Annual Review 2003 - members.westnet.com.au

Association for the Blind of Western Australia

Annual Review

2003



Contents


Overview of services

2

President’s report

3

Corporate governance

4

Chief Executive Officer’s report

5

Management structure

8

Consumers

9

Commitment to quality

10

Services for chi
ldren

11

Recreation and leisure

14

Path to independence

17

Confident living

19

Low vision services

20

Guide Dog services

21


Regional services

22

A fundamental right

23

Technology
-

transforming lives

25


Prevention through education

28

Community suppor
t vital

29

Honorary Treasurer’s report

32

Financial Summary

36

Committees and Life Members

38


Contacts

39



90
th

Anniversary two page centre spread

A two page centre spread is inserted in the printed document. It contains historic
photos and the followi
ng text:

The beginnings

On 15 August 1913, a small group of women gathered together to form the Ladies’
Braille Society.


The Society quickly moved beyond the simple task of transcribing Braille literature.
They began teaching Braille to people at home, pr
ovided counselling, and were
strong advocates for the rights of people who were blind. By 1923, they had grown
to the point that they were able to establish the Rest Home for the Aged Blind at
Victoria Park
-

still the site of the Association’s main offic
e.


In 1951, “Guide Dogs for the Blind” was established. Training Guide Dogs and
providing mobility training to Guide Dog users was the focus of its work.


In 1977, the two groups combined to become the Association for the Blind.



A group of the 1924 re
sidents of the “Rest Home for the Aged Blind”

in Victoria Park



Text of the Minutes of the Ladies’ Braille Society recording the decision to
purchase the Victoria Park site in 1921


‘Special Meeting held on Tuesday, May 24
th

to receive report on property
for Rest
Home.


Present: Miss Ruxton (Chair) Mrs Barnett, Camper, Macgregor, Rutter, Messrs
Williamson, & Seager. Apologies from Mr Ide, Mrs Taylor.


Miss Ruxton reported that an inspection had been made by Committee who were of
the opinion that the prope
rty was in every way suitable for a Rest Home for the Blind.
The price was £1250, £300 deposit, 450 mortgage, £550 at 6½ £200 @ 9% and
£200 to be paid in two years @ 4%.


It was decided to purchase + after discussion as to raising funds it was proposed a
nd
seconded that the Ugly Mens Asson should be approached for immediate assistance
and also that the Secretary should draw up a scheme for raising funds by public
appeal to be submitted to the Meeting of Executive to be called.


Confirmed
-

Frank Seager
–

Chairman



Throughout the Depression the Ladies’ Braille Society continued its labours. By the
end of the Second War they were running a major social service.



Ex
-
soldiers learn typewriting in the Braille Library in 1947



Residents in the dining hall
-
19
50



In 1950, Dr Arnold Cook brought Australia’s first Guide Dog to Perth.



With the help of the Braille Society, and many others, he went on to establish
Australia’s first Guide Dog training school in Perth in 1951.



The home of the first Guide Dog trai
ning school was two discarded trams in

Shenton Park
.



The first guide dogs to graduate from Shenton Park in 1952. Left to right: Mr Clithero
with Susan, Ann Green with Terry, Elsie Mead with Beau, Cec Mead with Tanga,
Arnold Cook with Dreena, Joan Lowen
sohn with Lecki, Doug Adams with Zealie, Mrs
Samphire with Honey, Phyl Frost with Gillian; Constance Gibbon (Braille Secretary)
and Betty Bridge in background.’




Overview of services

For 90 years, the Association, as a public benefit organisation, has b
een providing a
wide range of services to Western Australians who are blind or vision impaired from
its main office in Victoria Park, through metropolitan and regional offices located in
Kingsley, Albany, Bunbury, Geraldton and Mandurah and through the vis
iting
services program in other rural areas of the State.


Our professional team offers specialist skills, training and advice to help people with
vision loss to regain confidence and achieve fulfilling and independent lives.


Research, policy development
, advocacy and the establishment of standards
underpin the Association’s service delivery and its role in actively encouraging
government, community and corporate sectors to provide quality services and
improved facilities to meet the needs of people who a
re blind or vision impaired.


Each year, more than 3500 people take advantage of the services provided by the
Association that include:


•

guide dogs

•

computer training

•

mobility training with long cane

•

Braille and Talking Book Library

•

low vision cl
inics and advisory services

•

emotional and practical support

•

employment and job skills training

•

training in daily living skills

•

early intervention support for young children

•

peer support programs

•

programs offering life skills to young people

•

B
raille and audio production

•

recreation

•

Braille teaching

President’s report

I am pleased to present the Annual Review of the Association for the Blind of WA
(Inc) for the year 2002/2003.


During our 90
th

Anniversary year, we were honoured that His Ex
cellency

Lieutenant General John Sanderson AC, Governor of Western Australia,

and Mrs Lorraine Sanderson accepted the positions of Joint Patrons of the
Association for the Blind. Consumers and their families, Board Members and staff
gathered at the Associ
ation in June 2003 to welcome His Excellency and Mrs
Sanderson on their first official visit to the Victoria Park facilities.


To recognise the 90
th

Anniversary the Association commissioned a history of the
early years of the Association. “In Braille Ligh
t” has been researched and written by
Dr Paul Laffey and published by UWA Press. Copies, in all formats, will be available
at the end of 2003.


The completion of a Master Plan for the Association’s main site in Victoria Park was
an exciting and challengi
ng task for the Board of Directors. Hundreds of people,
including consumers and staff, contributed to the process during the past two years.
As a result, we have a clear view of the needs for the future development of the site.
In order to make the visi
on a reality, we are undertaking a major capital fundraising
program. It is planned that work on the new facilities will commence in mid 2004.


I would like to express my sincere thanks to the members of the Board of Directors,
to the Chief Executive Off
icer, Dr Margaret Crowley, and to the staff of the
Association. Their expertise, dedication and commitment to meeting the needs of
our consumers, now and into the future, are deeply appreciated.





Elizabeth Needham

President




Corporate governance

The

Association for the Blind of Western Australia (Inc) is incorporated under the
Associations’ Incorporation Act 1987. Its Constitution (revised in May 2000)
determines a Board of 12 members, of whom at least two must be members who are
blind or vision im
paired.


New members of the Association are welcome from amongst people who are blind or
vision impaired, their family members, individuals with specialist knowledge in the
field, and other interested individuals.


The Board, supported by a number of com
mittees, including an Executive
Committee, a Finance and Audit Committee, and a Consumer Advisory Committee,
sets the strategic direction for the organisation and ensures its quality management.


Board of Directors


Elizabeth Needham

(President)

Principal

Legal Officer,

Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions


David Manera

(Vice President)

Barrister and Solicitor


Brooke Arnold

(Vice President)

Finance Manager, Ramsay Health Care


Kim Laurence

(Honorary Treasurer)

Financial Consultant


Paul Bell

Mar
keting and Financial Consultant


Tony Hagan

Marketing Manager


Fiona Halsey

(co
-
opted 25/6/03)

Legal Advisor

Chartered Accountant


Peter Johnson

Telephonist

Public Trustee


Mick Lee

Mayor of the Town of Victoria Park


Dr Tim Mazzarol

Senior Lecturer, Gradu
ate School of Management, University of Western Australia


John O’Mahony

Retired businessman


Doug Rupe

Telephonist

Police Department


Ray Ryan

(retired 24/10/2002)


Noela Taylor

(resigned 9/4/03)

CEO’s report

The focus of the work of the Association th
is year has been the continuing
implementation of the Association’s Strategic Plan 2000
-
2004, “Providing for our
Future”. With the support of the Board of Directors, the Management Team and staff
of the Association have made significant progress towards m
eeting the strategic
priorities.


The Strategic Plan identified seven major priorities:

•

Focus on children;

•

Site redevelopment plan;

•

New facilities for consumers;

•

Guide Dog development program;

•

Strategic alliances;

•

Investment in training; and

•

Understanding the environment.


Focus on children

A significant milestone in achieving one of our strategic priorities “Focus on Children”
was the official opening in December of the Association’s new Early Intervention
Centre. The Centre has provided the
Association with much needed capacity to
expand its range of early intervention and family support programs.


Through the generous financial support of the Variety Club, we have been planning
for the opening, in October 2003, of the “Variety Club’s Child
ren’s Resource Centre”.
This Centre, funded through the Variety Club Bash, will give children of all ages
access to the latest technology and materials.


Site redevelopment plan

2003 saw the completion of the Master Plan for the Victoria Park site. The
a
chievement of this milestone is a significant step in reaching the goal of constructi
ng

new facilities.


New facilities for consumers

The Master Plan, which was based on wide ranging and indepth consultations with
consumers and staff, identified the need f
or an $8.8 million redevelopment on the
Victoria Park site including the following facilities:

•

Braille and Talking Book Library and Resource Centre


•

Confident Living Centre


•

Technology, Training and Employment Centre


•

Guide Dog Discovery Centre


•

Centre for Children


•

Community Education and Training Centre.

It is expected that financial support, which is being sought from all sectors of the
community, will enable the Association to commence redeveloping the site in 2004.


Guide Dog development pr
ogram

When the strategic priority of implementing our Guide Dog development program
was set in 2000, the Association had no local Guide Dog puppy raising program.
Since then, more than 20 puppies have gone through the re
-
established program,
with five Gui
de Dogs being placed with consumers. It is expected that by 2004, the
majority of Guide Dogs graduating will have been fully trained in this State.


This program has been made possible by generous financial donations and through
the many hours of dedica
ted work undertaken by the volunteer Puppy Raisers.


Strategic alliances

An investment in creating alliances with key government agencies, with the corporate
sector and services providers will continue to be a strategic priority for the
Association. The a
im of these alliances is to ensure better educational, social and
employment outcomes for our consumers.


Investment in training

A key to the Association’s future quality service delivery is its ability to recognise,
manage and develop its own distinctive

knowledge base. This is being achieved
through research and the development of nationally accredited training programs.


During 2003, the Association continued with the development of the Certificate IV
Community Services (Disability Work) training progr
am, designed to equip staff with
the knowledge and skills necessary to provide support services for people with vision
impairment. Two new nationally accredited training modules were completed and
are scheduled for delivery during 2004. The two new modul
es are:

•

Deliver and develop client service


This module provides participants with an understanding of the policies,
procedures and practices of the Association for the Blind of WA, to ensure
effective delivery of quality services and compliance with go
vernment
regulations.


•

Plan and implement community integration



This module provides an overview of the basic skills and knowledge required to
maximise integration of people with disabilities in various community settings.


Understanding the environm
ent

A key element in the development of our Master Plan was the completion of the
Environmental Scan, commissioned to look at the nature of the world in which we
live, now and in the future. It identified the positive impact emerging technologies will
hol
d for our consumers and how, as an Association, we can take advantage of them
to improve our services. It also confirmed the expected growth of 57% in the number
of consumers during the next 15 years.


Looking ahead

It is extremely pleasing that so many of

the strategic priorities established in 2000 in
“Providing for our Future” have been achieved. Our next challenge is to develop a
new strategic plan, and to plan for the next decade. I have no doubt that with an
excellent management team and dedicated an
d professional staff we will realise this
challenge.


I would like to extend my thanks to all those who are helping us to shape and provide
for the future of the Association so we can provide relevant and efficient services to
our consumers to assist them

to lead fulfilling lives.





Dr Margaret Crowley

Chief Executive Officer


Management structure


Independent Living Services
(Mario Gallo
–

Manager)

Children’s Services

Adult Services

Community Education

Day Therapy Centre

Guide Dog Services

Kimberley Pr
ogram

Low Vision Services

Occupational Therapy

Orientation and Mobility Training

Recreational Services

Social Work


Library, Information and

Research Services

(Carol Solosy
–

Manager)

Audio Production

Braille Production

Library Circulation

Policy, Resea
rch and Advocacy


Technology, Training and Employment Services

(David Gribble
–

Manager)

Adaptive Technology Training

Adaptive Technology Support

Braille Teaching

Computer Systems Administration

Employment Advocacy

Post Secondary Student Support


Public
Affairs and Fundraising
(Margaret Haydon
–

Manager)

Administration Services

Events and Functions

Fundraising

Marketing and Public Relations

Volunteers


T
elemarketing

(Tim Solomon
–

Manager)

Home Shopping Services

Consumers

More than 25,000 Western Austra
lians have some degree of vision impairment or
difficulty seeing normally, even with the aid of contact lenses or glasses.


The majority of these people are 65 years old or over (63%). Almost one in three are
between 18 and 64 years (32%) and one in 20 ar
e children, 17 years or younger.


It is estimated that by 2016, the number of people who are blind or vision impaired in
Western Australia will increase by 57%. The biggest growth is expected to be among
people 65 years and over. In this age group, there
will be a 77% increase.


Each month, 75 new consumers, ranging from babies to seniors, are referred to the
Association. In the 12 month period to 30 June 2003, the Association provided 5,570
direct, individualised services to 2,488 consumers:


Consumers

S
ervice


170

Children’s services


1512

Library services


817

Low Vision Centre



646

Independent living in the home


519

Social Work


392

Technology, Training and Employment


313

Mobility


761

Assessments


300

Recreation


140

Day Centre activities

C
ommitment to quality

Our processes ensure that consumers are informed about what the Association can
offer and are in a position to make informed decisions about which services they wish
to utilise. This high level of service continues throughout a person’
s contact with the
Association.


Meeting the Disability Service Standards

During the period November 2002 and February 2003, the Association’s Children’s
Services Program was audited by the Disability Services Commission (DSC)
Standards Monitoring Unit.


The DSC has developed a set of eight standards, known as the Disability Service
Standards. All agencies that receive funding from the DSC are periodically audited
against the standards as a condition of funding.


Following a rigorous audit by two inde
pendently appointed monitors, involving site
visits and interviews with both consumers and staff, the monitors determined that the
Association’s Children’s Services Program met all eight of the Disability Service
Standards.


This is an excellent achievemen
t for the Association and reflects a high level of
commitment to quality, at all levels to the organisation.


Research, policy and advo
c
acy

This year, our Advocacy and Research Officers, under the guidance of the
Association’s Research, Policy and Advocac
y Reference Group, worked on a broad
range of activities including:

•

Outdoor dining guidelines


The Association prepared a document on best practice guidelines for alfresco
dining facilities.


•

Safe station design


The Association has developed guidelin
es on railway station design that
specifically address the access and safety needs of passengers who have a vision
impairment.


•

Disability Discrimination Act


The Commonwealth Government initiated an inquiry, conducted by the
Productivity Commission, in
to whether the objectives of the DDA are being
addressed. The Association made a submission to this inquiry.


•

Review of the Dog Act


In response to a call for comment on the Dog Act, the Association made comment
on those aspects of the Act that specifica
lly relate to Guide Dogs.

Services for children

The Association continues to maintain a strong emphasis on the development of our
early intervention program for children who are born blind or with significant vision
impairment.


Visual information is on
e of the most important ways in which children analyse and
interact with their environment. This is particularly the case in the critical early
childhood years. Children born blind or with significant vision impairment miss this
vital information and man
y aspects of their development may be at risk.


Early intervention brings together resources and services, not only to help children
grow and learn, but also to provide support to the family to enhance its child’s
development. Our Children’s Services te
am provides family
-
centred, home
-
based
and centre
-
based services developed and implemented with parents.


Our team of professional staff includes an orthoptist, an occupational therapist, a
physiotherapist, a speech pathologist, an orientation and mobilit
y instructor, a
developmental psychologist, a therapy assistant and a social worker.


Early intervention programs

The Association’s Children’s Services team provides regular group programs for
children and their parents at the Association’s Victoria Park
premises. Group
programs during the year included:


•

Playgroup

–

providing an opportunity for children aged 0 to 4 years to socialise
and play, and for their parents to meet.


•

Tiny Tots

–

aiming to stimulate language development in very young children

aged
approximately 6 to 24 months. The program incorporates rhythm and music as
important strategies for promoting language development.


•

Powerplay

–

providing opportunities for children aged approximately 2 to 4 years
to develop gross motor, fine moto
r, self
-
care and cooperative play skills through
structured activities.


•

BrightSparks

–

This new group was established in 2003. Meeting weekly, the aim
of the group is to facilitate development for children aged from 6 months to 4
years. Using a varie
ty of themes children are provided with opportunities to
develop gross motor, fine motor, and social skills, which will assist them
developmentally, and also in preparation for attending kindergarten and pre
-
school.

Parent seminar program

In February 2003
, the Association launched its new Parent Education program for
parents of children with a vision impairment.


This initiative builds on the success of previous parent seminars held by the
Association during 2002 and acknowledges the importance of providin
g parents with
the most up
-
to
-
date information to support the development of their children.


Through this program, the Association aims to provide parents with the opportunity to
attend between 6
-
8 seminars each year. Seminars have included:


•

Technolog
ically Minded
–

Computing Solutions for Your Child


This seminar provided parents with an overview of specialist hardware, software
and simple adaptations to facilitate access to computing for children with vision
impairment.

•

Technically … Educated! Ex
ploring Educational Software for Your Child



During this session parents were introduced to educational software that can be
used with adaptive technologies.


In addition, during February 2003, parents were asked to participate in a survey to
identify th
eir subject preferences for future seminars. A range of interesting topic
suggestions was received which will provide a sound basis for future planning for this
program.


New Early Intervention Centre

In
November

2002, the Association’s Early Interventi
on Centre was officially opened
by the Hon Premier Geoff Gallop. The new b
uilding provides an exciting

environment for the provision of individual and group services for children, pa
rents
and their families. The C
entre looks and feels very much like a ki
ndergarten and has
adequate spaces to ensure versatile and flexible usage.


The C
entre has been designed around meeting the needs of children, parents and
their families, and will enable our staff to make the best use of their specialised
knowledge and ski
lls.

A range of group programs for children and families is currently being offered through
the Centre including Bright Sparks, Playgroup and Parent Education Seminars.


In addition, the C
entre provides excellent facilities for the provision of individua
l
assessment and therapy programs for children, including orthoptic assessment,
occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech pathology.


During 2002/03, significant work has also been undertaken on the development of a
new formal education and therapy
program for pre
-
schoolers. All educational and
therapy programs currently operating and scheduled for delivery in the Association’s
Early Intervention
Centre are designed to maximise educational outcomes,
independence and participation for children who ar
e blind or have a severe vision
impairment.


Collaborative working relationship with Vision Impairment Service

On 30 May 2003, staff from the Association for the Blind and the Vision Impairment
Service (Department of Education and Training) came together

to participate in a one
day Joint Planning Meeting.


The aim of the session was to foster collaboration between the two key agencies
involved in the provision of specialised education, training and support services for
children with vision impairment in

WA.


The focus of the day involved an examination of protocols for working together
followed by a presentation and discussion around individual planning processes for
children.


The Joint Planning Meeting was highly successful and has provided a signifi
cant
impetus for further strengthening of the relationship between the Association for the
Blind and the Vision Impairment Service.


Importantly, the motivation to achieve a high level of collaboration between the
agencies is driven by a need to achieve
the best possible outcomes for children with
vision impairment, and their families.



Recreation and leisure

Recreation and leisure programs play a critical role in building confidence and self
esteem. Despite good health, many people who lose their sig
ht stop participating in
previously valued activities.


Through our Recreation Program, we offer a wide range of recreation and sporting
opportunities for people of all ages. Activities include golf, lawn bowls, fishing,
swimming and tenpin bowling.


S
outhern Cross Games

The
Southern Cross Games

(formerly called the Pacific Games) is a national sports
event held in various capital cities bi
-
annually for school age children with a vision
impairment. Competitive sporting activities include swimming, athl
etics and goalball.


Led by the Vision Impairment Service (Department of Education and Training),
teachers, parents and two Association staff provided support for the team of 12
young school
-
age children who participated in the Games held in Melbourne in

December 2002. Parents from the support group, Vizhelp played a key role in
fundraising, making it possible for the children to participate. The event was highly
successful with all 12 children from WA winning medals.


On the Team

In December 2002, The

Gordon Reid Foundation
–

Recreation for People with
Disabilities (Lotterywest) confirmed a new funding allocation for the Association to
provide expanded recreation programs for children and adults aged from 6 years to
55 years.


Aimed at increasing part
icipation rates in sport and recreation, the focus of the
On
the Team

project is on delivering outcomes including:

•

assessment of children and adults to identify their preferences for participation in
community based sport and recreation activities;

•

spe
cialised training and support for children and adults to facilitate skill
development and participation;

•

Vision Loss Awareness

training and support for volunteers and providers of
community based sport and recreation services;

•

production of a resource

booklet outlining strategies to facilitate participation and
inclusion of people with vision impairment in community based programs.


The new project commenced in March 2003 with following the initiatives:

•

Fitness Appraisal Program


The Fitness Apprais
al Program involves the assessment of consumer’s
cardiovascular fitness, body fat level, percentage and distribution, body sculpting
measurements, back flexibility and body weight in order to give them an accurate
and scientific indication of their overall

fitness level. In many cases, this makes
the consumer aware of the need for sport and recreation as part of a h
ealthy
lifestyle, and encourages

involvement in the Association’s other recreation
programs.


•

‘Beefit’ Health and Fitness Program


The ‘Beefit
’ Program is an eight week educational and practical health and
fitness course, catering specifically for participants who are blind or vision
impaired. Located at the
Beefit Thoroughbred Fitness Centre

in Osborne Park,
staff from the Association for the B
lind of WA and
Beefit

combined to provide this
innovative program. All aspects of fitness were covered including strength
training, stretching techniques and healthy eating plans.



Following the completion of the initial eight week program, participants
are
provided with the opportunity to continue with their workout program, with
informal support from the Beefit Centre.


The Fun Club

In July 2002 and January 2003, the Association’s Children’s Services and Recreation
staff combined to provide holiday a
ctivities for children, aged 6 to 17. Referred to as
the Fun Club, so named by the participants, the program provides children with two
opportunities each year to participate in school holiday activities.


Activities are provided for children in three a
ge groups, 6
-
9 years, 10
-
12 years and
13
-
17 years, with each group participating in one full day of activities in July and
January each year. Activities provided this year included:

•

Sound House and Scitech Discovery Centre

•

RockFace Indoor Rock Climbi
ng Centre

•

Barking Gecko Theatre Company

•

Kidz Paradise

•

Aviation Museum
-

Royal Australian Air Force


The essential crite
ria for every activity chosen are

that it must be “fun” for everyone
involved.
Participants provide feedback following every pr
ogram and have the
opportunity to put forward their ideas for subsequent activities.


Junior Golfers prepare for the Australian Open

During September 2002, eight competitors from the Association’s Junior Golf
Academy competed in a Golf Classic event held

at the Collier Park Golf Course in
Perth.


The Classic was held as a pre
-
curser to the Australian Open Golf Tournament for
people who are blind or vision impaired, which was also held in Perth in October
2002.

It was the first time that the Australian

Open included a junior category, which
provided for all eight Junior Academy golfers to play a 9 hole round. The winner and
runner up of this junior event were subsequently selected to play as guests in the
Ron Anderson Stableford Plate held on the last
day of the Australian Open Golf
Tournament.

Path to independence


Each year, our professional team of social workers, occupational therapists and
orientation and mobility instructors offer support and training to assist people to build
confidence and

to lead fulfilling and independent lives.


Social workers

offer counselling, support, information and advice to assist people to
come to terms with the emotional impact of vision loss. Social workers develop a
strong knowledge of community resources and

can provide linkages to useful
community and locally based services.


Occupational therapists

offer support and training in daily living skills
-

ranging from
household management to personal care. They also provide advice and special
equipment to help
people who are blind or vision impaired to live independently.


Orientation and Mobility Instructors
offer

training for people to travel safely and
independently through their environment. This can involve special techniques or the
use of special aids in
cluding the white cane or sonic equipment.


Our
Recreation Officers

offer advice, training and support so that people can
participate in recreation, leisure and sporting activities of their choice. The range of
activities available is extensive.


Teleli
nk

is a form of tele
-
conferencing that enables up to nine people to talk over the
telephone at one time. This program provides an opportunity for consumers to get
together to discuss issues of mutual interest and to provide support to one another.
It is
particularly designed for people who have difficulty getting out of the house or
feel isolated. The Association currently has three Telelink groups.


We place a high priority on working with community
-
based service providers to
ensure that their serv
ices are accessible, so that people with vision impairment can
participate fully within the community.


Expanded centre
-
based day activities

In December 2002, the Health Department of WA confirmed that the Association’s
application for growth funding of $
93,740 per annum had been approved. This new
funding is recurrent and increases the Association’s capacity to provide centre
-
based
day care programs in a group context, for example discussion groups, leisure
activities, craft, games clubs and computing fo
r seniors.


This new funding allocation included approximately $36,000 per annum to provide
taxi transport for consumers in circumstances where transport would otherwise
present a barrier to participation.


The growth funds have been provided as part of

the Health Department’s Home and
Community Care program (HACC) which requires that new centre based day care
services are provided for consumers who meet criteria including:

•

people whose capacity to live independently within the community has been
threa
tened by the onset of a severe vision impairment

•

people living in their own homes in the community

•

people who identify a preference to receiving support within the context of a
group model.


Three new part
-
time staff appointments (total of 1.5 fte) we
re finalised in March 2003
to support the new expanded programs.


By the end of June 2003, a total of seven new half day programs had been added
involving over 50 new consumers. New programs offered included:

•

walking group

•

three computing for senio
rs groups

•

games group

•

discussion group

•

conversational Italian

•

a range of outings including a trip to Yanchep, lunch at the Burswood Resort
Casino, and a river cruise to Fremantle.


The addition of these new programs has increased the availabilit
y of the
Association’s Day Activity Centre program from three to five days per week.

Confident living

In July 2002, the Association commenced planning for the Confident Living Groups
program, which involves the delivery of independent living skills serv
ices utilising a
group model.


At present, the Association provides the majority of all rehabilitation oriented services
using a one
-
to
-
one, domiciliary based model.


Whilst the effectiveness of individual programs has been clearly established, recen
t
research also points towards group programs as an equally valid and effective
approach to rehabilitation. Specifically, it is suggested that peer support groups for
seniors with age
-
related vision loss provide a supportive environment which can
facilita
te the achievement of rehabilitation outcomes.


The Confident Living Groups Program is being developed and evaluated by Ms
Sonya Girdler, a Senior Occupational Therapist as the subject for her PhD research
project.


Association staff based at the Victori
a Park and Kingsley offices will also play a
pivotal role in the development and implementation of the program.

The Confident Living Groups Program will draw upon the knowledge and skills of
several disciplines, primarily occupational therapy, orientation
and mobility, social
work and information management. Key aspects of the program include:

•

up to eight adults in each group, primarily seniors 55 years or over;

•

each group to meet for eight scheduled sessions over eight weeks to participate
in a skills

training program focused on building general confidence and
independence; and
,

•

each group is facilitated by a Confident Living Groups Program Coordinator.


The first and second of the Confident Living Groups commenced in February and
April 2003 respecti
vely. These two groups comprise the initial trial for the program,
and will provide the basis for the establishment of eight more groups.


The work of Sonya Girdler in evaluating the effectiveness of Confident Living Groups
is groundbreaking and will pro
vide a sound empirical base from which the
Association can further enhance its services to adult consumers.



Low vision services

Most of the Association’s consumers still have some degree of remaining vision.
Through our Low Vision Centre services, we a
im to assist people to make the most of
their remaining vision.


The Low Vision Centre specialises in the assessment of vision and the prescription of
optical aids including magnifiers and telescopes. Key aspects of the service include:

•

advice about t
he impact and treatment of a range of eye conditions and
diseases;

•

access to the most effective optical aids and advice on their use;

•

advice on adapting and improving lighting to make better use of existing sight;
and

•

information about other services

for people who are blind or vision impaired.


The process of obtaining an optical aid to maximise remaining vision is similar to that
involved in obtaining a pair of prescription glasses.


Each year, approximately 800 people receive a low vision service
, and this is often
the first point of contact for the majority of the Association’s consumers.


Our main Low Vision Centre is located at the Association’s office in Victoria Park and
a secondary centre operates from our north metropolitan office located a
t Kingsley.


Provision of low vision services in country areas is also a priority for the Association
for the Blind of WA. Specifically, the Association works in partnership with ten
optometrists located in regional Western Australia:

•

Steer & Alley Opto
metrists, Albany

•

Mr B
-

the optometrist, Busselton

•

Nigel Chesterfield
-
Evans, Busselton



•

Ian Robertson Optometrist, Bunbury

•

OPSM
-

Bunbury

•

Laubman & Pank, Esperance

•

Laubman & Pank, Kalgoorlie

•

Vision Plus, Mandurah.

•

Midwest Optical, Geraldto
n

•

Stephen Bowes,

Narrogin and


Katanning
.


During the 2002/2003 period, the Association’s Coordinator of Low Vision Services
commenced a visitation program to country
-
based optometrists to provide support
and to facilitate the effective delivery of low
vision services.

Guide Dog services

The Association’s Guide Dog Services program reached a milestone this year with
the graduation of five new Guide Dogs during the 12 month period to June 2003.


The graduation of “Molly” in October 2001, as the first
locally trained Guide Dog from
Western Australia in 38 years, represented the first major milestone.


Since then, the program has continued to grow with an additional five Guide Dogs
graduating in November 2002 (two graduands) and April 2003 (three graduan
ds).


Each of these new Guide Dogs has been placed with a consumer. It should be
highlighted that when the new Guide Dog training program was implemented in 1999,
the goal set was to produce four to five Guide Dogs per annum by 2003. The
achievement of

this milestone is a credit to the Association’s Guide Dog Services
Team and volunteer Puppy Raisers who play a critical role in the success of the
program.


Puppy raisers commit to providing an 8 week old puppy with a home for 12
-
15
months, undertak
ing a rigorous socialisation and obedience training program. The
Association values the dedication and commitment of these volunteers who are
focussed on ensuring that each puppy has the best possible start in life.


Despite using only the best breeding

lines, not all dogs will meet the high standard
necessary to progress to Guide Dog training.

Regional services

With 25% of our consumers living outside the Perth metropolitan area, the
Association has a strong commitment to ensuring, as far as possible,

that people
living in rural WA can effectively access our services.


We have significant numbers of consumers who receive services through our well
-
established offices in Geraldton, Mandurah, Albany and Bunbury.


In addition to these well established c
ountry office locations, the Association provides
regional services via a regular schedule of field trips to designated areas. Planning
for these visits is managed via the Association’s Country Officers Group, which
meets quarterly to review and plan field

visits.


During 2002/03, the Association’s Independent Living Services team visited Albany,
Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Esperance, and the Kimberley region.


On average, the duration for each of these field trips was 3
-
4 days, with up to three
staff being in
volved in service provision during each visit.


Kimberley project

In response to the high incidence of blindness within remote Aboriginal communities,
the Association launched the Kimberley Project in 1994.


Through this program, the Association prov
ides specialised services to indigenous
people living in major towns and remote communities in the Kimberley. The work of
the Association in the Kimberley is based on a model which involves the provision of
training to local Aboriginal Health Workers empl
oyed by the Kimberley Health
Service.


During May 2003, two Association staff spent one week providing services in the
Kimberley region, travelling some 1500 km in total from Kununurra to Broome.


The focus of this visit encompassed skills training for

Aboriginal Health Workers,
employed by the Kimberley Health Service and direct service provision to consumers.
Several sites were visited including Kununurra, Wyndham, Halls Creek, Fitzroy
Crossing and Broome.

A fundament right

For more than 1
,
500 W
est Australians, the Association for the Blind’s Braille and
Talking Book Library is their primary source of information, research material and
entertainment.


Printed information pervades our everyday life and contributes significantly to our
effective
participation throughout life. The opportunity to have equal access to the
printed word is a fundamental right for each person.


The Braille and Talking Book Library continues to provide access to its
state
-
wide

lending service of Braille and talking book
s. People with a vision impairment living
anywhere within WA may borrow books from the Library’s collection and receive
them via the post, directly into their homes.



The audio and Braille units remain active in their ongoing production of material to
mee
t the needs of the Association’s consumers. Two of our volunteers, kept busy by
the output of their fellow transcribers, proofread over 90 volumes of Braille.


In August, more than 50 of the library’s audio production volunteers were invited to a
developm
ent workshop. It was conducted by one of their number, who drew on her
experience as a television news reporter. This well
-
attended event included
informative, anecdotal and instructive elements and prompted considerable
interaction and involvement between

all parties present.


In the course of this year, the Library continued its practice of delivering a rolling
training programme for its newly recruited volunteers. These included narrators and
monitors, who undertake the library’s audio book recordings,
and three new Braille
transcribers, each of whom have made very good progress and have been assigned
their first novels for transcription.


Once again, our library was fortunate to receive support from local authors; two of
whom donated copies of their bo
oks for use in our lending collection.


Over the past year our library borrowers have exhibited broad reading tastes. The
subjects of new material added to our lending collection include: sociology,
biography, anthropology, finance/wealth building, child
-
r
earing, health and diet.
Romance fiction remains as popular as ever, while requests for westerns are on the
increase. Perennially sought
-
after authors include Catherine Cookson, Jon Cleary,
Agatha Christie and Dick Francis. Other new fiction books reflect
global diversity
being either set or written in Africa, Somalia, Australia, England, Japan, America and
China, to name a few.




Amongst those of our consumers making Braille production requests, there appeared
a trend for material to support healthy lifes
tyles. For example, tactile diagrams were
created for a reflexology course and transcriptions included a special cookbook
series and a Doctor’s Book of Food Remedies, which converted to 14 Braille volumes
and took over 20 weeks to produce.


In response to
an invitation in the Association’s consumer newsletter, library staff
conducted a talk about the library services and tour of the library building to a group
of interested consumers. A similar session was hosted for separate groups who
visited from Mandura
h and East Fremantle.


Lastly, we would not be able to perform our many functions without the impressive
contribution of our large family of wonderful volunteers. Last year, the library’s
volunteers provided a total of 7,364 working hours, which is the equ
ivalent of 3.75
full
-
time staff.


Technology
–

transforming lives

Technology can now enable people who are blind or vision impaired to read, write
and access printed and electronic information that would otherwise be completely
inaccessible. It is also t
he key for many people to be able to access education and
employment opportunities that were never possible in the past.


The Association, through its Technology, Training and Employment Service, offers
short and long term training in the use of these tec
hnologies to enhance people’s
daily lives and independence.


The service also provides state
-
wide adaptive equipment sales and support, and
employment and education advocacy and liaison services.


“TruVision” and “Hamilton Air” take off

The Association ha
s created two world
-
first online training courses that allow people
who are blind or vision impaired to complete a Certificate I in Information Technology
or Certificate III in Business “online” either in a traditional classroom or via the
Internet.


Stud
ents undertaking these extremely popular online training courses perform tasks
and practical exercises as part of their role as employees of the simulated
companies. The courses mirror real world scenarios in an interactive environment
through the use of b
oth synthesised and recorded speech.


Both of these ground
-
breaking courses have received international attention and are
enabling students who are blind or vision impaired to access training from anywhere
in the State.


Audio Wayfinding System trial

A p
edestrian walk phase that shows us when it is safe to cross the road is something
we all take for granted. However, for a person who is blind, crossing the road is a
daily challenge. An ITS Australia demonstration joint project between the Association
for

the Blind of WA and Main Roads WA is trialling a digital audio system which
provides pedestrians who are blind, via traffic lights
-
mounted transmitters and a
discreet earpiece receiver, with real time information about the state of the walk/don’t
walk pha
se.

The system, to be trialled at a busy intersection in South Perth, provides blind
pedestrians with the street names for the intersection they are approaching, the
direction they are travelling, and constantly updates information about the state of the
pedestrian walk phase.


Unlike conventional traffic light “audible signals”, the system provides the pedestrian
with appropriately different information during the flashing and solid red walk phases,
as well as the green.
The infrared wayfinding technolo
gy, which uses digitally
recorded messages and is trialled for the first time in this context anywhere in the
world, pro
vides pedestrians who are blind

with a level of information and reassurance
in road crossing not previously available.


Call Centre tec
hnology making industry accessible

The Association was successful in securing funds from the WA Department of
Education and Training to research and develop a telephone headset. The new
infrared headset is designed to allow call centre workers who are bli
nd or vision
impaired to receive voice feedback from their computers, whilst listening and talking
to their customer at the same time
–

and all without any wires or cables.


The Association is developing the digital wireless headset in partnership with Cur
tin
University School of Computer Science and Engineering, the RAC and Elearn.WA,
and a working prototype has now been completed. The Association will now be
looking to commercialise the product in 2004.


New client information management system

The Associ
ation implemented new case management software during the year. The
“Jadecare” case management system has enabled the Association to ensure that its
service provision information will remain up to date, secure and comprehensive into
the future. The Jadecar
e system is also now fully accessible to the Association’s
blind and vision impaired staff.


Adaptive technology sales

The Association is the Western Australian distributor for all Australian and overseas
adaptive technology companies and their equipment.



Our Adaptive Technology staff work with consumers and employers to advise on
appropriate technology and install and maintain this vital equipment in the home or
workplace. The technology continues to evolve rapidly, with new portable video
magnifiers, s
peech input computer software, and improved text recognition programs
now making information even more accessible to our clients.


Employment and education advocacy and support

For many people who are blind or vision impaired, obtaining employment is a hig
h
priority. The Association’s Advocacy Officer worked with many consumers during the
year to advise them of the variety of Government
-
funded employment assistance
services that were available to them.


The Advocacy Officer also liaised on behalf of tertiar
y students with education
providers to ensure that student’s needs were being met by the institution they were
attending.


In addition, the Association had a strong role in providing training and support to
education and employment providers to ensure tha
t their services were tailored to the
needs of people who are blind or vision impaired.


The Advocacy Officer also played a vital part in developing Association public policy
in a number of areas including Guide Dog access to taxis, print and Internet
acc
essibility, and in the development of many Government and organisational
disability service plans.

Prevention through education

One of the greatest challenges facing the Association is the prevention of blindness.
Many conditions that lead to blindness ca
n be prevented through education about the
causes of vision impairment and early detection of eye disease through regular eye
checks.


Educating the community about the causes of vision impairment, and the daily
challenges faced by people who are blind or

vision impaired, continues to be a
priority for the Association.


During the 2002/03 year, the Association continued to provide community education
and training programs for students and staff associated with the delivery of disability
services. They fo
cus on providing an overview of blindness and vision impairment,
the support services available and strategies for maximising independence and
wellbeing.


Workshops delivered by the Association’s staff during the year included:

•

20 General Practitioners

(participating in an up
-
skilling program in
Ophthalmology);

•

110 fourth
-
year medical students from UWA;

•

100 graduate pharmacists participating in a professional development program
arranged by the WA Pharmaceutical Council;

•

120 students from Metr
opolitan TAFE campuses; and

•

a range of staff involved in the provision of services in hostels and adult day care
centres.


Public Speaker’s Bureau

During the past year, members of the Association’s Public Speaking Bureau visited
more than 120 schools an
d community groups, raising awareness about issues
relating to blindness.


Eye Health Week

“Eye Health Week” was held in conjunction with the Lions Eye Institute from 12 to 16
August 2002. A highlight of the week was a two day display and Glaucoma and
eye
testing program in Forrest Place.


In addition, promotional material was distributed, by the Association, to all
pharmacies, doctors, and optometrists throughout WA. The theme of the Week was
“Don’t Lose Sight of Your Vision”.


Community support vit
al


Volunteers
-

making a big difference!

More than 200 volunteers make a significant contribution to the work of the
Association. While their work at the Association each year is valued at more than
$200,000, it is impossible to put a value on the impac
t they have on the lives of
people who are blind or vision impaired.


Association volunteers take on a wide range of roles including:

•

golf caddies

•

narrators of talking books

•

tandem cyclists

•

gym assistants

•

fundraisers

•

children’s program helpe
rs

•

puppy raisers.


Regular full
-
day induction and training programs are held throughout the year to
assist volunteers to carry out their roles.


Dedicated auxiliaries

Many dedicated men and women serve the Association through Auxiliaries. There
are grou
ps in Albany, Stirling and Bunbury, and the Guide Dog Women’s Auxiliary,
which raises funds through the annual Guide Dog Art Show.


Community support
grows

Community support for the work of the Association continues to grow as we
experience increased donat
ions from all sectors.


There are many thousands of individuals, consumers and their families, companies
and community organisations who support our work each year. While we cannot
mention everyone by name, on behalf of our consumers we express our deep

gratitude to each person.


The Guide Dog Donor program continues to grow through the generosity of people
who donate $10,000 or $20,000 to sponsor a Guide Dog. During the year those who
sponsored Guide Dogs were:

•

Wickham Old Bastards Social Club

•

Lorn
a and Fred Craggs

•

Ethnee Holmes à Court

•

Valerie Bee

•

Staff of Garden City Shopping Centre

•

Geoff Bebb, Michelle Sorrell and families

•

Residents of Prairie Dunes Close, Connolly.


Corporate p
artners

We have enjoyed great support from our corporate pa
rtners. Our sincere thanks to:

•

Coles which generously sold thousands of Guide Dog puppy toys through their
stores, raising more than $50,000;


•

Masterfoods Petcare ANZ
-

for its PEDIGREE sponsorship which has provided
financial support and products to
Guide Dog associations throughout Australia
for the past 35 years;


•

PEACH Trust Fund (Personnel Employed by Alcoa Charity Help) for donating
$10,703 enabling the Association to provide White Canes free to consumers;


•

Perpetual Trustees Australia Limite
d, through the Bill and Jean Henson Trust,
which donated $30,000 towards the Association’s Kimberley project and the
Captain Harry
Howden Bequest


which donated
$20,000 to the Holiday
Recreation Program for Children;


•

Skywest for donating airfares to the

value $12,000 which enabled the
Association to expand its services in rural areas of the State; and


•

Alcon Laboratories (Australia) Pty Ltd for providing financial support of $10,000
for the Association’s Kimberley Project.


Community support for the
Association was very much in evidence when more than
5000 people attended “Mix 94.5 Dogs’ Big Day Out” in early March 2003. We are
grateful to our major media sponsors:

•

Mix 94.5

•

Community Newspapers

•

Channel 9 and Postcards WA

and to our major priz
e sponsor

•

John Hughes Skipper Hyundai Victoria Park


Our supporters

Thanks to our many other supporters including:

•

AAPT

•

Australia Post

•

Beau
-
Pets

•

Burswood International Resort Casino

•

Burswood Park Board

•

Challenge Bank

•

Curtin University

•

Delta Sierra Consulting

•

Department of Education and Training

•

Department of Health

•

Department of Health and Aged Care

•

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

•

Disability Services Commission

•

ELearn

•

Garden City Shopping Centre

•

Gordon Reid Foundation

•

Lotterywest

•

Perpetual Trustees

•

Price Sierakowski

•

Public Trustee

•

Qest Consulting Group

•

RAC

•

State Library of WA

•

Town of Victoria Park

•

Variety Club of WA

•

WA Department of Education and Training

•

Worldwine Online, Cannington


Arnold Cook Soc
iety

People who have pledged a gift in their will to the Association are invited to join the
Arnold Cook Society. The Society was named in honour of Dr Arnold Cook who
brought Australia’s first Guide Dog to Perth in 1950, and who helped to establish
Guid
e Dog training in Australia. Members are presented with a lapel pin, designed
by Greg James, sculptor of the statue of Arnold Cook, and are invited to regular
Society functions.


Shopping from home

The Guide Dog’s Home Shopping Service experienced a per
iod of strong growth
over the past 12 months.


As the Association’s primary commercial activity, the Home Shopping Service is
working in an increasingly competitive retail environment. However, through the
provision of quality products at competitive price
s and a dedicated team of sales staff
the area has established itself as a key source of funding.


The distinctive and diverse range of products available for sale includes the ever
-
popular “Guide Dog” tea towels, calendars and Christmas cards plus newer i
tems
such as the Guide Dogs Wine Collection and number plates.


By providing such a range of items for sale, the Home Shopping Service has been
able to both acquire new customers, and offer new alternatives to the thousands of
existing customers throughou
t the State who have been supporting the Association
for many years.


Products, and their delivery, will continue to be reviewed on an ongoing basis to
ensure their relevance to customers and maintain the high quality standards that
have been established t
hrough over 30 years of sales and service.

Honorary Treasurer’s report


I am delighted to present the Honorary Treasurer’s report for 2002
-
2003.


The Association has recorded a retained surplus of $20,614 (2002
-

$23,116) for the
year. This is the sixth c
onsecutive year where we have been able to deliver a surplus
despite increasing constraints on our financial resources and resources generally.


INCOME
-

$4,169,321 (2002
-

$3,825,564)


Governments

The Association has continued to be helped by governments.

Income of $1,701,481
(2002
-

$1,542,824) played a significant role in enabling the Association to provide its
services.


The support from governments is gratefully acknowledged with the Commonwealth
Government providing subsidies of $889,230 (2002
-

$864,
957) for independent
living services and $62,129 (2002
-

$62,729) for the print disability services program
within the Library.


The State Government provided subsidies totalling $750,122 (2002
-
$609,998) to
assist in a range of programs including children
’s services, social work, support
services, the talking book library and training.


The Health Department of WA through its Home and Community Care program
(HACC) provided $983,740 for the delivery of expanded Centre Based Day Care
activities. This program

commenced in February 2003 and has attracted strong
support from our consumers.


The Association is pleased to acknowledge the continued generous support of
Lotterywest. Lotterywest, through the Gordon Reid Foundation (Recreation for
People with Disabilit
ies), provided $81,975 over three years to provide new sport and
recreation programs for children and adults aged 6
-

55 years. This program, “On the
Team”, commenced in March 2003 and is aimed at increasing participation rates for
consumers in sport and
recreation activities.


The fundraising department has again performed well and raised $1,426,837 (2002
-

$1,395,589). There has been significant growth in the Guide Dog Donor Program
where income rose from $94,984 to $178,124. This is a developing progra
m where
donors help fund the training of Guide Dogs. I am delighted to see such a high level
of community support for this important program.


Income from Special Bequests and Distributions from Trusts of $435,037 (2002
-

$479,367), whilst down on the pre
vious year, provided 32% of fundraising income.
The Association could not provide the range of series it does, without the generosity
of its benefactors.


The Association’s Auxiliaries continue to support our work and raised $36,186 during
the year. The B
oard is indebted to groups such as the Albany and Bunbury
auxiliaries and the Guide Dogs Women’s Auxiliary for their wonderful support over
the years.


As I mentioned last year the Telephone Sales Department has undertaken a review
of its core business tha
t has enabled management to report a 40% growth in the net
surplus from $94,817 to $133,908.


Lotterywest

Lotterywest also provided grants of $202,285 for the purchase of equipment for the
benefit of consumers and we thank them for this ongoing generosity
and support.


As mentioned in last year’s report, Lotterywest also provided grants for the Early
Intervention Centre and for the computer upgrade. These projects were completed
during the year and at 30 June 2003 $155,998 and $251,500 has been brought to

account respectively for these two grants.


The Royal Guide Dog Association

The Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia refunded $229,808 to the Association
being a return of contributions and associate fees made over prior years. This is an
extraordina
ry item that was brought about following the transfer of the lease of the
property in Kew Victoria from Royal Guide Dogs to the Guide Dogs Association of
Victoria.


EXPENDITURE
-

$4,147863 (2002

-

$3
,
773
,
236)

The Association’s expenditure is directed at p
roviding services to our consumers.
The nature of the work requires the Association to employ skilled professional staff.
Accordingly staff entitlements forms the greater part of the Association expenditure.
The cost for staff entitlements rose from $2,553
,976 to $2,871,035. The increase was
due to the employment of new staff following the receipt of new subsidies and new
grants. The areas of increase including Children’s Services, Guide Dog instruction,
Centre Based Day Therapy Centre, and Technology and
Training. The increase in
the Super Guarantee Charge from 8% last year to 9% this year also had the effect of
increasing expenditure.


The depreciation charge of $247,145 (2002
-

$195,251) has increased following the
commissioning of the IT upgrade. That u
pgrade has also had the effect of increasing
computer costs where licence fees and technical support costs rose from $49,262 to
$75,887.


The public relations expenditure of $68,717 (2002
-

$24,527) has increased due to
the need to keep consumers and membe
rs better informed of the Association’s
progress.


The increase in maintenance and repairs of $52,507 (2002
-

$27,297) has been
general across the range of assets without there being any single big cost. The
Association’s aging buildings and air conditioni
ng plant require constant attention and
servicing.


Capital expenditure

Purchases for the year amounted to $678,122 and included $303,247 for the
upgrade of the IT system and $67,125 for the Digital Way Finder which will be
installed next year.


Financial
m
anagement

Dr Margaret Crowley, and the management team, continue to monitor income and
expenditure so as to ensure that they remain within budget. The Finance and Audit
Committee also review the financial statements in detail and report to the Board on a
regular basis to ensure that the Board is well informed as to the Association’s
financial status. Budget and forecasts are reviewed on a quarterly basis and the
annual projections are revised in the light of the most recent information available so
that th
e Association contains spending within the funds available.


There was a change to the Association’s accounting policies in regard to the
depreciation charged on purchases of assets that were either fully funded or partly
funded by a grant or subsidy. Pre
viously these assets were depreciated over their
estimated useful life. The Board has now resolved that an amount equal to the value
of the subsidy shall be treated as depreciation in the year of purchase of the asset.
This has the effect of depreciating a
ssets over a much shorter period than is normal.


Capital expenditure

The construction of the Early Intervention Centre for Children was completed in
November and officially opened by the Premier, Dr Geoff Gallop, on 29 November
2002.


The project was fund
ed by a grant from Lotterywest of $155,998 and a grant of
$74,000 from the Commonwealth Government.


Further progress was made on the upgrade of the new IT system with the installation
of new software the Jadecare Community system used by the Independent L
iving
Services. A grant of $251,500 was received from Lotterywest towards the cost of the
IT upgrade.


Future

The Board has continued planning for the delivery of services in the future years and
has approved the Association’s Master Plan for the provisio
n of appropriate facilities
to provide those services. To facilitate the financing of the Master Plan the
Association commenced a Major Gifts Appeal and is actively working on this vital
program. Income in respect of this appeal has been reflected in the F
inancial
Statements as deferred income.


The initial development costs associated with the major development of the
Association site have been capitalised and reflected in the Financial Statements as
an asset and will be written off in next financial year.


Appreciation

The Association’s bankers, Challenge bank and its staff, our legal advisers, Price
Sierakowski and Corrs Chambers Westgarth, our auditors Horwath Perth and our
insurance brokers Aon Risk Management Services have continued to support the
Ass
ociation. On behalf of the Association, I thank them for their valuable contribution.


I would also like to thank the Association’s financial team for its support and
assistance throughout the year both to the Finance and Audit Committee, myself and
the Bo
ard.




J K Laurence B. Comm. CA

Honorary Treasurer


Financial report


Concise Statement of Financial Performance

for the year ended 30 June 2003






2003

2002


$

$

Income

Government subsidies

1,701,481

1,542,824

Fundraising

1,426,837

1,395,589

Other op
erating income

1,041,003

887,151

Lotterywest and other grants

683,783

204,892


Total Income

4,853,104

4,030,456


Total Expenditure

4,832,490

4,000,734


Operating/capital surplus

20,614

23,116




NOTE: This financial report is the concise version.

The comp
lete audited financial report is available at the Association.






We gratefully received the following funds from people who left a bequest in their will:

Helen Mackay

2,208

William Edward McGhie

500

Florence Winifred Gant

1,241

Colin

Torney McKerrow

1
94,178

Daisy Alice O’Neill

10,000

Frank Cyril Salter

3,305

Beryl Marion Ochiltree

10,000

Dorothy Ruth Tregaskis

8,500

Rose Pilpel

3,000

Doris Reta Tevena

9,000

Robert Blair Laird

3,125

Jean Prior Sloman

1,000

Patri
ci
a Constance White

10,000

Margaret Grace
Croft Peters

1,500

Jean Phyllis Weller

5,359

Simeon Francis Viveash

2,246

Ethel Miriam Miniken

5,000

Alice Bell Crouch

35,809

Richard Louis Pigott

14,000

Georgina Doreen Grove

153,063



We gratefully received the following funds from Trusts and companies t
his year:

Margaret Harper Charitable Trust

17,237

Hansen and Keane Bequest

73,465

Nan and Lindsay Wilkinson Trust Fund

2,540

Alcon Laboratories (Australia) Pty Ltd

10,000

PEACH
–

Personnel Employed by Alcoa Charity Help

9,731

Captain Harry Howden Bequest

2
0,000

Jean Krajanich

1,554

H F Carter Charitable

Trust

1,305

J W Bowra Charitable Trust

234










Committees and Life Members


Executive Committee

Elizabeth Needham (President)

Brooke Arnold

Kim Laurence

David Manera


Finance and Audit Committee

Kim L
aurence (Chair)

Brooke Arnold

David Craig

David Manera

Elizabeth Needham


Consumer Advisory Committee

Peter Johnson (Chair)

Michelle Griffin

Lindy Gulland

Greg Madson

Carolyn Rupe

Doug Rupe

Janet Shaw

Simon Chong

Jenny Rawlings

Penny Rogers


Angus Stewart
Achievement Award Committee

Ida Lloyd (Chair)

Ann Barton

Paul Bell

Dr Margaret Crowley

Elizabeth Needham


Life Members

Cam Ansell

Dr Gordon Bougher

Leonie Courtney
-
Bennett

Dr Geoff Gallop

Clifford Gooch

Dixie Gunning OAM

Tony Hagan

Lester James

Dorothy Jud
d

Graham Laycock

Ida Lloyd

Tina Mackay

Ross McLean

Joyce Palmer

Peter Potter MBE

Ruth Reid

John Rodgers

Roma Shilling

John Stokes OAM

Geoffrey Summerhayes

John Thompson

Ray Walters

Marjorie Wood


Contacts

VICTORIA PARK

(Main Centre)

16 Sunbury Road,

V
ictoria Park 6100

(PO Box 101, Victoria Park 6979)

Tel: (08) 9311 8202

Fax: (08) 9361 8696

Email: mailbox@abwa.asn.au

Website: www.abwa.asn.au



KINGSLEY

Unit 4 Kingsley Professional Centre

56 Creaney Drive

Kingsley WA 6026

Tel: (08) 9309 9213

Fax: (08) 9309 9215

Email: kingsley@abwa.asn.au



ALBANY

Lotteries House

211
-
217 North Road

Albany WA 6330

Tel: (08) 9842 5566

Fax: (08) 9842 5850

Email: albany@abwa.asn.au



BUNBURY

Lotteries House

99
-
101 Victoria Street

Bunbury WA 6230

Tel: (
08) 9791 3200

Fax: (08) 9791 3333

Email: bunbury@abwa.asn.au


GERALDTON

Lotteries House

180 Marine Terrace

Geraldton WA 6530

Tel: (08) 9964 3662

Fax: (08) 9964 2655



MANDURAH

Lotteries House, Suite 4,

7 Anzac Place

Mandurah WA 6210

Tel: (08)
9586 1147

Fax: (08) 9586 1187

Email: mandurah@abwa.asn.au