherine Glendon Costa HouseGong Clifton Costa HouseRachel Kerger Employment ServicesTrudy Mccutcheon Employment ServicesRenae Hogan Employment ServicesSharon Bustard Advanced Career TrainingRob Charity Community Access ColacJodie Hallam Employment ServicesKerry Bartlett Costa House

10 yearsMelanie Tucker FinanceChristine Geddes Case ManagementSally Armistead Support Employee - PicklesJenny Banks Support Employee - IroningAngela Chamberlain Support Employee - PicklesPeter Church Support Employee - Kui NurseryMalcolm Ennis Support Employee - Paper Services ColacRobert Farquhar Support Employee - Paper Services ColacShane Humphrey Support Employee - Paper Services ColacBruce Pietsch Support Employee - Paper Services ColacGlenn Saunders Support Employee - Kui NurseryMichael Washington Support Employee - Paper Services ColacDerek Stewart Support Employee - Disability Employment Services

15 yearsRosa Mecanovic Employment ServicesLori York Costa HouseJennifer Falkiner Costa HouseDarrell Blackman Paper Services GeelongCraig Womersley Community AccessJolanta Czajkowski St Laurence House

20 yearsShane Griffiths Community AccessJustin Spilsbury Paper Services GeelongCorrie Tadd Community AccessDamien Stone Paper Services Geelong

Service Recognition

41

The 2011-12 financial year has delivered a financial result that will enable St Laurence to confidently continue the delivery of a wide range of services while remaining financially viable.

St Laurence delivers services that align with the St Laurence Mission with funding from a large number of government contracts and, in several service areas where there is no or limited financial support from the state, with funding obtained from fees and charges for professional services. Contracts with both the Commonwealth and State Governments operate in the aged care, employment and vocational services and disability areas.

A major challenge for St Laurence in the continued delivery of quality services is the ongoing need to manage the increases in program delivery costs within an environment where increases in funding and fees do not keep pace. For example, salary costs under the various Enterprise Bargaining Agreements in force during 2011-12 were not matched by similar increases in funding. At the same time, St Laurence strives to be an employer of choice and recognises that salaries need to reflect our commitment to recruiting and retaining quality employees. Maintaining this balance requires corporate services to identify and to deliver efficiencies wherever possible.

During 2011-12 St Laurence again invested heavily in its capital program. The Board of Directors committed significant funds to the redevelopment of the Queen Street, Colac property. Services provided from our Colac campus include MyPATH programs and a number of social enterprises - KUI Nursery, The Pickle Gallery and St Laurence Paper Services. This property was purchased three years ago after a long period of leasing from the Colac Otway Shire. The main building was in need of major refurbishment and a major rebuild is well under way, with completion expected in mid October 2012; the KUI Nursery area has been revitalised with the addition of a new retail space and updated plant propagation facilities; The Pickle Gallery has relocated within the property to a new purpose built industrial kitchen. The redeveloped premises represent a significant investment in the local community and will result in a modern and comfortable operational environment from which to expand the customer base over the next decade.

The room refurbishment program at Costa House nursing home continued during the year to ensure a high standard of accommodation for residents. In addition, three units in the St Laurence Park retirement village were refurbished with four other units having garages and other improvements added. It is a major challenge for St Laurence to make funds available

to ensure that accommodation is of an appropriate standard. The Board of Directors and St Laurence management are committed to continuing the practice of refurbishment and major maintenance on both the nursing home and the retirement village.

St Laurence is committed to delivering positive financial results into the future that will ensure that we can continue, and grow, our range of services for the benefit of the community.

The St Laurence Board, Management and employees extend their thanks to those who provide funding, particularly the Commonwealth and State Governments and our sponsors, and to all other organisations and individuals who provide the financial and volunteer resources so necessary for St Laurence to continue to deliver quality services to those in need in the many local communities in which we are engaged.

Finance Report

Garry Ellis, Chief Financial Officer

42

For the year ended 30 June 2012 2011$ $

INCOME

SERVICE INCOMEFees for Accommodation and Service 4,797,949 4,418,828Government Subsidies 5,767,126 5,118,978Government Fees 8,370,536 9,031,704Government Grant 18,113,834 16,747,437Trusts and Local Community - 6,000

OTHER INCOMEDonations 79,499 75,642Retail Sales and Other 701,182 678,812Interest 945,964 867,167Gain / (Loss) on Investments (64,037) 102,163Other Income 63,128 46,098Total Income 38,775,181 37,092,829

EXPENDITURESalaries and Other Staffing Costs 23,341,803 21,658,234Service Fees 1,454,126 1,157,512Purchase of Service 5,327,116 4,760,426Property 2,191,194 2,289,546Transport 985,333 937,065Administration 914,681 942,750Information Technology 2,084,384 1,891,982Finance 47,106 40,500Marketing and Promotion 256,103 437,529Depreciation 1,770,622 1,377,143Total Expenditure 38,372,468 35,492,687NET RESULT BEFORE CAPITAL AND SPECIFIC ITEMS 402,713 1,600,142

CAPITAL PURPOSE INCOMEAssets received free of charge - 570,000Capital Grants 45,670 971,930Profit/(Loss) on Disposal of Assets (4,404) 2,998Total Capital Purpose Income 41,266 1,544,928

NET RESULT FOR THE YEAR 443,979 3,145,070

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME Net Gain / (Loss) on Revaluation of Land and Buildings - 2,545,071Net Gain / (Loss) on Revaluation of Intangible Assets - (2,020,000)TOTAL OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - 525,071

COMPREHENSIVE RESULT FOR THE YEAR 443,979 3,670,141

Statement Of Comprehensive Income

43

As at 30 June 2012 2011$ $

CURRENT ASSETSCash and Cash Equivalents 14,401,823 14,351,244Other Financial Assets 1,557,229 1,477,784Trade and Other Receivables 857,727 865,495Total Current Assets 16,816,779 16,694,523

NON CURRENT ASSETSProperty, Plant and Equipment 41,581,510 41,678,699Intangible Assets 3,600,000 3,600,000Total Non Current Assets 45,181,510 45,278,699

TOTAL ASSETS 61,998,289 61,973,222

CURRENT LIABILITIESTrade and Other Payables 2,490,486 2,622,092Other Financial Liabilities 1,333,321 1,312,366Provisions 2,785,205 2,527,263Total Current Liabilities 6,609,012 6,461,721

NON CURRENT LIABILITIESOther Financial Liabilities 7,621,936 8,235,002Provisions 284,996 238,133Total Non Current Liabilities 7,906,932 8,473,135

TOTAL LIABILITIES 14,515,944 14,934,856

NET ASSETS 47,482,345 47,038,366

EQUITYReserves 17,001,233 17,001,233Retained Earnings 27,091,932 26,647,953Contributed Capital 3,389,180 3,389,180

TOTAL EQUITY 47,482,345 47,038,366

Statement Of Financial Position

44

Revenue 2011/12

Expenditure 2011/12

$ %Fees for Accommodation and Service 4,797,949 12.4%Government Subsidies 5,767,126 14.9%Government Fees 8,370,536 21.6%Government Grant 18,113,834 46.7%OTHER INCOME 1,725,736 4.5%Total Revenue 38,775,181 100.0%

$ %Salaries and Other Staffing Costs 23,341,803 60.8%Services Fees 1,454,126 3.8%Purchase of Service 5,327,116 13.9%Property 2,191,194 5.7%Transport 985,333 2.6%Administration 914,681 2.4%Information Technology 2,084,384 5.4%Finance 47,106 0.1%Marketing and Promotion 256,103 0.7%Depreciation 1,770,622 4.6%Total Expenditure 38,372,468 100.0%

45

Mr Andrew Boag Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts • Williamson Community Leadership Fellow

• Diploma Business Management

Background• Andrew has been a member of the Board since 2008• Andrew is a Senior Executive at the Transport

Accident Commission (TAC) • Director, Model Behaviour• Former Board member of the Ford Discovery Centre

Position/committee• Chairman, Governance & Strategy Committee

(Appointed 30/11/11)

Mrs Krystyna Croft Qualifications

• Bachelor of Jurisprudence • Bachelor of Laws (Monash)

Background• Krystyna has been a member of the Board since 2003• Qualified Lawyer – has worked in both Government

and private practice• Krystyna has served on other boards of community

organisations and works in the community to advocate for the rights of vulnerable groups including people with a disability

• Member of the Barwon South Western Disability Advisory Group for the Department of Human Services

• Krystyna is the mother of a young adult who attends day programs at St Laurence and has brought this experience to the St Laurence Board

Position/committee• Member, Finance, Audit & Risk Committee

Mr Keith Fagg Qualifications

• Bachelor of Economics (Hons) • MAICD• Accredited Mediator

Background• Keith has been a member of the Board since 2009• Keith is a Director at Fagg’s Mitre 10 • He has held previous roles with Aust. Resources

Development Bank, Uniting Church and Victorian Chamber of Manufacturers

• Previous and current Board positions include Rural Ambulance Victoria, Victoria Police, Barwon Bereavement Services and Salvation Army

Position/committee • Member, Finance, Audit & Risk Committee

Mr Don Blackmore Qualifications

• Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Hons)

Background• Don has been a member of the Board since 2006• Retired, after 36 years in technical and management

roles both in Australia and overseas with the Shell Company

• Don is the father of a long term client of Art Unlimited and other St Laurence programs

Position/committee• Ex-officio Member, Finance, Audit & Risk Committee • Ex-officio Member, Governance & Strategy Committee• Chairman of the Board since 2008

Dr Michael King Qualifications

• Doctor of Business Administration• Master of Business Administration• Bachelor of Arts

• Fellow AICD • Justice of the Peace

Background• Michael has been a member of the Board since 2008• Managing Director, Kings Funerals• Chairman, Barwon Water• Chairman, T20 Geelong Region• Board Member, Committee for Geelong• Committee for Geelong

Position/committee• Deputy Chairman• Chairman, Governance & Strategy Committee

(Resigned 30/11/11)

Mr Andrew Balaam Qualifications

• Fellow Institute Public Accountants• Diploma Business Management

Background • Ambassador Secondbite• Andrew has been a member of the Board since 2008• Advisor Costa Group• Held previous Executive & Director positions in a

variety of industries and organisations


Our Board

46

Ms Diane James AM Qualifications• Fellow AICD • Graduate Certificate in Innovation

and Entrepreneurship 2010

Background• Diane has been a member of the Board since 2010• Managing Director of Liberty Swing Pty Ltd• Advisory Board Member, EPA Victoria• Former Chairman, Victorian Coastal Council • Former Deputy Chairman, 2009 Australian Masters

Games Steering Committee• Awarded Member of the Order of Australia 2011• Chairman Variety the Children’s Charity Suits Club

2012

Position/committee• Member, Governance & Strategy Committee

Mr Geoff Williams Qualifications• Bachelor of Commerce • Chartered Accountant• Registered Taxation Agent

Background• Geoff has been a member of the Board since 2005

• Partner at LBW Chartered Accountants

Position/committee• Chairman, Finance, Audit & Risk Committee

Mr Toby oConnor Qualifications• Master of Social Policy• Master of Arts (Spec Ed)• Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Psych• Diploma Australian Institute of

Company Directors• Member ASID• Member IPAA

• Member ACID

Background• Toby joined St Laurence in March 2009• Member, Barwon Health Community Advisory

Committee• Member, Northern Futures Board• Member, Committee for Geelong Leadership Sub

Committee• Member, TAC 2015 Independence Project – CEO

Provider Group (to Dec 2011)• Member, St Laurence Employees Consultative

Committee

Position/committee• Chief Executive Officer (Executive Director)• Ex-officio Member, Finance, Audit & Risk Committee • Ex-officio Member, Governance & Strategy Committee

Ms Claire Higgins Qualifications• Bachelor of Commerce

(Accounting, Economics & Commercial Law)

• Fellow CPA• Fellow AICD• Fellow IPAA

Background• Claire has been a member of the Board since 2010• Extensive management and finance experience with

BHP and OneSteel• Currently Chair Victorian State Emergency Service,

Deputy Chair Country Fire Authority and a Director on several Victorian Government and private sector Boards

• Extensive Audit Committee experience including the current Chair of the Comcare Audit Committee, independent member of the Surfcoast Shire Audit Committee and Murray Darling Basin Authority Internal Audit Group

• Previous Chair of Barwon Health, and a Director of Barwon Water


Bishop Philip Huggins Qualifications• Bachelor of Economics • Grad Dip Welfare Admin • Master of Arts • Priested 1977 Bendigo Diocese

Background• Philip has been a member of the Board since 2009• Assistant Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne• Bishop of the Northern & Western Region, 2007• Episcopal Oversight, Cross Cultural Ministry• Chair, Diocese Social Responsibilities Committee• Chair, Mission to Seafarers, Melbourne• Chair, Board of Brotherhood of St Laurence • President of Council, Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar

Council• Vice-Chair, Christian World Service – ACT for peace• Board Member, Centre for Dialogue, Latrobe

University• Board Member, Multi-faith Advisory Group, Multi-

cultural Commission, Victoria• Member, Australian Churches Anti-Gambling

Taskforce

Our Board (Continued)

47

Our Members

Richard Anderson Keith FaggAndrew Balaam Rosemary Faris Michael Betts Claire Higgins Don Blackmore Bishop Philip Huggins Andrew Boag Diane James AMKenneth Carr AM Michael King Trevor Cole Tony Mcmanus Frank Covill Libby Mears Krystyna Croft Andrew Moore Ron Cross OAM Allison Murphy Graeme Dennehy Trevor Nelson Peter Dorling Shirley Rooney Adrienne Edgar Rob Small Simon Edwards Geoff Williams

Sue Ackerly RoleWorkforce Director, appointed December 2011

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science• Graduate Diploma in Vocational Counselling• Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment• Diploma of Management

Outside St Laurence

• Member Australian Psychological Society and• Australian Human Resource Institute

Ann Butcher RoleGeneral Manager Aged and Community Care, appointed April 2010

Qualifications• Bachelor of Nursing• Certificate Palliative Care• Master of Health Management

Outside St Laurence• Aged and Community Care Victoria• Case Management Society Australia

Ms Alex Gunning RoleGeneral Manager, Social Engagement Services, appointed January 2010

Qualifications• Bachelor Applied Science, Disability

Outside St Laurence• Disability Professionals Victoria• Member ASID• Member CEO Institute

Mr Garry Ellis RoleChief Financial Officer, appointed April 2009

Qualifications• Bachelor of Commerce • Master of Business Administration• Graduate Certificate Human Resource Management• Diploma Australian Institute of Company Directors

Outside St Laurence• Member Australian Health Services Financial

Management Association

Mr Simon French RoleGeneral Manager, Employment Services, appointed April 2011

Qualifications

• LLB (Hons)

Outside St Laurence• Chair of the Barwon Health Human Research Ethics

Review Committee• Member of the Law Institute of Victoria

Our Executive Management Team

Director Resignations:Michael Malouf – 15/8/11

Member Resignations:Michael Malouf - 15/8/11

Jodi Heath – 25/4/12

There are three main components to the role of Members of St Laurence Community Services: statutory; advocacy/ambassadorial; and participation.

49

General Donations

Anmar Nadum

G21

Geoffrey Betts

Hamlyn Heights Lions Club

Hazel Ovens

John Robertson (in memory of Juliane Robertson)

Joy Johnson

Jozefina Otermans (in memory of Hildegard Otermans)

Judith Price

Kevin Freeman

Narelle Giffin

Olive Marshman

St Laurence Park Residents Committee

The Trust Company (in memory Maude Fanny Blunt)


General Supporters

Adroit Insurance

Andrew Katos

Artist Photography

Austin’s Wines

BayFM/KRock

Bendigo Bank – Lara branch

Benefits Plus

Boomaroo Nursery

Brian Sherwell & Associates

Church Resources

Colac Community Neighbourhood House

Connewarre Hall Reserve Committee

Don Wilks Electrical

Easterland

Eastern Peake Vineyard & Winery

Eulung Day Spa

Fabric Care

Faggs Mitre 10

F.C. Walker & Sons Pty Ltd

Four Points Sheraton Geelong

Geelong Football Club

Geelong Gym

Geelong Performing Arts Centre

Jack Rabbit Winery


Lethbridge Wines

Listening Post Cafe

Little Creatures

LP Communications

Manchester Imports

Manifold Podiatry & Remedial Massage

Office Max

Peppers The Sands

PRD Nationwide

Principle Focus

Professor Colin Rhodes Dean – Sydney College of the Arts NSW

Queenscliffe Tourist Park

Rainbow Riders

Ray Wilton

Reel King Industries Pty Ltd

Rotary Club of Ballarat South

St Laurence Parents and Friends

The Dress Up Place

The KS Artery


Village Cinema

Yarra Housing

Collaborative and Community Partners

Deakin University

Football Geelong

Lara Lions Club

Lara Secondary College

Rotary Club of Geelong


Volunteering Geelong

St Laurence Geelong Supercats

Village Cinemas Geelong

Acknowledgments

Event Sponsors

A1 Water Filters

Bank of Queensland Newtown

Blood Toyota

DDG

Delta Carpet One


Peter Webb Commercial Furniture

TAC

Toyota Financial Services

St Laurence Annual Partners

Adroit Insurance Group

Allianz Workers Compensation (Vic) Ltd

Kwik Kopy

Roderick Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd

Ryrie Office Machines - Major Partner

Signific

State Funding

Victorian Department of Human Services

Victorian Department of Health

Victorian Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development

Transport Accident Commission

Federal Funding

Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing

Commonwealth Department of Veteran Affairs

Thank You

During 2011/2012 St Laurence has been fortunate enough to receive support from many individuals, businesses and community organisations.

Thank you for helping us to help others experience life.

50

Head Office90 Station Lake Road Lara 3212P.O. Box 110 Lara 3212Phone: (03) 5282 1405 Fax: (03) 5282 2606Email: [email protected]

Outreach 9/63 Thompson StreetBelmont 3216Phone: (03) 5241 0600 Fax: (03) 5241 0644

Services for people with disabilityMyPATH ‘Learning experiences for life’Cox Road Campus140 Cox RoadCorio 3214Phone: (03) 5275 2665 Fax: (03) 5275 7576

Geelong Campus115 – 121 Lt Myers StreetGeelong 3220Phone: (03) 5221 2293 Fax: (03) 5229 0375

Geelong West CampusRear 117 Pakington Street Geelong West 3218Phone: (03) 5222 6522 Fax: (03) 5224 2729Email: [email protected]

Colac Campus101 Queen StreetColac 3250Phone: (03) 5231 5327 Fax: (03) 5231 4819Email: [email protected]

Ballarat Campus32A Doveton Street NorthBallarat 3350Phone: (03) 5338 8682

Social EnterprisesIntegrated Property Maintenance142 Victoria StreetNorth Geelong 3215Phone: (03) 5277 0092 Fax: (03) 5278 4999

Colac Ironing Service342 Murray StreetColac 3250Phone: (03) 5232 2777

Art UnlimitedOld Geelong GaolMyers StreetGeelong 3220Phone: (03) 5229 4664 Fax: (03) 5223 1187

St Laurence Paper Services - Geelong142 Victoria StreetNorth Geelong 3215Phone: (03) 5277 9888 Fax: (03) 5278 4999

Kui Nursery101 Queen StreetColac 3250Phone: (03) 5231 4164

St Laurence Paper Services – Colac101 Queen StreetColac 3250Phone: 0418 331 681

The Pickle Gallery101 Queen StreetColac 3250Phone: 0417 641 548 Phone: (03) 5231 5327

Employment ServicesJob Services AustraliaFree call number: 1800 755 627

Geelong229 Ryrie StreetGeelong 3220Phone: (03) 5223 2550 Fax: (03) 5223 2405

Colac54A Bromfield StreetColac 3250Phone: (03) 5231 5590 Fax: (03) 5231 5620

Horsham4/7 Darlot StreetHorsham 3400Phone: (03) 5382 1999 Fax: (03) 5382 1399

Stawell53 Main StreetStawell 3380Phone: (03) 5358 4411 Fax: (03) 5358 4811

St Laurence Locations and Contact Details

mailto:sladmin%40stlaurence.org.au?subject=

51

Warrnambool143 Timor StreetWarrnambool 3280Phone: (03) 5560 5977 Fax: (03) 5560 5615

Disability Employment ServicesGeelong229 Ryrie StreetGeelong 3220Phone: (03) 5229 0599 Fax: (03) 5223 2405



Vocational Training ServicesAdvanced Career Training229 Ryrie St Geelong 3220Phone: (03) 5246 4500 Fax: (03) 5246 4511

Residential ServicesRetirement Village & Housing Services90 Station Lake RoadLara 3212P.O. Box 110, Lara 3212Phone: (03) 5282 1405 Fax: (03) 5282 2606

Costa House Residential Aged Care Services1 Investigator AvenueLara 3212P.O. Box 110, Lara 3212Phone: (03) 5220 8437 Fax: (03) 5282 4906

Aged and Community Care ServicesHome SupportGeelong1st Floor / 229 Ryrie StreetGeelong 3220Phone: 1800 SL CARE Fax: (03) 5226 3363 Phone: (03) 5226 3310

Ballarat32A Doveton Street NorthBallarat 3350Phone: 1800 SL CARE Fax: (03) 5226 3363 Phone: (03) 5338 8682

Healthy Ageing & Wellbeing Centre (HAWC)2/63 Thomson StreetBelmont 3216Phone: (03) 5241 0600 Fax: (03) 5241 0655

Respite ServicesSt Laurence House (Geelong)347 Shannon Ave Newtown 3220Phone: (03) 5229 9943 Fax: (03) 5221 1256

The Rural Retreat (Wensleydale)Phone: (03) 5288 7384

The Lodge (Ocean Grove)Phone: (03) 5256 1377

Caloola House (Portarlington)Phone: (03) 5259 2133

Eric Hart Day CentreInvestigator Ave Lara 3212Phone: (03) 5220 8472 Fax: (03) 5282 1101

Eric Hart Therapy CentreInvestigator Ave Lara 3212Phone: (03) 5220 8472 Fax: (03) 5282 1101

Case management for people who are ageing and those with disabilityBallarat32A Doveton Street NorthBallarat 3350Phone: (03) 5338 8682 Fax: (03) 5331 3577

Belmont9/63 Thompson StreetBelmont 3216Phone: (03) 5241 0600 Fax: (03) 5241 0644


Horsham4/7 Darlot StreetHorsham 3400Phone: (03) 5382 1999 Fax: (03) 5382 1399


90 Station Lake Road P.O. Box 110 Lara 3212

P 03 5282 1405 F 03 5282 2606 E [email protected]

www.stlaurence.org.au

mailto:sladmin%40stlaurence.org.au?subject=

st laurence community services inc. annual report 2011-12

Documents

community care services

st laurence locations

years st laurence

st laurence s

leading community services

quality services

st laurence board of

life3st laurence