Annual Reports |
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 President's Report
The Deaf Society of NSW has a history as a key service provider for Deaf people and their families tracing back almost 100 years and it is my pleasure to present the first ever Auslan version of the annual report to our members.
The past twelve months have seen many changes, challenges and opportunities for the Deaf Society and as I write this report, the Society has finalised a six month review of the senior management structure of our organisation.
Following the structure review, the Board decided to amalgamate the two previous executive director positions into a single Chief Executive Officer role. Sharon Everson, who had been serving in an acting capacity during the review, will take up this position from 1 July 2009.
Having worked with Sharon over the past six months in her role as acting CEO, the Board has every confidence in her skills and commitment to the Deaf Society and the leadership she has already demonstrated.
Directors of the board continued to meet every two months to deal with matters focussing on ensuring responsible financial management and providing strategic direction, with additional meetings held as part of the structure review.
It is pleasing to note how the Board teamwork developed during the year, particularly during the structure review and I am grateful for such a strong, ongoing commitment from my fellow directors.
One of the major responsibilities of the Board of Directors is to develop strategies to improve the quality of existing services as well as addressing unmet needs identified through consultation with the Deaf Community. |
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The Board recognises the importance of research, review and consultation as key tools in service development and Directors are looking forward to working with stakeholders in formulating the 2010 – 2013 Strategic Plan.
This report would not be complete without acknowledging the support of everyone who helped to make the past twelve months such a success: our generous supporters for their financial contributions, our funding bodies, my colleagues on the Board, the assistance given by our Honorary Solicitor, Tony Houen, Patterson, Houen and Commins, our dedicated staff and most importantly, members of the Deaf Community.
Tony Gorringe, President |
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 CEO's Report
As Tony mentioned, the structure of the DSNSW was reviewed and I was delighted to be offered the Chief Executive Officer position from 1 July 2009. I would like to place on record my thanks to the Board for placing their confidence in my ability to lead the Deaf Society, an organisation which I am so proud to serve.
As some of you would know, the Deaf Society has relocated. We began seeking new premises in the early part of 2009. Why?
- uncertainty with lease arrangements for our current premises at Parramatta
- coupled with the need for larger premises
Fortunately, we located suitable premises at 69 Phillip Street, Parramatta which are appropriate for our current needs and which provide the opportunity for expansion if required. We plan to take up residence in our new home in August 2009.
Current Trends
During the year a noticeable trend appeared in the rise of hard of hearing people approaching our Employment and Workplace Support department for assistance. We will continue to investigate the methods of best practice in serving this particular group as well as continuing to address the needs of our Deaf clients. An employment support outreach service was established at Newcastle during the year and we plan to open a second regional office based at the Central Coast in July 2009 to help met the needs of regional Deaf job seekers.
The growth in the numbers of Deaf people now residing in regional areas was highlighted in the 2008 Willoughby Report. This year we opened additional regional offices in Wollongong and Tamworth. All our regional sites operate on a part-time basis and often only meet the tip of the iceberg in addressing the many challenges in access and equity issues faced by members of the Deaf Community in these areas. We will continue to seek additional government funding to assist us in improving and expanding our regional service provision.
Research and Planning
It is important to ensure that our services remain relevant to our constituents. Studies such as the Willoughby Report and the Report into Future Services (undertaken with VicDeaf) assist us identify trends in service. These reports, as well as the Seniors Report, currently being finalised, will provide the foundation for the development of our next Strategic Plan for 2010-2013.
In drafting our next Strategic Plan, we will ensure that we focus on internal and external influences which will affect our service delivery. We will also review and evaluate existing services and seek feedback from the Deaf Community as well as other stakeholders. We want to ensure that future services meet the changing requirements of the Deaf Community.
I look forward to establishing closer ties with other key players in the Deaf sector.
We are delighted in our achievements to date I look forward to working with the Board, our staff, the Deaf Community and other stakeholders in shaping our future direction.
Sharon Everson, CEO |
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2009 Highlights |
Update On The Strategic Plan 2007-2010 |
The current Strategic Plan focuses on three key result areas:
- the development and provision of cutting edge programs and services
- enhancing the accessibility for Deaf people
- building a thriving organisation
Priorities this year included review of:
- regional outreach services
- providing mentoring and support to encourage paraprofessional interpreters to upgrade their skills to professional level
- providing additional Auslan education opportunities for hearing people
- developing visual Auslan translations of English information
We achieved many of the goals of our 2008/2009 plan through the year. These successes, as well as special events, are highlighted below:
- "Think Deafness is a Disability? Think again!" Television ad
- "Going to Court" legal resource
- Auslan Translation Service
- Deaf Professionals Network
- Sign Language Communications NSW
- Auslan Only Weekend 3
Focus on Families - highlights during 2008/2009 |
- Parent to Parent Mentoring
- Auslan Heritage School
- Sign’n’Tots Playgroup
- Youth Group and Peer Support
- Deaf Festival - Deaf Family Day
- Crossing Borders Camp – Building Support and Self-Esteem for Deaf Teens
- Regional Services
Client and Community Services - highlights during 2008/2009 |
- Deaf Youth Camp ‘Crossing Borders’ provided 32 young Deaf people with the opportunity to attend the camp
- Increased in delivery of outreach services to Dubbo, Wagga Wagga and Griffith – these communities showing significant growth
- Continued with the working relationship with an accommodation organisation, supporting two Deaf clients at their housing complex
Interpreting and Advocacy - highlights during 2008/2009 |
- Collaborated with interstate Deaf Societies to establish Sign Language Communications – a national alliance of Australia’s most experienced providers of Auslan/English interpreting services
- Established a Translation Service, which enables English resources to be translated into Auslan - launched with Auslan information on the website of the NSW Office of Industrial Relations on 30 June 2009
- Increased professional development opportunities for interpreters, including the continuation of the John Ferris Interpreter Internship Program as well as a sponsorship program which helped prepare six Paraprofessional interpreters to sit their Professional Level tests with NAATI
Education and Training - highlights during 2008/2009 |
- Successfully launched our “Going to Court” legal information DVD in Auslan, complete with a glossary of legal terms
- Launched the “Deaf Professionals Network” which facilitated on a bi monthly basis
- Established a catalogued library of resources with up to date articles, DVDs, books etc
Employment and Workplace Support - highlights during 2008/2009 |
- Assisted 120 deaf and hard of hearing clients – and placed 38 clients into paid employment
- Successfully obtained Quality Assurance re-certification for all 12 Disability Standards
- Obtained an extension of our current funding, as well as an Invitation to Treat for additional services from 2010
Administration and Finance Department - highlights during 2008/2009
Over the last twelve months there have been a number of changes to the management of the department. The focus has been maintaining excellent service standards and developing improved processes. |
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Honorary Treasurer's Report |
The 2008/2009 financial year proved to be particularly unfavourable for investors and the Deaf Society was not exempt from the impact of negative market conditions. However, despite a turbulent and volatile year for global financial markets, the Deaf Society was able to declare an operating surplus of $350,553. The write down in the fair valuation on investments of $2,262,171, reflecting the actual market value of investments held as at 30 June 2009, resulted in a deficit of $1,808,005.
The Deaf Society board reviewed our investment policy and strategy and have appointment new investment advisors – SCML. 92% of total expenditure was spend on service delivery for clients.
Our thanks are extended to our funding bodies and our donors for their financial assistance.
George Barbouttis, Honorary Treasurer |
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Download the Annual Report
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To see the Deaf Society's Constitution, click here.
To see the Deaf Society's Strategic Plan, click here. |
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