Equity for deaf people

Transcription

1 ANNUAL REPORT 2016

2 VISION Equity for deaf people PURPOSE Deaf life: Your way, your language. We work with deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people. We work to break down barriers, create choice and support you to reach your goals. CONTENTS Highlights of the Year...3 Message from the Chair...4 Overview from the Chief Executive Officer...5 Our People...6 Our Strategy - how we performed...7 Treasurer s Report Financial Report...14 Membership & Acknowledgements...19 PATRONS PATRON His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret d) Governor of NSW VICE PATRON Nola Colefax OAM THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT 2016

3 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR Leadership in Community Accessibility Award In November 2015, the Deaf Society and NSW Rural Fire Service were recognised for Leadership in Community Accessibility at the NSW Disability Industry Innovation Awards. The award was in recognition of the innovative Get Ready project. Meeting with international deaf role model We were delighted to meet America s Next Top Model winner, Nyle DiMarco when he visited Australia late last year. Nyle has since gone on to win America s Dancing with the Stars and continues to demonstrate that deaf people can! Wiggle learns Auslan Yellow Wiggle, Emma Watkins studied Auslan with us this year. It was lovely to learn about Emma s inclusive approach to her role as a Wiggle and wanting to connect with children who are deaf or use sign language. Deaf Festival! The 2015 Deaf Festival was a standout event for the year with memorable performances including the Sydney Philharmonia Signing Choir s preview performance. THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT

4 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR It is with mixed feelings I write the Chairperson s report I feel strange that Alastair McEwin is not writing the Chairperson s report. Alastair has been a fantastic President and Chairperson for the Deaf Society, leading the Board and organisation through the transition of the Chief Executive Officer role and through the new changes that the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) brings to the organisation. However, I am very pleased with Alastair s appointment as our first deaf Australian Disability Discrimination Commissioner, even though this meant that Alastair had to step down from his President and Chairperson role. On behalf of the Deaf Society and the Board, I would like to wish Alastair the very best with his new role in the Australian Human Rights Commission. This year is the first full year that our first deaf Chief Executive Officer, Leonie Jackson, has led the Deaf Society. Leonie has implemented several changes in the structure of the organisation, making sure that the organisation has a customercentric focus. This is an important cultural shift which will align with the NDIS, which has expanded over the year to include the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and, at the end of the financial year, the Blue Mountains region. The NDIS will continue rolling out to other regions in Australia over the next few years, opening new opportunities for the Deaf Society and for the deaf and hard of hearing community. Organisational change can be painful for some people, either impacting or changing their role in the organisation. The Board would like to acknowledge and note our appreciation to the Deaf Society staff for supporting these changes, and understanding why these changes are necessary to remain relevant to the deaf and hard of hearing community. As a deaf person, I am proud to see a strong organisation with deaf leaders providing a positive service to the community. I am excited to see the opportunities that the future will bring to the organisation. The Board has strengthened its governance and leadership by changing our constitution to reduce the number of roles on the Board and combining the ceremonial role of the President with the Board leadership role of the Chairperson (which was achieved at our EGM on 6 September 2016). This will make the Board more focused and disciplined with its governance, however the Board will continue needing support from other advisory groups and committees. The Board has recently established the Advisory Council as a committee, which is composed of members of the deaf and hard of hearing community. It is envisioned that this Council will provide us with the opportunity to develop future deaf and hard of hearing Board Directors and provide the Board with a strong succession plan. I am looking forward to seeing the first graduate from the Advisory Council joining the Deaf Society Board. I would like to thank the Board David Atkinson, Ken Deacon, Brian Halse, Alastair McEwin, Frank Peterson, Vivek Prabhu, Sue Rae, Julie Tait, and Elizabeth Wee. These Board Directors have volunteered their time and energy to ensure that the Deaf Society remains an important asset to the community, and that it continues to strive to achieve Equity for Deaf People. Finally, I would like to thank Leonie Jackson and her team of dedicated, wonderful staff for their dedication to the organisation, and for serving and supporting the deaf and hard of hearing community. Todd Wright Chairperson 4 THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT 2016

5 OVERVIEW FROM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER It is with great pleasure that I present this year s report to our members and supporters. I hope you will enjoy learning about our highlights and work supporting deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind people and their families. The past 12 months have been a time of significant change while the Deaf Society prepares for the full rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in NSW and ACT. The team and I have been learning a lot from our customers and supporters about how the NDIS has positively impacted their lives. We are also excited about the possibilities that NDIS will bring to deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind people and their families and carers in the near future. As the organisation was going through changes, I came across this quote from Barack Obama while he was a senator in 2008 which sums up the past 12 months: Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. This resonated with me and became my mantra during this time of change. I could not have done this without the support from the board and leadership team. They have given me an important mandate to ensure that we at the Deaf Society become customer-centric organisation that provides high quality customer-focused services and supports. With the support and feedback from our customers, members, consultants and the community, the Deaf Society have developed and implemented three key strategies: 1. Growth Strategy this five year strategic plan is the organisation s blueprint to develop new services and supports that are financially sustainable under the new NDIS funding model. 2. IT Audit and Strategy the organisation has recruited a senior IT Business Analyst to review the organisation s IT infrastructure and develop an IT strategy including new infrastructure to ensure that the organisation s customers find it easy to book, pay and use our services. 3. Customer Strategy this strategy is developed to ensure that every employee who works for the Deaf Society is 100% focused on our customers. We have implemented many changes and there is still a lot of work to do. We rely on our customers and members to give us feedback. After all, you are the reason why I am making the changes you have told me either directly or indirectly that you want things to change. In conclusion, I would like to thank a number of people. First of all, I would like to thank the immediate past Chair and President, Alastair McEwin for his loyalty, guidance and support during my first full year as the CEO of this wonderful organisation. Todd Wright and Brian Halse have stepped into Alastair s shoes and have also been wonderful support to me and the leadership team since Alastair stepped down to take up his new role as Australia s Disability Discrimination Commissioner. The Deaf Society s board have been my brain trust and I cannot thank them enough for their support and guidance during a year of significant changes. Secondly, I would like to thank my management team. Sharon Nann, David McQuiggin, Andrew Wiltshire, John O Neill, Ivana Krunes, Rosalie Kassulke, Kate Matairavula, Gerry Healy, Michelle Pogoni and Sharon Xabregas all have been a wonderful support to me and the team at the Deaf Society. Each one of them are strongly committed to making the Deaf Society an organisation that provides high quality service and support to deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind people and their families, friends and employers. Thirdly I would like to thank the whole Deaf Society team across NSW and ACT for reminding me every day that the work we do is life changing for our customers. The team is a constant source of inspiration to me as I can see how much they care for our customers. Every day, they come to work with a 100% focus and determination. Lastly I would like to thank our members, donors and supporters. Without you, we cannot achieve equity for deaf people. I look forward to continuing the Deaf Society s vision and work to ensure that together, we achieve equity for everyone. Leonie Jackson Chief Executive Officer THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT

6 OUR PEOPLE We aim to lead by example, our workplace is bi-lingual and bi-cultural where both Auslan and English are used and valued. We celebrate our diverse employees including those engaged on a casual basis and value the passion and skill they bring as we work toward equity for deaf people. Our staff work with our partners including not-for-profit, corporate and government organisations to achieve greater impact. Most importantly, our staff support our customers to ensure they have access to all areas of life on an equal basis with others. STAFF PROFILES Genevieve Roberts Get Ready Project Officer Genevieve was instrumental in the success of the Get Ready project which prepared the Deaf Community for emergencies like fire, flood and storm. Her experience and passion were vital in the development of the nine Deaf Liaison Officers and training of over 200 deaf people in emergency preparedness. Leah Brown Booking Coordinator Leah is passionate about ensuring our customer s request for an interpreter is fulfilled 91% of the time. With a limited supply of interpreters and an in increase in demand for interpreting services, sometimes a lot of creativity is needed to ensure we can meet our customers needs. Leah sources interpreters and providers for customers from all over NSW and the ACT. Jenny Rozsa Support Coordinator Jenny works closely with customers to prepare them for their NDIS planning meeting. She is open and willing to listen to customers and always strives for the best outcome for them. When requested, Jenny attends their planning meetings with them to provide moral support for them. She encourages them to speak for themselves during these meetings. Customers like her warm and friendly persona. Simon Mahony Auslan Trainer With over 12 years teaching experience, Simon has been instrumental in establishing and maintaining courses in the Northern Rivers region and surrounds. Simon has been a key mentor for the local Auslan trainers and students in the region. Along with his teaching capacity, Simon brings a wealth of community knowledge, professionalism, and most importantly fun! Nicholas Kassulke Support Worker Nicholas is committed to the provision of strong supports and customer satisfaction in all the work that he does. He is always willing to go the extra mile for customers and works with colleagues at any level to ensure the best outcomes are achieved for our customers. 6 THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT 2016

7 OUR STRATEGY - HOW WE PERFORMED To work effectively towards our vision of equity for deaf people, we set ourselves five strategic directions for : 1. Improve and expand services for deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people 2. Create opportunities in the workforce 3. Build community capacity 4. Build a customer-centred Deaf Society 5. Strengthen partnerships and support other agencies The following pages (pages 7-12) contain a summary of outcomes against the five strategic priorities during the 2016 year. IMPROVE AND EXPAND SERVICES FOR DEAF, DEAFBLIND AND HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE In 2016, we continued to support deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people and their families across a range of service areas including; independent living, information provision, interpreting, education and training, and employment and workplace support. We have worked to develop the community s awareness of our employment service through a range of marketing strategies. This has led to an increase in deaf and hard of hearing people joining our employment service in Parramatta, Wollongong and Gosford. We have seen an increase in sustainable job placements in the Central Coast region due to the commitment of staff in providing exceptional customer service to job seekers and employers. The Education and Training team were successful in renewing our Registered Training Organisation (RTO 91243) status for another seven years until May This ensures that we can continue to provide a range of courses to deaf and hard of hearing people and continue to grow the number of students that we support. The RTO renewal was the icing on the cake for the education area which experienced its largest student intake with 556 enrolments. This included expansion of our course delivery to the ACT under the ACT Government Skills Capital funding program and regional NSW including Broken Hill and Bathurst under the NSW Governments Smart and Skilled Program. 333 tactile smoke alarms installed 15,500+ hours of Auslan/English Interpreting THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT

8 A warm welcome to the Deaf Community Sally Smid was part of the Parent to Parent Support Program in She shares her experience of the program and the valuable support her family received; Kathy (mentor) has been an enormous blessing to me and my family and we are so thankful for her support, kindness, time and now friendship! Before I met Kathy, I didn t know any deaf people, I didn t know Auslan and I didn t know much about hearing loss or sign language. It was important to me to access all of these so my son James could grow up as part of the Deaf Community and build a strong and happy confidence in his identity- not as a person with hearing loss or impairment but as a person with Deaf gain Kathy introduced my family to people in the Deaf Community, including her beautiful family, pointed me in the direction of classes, courses, services and resources and we talked about a whole bunch of other random stuff that could only be covered over cups of coffee or in late night chats on the phone- usually accompanied by tears and laughter. My family and I are now regular attendees at deaf events, we have made several friends in the Deaf community and we are learning Auslan through the Deaf Society. We are a happy, confident, proud and strong family and we are certain that Kathy s support has helped us get here. She has truly been a unique blessing to our family and I will forever be grateful for her support and guidance and I know I ve made a lifelong friend out of the Parent-to-Parent Program. 8 THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT 2016

9 CREATE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WORKFORCE With an increasing number of people enrolling in Auslan courses and families of deaf children requesting Auslan tutoring in the home, we realised the need to upskill more deaf people with the Certificate IV in TAE10 (Training and Assessment) required for teaching. An expression of interest was advertised and we now have 29 students enrolled in the TAE10. The great majority of the teachers of the Auslan courses are deaf and fluent in Auslan so we decided to deliver the Certificate IV in TAE10 in Auslan. This makes the training fully accessible and means that everyone can participate comfortably in discussions. We are also working with The Parramatta College to unpack the TAE40110 qualification and ensure written resources are provided in plain English. In earlier years, we have identified an increase in demand for interpreters. To better meet this demand, we delivered the Diploma of Interpreting this year with eight students achieving their NAATI accreditation and joining the workforce. Thanks to funding from the Champions of the West program, we were also able to deliver a voluntary internship program. The program supported four deaf people to gain valuable work experience at the Deaf Society. In April, we welcomed three high school students for a week of work experience and a deaf adult for a month of work experience. The program was not only an opportunity to gain skills but also to learn about best practice in a deaf workplace. They are now better equipped to self-advocate for communication access and assistive equipment in their future workplaces. The journey to employment Charlotte O Connor is a customer of our employment service. She was long term unemployed, applying for countless jobs but always unsuccessful. Many employers are still unwilling to employ a deaf person. In April, Charlotte was invited for a job interview with Peter Canisius House and was successful in gaining the full-time position of Kitchenhand. Since her employment, Charlotte has learned new skills and gained confidence in herself, and her abilities. The employer has also been very supportive and willing to adapt to make it easier for Charlotte to participate in the workplace and fulfil her responsibilities. She is now also receiving training from the housekeeping department so that she can work in both areas of the business. Most recently Charlotte was awarded Employee of the Year by the local Rotary Club in recognition of her exceptional customer service skills. Charlotte s story is just one example of the positive influence of employment and why we continue to support deaf people to gain and maintain meaningful employment. THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT

10 BUILD COMMUNITY CAPACITY In 2016, we delivered two significant community capacity building projects; National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Information Sessions and the Get Ready Project. In 2015, the NSW Government announces that the NDIS would rollout to eight regions of NSW from 1 July To ensure that deaf people understood the scheme, application process and the potential of the NDIS to create greater equity in their lives, we organised 13 information sessions across Greater Sydney and the ACT. In total 372 people attended the Auslan information sessions to gain a better understanding of the NDIS. Following on from the workshops, we have supported 57 people to prepare for their first meeting with an NDIS planner and have appointments to support dozens more. With the final phase of the NDIS rollout commencing on 1 July 2017, we look forward to delivering our NDIS information sessions in the eight new regions and supporting more deaf people to realise the potential of the NDIS. The Get Ready project is a partnership involving The Deaf Society, NSW State Emergency Service (SES), Fire & Rescue NSW, NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS), Red Cross, University of Sydney and the Deaf Community. It was funded by the Office of Emergency Management through the Community Resilience Innovation Program (CRIP). The focus of the project was preparing the Deaf Community for natural disasters like fire, flood and storms. The project involved: The recruitment and emergency preparedness training of nine Deaf Liaison Officers (DLOs) in six regions including Illawarra, Macarthur, Blue Mountains, Metro Sydney, Central Coast and Hunter. The delivery of nine Deaf Awareness Training (DAT) sessions for emergency services personnel with 295 emergency services personnel attending and learning about the best way to communicate with deaf and hard of hearing people in the case of an emergency. The production of seven Auslan emergency preparedness videos based on the Red Cross RediPlan. The delivery of 10 Emergency Preparedness Workshops by DLOs to their local community with 263 deaf people in attendance including eight deafblind people. The success of Get Ready is due to the holistic capacity building approach taken; injecting knowledge and skills into both the Deaf Community and emergency services. DAT sessions place deaf cultural knowledge into emergency services and DLO training placed emergency preparedness knowledge into the Deaf Community. From the commencement of Get Ready, the focus was shifted from a passive rescue mentality to an empowered model of shared responsibility. For a traditionally vulnerable community, such empowerment was enthusiastically embraced and enabled deaf leadership to flourish. The recruitment, training and activity of the DLOs has been the single most effective resource to effect change to date. The DLOs act as champions and leaders within their communities and bridge the gap between deaf people and emergency services in this important area of emergency preparedness. The project was awarded the NSW Disability Industry Innovation Award for Leadership in Community Accessibility in Due to the success and impact of the project, we are exploring ways to expand and sustain the project into the future. 372 people attend NDIS information sessions 271 community members attended Get Ready workshops 10 THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT 2016

11 BUILD A CUSTOMER-CENTRED DEAF SOCIETY This year we embarked on an organisation re-structure to ensure that we are more customer-centred. We recognised that our customers had a range of support needs and were being referred to different departments for different services. This meant that the customer had multiple points of contact which can be confusing and their supports were fragmented rather than holistic. To improve the customer s experience of our service, we established two new teams; the Support Coordination Team and the Customer Service Team. The Support Coordination Team was established in April. The team is responsible for supporting customers to identify their goals and the supports they need to achieve those goals. This includes supporting people to access the NDIS and prepare for their meeting with a NDIA planner who often will have no lived experience of their disability. Since the establishment of the team, the response from customers has been overwhelmingly positive. After meeting with a Support Coordinator, customers have expressed that they have a better understanding of the supports and services available which can improve their access and community participation. The Customer Service Team was created at the same time as the Supports Coordination Team. The team s main responsibility is responding to enquiries and requests such as booking interpreters, enrolling students and assigning support workers. They have been busy learning new functions, getting to know how each other s area of work and improving processes, and procedures. Successful changes include full time staffing in the interpreter bookings team which has led to increased staff satisfaction and therefore more satisfied customers. The consistency and the full time oversight has improved our service significantly. We also now have full time oversight of our reception area with an experienced customer service officer which has led to an increase in positive responses from staff and customers. This year we welcomed Gerry Healy to the team in the position of Senior IT Business Analyst. His role is to evaluate and improve our IT systems so that they support us in being more customer-focused. A significant project that Gerry commenced this year is the development of a mobile web application (app) for NDIS customers. The app is designed to make it easier for deaf people to book interpreters using a smartphone. He has also been focussed on implementing an organisation-wide customer relationship management (CRM) system that combines key customer information in a single system enabling the Customer Service Team to provide a positive customer experience across all Deaf Society services.

12 STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIPS AND SUPPORT OTHER AGENCIES We recognise that through partnerships and productive relationships we can better support our customers and the Deaf Community, and extend the reach of our services. In the past year, we have continued to develop relationships to the benefit of the Deaf Community including; Becoming a partner of the Break the Sound Barrier campaign which aims to put the health and well-being of deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people on the national political agenda. Working with Australian Hearing to increase the reach of our Smoke Alarm Subsidy Scheme in regional areas and with hard of hearing people. Working with Able Australia to increase awareness and understanding of deafblindness among staff. NSW State Emergency Services, NSW Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, Red Cross, University of Sydney have been valuable and committed partners to the Get Ready project. We have also continued to be part of an interagency meeting group including ASLIA NSW, Deaf Australia (NSW), The Shepherd Centre, Royal Institute of Deaf and Blind Children, Deaf Sports Australia, Accessible Arts, Ephpheta Centre, Hear for You and Deafness Forum. Interagency meetings are an opportunity to share information, experiences and seek opportunities for collaboration. Working with the Lismore Community This year, we have established an ongoing session called the Lismore Q&A as part of our ongoing community engagement strategy. The community and local Deaf Society staff met on a quarterly basis to exchange information, consult on the community s objectives and satisfaction with service provision. The notes from each session are turned into an action plan, which is then acted upon by staff and an update provide at the following community meeting. This rolling consultation has significantly improved engagement with the local community and given us a better framework for decisionmaking when planning services. Another positive outcome this year was the organisation of a range of activities for National Week of Deaf People. The Lismore Deaf Community put on a fantastic local event celebrating deaf culture, Auslan and everything that makes the Deaf Community unique. There were some great jokes and stories too. 12 THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT 2016

13 CHAIR, FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE'S REPORT In what has been a year of transition for The Deaf Society as we navigate the progression of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), I would like to congratulate the management team and staff of the Deaf Society for delivering a commendable financial result for This year the Society incurred a deficit of $146,619 (2015: $10,859 surplus). Total comprehensive income (after including the change in market value of investments held) for the year was a deficit of $634,184 (2015: $167,340 surplus) with revenue continuing to grow this year to $6,798,631 (2014: $6,113,236). At the end of the financial year, the Society had net assets of $15,839,716 (2015: $16,473,900). I would sincerely like to thank our supporters and commend the efforts of our Directors and staff that made these results possible. I would also like to acknowledge the financial assistance received from the Commonwealth and New South Wales Governments, on which the Society heavily relies. The net income from fundraising initiatives this year was $39,865 (2015: $32,517). I would like to thank those individuals and organisations who chose to support the Society in this way. The 2016 financial year marks the fourth full year since the Society appointed its investment advisors (Deutsche Bank and JB Were). During the year, income generated from investments totalled $686,700 (2015: $833,488), with the value of investments held declining by $487,565 (2015: $156,481 increase), supplemented by realised gains of $244,391 (2015: $221,270) on the sale of some investments. In what was a challenging environment for investment returns, the return (including franking credits) on the Society s externally managed investment portfolio for the year, was approximately 2.3%, below the CPI+5% (6.0%) objective set out in the Investment Policy. This was an acceptable result in the context of a low interest rate environment, in which the Reserve Bank of Australia reduced the official cash rate twice over the course of the financial year from 2.0% to 1.5% (2015: reduced from 2.5% to 2.0%) and follows three consecutive years in which the investment return objectives were exceeded. This year s total comprehensive income of a $634,184 deficit (2015: $167,340 surplus) is reflective of the investment the Society has made in readying itself for an NDIS environment, to ensure it s in a position to continue providing services to the Deaf Community into the future. Along with the Society s participation in the NDIS NSW trial sites, the Board continues to manage the Society s response to the transition in government funding from a block funded model to a person centred approach to funding under NDIS. To enhance the Society s growth and capacity under the NDIS model, the Board will continue to invest in strategies critical to achieving sustainable growth and a customer-centred approach. Vivek Prabhu Chair, Finance and Audit Committee THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT

14 ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2016 CORPORATE INFORMATION ABN Directors David Atkinson Kenneth Deacon Alastair McEwin Vivek Prabhu Susanne Alexandra Rae Julie Tait Todd James Wright Evan Kidd Elizabeth Wee Brian Peter Halse Frank Lawrence Peterson Company Secretary Louise Hicks Registered Office and Principal Place of Business Suite 401 Level 4 69 Phillip Street Parramatta NSW 2150 The Board of Directors The Deaf Society Level 4 69 Philip Street Parramatta NSW October 2016 Dear Board Members The Deaf Society Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu ABN Eclipse Tower Level Station Street Parramatta NSW 2150 PO Box 38 Parramatta NSW 2124 Australia Tel: +61 (0) Fax: +61 (0) In accordance with Subdivision 60-C of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012, I am pleased to provide the following declaration of independence to the directors of The Deaf Society. As lead audit partner for the audit of the financial statements of The Deaf Society for the financial year ended 30 June 2016, I declare that to the best of my knowledge and belief, there have been no contraventions of: Yours sincerely (i) the auditor independence requirements as set out in the Australian Charities and Not-forprofits Commission Act 2012 in relation to the audit; and (ii) any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit. Bankers Commonwealth Bank of Australia Audley Road Petersham NSW 2049 Investment Managers JB Were Level 42, Governor Phillip Tower 1 Farrar Place Sydney NSW 2000 DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU David Black Partner Chartered Accountants Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited Page 8 Deutsche Bank AG Deutsche Bank Place Level 16 Corner Phillip and Hunter Streets Sydney NSW 2000 Auditor Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Eclipse Tower Level Station Street Parramatta NSW 2150 For the detailed financial report, visit our website 14 THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT 2016

15 STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE $ $ Revenue 6,798,631 6,113,236 Investment gain 244, ,270 Employee benefits expense (4,868,683) (4,267,506) Depreciation expense (52,235) (68,842) Administrative expenses (450,442) (433,666) Occupancy expenses (338,378) (379,695) Consulting and marketing expenses (1,023, 937) (733,782) Other expenses (455,966) (440,156) (Deficit)/surplus for the year (146,619) 10,859 Other comprehensive income: Items that may reclassified subsequently to profit or loss: Fair value (loss)/gain on available-for-sale assets (487,565) 156,481 Total comprehensive (deficit)/surplus income for the year (634,184) 167,340 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 30 JUNE $ $ Current assets Cash and bank balances 327,472 2,033,630 Trade and other receivables 846, ,684 Other financial assets 532,197 - Other assets 174, ,737 Total current assets 1,880,884 2,661,051 Non-current assets Other financial assets 15,875,400 15,836,625 Property, plant and equipment 132, ,305 Total non-current asset 16,008,081 16,070,930 Total assets 17,888,965 18,731,981 Current liabilities Trade and other payables 1,546,375 1,793,276 Provisions 408, ,847 Total current liabilities 1,954,456 2,089,123 Non-current liabilities Provisions 94, ,958 Total non-current liabilities 94, ,958 Total liabilities 2,049,249 2,258,081 Net assets 15,839,716 16,473,900 Equity Reserves 6,593,350 7,080,915 Accumulated surplus 9,246,366 9,392,985 Total equity 15,839,716 16,473,900 THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT

16 INCOME AND EXPENDITURE OF FUNDRAISING APPEALS FOR THE YEAR 30 JUNE $ $ Income Annual mail appeal - 1,678 Donations 39,965 30,838 Merchandise Sales Total fundraising income 40,214 33,043 Expenditure Postage, printing, stationary 2,245 2,578 Total cost of fundraising 2,245 2,578 Net Surplus 37,969 30,465 The surplus for the year is used to ameliorate the deficits incurred by the society in providing vital services, in particular support for members of the Deaf Community and their families in rural and regional areas. In 2016 year, the deficit amounted to $405,588 (2015: $210,411). % % Total cost of fundraising on fundraising income 6 8 Net surplus on fundraising income Fundraising income excludes bequests, as it is not considered to represent income from active fundraising. There were no fundraising activities conducted jointly with traders. Declaration by the President in respect of fundraising appeals I, Todd James Wright, Chair of The Deaf Society (previously known as The Deaf Society of NSW) declare, that in my opinion: (a) The accounts give a true and fair view of all income and expenditure of The Deaf Society with respect to fundraising appeals; (b) The statement of financial position gives a true and fair view of the state of affairs with respect to fundraising appeals; (c) The provision of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 (NSW) and the regulations under the Act have been complied with; (d) The conditions attached to the authority have been complied with; and (e) The internal controls exercised by The Deaf Society are appropriate and effective in accounting for all income received and applied by the Society from any of its fundraising appeals. Todd James Wright Chair Sydney, 12 October 2016 DIRECTORS DECLARATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2016 The directors declare that: (a) in the directors opinion, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the company will be able to pay its debt as and when they become due and payable; and (b) in the directors opinion, the attached financial statements and notes thereto are in accordance with the Australian Charities and Nonfor-profits Commission Act 2012 and the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 (NSW) including compliance with accounting standards and giving a true and fair view of the financial position and performance of the company. Signed in accordance with a resolution of the directors made pursuant to s of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Regulation On behalf of the directors Todd James Wright Chair Sydney, 12 October 2016 Vivek Prabhu Chair of Finance and Audit Committee 16 THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT 2016

17 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu A.B.N Eclipse Tower Level Station Street Parramatta NSW 2150 PO Box 38 Parramatta NSW 2124 Australia Tel: Fax: Independent Auditor s Report to the members of The Deaf Society We have audited the accompanying financial report of The Deaf Society, which comprises the statement of financial position as at 30 June 2016, the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, the statement of cash flows and the statement of changes in equity for the year ended on that date, notes comprising a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information, and the directors declaration as set out on pages 9 to 33. In addition, we have audited The Deaf Society s compliance with specific requirements of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 for the year ended 30 June Directors Responsibility for the Financial Report and for Compliance with the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 The directors of the company are responsible for the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012 and for compliance with the Charitable Fundraising Act The directors are also responsible for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable compliance with requirements of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view and is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. Auditor s Responsibility Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the company s compliance with specific requirements of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and the financial report based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. Those standards require that we comply with relevant ethical requirements relating to audit engagements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance whether the entity has complied with specific requirements of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and the financial report is free from material misstatement. An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the company s compliance with specific requirements of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and amounts and disclosures in the financial report. The procedures selected depend on the auditor s judgement, including the assessment of the risks of non-compliance with specific requirements of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and material misstatement of the financial report, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control, relevant to the company s compliance with the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view, in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the company s internal control. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made by the directors, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial report. Inherent Limitations Because of the inherent limitations of any compliance procedure, it is possible that fraud, error, or noncompliance with the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 may occur and not be detected. An audit is not designed to detect all weaknesses in The Deaf Society s compliance with the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 as an audit is not performed continuously throughout the period and the tests are performed on a sample basis. THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT

18 Any projection of the evaluation of compliance with the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 to future periods is subject to the risk that the procedures, may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with them may deteriorate. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion. Auditor s Independence Declaration In conducting our audit, we have complied with the independence requirements of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act Opinion In our opinion: (a) financial report of The Deaf Society is in accordance with Division 60 of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012, including: a. giving a true and fair view of the company s financial position as at 30 June 2016 and of its performance and cash flows for the year ended on that date; and b. complying with Australian Accounting Standards and with Division 60 of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Regulation 2013; (b) the financial report agrees to the underlying financial records of The Deaf Society, that have been maintained, in all material respects, in accordance with the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and its regulations for the year ended 30 June 2016; and (c) monies received by The Deaf Society, as a result of fundraising appeals conducted during the year ended 30 June 2016, have been accounted for and applied, in all material respects, in accordance with the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and its regulations. DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU David Black Partner Chartered Accountants Sydney, 18 October THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT 2016

19 MEMEBERS AS AT 30 JUNE 2016 LIFE MEMBERS REGULAR MEMBERS Elizabeth Wee Kristen Whitely A M Houen AM Adelaide Evan Kidd Louise Hicks Adam Salzer Alastair McEwin Evelyn Christie Margaret Dale Alexandra Hynes Alex Jones Frances Whitley Margaret Day Anthony Gorringe OAM Alison Toft Frank L Peterson Margaret Drabsch Barry Duggan Andrew Lucas George Krams Martin Budd Brian Surtees Andrew Wiltshire Gregory Faulks Mary Cook Bridget Carty Anne Woods Helen Nicholson Megan Hannon Colin Allen Anne M Smith Helen Trendos Michelle Norberry Ethel Goff Anthony McKrodt Inge Jahn Megan Hannon George Barbouttis Arthur Liberale Jacqueline Endicott Michelle Norberry Harry Roberts Barbara Stathis Jennifer Lazarus Norma Giuffre Michael Hedley Betty O'Brien Jennifer Hannan Patricia Mutton Nola Colefax OAM Bradley Trudgett Jitka Navratil Peter Hannan Peter Miller Brendan McQuiggin John Gould Ron Nicholson Ray Todd Brian Halse John Grant Rosalie Kassulke Ray Whitten Brian Johnston John O'Neill Roy Goldring Ron Bryant Bruce Drabsch Jordanna Smith Sharon Nann Sharon Everson Carol Tiley Judith Watson Sue Rae Steven Turner Charlene Grace Judy Clews Thomas Robson V D Bear Christian James Julie Tait Todd Wright David Atkinson Kathy Wright Toni Rose Robson David London Ken Deacon Vivek Prabhu David McQuiggin Kerry Priem Young-Joo Byun Dennis Johnston Kevin Mitchell MAJOR DONATIONS AND SPONSORS The generosity of our present and past supporters has made our work possible. We place on record our sincere thanks and appreciation to the many, many people who make our work possible. $1,000 AND OVER $500 AND OVER $200 AND OVER $100 AND OVER J Church I H Campbell E Ash Anatolian Catering Google C Grace O Bolliger V Bear L Jackson P Hunt V Caradus B Beaver National Relay Service J Smith E Collings B Boyes Samsung J K Smith S Everson V Caradus L Wang Thrill Event P M Griffin N Colefax J Wiseman E Hart R Gallaway R J Howson M Gates R Jacobs B W Glockeman D Johnston J Gould C Maher H E Grant M R Parker J Harland V Phillips C A Harris K Prigram C V Hood Quota International of Quirindi F Horsley A Rowell L G Johnson St Drogo's Café Lawson Women's Bowling Club G E Wall I Mensdorff-Pouilly Whelan Project Co Pty Ltd R Mewburn C R Wilhelm Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College LN & LM Wilcox F Muecke J Phillipe J Putland D Rouvray R Taplin THE DEAF SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT

20 Level 4, 69 Phillip Street Parramatta NSW 2150 Phone: (02) SMS: Skype: Website: deafsocietyofnsw