Family Empowerment Report - January to December 2014 by Cape York Partnership

Cape York Partnership has undergone a major renewal in 2014 to form a unique group dedicated to the next phase of the Cape York Agenda and building economic opportunity and employment. Following a process of restructuring our regional organisations into a single corporate and management structure, we are now the Cape York Partnership. Our touchstone remains our partnership with individuals, families and communities as they strive for lives of value, freedom and prosperity. The Family Empowerment Report is published quarterly and serves to monitor and measure and communicate the achievements and challenges of those living and working in Cape York Welfare Reform communities.

ÂŠ2015 Not to be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of Cape York Partnership. Cape York Partnership takes all care to ensure the accuracy and quality of the information in this report. Cape York Partnerships cannot guarantee complete accuracy and all materials are provided without warranty.

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contents 4

General Managerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Foreword

Individual and family development

Hubs for opportunity

QUARTER 1

23 33

Aurukun O-Hub Q1 Coen O-Hub Q1 Hope Vale O-Hub Q1

Mossman Gorge O-Hub Q1

QUARTER 2

Aurukun O-Hub Q2

Coen O-Hub Q2

Hope Vale O-Hub Q2

Mossman Gorge O-Hub Q2

QUARTER 3

Aurukun O-Hub Q3

107

Coen O-Hub Q3

117

Hope Vale O-Hub Q3

127

Mossman Gorge O-Hub Q3

137

QUARTER 4

139

Aurukun O-Hub Q4

150

Coen O-Hub Q4

Hope Vale O-Hub Q4

161

172

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT

Mossman Gorge O-Hub Q4

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GENERAL MANAGER’S FOREWORD We make no secret about our aim to end the scourge of passive welfare dependency and its disastrous consequences for our Indigenous people of Cape York. While there is a long way to go, the Cape York Welfare Reform initiative in Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge has had a significant impact. The independent evaluation in 2013 by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Service and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) concluded that it has achieved a level of progress rarely evident in previous reform programmes in Queensland’s remote Indigenous communities. A year on from this evaluation we can report a continuation of this trend, steady but sure progress. This document provides quarterly data recorded by our O-Hub (formerly Opportunity Hub) staff who work with and alongside partners. Both staff and partners share their highlights, successes and challenges. This report imparts only a snapshot of the standout individuals and families embracing change and influencing those around them. It’s these personal insights that epitomise the impact that our support and products are having on their lives and the lives of their children. These stories also validate our belief that programmes conceived on the philosophical foundations of passive welfare impede progress and make bad problems worse. Our reform principles demand mutual obligation, and the development of capabilities through products and programmes that provide opportunity and foster responsibility.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT

The progress made by families in Mossman Gorge is testament to our tenet that our people will take up opportunities and transition out of welfare and into the real economy if solutions are driven from the ground up and designed in collaboration with those they are meant to benefit. The community of Mossman Gorge has further demonstrated the critical advantage of economic opportunity in achieving positive change. The Gateway Tourism project brought about under the Welfare Reform initiative has enabled Mossman Gorge residents to step off the welfare pedestal into a new world of financial independence. Almost all families in the Gorge are making their children’s education a priority through Student Education Trusts, becoming financially responsible through MPower, and taking care of their home and families through Pride of Place, Home Pride and Parenting programmes. The power of a job and opportunity for economic independence must not be underestimated and needs to be a priority for all Cape communities and governments over the coming years. Women are proving to be proud agents of change on Cape York. It is acknowledged globally that women play a crucial role in solving the most persistent development problems facing the world today. It’s also recognised that education is a key to ending the cycle of poverty. Combine the powerful forces of education, women and children in Cape York and we see green shoots of change.

Cape York women in Welfare reform communities are putting children first to ensure they get the education that they deserve.

In our Cape York Welfare reform communities, 738 young people have a Student Education Trust (SET) accounts, which means money is put aside for educational and school needs. That’s 58 per cent of all young people aged 0–24 years. Eighty per cent of SET donors are women. The education of children is a priority for women in our communities. I am particularly impressed by dad Peter Gibson in Hope Vale who is aware of the disparity between men and women when it comes to their children’s education and is advocating for fathers to get on board and support education as a priority. These people are a leading example not only to those living in Cape York, but to families all over Australia. In 2014 Cape York families have saved $303,998.49 towards their children’s education. Since 2006 families in these four communities have saved an astonishing $2,144,496.78 for future educational needs. In the past 12 months parents have spent $247,122.64 on educational products to ensure their children are school ready. A total of 2522 individual items were purchased with these funds—mostly uniforms, school resources such as bags and stationery, books, readers and educational toys and games. Many women are also working hard to improve their parenting skills, representing 83 per cent of all members signed up to ITAV Parenting. Our staff are taking a tougher approach and having hard conversations to encourage men to step up. This has seen males represent 17 per cent of all ITAV Parenting members in 2014. We hope to see this proportion rise as both men and women take responsibility for raising happy and healthy children. Our Opportunity Products show a steady climb in membership across the board indicating that more and more people are actively participating in the reform agenda. At the end of 2014, a total of 1804 individuals were signed up to at least one Opportunity Product. Of these, 39 per cent were signed up to two or more Opportunity Products. Since the total combined population of Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge was only 2,489 as at the 2011 Census date, we now have approximately 74 per cent of the total population participating. Across all four communities approximately 97 per cent of the adult population (>15 years of age at the 2011 Census

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MPOWER

589

1659

486

WISE

ITAV

305 BUYS 314

PARENTING

249

ITAV

HOME PRIDE

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL LITERACY AND RESPONSIBILITY

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION TO BUILD STRONGER FAMILIES

• Currently, 83 per cent of SET donors are also signed on to MPower. These members are taking responsibility for their children’s education and also seeking to improve their financial literacy and behaviour. • Currently, 97 per cent of Wise Buys members are also signed on to MPower. Members seeking to improve their financial literacy and behaviour are also learning about better purchasing options.

• Currently, only 53 per cent of Home Pride members are also members of Parenting. • Since ITAV Parenting and Home Pride complement each other well in terms of building a holistic skill set for good parenting, these figures highlight an opportunity to cross-product promotions and referrals for these two programmes.

date) are engaged with MPower, a nine per cent increase on 2013. While we believe that active membership means people are proactively engaging with their finances, it’s our aim to support partners in gaining the skills and capability needed to ensure that they are living within their means and meeting the needs of their family. Those who are signed up to MPower are also likely to be signed up to other products designed to increase financial literacy and planning behaviours, including Wise Buys and SET. Growing participation in ITAV Parenting has been a challenge due to the stigma attached to ‘parenting classes’ as if an admission of ‘failure’. To help break down this barrier we made a commitment to employ local people. Employing local people can and does present skill and experience deficits. To fulfil the roles it means they themselves must first have the capacity to manage their finances or parent well in order to impart skills and knowledge onto others as MPower or ITAV Parenting consultants. We entered 2014 with a goal to further grow local Indigenous capacity within our Parenting and O-Hubs and have invested heavily in mentoring and training local people for local jobs.

PETER GIBSON

“I signed up for SET so that my kids will have funds to pay for their education.” Speaking with an MPower coach, Peter Gibson learned of the benefits his kids would have if he set up a Student Education Trust for his children. “I realised that the SET would pay for their education. My kids are not at school yet, but I’ll be using their SET for their high school education. I want to see my kids with a good education and a better future.”

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL LITERACY AND RESPONSIBILITY

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION TO BUILD STRONGER FAMILIES

ITAV

MPOWER

1659

WISE BUYS

314

305

SET

PARENTING

589 153

486

249

ITAV

HOME PRIDE

We are steadfast in our commitment to build local capacity to enable locals to perform this valuable role in their community. This is an area that Cape York Partnership is leading the way and we advocate at all levels of government to work towards empowering local people to fill local positions. We are continuing to see the proportion of Indigenous employees across our organisations grow. For example, the O-Hubs now boast 63 per cent Indigenous staff while the Cape York Leaders Program now has 100 per cent Indigenous staff. Our partnership with Cape York Employment, the new Remote Jobs and Communities Program provider in Aurukun and Coen, has also enhanced our efforts to recruit local Indigenous staff and to cross promote opportunities such as MPower and Pride of Place to job seekers. Eighty-nine per cent of all Cape York Employment staff are now Indigenous. We look forward to seeing these proportions increase as we continue to lead the way in growing local Indigenous capacity.

Peter said since taking up SET, he felt “a weight lifted off my shoulders”. “More fathers need to sign up for SET to help their kids with their education and dreams.”

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT

SET

FIONA JOSE 5

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INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY

development Our work is devoted to enabling the people of Cape York to make choices and have opportunities that improve their lives and their childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives. While we grasp the potential of individuals, we nurture the importance of strong and harmonious families.

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A FAMILY CENTRED APPROACH OUR VISION | The people of Cape York have the capabilities to choose a life they have reason to value. Cape York Partnership pursues Indigenous empowerment. The long hand of government intervention in the lives of Indigenous people has too often smothered Indigenous initiative, leadership and responsibility. Cape York Partnership is an Indigenous organisation that has stood up to lead a comprehensive reform agenda to turn this on its head. We want to ensure that Indigenous rights and responsibility exist

in proper balance, and Indigenous people are truly enabled to be the masters of their own destinies. Our touchstone is our partnership with individuals, families and communities as they strive for lives of value, freedom and prosperity. We believe in the potential of all people. We place our children’s rights to a better future at the forefront.

OUR COGS OF CHANGE CREATING OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, GROW AND PROSPER • Innovative policy, research and on-the-ground reforms are the lifeblood elements of Cape York Partnership. • Each policy and operational area of the Cape York Partnership is like a cog in an engine—each plays an important role in the functioning of the machine that drives our reform agenda.

Language & Culture Individual & Leadership Family Development

Cape York

Welfare Reform

Education

Families Employment & Land Reform & Economic Home Ownership Opportunity

While Cape York Partnership aims to get all of the cogs moving, this Report focuses on individual and family development and progress and observations in this regard from our O-Hubs in Cape York Welfare Reform Communities of Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT

Recognition & Reconciliation

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INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT “Children and families are at the heart of everything we do” It is individuals and families, not communities, who are the key agents of change in the move from passive welfare to self-reliance and economic freedom. From our beginning, in 2000, we have argued that social policy had been wrongly focused on the misguided concept of ‘community’ and that the individual and family are too frequently subsumed under the vague notion of ‘community development’. We felt the focus of innovation needed to be on family development and empowerment rather than ‘community development. Communities are uplifted only when widespread individual and family change occurs.

‘Push’ and ‘pull’ factors are needed to get individuals and families to change from passivity, dependence and dysfunction, to responsibility, self-reliance and functioning. Push factors might include increasing the conditionality of welfare payments; pull factors must include providing opportunities and investment in capability-building. Our innovation is in ‘opportunity’—creating opportunity for selfreliance and responsibility rather than passive services that compound dependency.

INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT UNDER CAPE YORK WELFARE REFORM As part of the Welfare Reform initiative Cape York Partnership established O-Hubs in communities which opted in to the reform agenda—Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge. Our O-Hub staff focus on empowering individuals and families, so they can change their own and their children’s lives. We recognise we can’t make change happen for people; but we can support, inspire, and assist people to learn and grow so they can do it themselves. Some standard features of programmes and products include:

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT

• real incentives like the chance at home improvement • capability building through the transfer of knowledge and skills, and embedded responsibilities • strategic conversations that empower individuals and families to imagine brighter futures and inspire them to take control of their journey • working with individuals and families to move aspirations from ‘down there’ to ‘up here’ • quid pro quo commitments on individuals and families to contribute their money, labour or time, e.g. by maintaining regular financial contributions, or providing ‘sweat equity’.

The work of the Family Responsibilities Commission is also focused on restoring positive social norms and building individual and family capability. The Family Responsibilities Commission holds people to account when they breach key social norms, such as failing to get children to school, through conferencing led by local Commissioners. During conferencing, Commissioners talk with individuals and families about making changes in their lives, and refer people to the O-Hub and other support services to help them change their behaviour.

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HUBS FOR

opportunity SUPPORTING FAMILIES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY O-Hubs assist families to become competent and confident in managing their money, and caring for their family.They are a one-stop-shop for Opportunity Products designed to encourage and support individuals and families to manage and take responsibility for their finances, health and their children’s education. It has replaced the traditional welfare service centres that previously created dependency by delivering passive services to families.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT

Our O-Hub staff are seeing people take control of their lives and pursue bigger dreams and a better existence. It might be that the first step was taking control of money through MPower, or deciding to work out how to have a more satisfying relationship with children through our parenting programmes.

The focus of the O-Hubs is to support welfare dependent individuals and families to live at a level of basic functionality through: • Engaging in their children’s education

• Budgeting and income

• Positive parenting

• Engaging in family health

• Pride in the family home

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OPPORTUNITY PRODUCTS

Opportunity Products are designed to activate and encourage self-reliance and responsibility and often include quid pro quo commitments from individuals and families to contribute money, labour or time. The products are in a constant state of review and improvement as community needs evolve.

It takes a village to raise a child

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT

Pride of Place

MPOWER

HOME PRIDE

Provides support to manage money for basic material needs, build capabilities through financial literacy and behavior change, and to build assets through saving and disciplined money management. Launched: 2011 Membership: 1548

An interior decorating do-it-yourself project designed to grow skills in running a household, strengthening family relationships, cook healthy meals and maintaining a home. Launched: 2013 Membership: 63

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST

PRIDE OF PLACE

Student Education Trust (SET) supports parents to meet their child’s education and development needs from birth to graduation. Many family members can contribute to a child’s education trust promoting positive reciprocity. Launched: 2007 Students: 828 Donors: 567

A backyard renovation project where families make a financial and physical contribution or ‘sweat equity’ and in return receive labour and materials to help complete their project. Launched: 2010 Membership: 285

WISE BUYS

BUSH OWNER BUILDER

A programme to assist people to identify value for money household goods and services and access them independently. Launched: 2012 Membership: 242

An initiative that enables family members to collectively contribute financially and physically to build a shack on traditional homelands. Available in Hope Vale only. Launched: 2011 Builds: 2 completed, 2 in progress

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD A suite of specialised opportunities for parents and carers to learn how best to support a child’s physical, emotional, social and intellectual development from infancy to adulthood. Launched: 2012 Membership: 209

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Q1 2014 CYP450 FER_Single Pages.indd 4

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Green shoots continue to appear in Aurukun with many

POINTS OF INTEREST

families stepping up to take control of their finances and

and Mildred are taking a team approach to their parenting

• A SET Fair saw many parents purchasing school items for their children • The Best Garden in the Village Competition attracted 14 garden nominations and a good standard of entries

and attending sessions together. They say it’s good for the

NOTABLE IMPACTS

kids and good for their relationship. Read more about their

• Roads have re-opened following the lift in the rainy season. As a result there has been increased movement of locals travelling outside the township to visit family. The road opening has also increased the trafficking of alcohol into the community, and consumption has resulted in unrest. • An accidental shooting tragedy involving the death of a child heavily impacted on the community mood with several weeks of low engagement. • Late wet season resulted in delayed deliveries for POP making projects difficult to complete. • Theft and damage to CYP assets interrupted services at several periods throughout this quarter. • Staff resignations created periods of low proactive engagement.

their family life. Terry Woolla and Mildred Karyuka are a fine example of the positive change we see each week. Terry

progress on page 15. The official end to the wet season enabled roads to be re-opened. With this comes a high movement of families outside of the township to visit family. Despite this the O-Hub continued to see a steady increase in membership across Opportunity Products—Student Education Trusts and MPower in particular. ITAV parenting started touch football games as a means of engaging families, men in particular. The Best Garden in the Village competition in March drew a good number of entries and stimulated a hive of activity in backyards throughout the community with both competitors and non-competitors

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

AURUKUN O-HUB Q1

getting involved. POPULATION

A SET fair was held to coincide with the opening of the new

DEMOGRAPHIC

Business Precinct. The stall was well patronised with almost

Overall

1190

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

811

The POP team has been busy helping families to complete

Adult (18+)

750

projects held up by the wet season. Only a small number

Children (0–14)

379

of POP projects have been scheduled this quarter but we

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

617

Early childhood (0–4)

126

Primary school (5–11)

203

Secondary school (12–17)

113

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

175

$2,000 in school and educational supplies purchased.

expect this to increase as the rain activity lifts. The Aurukun teams are focused on increasing proactive engagement and providing more touch points for residents to easily learn about the opportunities available through the Parenting and Opportunity Hubs.

Households

(AT CENSUS 2011)

179

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AURUKUN Q1

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY The Aurukun O-Hub has been abuzz this quarter as membership continues to increase across most of the Opportunity Products. Community members are continuing to engage well with MPower and SET. An increasing number of families are signing up and seeing real benefits from participating in these programmes. ITAV staff will continue to evolve their engagement approach and, as a result, we hope to see greater programme participation over the coming months and years—both for women and men. Finally, only a small number of new POP activities were scheduled this quarter as the POP team was busy assisting community members to complete projects from late 2013. We anticipate that new POP activities will increase in the coming months as last year’s activities are completed.

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP) MPOWER • MPower membership continues to increase—713 people are now signed up and are committed to improving their financial knowledge and skills. • Sixty-two per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are family- or self-referred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission)—these partners are taking responsibility for their own finances.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 11 in Q1 2013 to 80 in Q1 2014. Aurukun adults have a clear desire to learn how they can make better purchasing decisions. • The six Wise Buys purchases made this quarter included ‘need’ items such as clothes, dining furniture and mattresses.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—263 Aurukun students now have a SET account. • It is becoming the norm to put aside money for students’ educational needs, with 154 Aurukun adults now contributing to at least one SET account. • SET donors saved $18,783.62 during Q1— a significant sum of money is being put aside to meet the educational needs of Aurukun students.

• Eleven new community members have signed up to POP this quarter, bringing the total membership to 78 from 62 households. By signing up to POP, these members are expressing a clear desire to create healthier outdoor living spaces. • No Garden Club events were scheduled for Q1, though POP staff conducted six Pop-up Visits and 12 in the previous quarter. • Four Backyard Blitz projects were completed in Q1, during which partners contributed a total of four hours sweat equity.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Sixty-two Aurukun community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These strong men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. • ITAV staff members have been busily engaging with the community to spread the word about the importance of parenting and to encourage parents/carers to support one another.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) HOME PRIDE • There are currently 13 Home Pride members in Aurukun. These members are interested in making their homes happier and healthier for their families.

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family STORIES PARENTING TOGETHER “Things are starting to change.” Terry Woolla signed up to ITAV Strong Families to support his partner, Mildred Karyuka, as she starts using positive parenting strategies at home. “We’ve signed up to find a way to stop the kids mucking up too much,” Terry says. Mildred and Terry have started attending sessions together so that they’re on the same page with parenting techniques at home. “I like to attend sessions as well—it straightens things out in my mind too. I’m glad I went because now I feel like I don’t need to yell out to my children to get them to respond to me.” Terry is optimistic for his family’s future—“I think it will get better with time —we’ll stick with the parenting programme. It’s great that we get to have a strong relationship with our children which is the most important thing to us.” As they begin to see changes at home, Terry is spreading the word about It Takes a Village to Raise a Child.

Terry Woolla and Mildred Karyuka are taking a team approach to parenting.

“People ask why we go to the Parenting Hub and what it’s like. We say that it is good for the kids and it is helping us to raise them in a good way.”

SET MAKES SAVING EASY Almost all, 94 per cent, of contributions to Student Education Trusts in Aurukun are made by women. Many of these women not only contribute to their own children’s Trusts but to children in their extended families. Mother of five, Bertha Wolmby of Aurukun, is one of the many Cape York aboriginal women making a difference for their children and making education a priority. “I’ve tried to save but it’s hard. My children needed uniforms to go to school. The SET account helps to buy the school things when we need it—uniforms, bags, school trips. “I know the money is there when we need it, they can take it from our SET. “I tell my kids to work hard at school and show respect the teachers, to listen and sit quiet for the teachers. Bertha Wolmby is dedicated to her children and ensuring they get a good education.

“I have my children on my mind all the time. I look after my children. I am so proud of them.”

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

“I know the money is there when I need it.”

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MPOWER

INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION MPower supports individuals and families to manage money for basic material needs, build capabilities through financial literacy and grow their asset base through saving and disciplined money management. Since its launch in April 2011, MPower has assisted community members to learn: Internet banking skills through iBank; and skills for budgeting, debt reduction, banking, wealth creation and bill payments through Money Management Tool (MMT) sessions.

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS Q2 2011 TO Q1 2014

1000 800 600

713

400

Aurukun MPower members

200 0

2011

2012

2013

2014

• At the end of Q1 there were a total of 713 MPower members in Aurukun.

• There were 15 new sign-ups during the quarter. • Of the 713 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q1, 362 members (51%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. Members are regularly using the product. • Over the last year the largest proportion (62%) of new MPower members have been family, friend or self-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances.

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

• Seven MMT sessions were conducted this quarter, all of which focused on Internet and Phone Banking.This is slightly up on the previous quarter, where the three MMT sessions held focused on Budget Support. • Over the period January 2013–March 2014 all MMTs aside from Loan Support were used at least once with Banking and Budget Support being used most often (see below). Loan Support, Payment Support and Wealth Creation Support have been used least often.

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

BANKING

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

BUDGET DEBT REDUCTION

LOAN

22 0

PAYMENT

WEALTH CREATION

FRC referred O-Hub staff/ Centrelink

62%

Unknown2

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3 • There were a total of 1638 iBank sessions in Q1—a very slight decrease from Q4 2013. Thirty-seven per cent of these sessions were unassisted—up from 30 per cent in Q4 2013. As illustrated below, we have seen the proportion of unassisted iBank sessions increase over time as partners build the skills they need to independently manage their finances. This is a promising trend.

IBANK USAGE

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

Family/Friend/Self

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1

10%

% 21

UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q1 2014

100% 80%

63%

60% 40%

37%

20% 0%

2011

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

Assisted

1 Money Management Tools (MMTs) are sessions where partners are taught skills that assist them to build their financial literacy. 2 ‘Unknown’ is where data are not available or captured. 3 iBank is an Internet and online banking facility situated within the O-Hub. Partners can receive advice and assistance to use iBank for paying bills and manage their finances more generally.

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WISE BUYS

INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION In remote communities, it is often difficult to purchase quality goods and services at reasonable prices. Wise Buys is a retail Internet portal designed to increase consumers’ knowledge so that they can get the best possible value-for-money when purchasing household goods and services. O-Hub staff members support Wise Buys members to understand how to use the purchasing portal, conduct research into purchases they want, and complete purchases when they are ready. Since being launched in June 2012, more and more Wise Buys members are learning to be smart with their money and are accessing basic need items like fridges, washing machines, beds, food and shelter at value-for-money prices.

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q1 there were a total of 80 Wise Buys members in Aurukun. This represents an additional 69 members who have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that more and more adults in Aurukun want to make better-informed purchasing decisions.

• This quarter, a total of four unique1 partners made a total of six purchases through Wise Buys. Of these six purchases: -- five were classified as ‘needs’2; one was classified as a ‘want’3 -- a total amount of $1,407.28 was spent, including $1,315.33 on needs and $91.95 on wants. • ‘Needs’ items purchased included clothes, dining furniture and mattresses. • The 27 Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of 94 times. Most visits (51%) were to conduct research on future Wise Buys purchases (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

120 100

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB

60 40

Aurukun Wise Buys members

20 0

DURING Q1 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=94)

2013

General support Q1

2014

% 51

2% 39% 6%

Initial consultation Research on purchase Purchase

additional members since the same quarter last year

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY • Of the 80 members at the end of Q1 2014, 27 (34% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during Q1. This level of engagement by Wise Buys members indicates that Aurukun adults are increasingly interested in receiving the support they need to make well-informed purchasing decisions. We hope to see engagement continue to increase in the coming months and years.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

Make a payment

1 Each unique partner can make more than one purchase within the period. 2 ‘Needs’ include basic items such as food, shelter, clothing, white goods (e.g. washing machine/fridge/freezer), health (e.g. medicine, wellbeing), beds, mattresses, transport (e.g. car necessary for employment opportunities). 3 ‘Wants’ include items that are not an immediate need, including televisions and stereos.

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

Student Education Trust (SET) seeks to change social norms around education by shifting responsibility for the provision of school materials and other educational expenses back to parents, carers and kin. It also provides opportunity for positive reciprocity—for family members to support each other financially in a helpful way. SET promotes the value and importance of educational opportunities and provides the basis for greater investment in schooling and further education. Through SET, parents, carers and kin are able to regularly set aside money to pay for their children’s educational needs.

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES • At the end of Q1 2014 there had been a total of 263 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to rise in Aurukun, indicating that more families are making a clear decision to make their children’s education a priority.

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS 280 260

Aurukun SET accounts Q2

2013

2014

• The large majority (n=256, 97%) of the 263 SET accounts remained open at Q1 2014, while seven (3%) had been closed. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=154, 60%) are for primary school aged children1.

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q1 2014

-- three have a balance of $0.00 -- 18 have a balance between $0.01–$1.00

-- two have balances between $5,001–$10,000.

100

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

• Most of the least active SET accounts have very small or nil balances. For instance, of the 61 accounts that had no activity over the past 12 months,

-- 14 have a balance between $1,001–$5,000

150

-- 61 (24%) where no activity had occurred in more than 12 months.

-- 24 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000

200

-- 10 (4%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the quarter—these accounts are meeting the gold standard for activity

-- 110 (43%) where no contributions or purchases were made during this quarter, but where a contribution or purchase had been made in the previous 12 months

263

240

• Out of the 256 SET accounts remaining open since the commencement of the programme in 2007:

-- 75 (29%) had received at least one contribution or had been used to make at least one purchase during the quarter—this still represents a good level of activity

Q1 21013 TO Q1 2014

220

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY?

154 23 Early Childhood (0–4)

62 Primary School (5–11)

• These less active accounts have a total balance of $59,595.61. There is a need for O-Hub staff to encourage these donors to re-activate their SET usage and/or close these accounts.

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

154

PRIMARY SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN

in Aurukun have a SET account

1 The age ranges for SET accounts are as follows: early childhood = 0–4 years; primary school = 5–11 years; secondary school = 12–17 years; tertiary/further education = 18–25 years.

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At the end of Q1, there was a total balance of $402,689.30 across all Aurukun SET accounts (see below).1 This was three per cent more than the total balance at the close of the previous quarter. • The total balance for Aurukun SET accounts at the end of Q1 includes $2,328.09 interest, which has accumulated since Q4 2013.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q4 2013 AND Q1 2014

Last quarter

This quarter

Early Childhood

$4,169.52

PURCHASES • A total of 69 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q1 2014. The total value of these purchases was $10,431.11. Most (n=42, 61%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least 15 months. For example, as shown in the below graph, we typically see a higher number of purchases towards the end of the year. This is most likely due to the fact that we encourage partners to make purchases in Q4 so that their children are ready for the new school year in Q1. Otherwise, we have seen in past years that many SET donors wait until the last minute before preparing their kids for school.

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET

$4,853.84

Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

Primary School

500

$211,491.91

400

$228,155.43

300

414

200

Secondary School

$95,723.00

100

$96,589.78

Tertiary/Further Education

65 Q1

23 Q2

95 2013

2014

$0.00 $0.00

Finished/Left School

$80,623.65 $73,090.25

• During Q1 2014 a total of $18,783.62 was contributed to SET accounts in Aurukun. This is slightly less than the amount being saved each quarter since Q1 2013 (see below), but still represents a substantial amount of money being put aside to fund students’ educational needs.

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014 $25,000

2013

$15,879.93

$21,000.51

$5,000

$20,191.12

$10,000

$21,822.85

$15,000

$18,783.62

$20,000

of Aurukun SET donors are female DONOR PROFILE • At the end of Q1 2014 there were a total of 154 unique donors2 contributing to 256 SET accounts. Six new donors have signed up since Q4 2013. • Ninety-four per cent of Aurukun SET donors are female, with most (73%) being the recipient’s mother. Aurukun women have taken a strong stand when it comes to their children’s education—they are committed to ensuring their children have everything they need to succeed at school.

2014

1 The balance of SET accounts is an outstanding balance of all trusts to the end of the quarter. It takes into consideration all contributions and purchases of each to date and thus, it is not a cumulative total. 2 One donor can contribute to more than one SET account. However, for the purpose of this figure, they are each counted as one unique donor.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

CONTRIBUTIONS

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

Parenting is not easy—all parents could use help and advice. By signing up to ITAV, men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. It Takes a Village to Raise a Child (ITAV) seeks to encourage and promote high-quality parenting as a key ingredient for achieving a happy family life. ITAV consists of the following elements: 1) Baby College (launched in April 2012)—where expectant parents socialise and learn together while they travel on the journey to parenthood; 2) Strong Families (launched in February 2012)—where at risk families are assisted to build positive parenting skills; 3) Handicraft (launched in February 2012)—where parents are encouraged to join in with ITAV activities as well as share stories and support one another.

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 62 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. While we have only had two new members sign-up during Q1, 15 new members have signed up since the close of Q1 2013.

• These engagement activities assist our staff to spread the word about the importance of parenting, encourage parents to support one another, and advise community members of the assistance and support they can receive through the ITAV programme. • This quarter, a total of 26 engagement activities were undertaken. These included: informal discussions (n=20, 77%);

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

100 80 60

Aurukun ITAV members

20 0

2013

2014

• Out of the 62 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 59 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- three partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

STAFF CONTACT HOURS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

• During Q1, Aurukun ITAV staff spent a combined total of 162 hours and 33 minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time, staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

information sessions (n=4, 15%); and home visits (n=2, 8%). • The Parenting Hub was broken in to and extensive damage done during Q1. This disrupted our work for a short period. Despite these setbacks, we hope to increase the level of community engagement over the coming months.

NEW MEMBERS

since the same quarter last year.

WHAT MEMBERS DID • Two ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter— both were group sessions for the Strong Families programme. During these group sessions, partners worked on: -- understanding the importance of making time to regularly talk with their children (session one) -- activities to build skills around spending time with their children, including the importance of this for sound childhood development (session two). • Four members participated in session one, while two of those four members also went on to participate in session two. • Overall, fewer sessions were held during Q1 due to staff turnover, community tensions and closure of the O-Hub over the Christmas and New Year period. • A new male Parenting Consultant started in Aurukun this quarter and has started a men’s group and men’s activities. He has also been successful in holding several group sessions with the women, and has been working closely with the Wellbeing Centre and Child Safety on several child reunification cases.

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

A Partner joined ITAV before the birth of one of their children, expressing a desire to be able to avoid intervention by Child Safety. The partner often resorts to loud and aggressive methods when dealing with their children and has also been a victim of domestic violence.

Through attendance at ITAV, the partner learned how attachment is formed with infants, as well as the importance of spending time to talk with children as a way of showing love and support. The partner is still dealing with a variety of issues. However, they continue to attend ITAV and are receiving the necessary support that will enable them to make positive changes for themselves and their children.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

Home Pride is a part of ITAV and delivered by Home Crew staff. It assists families to build the knowledge and skills needed to create the best home life for their children. Healthy cooking classes and ‘do-it-yourself’ home improvement projects that make the home a happier and healthier environment are some of the components of Home Pride. Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having been launched in April 2013.

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• There have been nine house visits by Home Crew this quarter which is an increase on the three that were conducted in Q4 2013. This increase is due to a newly appointed local female Home Crew staff member, who has bolstered the engagement capacity of the O-Hub. • Because Home Pride is only new in Aurukun, it will take time for our staff to build the rapport with community members needed to undertake activities inside the home, and in large numbers. As the Home Crew team stabilises and builds this rapport, we hope to see activities increase.

Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

20 15

Aurukun Home Pride members

5 0

2013

2014

• At the end of Q1 there were a total of 13 Home Pride members in Aurukun. Membership has remained stable since Q3 2013. • Of these 13 partners: -- twelve partners are signed up to complete a House Blitz2 -- one is signed up to the Home Maker3 component. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having only been launched in April 2013. It has been relatively slow to progress in Aurukun due to community tensions and challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. As the programme matures over the coming months and years, we look forward to seeing membership grow.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

12 OUT OF 13

of the partners signed up to Home Pride are signed up to complete a House Blitz

1 Some details have been altered to ensure this partner cannot be identified. 2 Through ‘House Blitz’, families are assisted to make their homes happier and healthier spaces. The Home Crew staff work with families on interior design ideas to transform living spaces, as well as providing support and motivating families to complete household projects. Families must commit to providing the necessary sweat equity for House Blitz activities. 3 Through ‘Home Maker’, families learn practical household skills such as housekeeping schedules, routines for kids, planning meals, cleaning techniques and how to create natural cleaning products. The Home Crew staff work with families in their homes to build confidence, and help families create a healthier home environment.

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PRIDE OF PLACE

INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION Pride of Place (POP) assists families to create healthier outdoor living environments where they can spend quality time together. Through POP, participants save money and make a financial and ‘sweat equity’ contribution towards backyard renovation projects. The POP Enablers assist and support members to undertake their projects. The increasing number of sign-ups since POP was launched in April 2013 indicate that a growing number of community members are striving to take greater pride in their yards and create healthier living spaces for their families.

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Aurukun to date

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 78 partners signed up to POP. This is a substantial increase from the 42 members who had signed up by Q1 2013 (see below).1

• There were six Pop-up Visits2 conducted this quarter (see below). However, there were no Garden Club3 events scheduled. We hope to see activities increase over the coming months as POP staff finish up work on the remaining 2013 projects.

TOTAL POP MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS

100

Q4 2013 AND Q1 2014

78 Aurukun POP

50 25 0

40 30 20

members

2013

0 Q1

Last quarter

6 This quarter

2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS Q1 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

Aurukun households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

WHAT MEMBERS DID • To date there have been 23 Backyard Blitzes4 completed in Aurukun, four of which were completed this quarter. During these four Blitzes, partners provided a total of four hours sweat equity and assisted in the completion of 12 separate Backyard Blitz elements5, including: the design and construction of garden beds, bamboo screening, sandpits, veggie tanks, play gardens and pergolas. Partners also laid screed and pavers. The completion of these individual elements has assisted in creating fantastic outdoor living spaces for four families. • POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in 2014 have so far contributed a cumulative total of $100 towards their combined target contribution of $4,000 ($1,000 each). These members will continue to contribute towards reaching this target.

1 For the purposes of POP, ‘members’ include those who have signed a formal membership form since it was introduced in early 2013, but also those who had agreed to participate in POP prior to these formal membership forms being introduced (i.e. 15 persons who began participating in POP prior to January 2013). . 2 The POP Enabler does home visits to: promote participation in POP, discuss membership benefits and processes; offer free plants, seeds and magazines; assist in planting and provide advice on plants; and/or support with ongoing yard upkeep. 3 The POP Enabler runs Garden Club events to: hold discussions and demonstrations on gardening; discuss gardening design ideas; teach methods for maintaining gardens and growing plants, including fruits and vegetables; and/or up-skill partners around gardening tool use and maintenance 4 ‘Backyard Blitzes’ are garden renovation projects partners can sign-up for as a POP member. Members work with a POP Enabler to develop a design for their garden and to discuss contributions. 5 ‘Backyard Blitz elements’ are individual items that members choose to include in their garden renovation project such as (but not limited to) pergolas, decking, sand pits, garden beds, swing set, tables, chairs and lattice screens.

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COEN O-HUB Q1

We are buoyed not only by the increased capability of our members but by their ambition. Those who engage regularly with MPower, including Rosie Johnson, are increasingly motivated. Rosie has plans for Home Pride and Pride of Place as soon as she has her own house. She is proud of her achievements and the control she has over her finances which has enabled her to purchase a commendable range of goods that have enhanced her family life. (Read more on page 25) Almost all school children in Coen have a Student Education Trust (99%). Donor contributions have been reasonable this quarter, with a third of donors making their target contributions. A huge number of SET purchases were made this quarter to get children ready for the school year. Staff were kept busy providing families with access to SET accounts for new uniforms, class packs and boarding school needs including quilts, towels (bath and beach), sheets, running shoes, backpacks and suitcases. Wise Buys was also in full swing with parents and carers shopping for the new school year. ITAV Parenting held an increased number of sessions this quarter. More parents have learned the skills they need to

create happier home lives for their children. ITAV Home Pride has also seen a dramatic increase in activity as a result of a new staff member joining the team. Our commitment to employing local people in O-Hub jobs means we strongly support capacity building opportunities. A Coen MPower Coach/Consultant began a Certificate III in Community Services, which will be completed this year.

POINTS OF INTEREST • A SET stall was held at the school, which sold lunchboxes and school uniforms. The take-up of these products was very high, in fact the O-Hub was unable to keep up with the demand for lunchboxes and socks. • A new and open line of communication has been forged with Remote Housing which means that residents experiencing rent arrears and or face eviction as a result will receive budgeting support through MPower and learn how to better manage rent payments and other expenses.

DEMOGRAPHIC

POPULATION

(AT CENSUS 2011)

Overall

264

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

176

Adult (18+)

161

Children (0–14)

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

149

Early childhood (0–4)

Primary school (5–11)

Secondary school (12–17)

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

Households

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

Due to the wet season closing roads and confining residents to town, there has been a high level of visitation to the O-Hub and participation in money management, and parenting activities. MPower membership in Coen reached saturation point in 2013, based on the 2011 Census population data. Since then, membership has continued to grow as more and more community members choose to take steps to improve their financial literacy. Productivity was so great at times during the quarter that staff members had to provide the use of their own computers to partners needing access to iBank and Wise Buys.

47 23

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COEN Q1

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY MPower membership has continued to grow in Coen as more community members choose to take steps to improve their financial literacy. SET donors continue to make substantial contributions to the educational futures of Coen children while purchases made during Q1 have ensured Coen students have the uniforms, backpacks, lunchboxes, books and other items they need to succeed at school. Wise Buys activity has been relatively low during Q1, which is common in the aftermath of the holiday season. POP membership continues to increase, with 42 Coen households now signed up. Finally, ITAV Parenting has seen increased activity: more parents have learned the skills they need to create happier home lives for their children. ITAV Home Pride has also seen a dramatic increase in activity.

MPOWER

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP)

• MPower membership continues to increase—194 people are now signed up and are committed to improving their financial knowledge and skills. • Forty-four per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are family- or self-referred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission)— these partners are taking responsibility for their own finances.

• POP membership has remained stable this quarter at 46 members from 44 households. By signing up to POP, these members are expressing a clear desire to create healthier outdoor living spaces. • No Garden Club events were scheduled for Q1, though POP staff conducted a total of six Pop-up Visits—fewer than the 14 completed last quarter. • One Backyard Blitz project was completed in Q1, during which partners contributed a total of 35 hours sweat equity.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 22 in Q1 2013 to 43 in Q1 2014. Coen adults have a clear desire to learn how they can make better purchasing decisions. • This quarter, most members who visited the O-Hub did so to conduct research on future purchases. These members are taking the time to weigh up their options and make well-informed purchasing choices.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—196 Coen students now have a SET account. • It is becoming the norm to put aside money for students’ educational needs, with 167 Coen adults now contributing to at least one SET account. • SET donors saved $16,708.78 during Q1—a significant sum of money is being put aside to meet the educational needs of Coen students.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Forty-one Coen community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These strong men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. • ITAV staff members have been busily engaging with the community to spread the word about the importance of parenting and to encourage parents/carers to support one another.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) HOME PRIDE • There are currently 14 Home Pride members in Coen. These members are interested in making their homes happier and healthier for their families.

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family STORIES GETTING AHEAD “I am proud of the way I am improving.” Donna ‘Rosie’ Rose Johnson, is a Community Engagement Officer at Cape York Employment (CYE). Born in Mareeba, Rosie moved to Coen after finishing high school and worked on her family homestead, Glengarland. Rosie has been signed up to MPower since November 2011 and learned about these products while attending activities run by the O-Hub. “I signed up because I wanted to save my work money and wanted to learn easier banking.” Rosie says she found budgeting quite difficult, and she needed to stop giving money out to friends and family. “Now I am confident to say, ‘I can’t give money out because I’ve got to do this with it’.” After taking up MPower, Rosie said she feels more responsible. “I now know that you don’t need to spend all your money in one day when you get paid.” To date, MPower has enabled Rosie to buy a laptop, iPad, DVD home theatre set, sheets, pillows and also $2,000 worth of clothes. “I am proud of the way I am improving. I have enough money from week-to-week. Then I have FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

money left over to enjoy the weekends and take my family out for a picnic. “When something new comes out, I know I can buy it as I budget and save.” Over the next 12 months, Rosie hopes to move into a home of her own and buy a car. “When I move into my home, I want to sign up for [ITAV] Home Pride and House Blitz.” On the work front, in 2015 Rosie will be undertaking a Diploma of Management, with aspirations to manage and lead others at Cape York Employment (CYE). “I am also very keen to be on the Cape York Leaders Program.”

Rosie Johnson uses MPower to help her get ahead.

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MPOWER

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

Q2 2011 TO Q1 2014

250 200 150

194

100

Coen MPower members

50 0

2011

2012

2013

2014

• There were five new sign-ups during the quarter. • Of the 194 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q1, 63 members (32%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. Members are regularly using the product. • Over the last year the largest proportion (44%) of new MPower members have been family, friend or self-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances.

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

• At the end of Q1 there were a total of 194 MPower members in Coen.

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS

Family/Friend/Self

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

44%

FRC referred O-Hub staff/ Centrelink

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

BANKING

BUDGET DEBT REDUCTION

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

LOAN

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3 • There were a total of 157 iBank sessions in Q1—a slight increase from Q4 2013. Sixty-five per cent of these sessions were unassisted—up from 45 per cent in Q4 2013. • The trend in ‘unassisted’ versus ‘assisted’ iBank sessions in Coen reflects membership trends. For example, in 2012, 51 new members signed up; at the same time assisted sessions also increased because new members likely required more assistance with the product than older members. Through 2013 membership then stabilised and the levels of assistance required reduced. A reduction in assistance needed over time indicates that iBank users are becoming self-sufficient in independently managing their finances.

IBANK USAGE

UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q1 2014

100%

80%

PAYMENT WEALTH CREATION

21%

• Three MMT sessions were conducted this quarter, focusing on Banking and Budget Support. This is similar to the previous quarter, where the three MMT sessions held focused on Budget Support. • Over the period January 2013–March 2014 all MMTs aside from Loan Support were used at least once with Banking and Budget Support being used most often (see below). Loan Support, Debt Reduction Support and Wealth Creation Support have been used least often.

Unknown2

65%

60% 40%

35%

20% 0%

2011

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

Assisted

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

• At the end of Q1 there were a total of 43 Wise Buys members in Coen. This represents an additional 21 members who have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that more and more adults in Coen want to make better-informed purchasing decisions.

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

50 40 30

Coen Wise Buys members

10 0

2013

2014

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

WHAT MEMBERS DID • This quarter, there were no Wise Buys purchases made. However, Wise Buys members used the O-Hub for other activities. For instance, of the 25 visits Wise Buys members made to the O-Hub this quarter, most (88%) were used to conduct research on future Wise Buys purchases (see below).

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB DURING Q1 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=25)

General support

% 88

12%

Initial consultation1 Research on purchase Purchase1 Make a payment1

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

• Of the 43 members at the end of March 2014, seven (16% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during Q1. These seven members came in to the O-Hub 25 times and are clearly seeing value in Wise Buys. However, overall usage levels are relatively low for Wise Buys in Coen when compared with other Welfare Reform communities. O-Hub staff will assess possible reasons for this to determine if this is seasonal or a result of issues related to client engagement/ understanding/or need for this product.

additional members since the same quarter last year

1 Each of these categories=0% during this quarter and are therefore not illustrated on the above graph.

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES • At the end of Q1 2014 there had been a total of 196 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to rise in Coen, indicating that more and more families are making a clear decision to prioritise their children’s education.

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

200 190

196

180

Coen SET accounts Q1

• Out of the 160 SET accounts remaining open since the commencement of the programme in 2007: -- 32 (20%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the quarter— these accounts are meeting the gold standard for activity -- 54 (34%) had received at least one contribution or had been used to make at least one purchase during the quarter—this still represents a good level of activity

210

170

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY?

2013

2014

• The large majority (n=160, 82%) of the 196 SET accounts remained open at Q1 2014, while 36 (18%) had been closed. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=60, 38%) are for primary school aged children1, though Coen also has a greater proportion of Early Childhood accounts (n=45, 28%) than the other Welfare Reform communities.

-- 46 (29%) where no contributions or purchases were made during this quarter, but where a contribution or purchase had been made in the previous 12 months -- 28 (18%) where no activity had occurred in more than 12 months. • Most of the least active SET accounts have very small or nil balances. For instance, of the 28 accounts that had no activity in more than 12 months, -- six have a balance of $0.00

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

-- one has a balance between $0.01–$1.00

Q1 2014

-- 14 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

-- six have a balance between $1,001–$5,000 -- one has a balance between $5,001–$10,000. • These less active accounts have a total balance

45 Early Childhood (0–4)

of $20,030.71. There is a need for O-Hub staff to

60 34 Primary School (5–11)

encourage these donors to re-activate their SET

usage and/or close these accounts.

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

PRIMARY SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN

in Coen have a SET account

1 The age ranges for SET accounts are as follows: early childhood = 0–4 years; primary school = 5–11 years; secondary school = 12–17 years; tertiary/further education = 18–25 years.

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At the end of Q1, there was a total balance of $248,382.88 across all Coen SET accounts (see below).1 This was three per cent less than the the total balance at the close of the previous quarter. • The total balance for Coen SET accounts at the end of Q1 includes $1,476.86 interest, which has accumulated since Q4 2013.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

• A total of 270 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q1 2014. The total value of these purchases was $25,657.58. Most (n=187, 69%) were for primary school aged children. These typically included uniforms, school bags, readers and other books. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least 15 months (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

Q4 2013 AND Q1 2014

Last quarter

PURCHASES

300

This quarter

250

Early Childhood

270

200

$19,622.29 $24,166.89

100

173

168

184

Primary School

$108,406.22

$103,871.95

2013

2014

Secondary School

$75,652.42 $70,887.49 Tertiary/Further Education

$3,796.05

of Coen SET donors are male

$2,926.67 Finished/Left School

$48,377.84

CONTRIBUTIONS • During Q1 2014 a total of $16,708.78 was contributed to SET accounts in Coen. This is relatively consistent with the amount being saved each quarter since Q1 2013 (see below) and represents a substantial amount of money being put aside to fund students’ educational needs.

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014 $25,000 $20,000

2013

$16,708.78

$12,925.64

$15,934.43

$5,000

$17,258.71

$10,000

$14,959.00

$15,000

• At 31 March 2014 there were a total of 167 unique2 donors contributing to 196 SET accounts. Six new donors have signed up since Q4 2013. • Sixty-five per cent of Coen SET donors are female with most (42%) being the recipient’s mother. Coen women have taken a strong stand when it comes to their children’s education—they are committed to ensuring their children have everything they need to succeed at school. • Conversely, 35 per cent of Coen SET donors are men, with around 23 per cent being the recipient’s father. This is a much larger proportion of male SET donors than in the other Welfare Reform communities, indicating that Coen men are stepping up to improve the educational outcomes of Coen kids and students.

2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

DONOR PROFILE

$46,529.88

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 41 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. While we have had only one new member signup during Q1, seven new members have signed up since the close of Q1 2013.

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

50 40

30 20

Coen ITAV members

10 0

2013

2014

• Out of the 41 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 37 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- four partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

STAFF CONTACT HOURS • During Q1, Coen ITAV staff spent a combined total of 251 hours and 25 minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time, staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

NEW MEMBERS

since the same quarter last year.

• This quarter, a total of 132 engagement activities were undertaken. These included: informal discussions (n=66, 50%); home visits (n=35, 27%); handicraft sessions (n=11, 8%); community events (n=9, 7%); workshops (n=8, 6%); and information sessions (n=3, 2%). • Telecommunication issues during Q1 meant the Parenting Hub was closed for a full day. Staff absences due to leave have also affected the overall number of engagement activities undertaken during the quarter. Despite these setbacks, engagement remains relatively high.

WHAT MEMBERS DID • Twenty-two ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter, including: -- 18 Strong Families sessions -- three Positive Kids sessions -- one Baby College session. • Ten unique members participated in these sessions (some partners attended more than one session, including some group sessions). During the sessions, partners worked on: -- understanding the importance of spending special time with children -- when and how to seek emotional and practical parenting support -- the importance of showing affection, including the most appropriate ways and times to do so. • A new staff member was employed for Home Pride during the quarter, but has also assisted with running Parenting sessions. This has boosted session activity overall during the quarter.

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

After a long absence, this partner recently re-engaged with ITAV. There is much work to do, but they are committed and enthusiastic about improving their parenting skills. The partner’s specific aim is to improve the bond they have with their child, including by making the time to ensure the child feels special and loved. With this express commitment and their hard work, things will undoubtedly continue to improve.

The partner reported that their child was having behavioural problems at school, and that the family had been contacted by the authorities.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• There have been 31 engagement house visits by Home Crew this quarter. None were conducted in Q4 2013. This increase is due to a newly appointed local female Home Crew staff member, who has bolstered the engagement capacity of the O-Hub. • Because Home Pride is only new in Coen, it will take time for our staff to build the rapport with community members needed to be able to undertake a large number of home visits. As the Home Crew team stabilises and builds this rapport, we expect to see activities increase.

Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

15 10

13 Coen Home

Pride members

5 0

2013

2014

• Home Pride signed up its first Coen members this quarter, with a total of 13 members having joined. • Of these 13 partners: -- all are signed up to complete a House Blitz2 -- six are signed up to the Home Maker3 component. • Progress has been relatively slow across the communities, including in Coen, due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. With the recruitment of a new Home Crew member this quarter, we hope to see membership and activities increase over the coming months.

ALL

of the partners signed up to Home Pride are signed up to complete a House Blitz

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Coen to date GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 46 partners signed up to POP. Since Q1 2013 we have seen four new members sign up (see below).

• No Pop-up Visits1 or Garden Club2 events were conducted this quarter. • We hope to see activities increase over the coming months as POP staff finish up work on the remaining 2013 projects.

TOTAL POP MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS

Q4 2013 AND Q1 2014

30 20

Coen POP members

10 0

2013

2014

30 20

10 0

0 Last quarter

This quarter

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS Q1 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

WHAT MEMBERS DID

Coen households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

• To date there have been eight Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Coen, one of which was completed this quarter. During this Blitz, partners provided a total of 35 hours sweat equity and assisted in the completion of five separate Backyard Blitz elements4, including: the construction of a dog kennel, design and construction of fences and the mulching and planting of garden beds. Partners also laid pavers. The completion of these individual elements has assisted in creating fantastic outdoor living spaces for four families. • The two POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in 2014 have so far contributed a cumulative total of $342.18 towards their combined target contribution of $2,000 ($1,000 each). These members will continue to contribute towards reaching this target.

1 The POP Enabler does home visits to: promote participation in POP, discuss membership benefits and processes; offer free plants, seeds and magazines; assist in planting and provide advice on plants; and/or support with ongoing yard upkeep. 2 The POP Enabler runs Garden Club events to: hold discussions and demonstrations on gardening; discuss gardening design ideas; teach methods for maintaining gardens and growing plants, including fruits and vegetables; and/or up-skill partners around gardening tool use and maintenance. 3 Backyard Blitzes are garden renovation projects partners can sign-up for as a POP member. Members work with a POP Enabler to develop a design for their garden and to discuss contributions. 4 ‘Backyard Blitz elements’ are individual items that members choose to include in their garden renovation project such as (but not limited to) pergolas, decking, sand pits, garden beds, swing set, tables, chairs and lattice screens.

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HOPE VALE O-HUB Q1 Severe Tropical Cyclone Ita hit Hope Vale cutting power and telecommunications for several days and interupting supply over the following weeks in some areas. The community rallied to clean up and the entire POP team converged on Hope Vale to assist. The O-Hub was operational within days.

Community Action Fund/People Action Network community and volunteer initiatives are taking off. These projects include the construction of landscaped gardens around the old cemetery site and are carried out in collaboration with Hope Vale Shire Council and My Pathways.

MPower’s impact continues to steadily increase. Threequarters of Hope Vale’s adult population are members. We’ve learned that many partners, like Donita Woibo (pictured in this report) are attracted to MPower through Wise Buys, and the desire to purchase something new for their family.

Bush Owner Builder is an Opportunity Product on trial in Hope Vale. It enables local families to build a shack on their homelands. Several families are saving to build under the programme.

The O-Hub manager initiated talks with Child Safety to better coordinate processes for ITAV Parenting Consultants working with parents subject to Child Safety intervention. These talks were successful and will link with coordination efforts between Cape York Partnership and the Child Safety regional office in Cairns. SET had a busy start to the school year. In collaboration with the local newsagent a new purchasing process was established to make it easier for parents to access their child’s SET account when buying school packs from the newsagency. While purchasing was high this quarter with a sell-out SET stall, contributions were also high. POP participants spent almost 60 hours of sweat equity to complete their yard projects. This activity is having a ripple effect and growing the popularity of Garden Club. The POP

• Two new MPower graduates (local Indigenous people) are progressing well in their roles and are expected to be retained as full time employees. • A contingent from the Kimberley visited to gain a better understanding of welfare reform, how the O-Hub’s function, and how they might implement in their region.

NOTABLE IMPACTS • Power blackouts in the aftermath of Ita interupted operations.

DEMOGRAPHIC

POPULATION

(AT CENSUS 2011)

Overall

931

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

635

Adult (18+)

589

Children (0–14)

296

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

505

Early childhood (0–4)

Primary school (5–11)

142

Secondary school (12–17)

109

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

162

Households

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

Our engagement this quarter has focused on SET, BOB, MPower, and ITAV Parenting, and in particular, how to gain more traction with Home Pride, our newest Opportunity Product. Susan Baru and her partner Phillip are one of the first partners to try Home Pride, jazzing up the interior of their home. Susan says the family loves it and are taking care to keep it that way, which pleases her.

POINTS OF INTEREST

208

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HOPE VALE Q1

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY A total of 485 Hope Vale adults are now signed up to MPower—which signals that a large number of community members have made the decision to take control of their finances. A substantial contribution has been made to SET during Q1 while purchases have also been high, with SET donors seeking to prepare children for the beginning of the new school year. Wise Buys purchasing activity has remained stable—community members continue to use their buying power to get value for money on the goods they need and make their dollars stretch further. POP has seen an increase in project elements being completed while there has also been a dramatic increase in ITAV Parenting activity. Q1 has seen a record number of ‘Strong Families’ and ‘Baby College’ sessions being held. ITAV Home Pride has also seen an increase in activity, coinciding with a rise in house visits during the quarter.

MPOWER • MPower membership continues to increase—485 Hope Vale adults are now signed up and committed to improving their financial knowledge and skills. • Seventy-three per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are friend/ family- or self-referred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission)—these partners are taking responsibility for their money.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 13 in Q1 2013 to 38 in Q1 2014. Hope Vale adults have a clear desire to learn how they can make better purchasing decisions. • The five Wise Buys purchases made this quarter included ‘need’ items such as washing machines and a fridge/ freezer combination.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—219 Hope Vale kids and students have now benefitted from SET. • It is becoming the norm to put aside money for students’ educational needs, with 146 Hope Vale adults now contributing to at least one SET account. • SET donors saved $17,795.54 during Q1— a significant sum of money is being put aside to meet the educational needs of Hope Vale’s students.

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP) • Two new community members have signed up to POP this quarter, bringing the total membership to 129 members from 100 homes. By signing up to POP, these members are expressing a clear desire to create healthier outdoor living spaces. • No Garden Club events were scheduled for Q1, though POP staff conducted a total of 15 Pop-up Visits—fewer than the 62 that were completed in Q4 2013. Most of our staff members’ time was spent assisting members to complete Backyard Blitz projects. • Nine Backyard Blitz projects were completed in Q1, during which partners contributed a total of 59.5 hours sweat equity.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Seventy-five community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These men and women are learning positive parenting the skills. A record number of ITAV sessions were held during the quarter with 31 members (41% of total membership) participating.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) HOME PRIDE • There are currently 25 Home Pride members in Hope Vale. These members are interested in making their homes happier and healthier for their families.

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family STORIES HOME MAKEOVER “The best thing is... seeing my family happy.” Susan and Phillip Baru have been living in their home along Hope Vale’s beach road for more than 20 years and they feel that it needed a facelift to ‘make it feel better’. Susan and Phillip have attended Parenting sessions and thought it was a great idea to sign up to Home Pride as well. “I need help in decorating and organising my home for me and my family.” Susan was interested to learn new tips and tricks about cleaning and designing. She was also keen to have a more comfortable, enjoyable and decorative lounge room and children’s room. “I joined the Home Pride programme to help decorate and organize my home. “I am really pleased with my progress in interior decorating. I’ve painted walls, we’ve made new shelving, artworks, and I’ve made curtains. They are all in our home. “I now have a happy clean and bright home that we all enjoy. My family think is it nice and lovely and want to do the same thing.

Susan and Phillip Baru are refreshing their parenting skills and their home.

“The best thing is seeing the end result and seeing my family happy. The even better thing is them wanting to help look after the house too.”

GETTING WISE WITH MONEY Donita Woibo wanted to buy all three of her children a brand new bed, but was worried about how she could afford it. She said she felt relieved to find out about NILS, the No Interest Loan Scheme. “I saw a poster outside of the O-Hub that promoted Wise Buys, so I came in and talked with one of the staff who told me about Wise Buys and NILS. “It was an easy and convenient way to purchase three new beds for my kids as quickly as possible and I would not need to worry about delivery.” Donita said she is proud of getting the beds and having her house furnished with brand new furniture. “I plan to finish paying my NILS and then get more new furniture for my house.” Donita also said she would like to return to the O-Hub office to do up a new budget. Donita Woibo’s desire to buy new beds for her children set her in the right direction.

“This will help me with my money management so that I know where my money is going.”

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

“I know where my money is going.”

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MPOWER

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS Q2 2011 TO Q1 2014

600 500 400

485

300 200

Hope Vale MPower members

100 0

2011

2012

2013

2014

• At the end of Q1 there were a total of 485 MPower members in Hope Vale. Over time more and more community members are taking responsibility for improving their financial literacy.

• There were 24 new sign-ups this quarter. • Of the 485 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q1, 171 members (35%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. This shows that members are regularly using the product. • Over the past year the largest proportion (73%) of new MPower members has been friend/family- or self-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances.

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER

14%

Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

Family/Friend/Self FRC referred O-Hub staff/ Centrelink

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1 • Five MMT sessions were conducted this quarter, focusing on Internet and Phone Banking and Budget Support. This is slightly up on the previous quarter, where the two MMT sessions held focused on Internet and Phone Banking and Banking Support. • Over the period January 2013–March 2014 all MMTs, apart from Loan Support and Wealth Creation Support, were used at least once with Internet and Phone Banking being used most often (see below).

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

BANKING

BUDGET DEBT REDUCTION

WEALTH CREATION

100% 80%

0 9 0

• There were a total of 373 iBank sessions in Q1—a very slight decrease from Q4 2013. Fifty-eight per cent of these sessions were unassisted—stable from Q4 2013. • A reduction in assistance levels over time indicates that iBank users are becoming more self-sufficient in managing their finances. The trend in Hope Vale indicates that unassisted sessions began to outstrip assisted sessions in late 2011 (see below). However, as we get greater influxes of new members we see assistance levels also fluctuate—new members are more likely to require greater iBank assistance than older members. UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q1 2014

PAYMENT

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3

IBANK USAGE

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

LOAN

73%

Unknown2

58%

60% 40%

42%

20% 0%

2011

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

Assisted

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q1 there were a total of 38 Wise Buys members in Hope Vale. Twenty-five additional members have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that more and more adults in Hope Vale want support to make better-informed purchasing decisions.

• This quarter, a total of five unique1 members made a total of five purchases through Wise Buys. All five purchases were classified as ‘needs’2 rather than ‘wants’3. A total amount of $1,476.00 was spent. • ‘Needs’ items purchased included four washing machines and one fridge/freezer combination. • The 12 Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of 28 times. Most visits (50%) were to conduct research on future Wise Buys purchases (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

60 50

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB

Hope Vale Wise Buys members

10 0

DURING Q1 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=28)

2013

2014

General support

21 %

Initial consultation Research on purchase Purchase Make a payment

additional members since the same quarter last year

14%

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY • Of the 38 members at the end of Q1 2014, 12 (32% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

50 %

1 Each unique member can make more than one purchase within the period. 2 ‘Needs’ include basic items such as food, shelter, clothing, white goods (e.g. washing machine/fridge/freezer), health (e.g. medicine, wellbeing), beds, mattresses, transport (e.g. car necessary for employment opportunities). 3 ‘Wants’ include items that are not an immediate need, including televisions and stereos.

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES • At the end of Q1 2014 there had been a total of 219 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to rise in Hope Vale, indicating that more and more families are making a clear choice to make their children’s education a priority.

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY? • Out of the 208 SET accounts remaining open since the commencement of the programme in 2007: -- 17 (8%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS

quarter—these accounts are meeting the gold

Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

standard for activity

240

-- 63 (30%) had received at least one contribution or had been used to make at least one purchase

220

during the quarter—this still represents a very high level of activity

219

200

-- 89 (43%) were untouched with no contributions or purchases made during this quarter, but

Hope Vale SET accounts

180

2013

2014

• The large majority (n=208, 95%) of the 219 total SET accounts remained open at Q1 2014, while 11 (5%) had been closed. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=114, 55%) are for primary school aged children.1

did register activity by way of contribution or purchase in the previous 12 months -- 39 (19%) accounts had no activity in more than 12 months. • Most of the least active SET accounts have very small or nil balances. For instance, of the 39 accounts that had no activity for over 12 months:

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q1 2014

-- three have a balance of $0.00 -- five have a balance between $0.01–$1.00

120

-- 30 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000

100

-- one has a balance between $1,001–$5,000

• These less active accounts have a total balance

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

60 20 0

of $5,603.98. There is a need for O-Hub staff to

114

encourage these donors to re-activate their SET

65 25 Early Childhood (0–4)

1 Primary School (5–11)

usage and/or close these accounts.

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

114

PRIMARY SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN

in Hope Vale have a SET account

1 The age ranges for SET accounts are as follows: early childhood = 0–4 years; primary school = 5–11 years; secondary school = 12–17 years; tertiary/further education = 18–25 years.

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At the close of Q1 2014, there was a total balance of $146,783.09 across all Hope Vale SET accounts (see below).1 This represents a slight decrease of 0.8 per cent from the total balance at the end of Q4 2013. • The total balance for Hope Vale SET accounts at the end of Q1 includes $853.47 interest, which has accumulated since the close of Q4 2013.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q4 2013 AND Q1 2014

Last quarter

This quarter

Early Childhood

$13,457.36 $14,716.24

78%

of purchases were for primary school aged children

PURCHASES • A total of 280 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q1 2014. The total value of these purchases was $19,853.79. Most (n=218, 78%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least 15 months. For example, as shown in the below graph, we typically see a higher number of purchases at the beginning of the school year in preparation for term one.

Primary School

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET

$87,154.76

Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

300

$86,945.44 Secondary School

224

280

200

$36,594.48

145

100

$33,889.44 Tertiary/Further Education

$343.26

2013

135

145 Q4

2014

$49.38 Finished/Left School

$10,459.01 $11,182.59

CONTRIBUTIONS

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014 $25,000

2013

$13,164.43

$19,209.45

$5,000

$20,024.30

$10,000

$18,646.96

$15,000

$17,795.54

$20,000

of Hope Vale SET donors are female FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

• During Q1 2014 a total of $17,795.54 had been contributed to SET accounts in Hope Vale. This is an increase from Q4 2013, but is still slightly less than the amounts contributed for most of 2013 (see below). This still, however, represents a substantial amount of money being put aside to fund student educational needs.

DONOR PROFILE • At Q1 2014 there were a total of 146 unique2 donors contributing to 219 SET accounts. Eight new donors have signed up since Q4 2013. • Eighty-four per cent of Hope Vale SET donors are female, most being the recipient’s mother. Hope Vale women have taken a strong stand when it comes to their children’s education—they are committed to ensuring their children have everything they need to succeed at school.

2014

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS • There are currently 75 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. During Q1 we have had 18 new members sign-up and overall, we have signed up 26 new members since the close of Q1 2013. This is a very pleasing result.

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

100 80 60

Hope Vale ITAV members

20 0

2013

2014

• Out of the 75 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 57 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- 18 partners are signed up to the Baby College programme

STAFF CONTACT HOURS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

• During Q1, Hope Vale ITAV staff spent a combined total of 550 hours and nine minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time, staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

NEW MEMBERS

since the same quarter last year.

• ITAV parenting staff have been busily engaging with the community—both members and non-members of ITAV. These engagement activities assist our staff to spread the word about the importance of parenting, encourage parents to support one another, and advise community members of the assistance and support they can receive through the ITAV programme. • This quarter, a total of 120 engagement activities were undertaken. These included: informal discussions (n=70, 57%); home visits (n=36, 30%); handicraft sessions (n=4, 5%); workshops (n=5, 4%); community events (n=4, 3%); and an information session (n=1, 1%). • Telecommunication issues during Q1 meant that the Parenting Hub was closed for more than a full day, which affected the number of engagement activities being undertaken at this time. Despite this setback, engagement remains high in Hope Vale.

WHAT MEMBERS DID • Seventy-nine ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter, including: -- 50 Strong Families sessions -- 29 Baby College sessions. • During these sessions, partners worked on: -- understanding the importance of making time to regularly talk with their children -- building skills around making special time for their children, as it links to sound childhood development, and much more. • Thirty-one members participated in these sessions, with some members participating across multiple sessions. • ITAV staff participated in intensive training in February to refresh their programme facilitation skills. The increase in sessions we have seen during the quarter can be attributed to the renewed enthusiasm and innovation our staff have felt since participating in training.

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

The partner was assisted by ITAV staff to contact Child Safety and discuss pre-requisites for their re-uniting with their children. The partner continues to complete Strong Families sessions and learn about providing a secure and safe environment for their children. The partner still has much work to do, but has continued to attend ITAV sessions and engage with Child Safety in an effort to improve their chances of reunification.

Partner joined ITAV at a time when they and their family were dealing with grief and sadness. The partner identified a need to improve their parenting skills so that they may be able to re-unite with their children, who are in care.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• There have been 36 house visits by Home Crew this quarter which is an increase on Q4 2013, where zero were conducted due to staffing challenges. • A total of four House Blitz activities, three Home Maker activities and three Strategic Conversations were also completed during Q1. • This increase is due to: -- Home Crew staff making a dedicated effort to follow up partners who have reached their target contribution for a House Blitz project -- an ongoing review and revitalization of the ITAV engagement strategy -- intensive training conducted with all ITAV Parenting staff (including Home Crew staff) in February.

Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

40 30

Hope Vale Home Pride members

10 0

2013

2014

• At the end of Q1 there were a total of 25 Home Pride members in Hope Vale. One new member has signed up since Q4 2013. • Of these 25 partners: -- 22 partners are signed up to complete a House Blitz2 -- three are signed up to the Home Maker3 component. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, launched mid-2013. It has been relatively slow to progress due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. As the programme matures over the coming months and years, we look forward to seeing membership grow.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

22OUT OF 25

of the partners signed up to Home Pride are signed up to complete a House Blitz 1 Some details have been altered to ensure this partner cannot be identified. 2 Through ‘House Blitz’, families are assisted to make their homes happier and healthier spaces. The Home Crew staff work with families on interior design ideas to transform living spaces, as well as providing support and motivating families to complete household projects. Families must commit to providing the necessary sweat equity for House Blitz activities. 3 Through ‘Home Maker’, families learn practical household skills such as housekeeping schedules, routines for kids, planning meals, cleaning techniques and how to create natural cleaning products. The Home Crew staff work with families in their homes to build confidence, and help families create a healthier home environment.

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Hope Vale to date

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 129 partners signed up to POP. This is a substantial increase from the 90 members who had signed up by Q1 2013.

• Overall, there were fewer POP engagement activities during Q1 due to POP Enablers focusing their efforts on completing the remaining Backyard Blitzes from 2013. • There were no Garden Club1 events scheduled for this quarter. However, fifteen Pop-up Visits2 were conducted.

TOTAL POP MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS

150

Q4 2013 AND Q1 2014

100

129

50 0

80 60 40

Hope Vale POP members Q1

2013

62 15

20 Q1

2014

Last quarter

This quarter

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

Q1 2014

WHAT MEMBERS DID

100

Hope Vale households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

• To date there have been 48 Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Hope Vale, nine of which were started in Q4 2013 and completed this quarter. During these nine Blitzes, partners provided a total of 59.5 hours sweat equity and assisted in the completion of 11 separate Backyard Blitz elements4, including: the laying of screed and pavers, construction of a cement shed floor and planting. The completion of these project components assisted in creating outdoor living spaces designed by these families. • Nine new POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in Q1 2014 and have so far contributed a cumulative total of $3,344.12 towards their combined target contribution of $9,000 ($1,000 each). These members will continue to contribute towards reaching this target.

1 The POP Enabler runs Garden Club events to: hold discussions and demonstrations on gardening; discuss gardening design ideas; teach methods for maintaining gardens and growing plants, including fruits and vegetables; and/or up-skill partners around gardening tool use and maintenance. 2 The POP Enabler does home visits to: promote participation in POP, discuss membership benefits and processes; offer free plants, seeds and magazines; assist in planting and provide advice on plants; and/or support with ongoing yard upkeep. 3 Backyard Blitzes are garden renovation projects partners can sign-up for as a POP member. Members work with a POP Enabler to develop a design for their garden and to discuss contributions. 4 ‘Backyard Blitz elements’ are individual items that members choose to include in their garden renovation project such as (but not limited to) pergolas, decking, sand pits, garden beds, swing set, tables, chairs and lattice screens.

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MOSSMAN GORGE O-HUB Q1

Despite being in the aftermath of Christmas there was a substantial number of Wise Buys purchases this quarter, which could signal sensible Christmas spending. Eightyfive per cent of homes have undergone or are undergoing a backyard renovation project through Pride of Place. The community continues to get involved in parenting programme activities and give their homes a facelift through ITAV Home Pride. The ITAV Parenting programme moved to vacant offices in the Wellbeing Centre providing more space for workshops and privacy for parenting sessions. Our ITAV Consultant has commenced a weekly after-hours group session for women—to build skills in parenting behaviours and build emotional/practical supports with an inter-generational focus. A group of a dozen women are building a strong core group from which to grow. The stigma around attending parenting programme, once considered an embarrassment, has been all but broken down in Mossman Gorge with high and regular attendance at activities and one-on-one sessions. Local mum Janet Ross-Kelly is spreading the word about the tricks and tactics she is learning at her sessions. She said that she was struggling with bad behaviour at home but is now implementing ‘happy’ ways to manage behaviour. (See page 45)

Most O-Hub staff members including MPower Consultants, ITAV and POP took part in training during the quarter which is an essential component of community capacity building and ensuring retention of local Indigenous staff. One of our consultants will soon take on a role of MPower Exemplar— promoting increased competency/building capabilities across our MPower staff teams. The delivery of POP Community Action Fund /People Action Network community and voluntary projects in Mossman Gorge are on track. A new community playground and garden are expected to be completed by the end of June. While POP leads these projects community members pitch in to get them done.

NOTABLE IMPACTS • Minimal impacts from Cyclone Ita—power outages over the weekend and minor flooding.

DEMOGRAPHIC

POPULATION

(AT CENSUS 2011)

Overall

101

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

Adult (18+)

Children (0–14)

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

Early childhood (0–4)

Primary school (5–11)

Secondary school (12–17)

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

Households

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

The families of Mossman Gorge are leading by example with their MPower membership continuing to grow despite census data showing it is at saturation point. This illustrates that as the population turns over, new community members follow the trend of learning to self-manage their funds. These Gorge families are also putting substantial amounts towards their children’s education, the highest of all communities, through Student Education Trusts.

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MOSSMAN GORGE Q1

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY In Q1, MPower membership continued to grow as more community members demonstrate their desire to improve their financial literacy. SET contributions this quarter have been the highest of all communities with community members contributing a considerable amount of money towards their children’s educational needs. A healthy number of Wise Buys purchases were made despite the usual lull following Christmas. To date 26 Gorge homes have had backyard make-overs through POP, and more families signed on this quarter. ITAV activities have remained consistently high this quarter while ITAV Home Pride house visits have also remained stable. Overall, Q1 has been busy in Mossman Gorge.

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP) MPOWER • MPower membership continues to increase—156 Mossman Gorge adults are now signed up and committed to improving their financial knowledge and skills. • Fifty-six per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are friend/family- or selfreferred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission)—these partners are taking responsibility for their own finances.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 47 in Q1 2013 to 81 in Q1 2014. Mossman Gorge adults are demonstrating a clear desire to learn how they can make better purchasing decisions. • The 10 Wise Buys purchases made this quarter included ‘need’ items such as washing machines, a dryer and a fridge/freezer combination.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—150 Mossman Gorge children and students have now benefitted from SET. • It is becoming the norm to put aside money for students’ educational needs, with 100 Mossman Gorge adults now contributing to at least one SET account. • SET donors saved $16,899.54 during Q1—a significant sum of money is being put aside to meet the educational needs of Mossman Gorge’s students.

• POP membership has remained stable this quarter at 32 members from 26 households. By signing up to POP, these members are expressing a clear desire to create healthier outdoor living spaces. • No Garden Club events were scheduled for Q1, though POP staff conducted a total of 52 Pop-up Visits—an increase on the 48 that were completed in Q4 2013. • One Backyard Blitz project was completed in Q1, during which partners contributed a total of 61 hours sweat equity.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Thirty-one community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. • Fourteen ITAV sessions were held during the quarter with seven members (23% of total membership) participating—some multiple times.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) HOME PRIDE • There are currently 11 Home Pride members in Mossman Gorge. These members are making their homes happier and healthier for their families.

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family STORIES LESS STRESSED ABOUT MONEY “It’s made life better for me and my family.” Katrina Douglas has taken responsibility for her finances and is in control. “I use MPower and Wise Buys, it is better for me, I get better quality stuff for a cheaper price. Because I get things for a better price I have been able to buy more—table and chairs, TV, couch and bed. “SET has also been beneficial because it covers school fees and school uniforms. “Recently, my son Zion attended a school camp and I was able to use the money from his SET account to pay for it. “I have learned how to manage my money. I found that hard before, I was in debt. “MPower has also made it easier to save money—the money I got saved up I can’t touch it, which I find better. I know every year I’ll have more money than the previous year.” Katrina saved for Christmas and says she was able to buy more things than previous years.

Katrina Douglas is a member of MPower, SET and Wise Buys and says she is in control of her finances.

“MPower is one of the best services for me and my family and I reckon other families should sign up to MPower for their service and support. “It’s made my life better for me and my family. There’s no other service that can provide us with that. It’s good to have a service in the community to help my community.”

POSITIVE PARENTING “I’m proud of myself for seeking help.” It’s normal for kids to act out and test the boundaries as they grow up but this can be challenging and very stressful for parents.

“I needed help—someone to talk to about some of the not-so-nice behaviours happening at home.” During her Strong Families sessions, Janet is learning positive parenting strategies to use at home. “I’m learning tips on how to manage my time, how to talk to my kids so they understand, and tips on how to properly use a behavioural chart. “I feel good about what I’m doing and how much I am improving. “I’m giving my children quality care. I am learning how to manage my children in a happy way.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

Janet Ross-Kelly was struggling with her son’s behaviour so she turned to It Takes a Village to Raise a Child for support. Janet Ross-Kelly would like to work with children in the future.

“I tell lots of people about parenting, I think it can benefit a lot of community parents.” As she learns more about positive parenting and gains confidence, she’s interested in also working with children outside of the home. “I would like to work with children. I am studying to be a teacher and looking for jobs dealing with children and families as well.”

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MPOWER

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS

• There were three new sign-ups this quarter. • Of the 156 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q1, 74 members (47%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. Members are regularly using the product. • Over the last 15 months the largest proportion (56%) of new MPower members has been friend/family- or self-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances.

Q2 2011 TO Q1 2014

200 150

156

100

Mossman Gorge MPower members

50 0

2011

2012

2013

2014

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

• At the end of Q1 there were a total of 156 MPower members in Mossman Gorge. Over time more and more community members are taking responsibility for improving their financial literacy.

Family/Friend/Self

7% 4%

FRC referred

56%

O-Hub staff/ Centrelink Unknown2

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1 • One MMT session was conducted this quarter, focusing on Banking Support. This is down on the previous quarter, where the eight MMT sessions held focused on Internet and Phone Banking, Banking Support, Wealth Creation Support, Debt Reduction Support and Budget Support. • Over the period January 2013–March 2014 all MMTs, apart from Loan Support, were used at least once with Internet and Phone Banking Support being used most often (see below).

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

BANKING

DEBT REDUCTION

PAYMENT WEALTH CREATION

UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q1 2014

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

LOAN

• There were a total of 405 iBank sessions in Q1—a very slight decrease from Q4 2013. Forty per cent of these sessions were unassisted—slightly less than Q4 2013. • A reduction in assistance levels over time indicates that iBank users are becoming self-sufficient in managing their finances. The trend in Mossman Gorge indicates that the proportion of unassisted sessions is continuing to increase over time (see below). However, as new members sign on we see assistance levels fluctuate as new members are more likely to require greater iBank assistance than older members.

IBANK USAGE

BUDGET

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3

12 0

100% 80%

60%

40%

20% 0%

2011

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

Assisted

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q1 there were a total of 81 Wise Buys members

• This quarter, a total of nine unique1 members made a total of 10 purchases through Wise Buys. Of these 10 purchases: -- six were classified as ‘needs’2 -- four were classified as ‘wants’.3 • A total amount of $5,375.99 was spent, including $4,003.84 on needs and $1,372.15 on wants. • Needs items purchased included a lounge suite, fridge/ freezer combination, dryer, washing machine, bamboo screen fencing, new car tyres, a UHF and car radio, laptop, television and electrical appliances. • The 31 Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of 74 times. Most visits (45%) were to receive general support (see below).

in Mossman Gorge. Thirty-four additional members have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that a growing number of adults in Mossman Gorge are valuing money and want support to make better-informed purchasing decisions and to make their dollar stretch further.

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

100 80 60

81 Mossman Gorge

40 20

Wise Buys members Q1

2013

2014

DURING Q1 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=74)

General support

% 22

45%

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB

Initial consultation

Make a payment

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY • Of the 81 members at the end of Q1 2014, 31 (38% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

additional members since the same quarter last year

Purchase

% 23

Research on purchase

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES • At the end of Q1 2014 there had been a total of 150 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to rise in Mossman Gorge, indicating that more and more families are making a clear choice make education a priority.

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS

• Out of the 139 open SET accounts remaining open since the commencement of the programme in 2007: -- 36 (26%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the quarter— these accounts are meeting the gold standard for activity

Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

-- 45 (32%) had received at least one contribution

160

or had been used to make at least one purchase during the quarter—this still represents a high level

140

of activity

150 Mossman Gorge

120

-- 25 (18%) have had zero contributions or purchases this quarter, but have had contributions

SET accounts

100

2013

or purchases in the previous 12 months Q1

2014

• The large majority (n=139, 93%) of the 150 total SET accounts remained open at Q1 2014, while 11 (7%) had been closed. • Of those accounts open, most (n=89, 64%) are for primary school aged children.1 • The total trusts in the above figure do not add to 139 because the schooling status of three SET students is unknown. These students are aged between 14 and 17 years and have a combined total amount of $1209.22 in their SET accounts. This is a concern and O-Hub staff should follow up with donors for these accounts to

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY?

determine schooling status.

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

-- 33 (24%) have been dormant for more than 12 months. • Most of the least active SET accounts have very small or nil balances. For instance, of the 33 accounts that had no activity in more than 12 months, -- eight have a balance of $0.00 -- eight have a balance between $0.01–$1.00 -- 15 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000 -- two have a balance between $1,001–$5,000 • These less active accounts have a total balance of $4,818.51. While the balance in these less-active accounts is relatively small, there is still a need for O-Hub staff to encourage these donors to re-activate their SET usage and/or close these accounts.

Q1 2014

100 80 60

40 20 0

10 Early Childhood (0–4)

29 Primary School (5–11)

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

PRIMARY SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN

in Mossman Gorge have a SET account

1 The age ranges for SET accounts are as follows: early childhood = 0–4 years; primary school = 5–11 years; secondary school = 12–17 years; tertiary/further education = 18–25 years.

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At Q1 2014, there was a total balance of $98,033.54 across all Mossman Gorge SET accounts (see below).1 This represents a slight decrease of around six per cent from the total balance at the close of Q4 2013. • The total balance for Mossman Gorge SET accounts at the end of Q1 includes $584.80 interest, which has accumulated since the close of Q4 2013.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q4 2013 AND Q1 2014

Last quarter

This quarter

Early Childhood

$3,431.72

78%

of purchases were for primary school aged children

PURCHASES • A total of 285 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q1 2014. The total value of these purchases was $24,316.94. Most (n=223, 78%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least 15 months. For example, as shown in the below graph, we typically see a higher number of purchases at the beginning of the school year, in preparation for term one.

$4,543.62

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET

Primary School

Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

$59,959.77

300

284

$55,727.08

285

200

Secondary School

$36,737.71

131

162

100

130

$33,630.11 0

Tertiary/Further Education

$0.00

2013

$0.00

2014

$4,666.94 $4,132.73

CONTRIBUTIONS • During Q1 2014 a total of $16,899.54 was contributed to SET accounts in Mossman Gorge. This is $7,638.99 more than the amount saved in Q4 2013 and is slightly more than the average amount being saved since Q1 2013 (see below). This is a pleasing result and represents a substantial amount of money being put aside to fund student educational needs.

of Mossman Gorge SET donors are female

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS

• At Q1 2014 there were a total of 100 unique2 donors contributing to the 139 open SET accounts. Three new donors have signed up since Q4 2013. • Eighty per cent of Mossman Gorge SET donors are female, most being the recipient’s mother. Mossman Gorge women have taken a strong stand when it comes to their children’s education— they are committed to ensuring their children have everything they need to succeed at school.

Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014 $20,000

2013

$16,899.54

$9,260.55

$13,374.19

$5,000

$13,261.75

$10,000

$12,029.38

$15,000

DONOR PROFILE

2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

Finished/Left School

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 31 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. During Q1 we have had two new members sign-up and overall 15 new members have signed on since the close of Q1 2013. This is a pleasing result.

• ITAV parenting staff members have been busily engaging with the community—both existing members and potential members of ITAV. These engagement activities assist our staff to spread the word about the importance of parenting, encourage parents to support one another, and advise community members of the assistance and support they can receive through the ITAV programme.

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

40 30

Mossman Gorge ITAV members

10 0

2013

2014

• Out of the 31 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 28 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- three partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

STAFF CONTACT HOURS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

• During Q1, Mossman Gorge ITAV staff spent a combined total of 188 hours and six minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time, staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

NEW MEMBERS

• This quarter, a total of 40 engagement activities were undertaken. These included: informal discussions (n=30, 75%); home visits (n=8, 20%); and community events (n=2, 5%). • During Q1, Parenting relocated from the O-Hub to new office space at the Wellbeing Centre, which disrupted activities for a short time and may have impacted the overall volume of engagement activities. The new office space provides greater privacy for parenting members.

WHAT MEMBERS DID • Fourteen ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter, including: -- nine Strong Families sessions -- five Baby College sessions. • During these sessions, partners worked on: -- strategies to show affection to and praising children to make them feel special -- understanding the importance of sending children to school so that they can get the best start in life -- strategies to make bedtime and potty training easier for young ones -- understanding the value of spending special time with children, and more. • Seven members participated in these sessions, with some members participating across multiple sessions.

since the same quarter last year.

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

Partner was having regular panic attacks due to the stress of looking after their baby. They worked with parenting consultants to identify strategies for coping with their panic attacks, but also to learn strategies for toilet training their child and developing bedtime routines.

The partner has learned to cope with the panic attacks. Their child is now trying to use the potty and is settling more easily at bedtime. Things have improved dramatically.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• There have been five engagement house visits by Home Crew this quarter which is stable from Q4 2013, where five visits were conducted. • Because Home Pride is in its infancy in Mossman Gorge, it will take time for our staff to build the rapport with community members needed to undertake a large number of home visits. As the Home Crew team stabilises and this rapport is built, we look forward to seeing engagement activities increase.

Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

20 15

Mossman Gorge Home Pride members

5 0

2013

2014

• At the end of Q1 there were a total of 11 Home Pride members in Mossman Gorge. Membership has remained stable since Q4 2013. • Of these 11 partners: -- all 11 partners are signed up to both the House Blitz2 and Home Maker3 components. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having only been launched mid-2013. It has been relatively slow to progress due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. As the programme matures over the coming months and years, we look forward to seeing membership grow.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

ALL

of the partners signed up to Home Pride are signed up to Home Maker and to complete a House Blitz

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Mossman Gorge to date

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 32 partners signed up to POP. This is a substantial increase from the eight members who had signed up by Q1 2013.

• Overall, there were fewer POP engagement activities during Q1 due to POP Enablers focusing their efforts on completing the Backyard Blitzes from 2013. • There were no Garden Club1 events scheduled for this quarter, however, fifty-two Pop-up Visits2 were conducted.

TOTAL POP MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q1 2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS

Q4 2013 AND Q1 2014

100

32 Mossman Gorge

20 10 0

75 50

POP members

2013

Last quarter

This quarter

25 Q1

2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

Q1 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q1 2014

Mossman Gorge households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

• To date there have been 16 Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Mossman Gorge, one of which was completed this quarter. During this quarter’s Blitz, partners provided a total of 61 hours sweat equity and assisted in the completion of eight separate Backyard Blitz elements4, including: the design and building of a pergola and cyclone shed; construction, planting and mulching of garden beds. • The two POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in 2014 and have so far contributed a cumulative total of $402.47 towards their combined target contribution of $2,000 ($1,000 each). These members will continue to strive towards this target over the coming months.

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FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

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AURUKUN O-HUB Q2

In 12 months Wise Buys membership has increased from 11 to 100 people. We believe a stable and full staff can be attributed to improved outcomes. With almost half of the adult population contributing to SET it is the norm to set money aside for education and to make it a priority. Primary school students in particular are benefiting from SET at a rate not seen before. Almost 80 per cent of primary school students have a SET account for educational needs. Parents and carers are catching on to the social and trade benefits of ITAV, with more members signing on than ever before and attending group and one-on-one sessions. One particularly dedicated parent/carer attended five separate sessions during the quarter. The growth can be attributed to improved engagement and working collaboratively with FRC, Child Safety and CYAAA Student Case Managers. The parenting team is working closely with Student Case Managers to improve school readiness, attendance rates and practical support for parents/carers of school-age children. Pride of Place moved into a new phase of engagement this quarter as all projects from 2014 were finalised in the previous quarter. Family preparations for 2014 Blitzes

got underway. Community/voluntary (CAF/PAN) projects started in 2013 were completed this quarter and talks got underway around 2014 community/voluntary projects. Garden Clubs were planned for Q4 this year including a garden project within the HACC property.

POINTS OF INTEREST • SET Fair was held in conjunction with the opening of Aurukun’s new Business Precinct. It provided SET with good exposure. CYAAA joined our team at the SET Fair to help with the sale of school uniforms. Stock to the value of $1,700 was purchased on the day.

NOTABLE IMPACTS • While Aurukun wasn’t directly hit by Cyclone Ita the community took precautions and bunkered down, slowing traffic through the O-Hub over several days. • Staff movements caused significant disruption as new staff settle in and build trust with partners. • MPower consultants from other sites have back-filled vacant positions during this quarter.

DEMOGRAPHIC

POPULATION

(AT CENSUS 2011)

Overall

1190

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

811

Adult (18+)

750

Children (0–14)

379

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

617

Early childhood (0–4)

126

Primary school (5–11)

203

Secondary school (12–17)

113

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

175

Households

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

The Aurukun O-Hub was well attended this quarter, recording a steady growth across all Opportunity Products. The team concentrated efforts on exploring new engagement strategies. A local Indigenous MPower Consultant held successful promotions for MPower products, paying particular attention to proactive follow-ups. Having been an MPower graduate herself, this young Indigenous consultant is able to articulate and connect the benefits. The team is particularly pleased with the increase in the number of MPower coaching sessions, Money Management Tools sessions and Simple Budget sessions which signals a commitment for self-improvement beyond basic skills.

179

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AURUKUN

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY (Q2) The Aurukun O-Hub remains a bustling centre as membership continues to increase across most of the Opportunity Products. A total of 726 Aurukun adults (≥15 years of age) are now signed up to improve their financial literacy through MPower. SET membership has also increased to 268 school children with accounts that fund their educational needs. Wise Buys membership has increased again and the number of parents and carers learning critical parenting skills through ITAV has grown. Seventeen ITAV members participated in 25 single and group sessions during the quarter, with one parent/carer attending five separate sessions. This illustrates real commitment to personal growth. Finally, Pop-up Visits and other POP engagement activities have picked up again during the quarter after ongoing projects from late 2013 were finalised in Q1 2014.

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP) MPOWER • MPower membership continues to increase—726 Aurukun adults are now signed up and committed to improving their financial understanding and skills. • Sixty-two per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are friend/ family- or self-referred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission). These partners are seeking to take responsibility for their own finances.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 11 in Q1 2013 to 100 in Q2 2014. Aurukun adults have demonstrated a clear desire to learn how they can make better purchasing decisions. • Wise buys members focused on research for future purchases this quarter. No purchases were made.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—268 Aurukun kids and students have now benefitted from SET. • It is becoming the norm to put aside money for student educational needs, with 153 Aurukun adults now contributing to at least one SET account. • SET donors saved $20,322.28 during Q2. This represents a significant sum of money being put aside to meet the educational needs of Aurukun’s students.

• One new community member has signed up to POP this quarter, bringing the total membership to 79 from 63 households. By signing up to POP, these members are expressing a clear desire to create healthier outdoor living spaces. • No Garden Club events were scheduled for Q2, though POP staff conducted a total of 21 Pop-up Visits—more than the six that were completed last quarter. • Although no Backyard Blitz projects were completed in Q2, the eight members who have signed up continue to contribute towards meeting their financial targets of $1,000 each.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Seventy-seven community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. • Ten ITAV sessions were held during the quarter with eight members (10% of total membership) participating—some multiple times.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) HOME PRIDE • There are currently 13 Home Pride members in Aurukun. These members are making their homes happier and healthier for their families.

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family STORIES EDUCATION TOP PRIORITY “I’m now saving for Pride of Place.” Laurelle Poonkamelya is the mother of five children. While four have now finished school each child has had a Student Education Trust to help support their educational needs. Her youngest son, George Ngallametta is still in school and using his SET account. “SET has been very useful. It helps to save money for all of my kids…when at boarding school they need things like a computer, bedding, uniforms, stationery and linen which SET helped me to buy.” George starts high school next year which could bring on some larger expenses. “SET means when he goes to boarding school and needs a laptop, I can say, yes. I can get you one because of SET.” Laurelle said she also encourages others to sign up to SET. “I tell them they can get something for their kids so they can learn.” In the future, Laurelle is looking to sign up for Pride of Place. “I like doing gardens and cleaning the yard so I will be saving for Pride of Place.”

Putting money aside for education has been a priority for Laurelle Poonkamelya.

A HELPING HAND Dawn Koodumbin of the Winchanum clan came to the O-Hub for assistance accessing her deceased partner’s money held with the local Art Centre. “I had help to fill out a Stat Dec saying that I was in a relationship, how long we were together and the number of children we had together. “I talked with Lorraine (MPower Consultant) about him and our life together. Dawn Koodumbin came to the O-Hub for help with a complicated family estate matter.

“I was having big problems with this I got the help that I needed at the O-Hub.”

issue

and

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

“I got the help I needed at the O-Hub.”

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MPOWER

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS

• There were 13 new sign-ups this quarter. • Of the 726 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q2, 323 members (44%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. Members are regularly using the product. • Over the last 18 months the largest proportion (62%) of new MPower members have been friend/family- or self-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking more responsibility for their own finances.

1000 800 600

726

400

Aurukun MPower members

200 0

2011

2012

2013

2014

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

• At the end of Q2 there were a total of 726 MPower members in Aurukun. Over time more and more community members are taking responsibility for improving their financial literacy.

Family/Friend/Self FRC referred O-Hub staff/ Centrelink

• Twelve MMT sessions were conducted this quarter, focusing on Internet and Phone Banking Support, Debt Reduction Support and Banking Support. This is an increase from the previous quarter, where the seven sessions focused on Internet and Phone Banking Support and Banking Support. • Over the period January 2013–June 2014 all MMTs, aside from Loan Support, were used at least once with Banking and Budget Support being used most often (see below).

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

BUDGET DEBT REDUCTION

LOAN PAYMENT

WEALTH CREATION

• There were a total of 1487 iBank sessions in Q2—a decrease from Q1 2014. Forty two per cent of these sessions were unassisted—up slightly from Q1 2014. • A reduction in assistance levels over time indicates that iBank users are becoming more proficient at independently managing their finances. The trend in Aurukun indicates that unassisted sessions are trending up and assisted sessions are trending down (see below). However, as we get influxes of new members we see assistance levels also fluctuate—new members are more likely to require greater iBank assistance than older members. UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q2 2014

31 0

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3

IBANK USAGE

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

62%

Unknown2

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1

BANKING

11%

% 19

Q2 2011 TO Q2 2014

100% 80%

58%

60% 40%

42%

20% 0%

2011

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

Assisted

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q2 there were a total of 100 Wise Buys members in Aurukun. Ninety-one additional members have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that more and more adults in Aurukun want support to make better-informed purchasing decisions.

• This quarter, no purchases were made. • The 11 Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of 18 times. Most visits (72%) were to conduct research on future Wise Buys purchases (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB DURING Q2 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=18)

72% 28%

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

120

General support

100

Initial consultation1

80 40

Purchase1

Aurukun Wise Buys members

20 0

Research on purchase

100

2013

2014

Make a payment1 Q2

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

• Of the 100 members at the end of Q2 2014, 11 (11% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter.

1 Each of these categories=0% during this quarter and are therefore not illustrated on the above graph.

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES • At the end of Q2 2014 there had been a total of 268 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to rise in Aurukun, indicating that a growing number of families are making their children’s education a priority.

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

280 260

268

240

Aurukun SET accounts

220

2013

2014

• The large majority (n=259, 97%) of the 268 total SET accounts remained open at Q2 2014, while nine (3%) had been closed. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=158, 61%) are for primary school aged children.1

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q2 2014

200 150

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

100

158

50 0

24 Early Childhood (0–4)

60 Primary School (5–11)

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

• The total trusts in the above figure do not add to 259 because for six trusts, the schooling status of the recipients is unknown. These students are 16–17 years of age and have a combined total balance of $3,759.06 in their SET accounts. This is a concern and O-Hub staff should follow up with the donors for these accounts to determine the schooling status of these students.

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY? • Out of the 259 SET accounts remaining open since the commencement of the programme in 2007: -- six (2%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the quarter—these accounts are meeting the gold standard for activity -- 86 (33%) had received at least one contribution or had been used to make at least one purchase during the quarter—this still represents a high level of activity -- 102 (39%) had no contributions or purchases made during this quarter, however did receive a contribution or purchase in the previous 12 months -- 65 (25%) had been dormant for more than 12 months. • Of the 65 accounts that had no activity for over 12 months, -- two have a balance of $0.00 -- 22 have a balance between $0.01–$1.00 -- 27 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000 -- 12 have a balance between $1,001–$5,000 -- two have balances between $5,001–$10,000. • These less active accounts have a total balance of $49,741.63. Given this large amount of money in accounts that have not been active for more than 12 months, contact should be made with the account holders as a matter a priority to encourage these donors to re-activate their SET usage and/or close these accounts.

35%

of SET accounts have been active2 during the quarter

1 The age ranges for SET accounts are as follows: early childhood = 0–4 years; primary school = 5–11 years; secondary school = 12–17 years; tertiary/further education = 18–25 years. 2 ‘Active’ accounts are those where at least one purchase and/or contribution has been made during the quarter.

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At Q2 2014, there was a total balance of $406,271.25 across all Aurukun SET accounts (see below).1 This represents a slight increase from the total balance at the close of Q1 2014. • The total balance for Aurukun SET accounts at the end of Q2 includes $2,328.21interest, which has accumulated since the close of Q1 2014.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q1 2014 TO Q2 2014

Last quarter

This quarter

Early Childhood

$4,853.84 $5,823.18 Primary School

153

DONORS are now contributing to Aurukun SET accounts

PURCHASES • A total of 144 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q2 2014. The total value of these purchases was $19,194.63. Most (n=138, 96%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least 12 months. For example, as shown in the below graph, covering 18 months we typically see a higher number of purchases at the beginning of the school year, in preparation for term one.

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET

$228,155.43

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

500

$227,943.85

414

400

Secondary School

300

$96,589.78

200

$101,293.28

100

Tertiary/Further Education

$0.00

65 Q1

144

95 2013

2014

$0.00 Finished/Left School

$73,090.25 $71,210.94

CONTRIBUTIONS

of Aurukun SET donors are female

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS

DONOR PROFILE

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

• At Q2 2014 there were a total of 153 unique2 donors contributing to 259 SET accounts. • Ninety-three per cent of Aurukun SET donors are female, most being the recipient’s mother. Aurukun women have demonstrated a strong commitment towards the education of their children by making sure they have the materials they need to succeed at school.

$25,000 $20,000

2013

$20,332.28

$18,783.62

$15,879.93

$21,000.51

$5,000

$20,191.12

$10,000

$21,822.85

$15,000

2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

• During Q2 2014 a total of $20,332.28 was contributed to SET accounts in Aurukun. This is consistent with the amount being saved each quarter since Q1 2013 (see below) and represents a substantial amount of money being put aside to fund student educational needs.

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 77 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. During Q2 we have had 15 new members sign-up and overall, 30 new members have signed on since the close of Q1 2013. This is an exciting result.

• ITAV Parenting staff members have been busily engaging with the community—including both members and non-members of ITAV. These engagement activities assist our staff to spread the word about the importance of parenting, encourage parents to support one another, and advise community members of the assistance and support they can receive through the ITAV programme. • This quarter, a total of 39 engagement activities were undertaken. These included: informal discussions (n=31, 79%); handicraft sessions (n=4, 10%); information sessions (n=2, 5%); a home visit (n=1, 3%) and workshop (n=1, 3%). • The volume of engagement activities during Q2 has been affected by ongoing community unrest and sorry time.

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

100 80 60

Aurukun ITAV members

20 0

2013

2014

• Out of the 77 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 74 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- three partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

STAFF CONTACT HOURS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

• During Q2, Aurukun ITAV staff spent a combined total of 242 hours and 44 minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time, staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

74 PARTNERS

are signed up to Strong Families in Aurukun

WHAT MEMBERS DID • Ten ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter, including: -- nine Strong Families sessions -- one Baby College group session. • During these sessions, partners worked on: -- understanding how parents can influence a baby’s development, through healthy eating and lifestyle -- activities aimed at building skills around spending special time with their children, and linking this with understanding around sound childhood development -- understanding the importance of making time to regularly talk with their children. • Eight unique members participated in these sessions, with some members participating across multiple sessions. One partner showed an extraordinary level of commitment to building her parenting skills this quarter, having attended five separate sessions. • Members also attended 15 case management activities during the quarter.

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

When partner joined ITAV, they were receiving reports from school about their children’s behavioural problems. The partner learned about how attachments are formed with children through bonding. They identified a need to spend more quality time with their children and learned how to set up a more consistent bedtime routine.

The children’s school attendance has now improved and there are fewer reports of behavioural issues. The partner now reports that they are ‘feeling good inside’ and that things have settled down in their home. The partner spends special time, colouring in or doing other activities with their children. Nowadays, when the partner’s children go to bed they get a hug and kiss, and are told ‘I love you’.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• There have been eight engagement house visits by Home Crew this quarter which is a slight decrease from the nine conducted in Q1 2014. • Because Home Pride is new in Aurukun, it will take time for our staff to build the rapport with community members needed to undertake a larger number of home visits. As the Home Crew team stabilises and builds this rapport, we hope to see activities increase.

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

20 15

Aurukun Home Pride members

5 0

2013

2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

• At the end of Q2 there were a total of 13 Home Pride members in Aurukun. Membership has remained stable since Q3 2013. • Of these 13 partners: -- twelve partners are signed up to complete a House Blitz2 -- one is signed up to the Home Maker3 component. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having been launched mid-2013. It has been relatively slow to progress due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. As the programme matures over the coming months and years, we look forward to seeing membership grow.

12 OUT OF 13

of the partners signed up to Home Pride are signed up to complete a House Blitz

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Aurukun to date

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 79 partners signed up to POP. This has increased from 42 (almost doubled) since Q1 last year.

• There were 21 Pop-up Visits1 this quarter—an increase from Q1 where six were held.

TOTAL POP MEMBERS

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

Q1 2014 AND Q2 2014

100

40 30

79 Aurukun POP

50 25 0

10 0

members

2013

2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS

6 Last quarter

This quarter

• There were two Garden Club2 events held this quarter with 16 participants. Participants completed activities in relation to boxing, concrete preparations and concreting.

Q2 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

WHAT MEMBERS DID

Aurukun households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

• To date there have been 23 Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Aurukun, including 205 separate Backyard Blitz elements.4 The completion of these Blitz projects has assisted in creating some fantastic outdoor living spaces for Aurukun families. Although no Blitzes were completed this quarter, we look forward to seeing Blitz activities increase again over the coming months. • Four of the eight POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in 2014 have so far contributed a cumulative total of $1,043.07 towards their combined target contribution of $8,000 ($1,000 each). These members will continue to contribute towards reaching this target.

1 The POP Enabler does home visits to: promote participation in POP, discuss membership benefits and processes; offer free plants, seeds and magazines; assist in planting and provide advice on plants; and/or support with ongoing yard upkeep. 2 The POP Enabler runs Garden Club events to: hold discussions and demonstrations on gardening; discuss gardening design ideas; teach methods for maintaining gardens and growing plants, including fruits and vegetables; and/or up-skill partners around gardening tool use and maintenance 3 ‘Backyard Blitzes’ are garden renovation projects partners can sign-up for as a POP member. Members work with a POP Enabler to develop a design for their garden and to discuss contributions. 4 ‘Backyard Blitz elements’ are individual items that members choose to include in their garden renovation project such as (but not limited to) pergolas, decking, sand pits, garden beds, swing set, tables, chairs and lattice screens.

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COEN O-HUB Q2 A dynamic suite of engagement exercises provided many touch points for partners to engage with staff and opportunity products.

• An Easter parade and Easter egg hunt was held at the Wellbeing Centre in collaboration with the O-Hub, which had strong attendance by the children of Coen.

MPower consultants set up stalls at community events to educate and promote the personal benefits of proactive money management and Wise Buys. As a result a number of household items such as fridges, freezers and beds were purchased through Wise Buys. Freezers enable partners to stock up ahead of the wet season when roads can be cut from supply routes for months on end. This reduces reliance on the local shops which fly or ship in ‘necessity’ items and on sells at very high prices. During the wet season when roads are cut, it can cost more than $8 for a loaf of bread. Our advice to partners is to ‘stock-up’.

• A Mothers’ Day morning was well attended by mums, grandmothers and carers. They gathered as a talking circle and made cards and hats.

Many Coen partners are demonstrating advanced money management behaviours checking in with the O-Hub staff several times each week for the latest money saving Wise Buy opportunities. Many are learning to confront bill payment and debt issues and are prioritising their spending which includes a commitment to their child’s education. Daveena Thomas (pictured in this report) is a fine example of a partner working hard to make her money work for her family.

POINTS OF INTEREST • MPower consultants visited homes as a way of re-connecting with partners. • A SET stall was held in the O-Hub grounds selling educational items such as jigsaw puzzles, books, art supplies, as well as poster charts and placemats, which assist children with learning numbers, the alphabet, times tables and colours. The stall was a great success, with the stall selling out of all products.

NOTABLE IMPACTS • Several weeks throughout this quarter were understaffed due staff movement and staff training, resulting in our consultants spreading themselves to ensure all areas were covered. • An experienced MPower consultant in Coen assisted with MPower staff training in Aurukun, one week in every month, this quarter. The opportunity to impart knowledge and skills has assisted both the trainees and the trainer. This is an important part of Indigenous empowerment—empowering local people in local jobs.

DEMOGRAPHIC

POPULATION

(AT CENSUS 2011)

Overall

264

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

176

Adult (18+)

161

Children (0–14)

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

149

Early childhood (0–4)

Primary school (5–11)

Secondary school (12–17)

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

Households

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

SET membership has remained relatively stable, with 86 per cent of the Coen adult population now donating to at least one SET account. Purchases were high again this quarter: school children received a total of 216 separate items through SET to ensure their readiness for school.

• ITAV Parenting activity has continued to increase with an increase in sessions—23 Strong Families and six Baby College sessions, Healthy Cooking Contests which incorporates Wise Buys for cooking products.

47 65

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COEN Q2

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY MPower membership in Coen has continued to grow during Q2. SET membership has remained stable while purchases were high again this quarter. School children received a total of 236 separate items through SET to ensure their readiness for school. Wise Buys activity has remained relatively low, with only a few purchases being made during the quarter. This dip is to be expected, particularly in a small community where ‘big ticket item’ purchases are not frequent. The number of POP activities remained stable and included a Garden Club event held this quarter. ITAV Parenting activity has continued to increase—Q2 saw an overall increase in sessions.

MPOWER • MPower membership continues to increase—198 Coen adults are now signed up and committed to improving their financial knowledge and skills. • Forty-five per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are friend/family- or self-referred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission)—these partners are taking responsibility for their own finances.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 22 in Q1 2013 to 45 in Q2 2014. Coen adults have a clear desire to learn how they can make better purchasing decisions. • The three Wise Buys purchases made this quarter included ‘need’ items such as a bed and mattress.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—198 Coen kids and students have now benefitted from SET. • It is becoming the norm to put aside money for student educational needs, with 152 Coen adults now contributing to at least one SET account. • SET donors saved $23,222.23 during Q2—this is significant sum of money being put aside to meet the educational needs of Coen students.

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP) • POP membership has remained stable at 46 members from 44 households this quarter. By signing up to POP, these members are expressing a clear desire to create healthier outdoor living spaces. • One Garden Club event was held in Q2, with nine participants working to develop a community market garden including laying soil and mulch. POP staff also conducted a total of three Pop-up Visits— fewer than the six that were completed last quarter. • Although no Backyard Blitz projects were completed in Q2, the four members who have signed up continue to contribute towards meeting their financial targets of $1,000 each.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Forty-six community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. • Twenty-nine ITAV sessions were held during the quarter with 14 members (30% of total membership) participating—some multiple times.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) HOME PRIDE • There are currently 14 Home Pride members in Coen. These members want to make their homes happier and healthier for their families.

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family STORIES MAKING MONEY STRETCH FURTHER “I talk to the O-Hub about where I can save dollars.” Daveena Thomas’ goal is to live a healthy and happy life with her partner and to provide a good quality education for her son Davis. She has been a member of MPower for several years, shops regularly through Wise Buys and uses her Student Education Trust to keep her son Davis in educational supplies. “Davis (12 years) was just a few months old, learning to crawl when I started his SET.” “It saves me the stress if we want anything for education—I just take the paper work to Tracey at the O-Hub—books, uniforms, a whole heap of things, back to school pack, all the educational stuff. “We got his suit for graduation, a formal suit.”

Daveena Thomas said her son Davis was just a few months old when she started a Student Education Trust.

“I remember going to school and because we only had a little money we would just window shop (in Mareeba). I would say ‘Oh, I love that’. I would be looking at all the pretty school stuff. I so love that. If I get money I’m coming back for that we would say. “Now I can just get them. We’d always go for second hand stuff, or the cheapest brand. “I know money is being put to use in a good way. I know it’s a positive thing and that’s my kid. I’d do anything for my kids to get a good education.”

Deveena works for Centrelink, her office is co-located in the O-Hub building “I use Wise Buys for online shopping for groceries, clothes, and I shop around for anything. I talk to the O-Hub a lot about good deals and where I can save dollars. “MPower helped me to organise my banking. I have two accounts. One to pay the bills, and one pays for shopping, things for the house and clothes. “MPower gave me ideas on how you can save and where there is a better place to shop for better deals, give you better options for your money. I don’t know where this community would be without this office. “The problem is with some people, who have a budgeting problem, they still don’t want to grow up. Still want to have that fun time and spend money on alcohol, like you are acting like a teenager. “We’re not perfect but we pay our bills off. I have learned to contact people to let them know I can’t pay that but I can pay a portion this week to save us getting into trouble. Daveena says in 2015 she’ll be putting money away for flights to visit Davis at boarding school in Brisbane mid-term. “I don’t like flying but I’ll pray before I get on the plane and thank God when we get there!”

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

Davis is off to Marist Brothers in Brisbane this year and Daveena says that his SET will help to fund everything he needs.

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MPOWER

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

Q2 2011 TO Q2 2014

250 200 150

198

100

Coen MPower members

50 0

2011

2012

2013

2014

• There were four new sign-ups this quarter. • Of the 198 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q2, 66 members (33%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. This shows that members are regularly using the product. • Since Q1 2013 the largest proportion (45%) of new MPower members have been friend/family- or self-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances.

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS

• At the end of Q2 there were a total of 198 MPower members in Coen. Over time more and more community members are choosing the take better control of their finances.

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

Family/Friend/Self

45%

FRC referred O-Hub staff/ Centrelink

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014 BANKING

BUDGET

DEBT REDUCTION

12 0

• There were a total of 135 iBank sessions in Q2—a slight reduction from Q1 2014. Seventy-three per cent of these sessions were unassisted—eight per cent more than in Q1 2014. • A reduction in assistance levels over time indicates that iBank users are becoming more self-sufficient in managing their finances. The trend in Coen reflects membership trends (see below). For example, in 2012, 51 new members signed up; at the same time the proportion of assisted sessions also increased because new members likely required greater assistance than older members. Through 2013 membership stabilised and levels of assistance again reduced. Over time, we expect to see assistance levels gradually reduce as iBank users become more self-sufficient. UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q2 2014

100% 80%

PAYMENT WEALTH CREATION

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3

IBANK USAGE

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

LOAN

21%

• Nine MMT sessions were conducted this quarter, focusing on Internet and Phone Banking Support, Banking Support, Budget Support and Payment Support. This is an increase from Q1, where the three MMT sessions held focused on Banking Support and Budget Support. • Over the period January 2013–June 2014 all MMTs, aside from Loan Support, were used at least once with Internet and Phone Banking Support, Banking Support and Budget Support being used most often (see below).

Unknown2

73%

60% 40%

27%

20% 0%

2011

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

Assisted

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q2 there were a total of 45 Wise Buys members in Coen. Twenty-three additional members have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that more and more adults in Coen want support to make better informed purchasing decisions.

• This quarter, one unique1 member made a total of three purchases through Wise Buys. All three purchases were classified as ‘needs’2 rather than ‘wants’.3 • A total amount of $601.90 was spent. • Needs items purchased included a bed and mattress. • The 14 Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of 41 times. Most visits (83%) were to conduct research on potential future purchases (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB

40 30

Coen Wise Buys members

10 0

DURING Q2 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=41)

2013

2014

General support4 Q2

% 83

7% 10%

Initial consultation Research on purchase

• Of the 45 members at the end of Q2 2014, 14 (31% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter.

Purchase Make a payment4

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY?

• At the end of Q2 2014 there had been a total of 198 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to rise in Coen, indicating that more and more families are making a clear decision to make their children’s education a priority.

• Out of the 162 SET accounts that remain open since the commencement of the programme in 2007: -- 12 (7%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the quarter. These accounts are meeting the gold standard

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

for activity

210

-- 61 (38%) had received at least one contribution or had been used to make at least one purchase

200

during the quarter—this still represents a good

190

level of activity

198

180

-- 67 (41%) had no contributions made or

Coen SET accounts

170

2013

2014

purchase transactions this quarter, however did record purchase or contribution in the previous

12 months

• The large majority (n=162, 82%) of the 198 total SET accounts remained open at Q2 2014, while 36 (18%) had been closed. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=58, 36%) are for

-- 22 (14%) had no activity in more than 12 months. • Most of the least active SET accounts have very small or nil balances. For instance, of the 22 accounts that had no activity in more than 12 months,

primary school aged children.1

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

-- three have a balance of $0.00

Q2 2014

-- one has a balance between $0.01–$1.00

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

-- 13 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000 -- four have a balance between $1,001–$5,000 -- one has a balance between $5,001–$10,000.

• These less active accounts have a total balance

36 4

Early Childhood (0–4)

Primary School (5–11)

of $17,191.20. There is a need for O-Hub staff to

encourage these donors to re-activate their SET usage and/or close these accounts.

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

45%

of SET accounts have been active2 during the quarter

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152

SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At Q2 2014, there was a total balance of $247,900.40 across all Coen SET accounts (see below).1 This represents a decrease of around two per cent from the total balance at the close of Q1 2014. • The total balance for Coen SET accounts at the end of Q2 includes $1,458.42 interest, which has accumulated since the close of Q1 2014.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

are now contributing to Coen SET accounts PURCHASES

Q1 2014 AND Q2 2014

Last quarter

DONORS • A total of 237 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q2 2014—slightly fewer than in Q1. The total value of these purchases was $25,163.13. Most (n=186, 78%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least

This quarter

Early Childhood

$24,166.89 $27,845.44 Primary School

$103,871.95

12 months (see below—being for 18 months).

$97,704.42

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

300

$70,887.49 $72,874.17

237

250 270

200

Tertiary/Further Education

$2,926.67

100

$2,943.95

Finished/Left School

$46,529.88

173

168

184

2013

$46,532.42

2014

CONTRIBUTIONS • During Q2 2014 a total of $23,222.23 was contributed to SET accounts in Coen. This is $6,513.45 more than the amount saved in Q1, and is slightly higher than the savings made each quarter since Q1 2013 (see below). This represents a substantial amount of money being put aside to fund student educational needs.

of Coen SET donors are male

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014 $25,000

DONOR PROFILE

$20,000

• At Q2 2014 there were a total of 152 unique2 donors contributing to the 162 open SET accounts. Fifteen donors have left SET since Q1 2014. • Sixty-three per cent of Coen SET donors are female, most (74%) being the recipient’s mother.

2013

$23,222.23

$16,708.78

$12,925.64

$15,934.43

$5,000

$17,258.71

$10,000

$14,959.00

$15,000

2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

Secondary School

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 46 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. During Q2 we have had five new members sign-up and overall we have signed up 12 new members since the close of Q1 2013.

• ITAV Parenting staff members have been busily engaging

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS

members of ITAV. • This quarter, a total of 35 engagement activities were undertaken. These included: handicraft sessions (n=13,

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

36%); informal discussions (n=9, 25%); community events

(n=5, 14%); home visits (n=4, 11%); workshops (n=3, 8%);

and information sessions (n=1, 3%).

Coen ITAV members

10 0

with the community—including both members and potential

2013

2014

• Out of the 46 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 42 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- four partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

STAFF CONTACT HOURS • During Q2, Coen ITAV staff spent a combined total of 203 hours with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time, staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

• The total volume of engagement activities this quarter was affected by staff turnover and community unrest. We hope to see activities increase over the coming months.

WHAT MEMBERS DID • Twenty-nine ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter, including: -- 23 Strong Families sessions -- six Baby College sessions. • During these sessions, partners worked on: -- understanding the types of activities that can be used to promote children’s development -- strategies to deal with infant and toddler’s crying -- how to encourage appropriate behaviour, including when raising teenagers -- understanding why children behave the way they do. • Fourteen members participated in these sessions—some attending multiple times, including for group sessions. Session participation has increased since Q1. This is a desirable trend.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

42 PARTNERS

are signed up to Strong Families in Coen

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

The partner discussed the specific problems they were having with ITAV Parenting Consultants. They learned about how to cope with teenagers, including the main causes of behavioural issues during teenage-hood. Although the partner still feels stressed, they are beginning to spend more ‘special time’ with their children, stating ‘It makes [the partner] happy to see them happy’. The partner continues to engage with ITAV and learn more about how to create a happier family life.

The partner was stressed and struggling to cope with their teenage children. They were also called to the school to address behavioural issues with their younger children and had reached a point where they felt like they were ‘out of ideas’ about how to manage.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• There have been six engagement house visits by Home Crew this quarter. This represents a decrease from Q1, where 31 visits were conducted. The Home Pride team member appointed in Q1 has been moved to another team resulting in a vacancy in the Home Pride team and a gap in capacity. • Because Home Pride is new in Coen, it will take time for our staff to build the rapport needed to undertake a large number of home visits. As the Home Crew team stabilises and builds this rapport, we would expect to see the number of activities increase.

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

20 15 10

14 Coen Home

Pride members

5 0

2013

2014

• At the end of Q2 there were a total of 14 Home Pride members in Coen. One new member has signed up since Q1 2014. • Of these 14 partners: -- all are signed up to the House Blitz2 and Home Maker3 components. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having been launched mid-2013. It has been relatively slow to progress due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. We hope to see membership and activities increase in the coming months as staffing issues are resolved.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ALL

of the partners signed up to Home Pride are signed up to Home Maker and to complete a House Blitz 1 Some details have been altered to ensure this partner cannot be identified. 2 Through ‘House Blitz’, families are assisted to make their homes happier and healthier spaces. The Home Crew staff work with families on interior design ideas to transform living spaces, as well as providing support and motivating families to complete household projects. Families must commit to providing the necessary sweat equity for House Blitz activities. 3 Through ‘Home Maker’, families learn practical household skills such as housekeeping schedules, routines for kids, planning meals, cleaning techniques and how to create natural cleaning products. The Home Crew staff work with families in their homes to build confidence, and help families create a healthier home environment.

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Coen to date GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 46 partners signed up to POP. We have had four new members sign up since Q1 2013 but over the previous 12 months, membership has stayed the same.

• One Garden Club1 event was held this quarter, with nine participants attending. During the event participants worked to develop a community market garden, including laying soil and mulch. • Three Pop-up Visits2 were also conducted during Q2—more than last quarter, where zero were conducted.

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS

TOTAL POP MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

Coen POP members

10 0

Q1 2014 AND Q2 2014

2013

2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS

10 0

0 Last quarter

3 This quarter

Q2 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

WHAT MEMBERS DID

Coen households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

• To date there have been eight Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Coen. The completion of these Blitz projects has assisted in creating fantastic outdoor living spaces for many Coen families. • The four POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in 2014 have so far contributed a cumulative total of $2,263.42 towards their combined target of $4,000 ($1,000 each). These members will continue to contribute towards reaching this target over the coming months.

1 The POP Enabler runs Garden Club events to: hold discussions and demonstrations on gardening; discuss gardening design ideas; teach methods for maintaining gardens and growing plants, including fruits and vegetables; and/or up-skill partners around gardening tool use and maintenance. 2 The POP Enabler does home visits to: promote participation in POP, discuss membership benefits and processes; offer free plants, seeds and magazines; assist in planting and provide advice on plants; and/or support with ongoing yard upkeep. 3 ‘Backyard Blitzes’ are garden renovation projects partners can sign-up for as a POP member. Members work with a POP Enabler to develop a design for their garden and to discuss contributions.

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HOPE VALE O-HUB Q2 A large number of ‘Strong Families’ and ‘Baby College’ sessions have been run through ITAV Parenting, with almost 80 attendees. This is a very encouraging level of participation. ITAV Home Pride staff members have continued to assist partners to undertake mini interior projects to freshen up their homes.

POINTS OF INTEREST

The Hope Vale O-Hub continues to grow its membership with more than 500 people engaged in MPower. Wise Buys was accessed for the purchase of general household necessities, including fridges and washing machines. The O-Hub team is pleased to witness the strong personal growth amongst many individuals. One MPower member, Cheryl Cannon, became the first homeowner on Millers Block and has inspired others to consider homeownership as a real possibility. Saving for children’s education remains a priority for a large number of Hope Vale families with contributions to SET this quarter in excess of $20,000. Pride of Place (POP) Garden Club is very popular with 90 people attending one or more in a series of workshops including making gabion gauge posts, preparation of new garden, layout and installation of timber and edging, how to design a feature fence, as well as planting and mulching. POP Backyard Blitz projects were at a standstill awaiting financial contribution targets to be reached. Work is expected to get underway in the coming months.

NOTABLE IMPACTS • Staff movement disrupted operations for short periods this quarter.

DEMOGRAPHIC

POPULATION

(AT CENSUS 2011)

Overall

931

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

635

Adult (18+)

589

Children (0–14)

296

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

505

Early childhood (0–4)

Primary school (5–11)

142

Secondary school (12–17)

109

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

162

Households

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

Home owner Cheryl Cannon

• ITAV Parenting in collaboration with the Wellbeing Centre held a Mother’s Day Luncheon. • High participation in parenting activities including Women’s Group meetings, curtain making, cooking classes and a gratitude workshop. • Parenting staff provided a BBQ meal at an information evening about the Banana Farm • A SET stall was held during the school holidays, selling arts and crafts, educational toys, games and posters, with all items being purchased.

208

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HOPE VALE Q2

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY MPower membership has continued to grow, with 505 members now signed up. SET contributions have remained steady while purchases have decreased, which is expected in Q2. Most Hope Vale parents/carers purchase the year’s school supplies at the beginning of Q1 to get their children ready for the new school year. Wise Buys purchases were made during Q2 for general household necessities, including fridges and washing machines. POP participants are saving for their target contribution which will mark the start of work on their Backyard Blitz projects. A large number of ‘Strong Families’ and ‘Baby College’ sessions have been run through ITAV Parenting, with 29 attendees overall and many participating multiple times. Finally, ITAV Home Pride partners have continued to work with staff to undertake mini projects to make their homes more safe and comfortable for their families.

MPOWER

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP)

• MPower membership continues to increase—505 Hope Vale adults are now signed up and engaging in improved financial management practices. • Seventy-three per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are self/ friend/family referred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission)—these partners are taking responsibility and the steps needed to better manage their finances.

• Three new community members have signed up to POP this quarter, bringing the total membership to 132 from 102 households. By signing up to POP, these members are taking steps to create family outdoor living spaces. • To date, 48 homes in Hope Vale have completed a Backyard Blitz through POP. Although no Backyard Blitzes were scheduled for this quarter, 18 Pop-up Visits were held. • Five Garden Club activities were also held and attended by 90 people (some people attending more than once).

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 13 in Q1 2013 to 44 in Q2 2014. Hope Vale adults are wanting to learn about make better purchasing options. • The eight Wise Buys purchases made this quarter included ‘need’ items such as cookware sets, fridges, microwaves, kitchen utensils and furniture totalling $8,207.00.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—222 Hope Vale children and students have now benefitted from SET. • With 143 Hope Vale adults now contributing to at least one SET account, putting money aside for educational needs is almost the norm.SET donors saved $21,916.83 during Q2. A significant sum of money is being put aside to meet the educational needs of Hope Vale’s students.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Eighty community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. • Seventy-eight ITAV sessions were held during the quarter with 23 members (29% of total membership) participating.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) HOME PRIDE • There are currently 27 Home Pride members in Hope Vale. These members are interested in making their homes happier and healthier for their families.

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family STORIES GETTING SAVVY WITH TECHNOLOGY “It feels good to learn online banking.” Leanne Finley has recently learnt how to use internet banking via iBank. She previously only used telephone banking. “It feels good to learn online banking. It’s new technology for me and it’s good I can now check my balance on the computer. I can see how much I’ve got in my account and where my money goes.” Leanne has also recently completed her first No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) application in order to buy herself a bed. “MPower has helped me a lot. I know I can ask for support to help me out with things.”

Leanne Finley feels more in control of her banking with access to internet services.

HELPING OUR FAMILY “We are both growing and learning.” Sherona and Travis Bally Olbar are getting their life in order. Since taking over the responsibility for a house and paying rent, they say they have become more self-reliant. FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

“Our skills in parenting are better and it has helped dealing with daily life challenges at home. The Parenting Consultant says the couple are dedicated to the Strong Families program and attend all sessions. Sherona has joined the women’s group which meets at the Wellbeing Centre. “We both are growing, and are learning to build a safe and happy home that allows family members to stay with us,” Travis said. Sherona and Travis still have a few parenting sessions to go, and are enjoying being parents and learning new skills through the program. “We are learning new things and it is helping our family.”

Sherona and Travis Bally Olbar say the ITAV Parenting sessions have made life easier.

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MPOWER

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS

• There were 20 new sign-ups this quarter. • Of the 505 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q2, 159 members (31%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. Members are regularly using the product. • Over the last 18 months the largest proportion (73%) of new MPower members have been self/friend/family- referred These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances.

600 500 400

505

300 200

Hope Vale MPower members

100 0

2011

2012

2013

2014

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER

3% % 5 1

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

• At the end of Q2 there were a total of 505 MPower members in Hope Vale. Over time more and more community members are taking steps to improve their financial literacy and management.

Family/Friend/Self

Q2 2011 TO Q2 2014

FRC referred O-Hub staff/ Centrelink

73%

Unknown2

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1 • Fifteen MMT sessions were conducted this quarter, focusing on Banking Support, Internet and Phone Banking and Payment Support. This is up on the previous quarter, where the five MMT sessions held focused on Internet and Phone Banking and Budget Support. • Over the period January 2013–June 2014 all MMTs, aside from Loan Support and Wealth Creation Support, were used at least once with Internet and Phone Banking and Banking Support being used most often (see below).

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

DEBT REDUCTION

100%

80%

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

LOAN

13 0

70%

60% 40%

PAYMENT WEALTH CREATION

UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q2 2014

BUDGET

• There were a total of 329 iBank sessions in Q2—a very slight decrease from Q1 2014. Seventy per cent of these sessions were unassisted—up from Q1 2014. • A reduction in assistance levels over time indicates that iBank users are becoming self-sufficient in managing their finances. The trend in Hope Vale indicates that unassisted sessions began to outstrip assisted sessions in late 2011 (see below). However, new members needing assistance causes this statistic to fluctuate.

IBANK USAGE

BANKING

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3

30%

20% 0%

2011

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

Assisted

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q2 there were a total of 44 Wise Buys members in Hope Vale. Thirty-one additional members have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that a growing number of residents want support to make better informed purchasing decisions.

• This quarter, a total of four unique1 members made a total of eight purchases through Wise Buys. All eight purchases were classified as ‘needs’2 purchases. A total amount of $8,207.00 was spent. • ‘Needs’ items purchased included cookware sets, fridges, microwaves, kitchen utensils, and electrical appliances. • The 15 Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of 36 times. Most visits (42%) were to conduct research on future Wise Buys purchases (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

60 50

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB

Hope Vale Wise Buys members

10 0

2013

2014

17% General support Initial consultation3

Research on purchase

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

Purchase

• Of the 44 members at the end of Q2 2014, 15 (34% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter.

Make a payment

33%

DURING Q2 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=36)

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

42 %

1 Each unique member can make more than one purchase within the period. 2 ‘Needs’ include basic items such as food, shelter, clothing, white goods (e.g. washing machine/fridge/freezer), health (e.g. medicine, wellbeing), beds, mattresses, transport (e.g. car necessary for employment opportunities). 3 Each of these categories=0% during this quarter and are therefore not illustrated on the above graph.

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES • At the end of Q2 2014 there had been a total of 222 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to grow in Hope Vale, indicating that more and more families are making education a priority.

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS

• Out of the 209 SET accounts that remain open since the commencement of the programme in 2007: -- nine (4%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the quarter—these accounts are meeting the gold

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

standard for activity

240

-- 74 (35%) had received at least one contribution or had been used to make at least one purchase

220

during the quarter—this still represents a good

222

200

level of activity -- 91 (44%) had zero contributions or purchases

Hope Vale SET accounts

180

2013

2014

this quarter, but had received a contribution or Q2

• The large majority (n=209, 94%) of the 222 total SET accounts remained open at Q2 2014, while 13 (6%) had been closed. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=118, 56%) are for primary school aged children.

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

purchase made in the previous 12 months -- 35 (17%) had no activity in more than 12 months. • Most of the least active SET accounts have very small or nil balances. For instance, of the 39 accounts that had no activity for over 12 months, -- two have a balance of $0.00

Q2 2014

-- five have a balance between $0.01–$1.00

120

-- 27 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000

100

-- one has a balance between $1,001–$5,000

These less active accounts have a total balance of

118

60 40

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY?

accounts is relatively small, there is still a need for

20 0

$5,551.41. While the balance in these less-active

26 Early Childhood (0–4)

1 Primary School (5–11)

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

39%

O-Hub staff to encourage these donors to re-activate their SET usage and/or close these accounts.

of SET accounts have been active2 during the quarter

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At Q2 2014, there was a total balance of $157,475.32 across all Hope Vale SET accounts (see below).1 This represents an increase of $10,692.23 from the total balance at the close of Q1 2014. • The total balance for Hope Vale SET accounts at the end of Q2 includes $885.25 interest, which has accumulated since the close of Q1 2014.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q1 2014 AND Q2 2014

Early Childhood

$14,716.24 $16,182.83

143

DONORS are now contributing to

Hope Vale SET accounts

PURCHASES • A total of 143 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q2 2014. The total value of these purchases was $12,134.85. Most (n=112, 78%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least 12 months. For example, as shown in the below graph covering 18 months, we typically see a higher number of purchases at the beginning of the school year, in preparation for term one.

Primary School

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET

$86,945.44

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

300

$92,462.90 Secondary School

280

224

200

$33,889.44 $39,218.97

145

100

135 145

143

Tertiary/Further Education 0

$49.38 $254.33

2013

Finished/Left School

CONTRIBUTIONS

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014 $25,000 $20,000

$21,916.83

$17,795.54

2013

$13,164.43

$20,024.30 Q2

$19,209.45

$18,646.96

$15,000

2014

of Hope Vale SET donors are female FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

• During Q2 2014 a total of $21,916.83 was contributed to SET accounts in Hope Vale. This is up from the previous quarter and is relatively consistent with sums being contributed since Q1 2013 (see below). This represents a substantial amount of money being put aside to fund student educational needs.

2014

$9,356.29

$5,000

$11,182.59

$10,000

DONOR PROFILE • At Q2 2014 there were a total of 143 unique2 donors contributing to the 209 open SET accounts. Three donors have left since Q1 2014. • Eighty-three per cent of Hope Vale SET donors are female, most being the recipient’s mother. Hope Vale women are setting an example by making education a priority and making sure the children around them have everything they need to succeed at school.

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 80 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. During Q2 we have had five new members sign-up and overall, we have signed up 31 new members since the close of Q1 2013.

• ITAV parenting staff members have been busily engaging with the community—including both members and non-members of ITAV. These engagement activities assist our staff to promote the benefits of the programme.

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS

• This quarter, a total of 102 engagement activities were undertaken. These included: informal discussions (n=52, 51%); home visits (n=36, 35%); community events (n=6, 6%); workshops (n=5, 5%); handicraft sessions (n=2, 2%); and an information session (n=1, 1%).

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

100 80 60

Hope Vale ITAV members

20 0

2013

2014

• Out of the 80 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 62 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- 18 partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

STAFF CONTACT HOURS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

• During Q2, Hope Vale ITAV staff spent a combined total of 568 hours and six minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time, staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

62 PARTNERS are signed up to Strong Families in Hope Vale

• The volume of engagement activities during Q2 was impacted by prolonged absences of staff as well as sorry time, which saw some community members and staff traveling away from community to attend funerals.

WHAT MEMBERS DID • Seventy-one ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter, including: -- 57 Strong Families sessions -- 12 Baby College sessions -- two Positive Kids sessions. • During these sessions, partners worked on: -- understanding the impact of parental behaviour on child behaviour including ways to encourage children to use good manners -- understanding the connections between sleeping patterns and child behaviours -- understanding the importance of good nutrition for child development and growth. • There were 78 participants across all sessions, including 23 unique members—many of whom participated multiple times including in group sessions.

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

Through ITAV, the partner has learned about establishing routines for children and the importance of instilling good habits in them that set them up for successful lives. After working hard to improve their parenting skills, the partner was reunited with their children. The partner continues to attend ITAV sessions regularly for general support and to keep improving parenting skills. Life has improved dramatically for this family.

The partner joined ITAV after their children were taken into the care of Child Safety. They identified that they needed to work on their anger issues and general parenting skills to have a chance at reuniting with their children.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• There have been 34 home visits by Home Crew this quarter which is a slight decrease from Q1 2014, where 36 were conducted. • During these home visits, Home Crew staff assisted partners with orders for kitchen packs and painting kits, and to develop action plans for their upcoming projects. • Engagement is expected to remain high over the coming months as partners begin to put their project plans into action.

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

40 30

Hope Vale Home Pride members

10 0

2013

2014

• At the end of Q2 there were a total of 27 Home Pride members in Hope Vale. Two new members have signed up since Q1 2014—a pleasing result. • Of these 27 partners: -- 23 are signed up to complete a House Blitz2 -- four are signed up to the Home Maker3 component. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having only been launched mid-2013. It has been relatively slow to progress due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. As the programme matures over the coming months and years, we look forward to seeing membership grow.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

23OUT OF 27

of the partners signed up to Home Pride are signed up to complete a House Blitz

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Hope Vale to date

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 132 partners signed up to POP. This is a substantial increase from the 90 members who had signed up by Q1 2013.

• There were 18 Pop-up Visits1 conducted during Q2 2014, up from 15 in the previous quarter.

TOTAL POP MEMBERS

Q1 2014 AND Q2 2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS 80

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

150

40 100

132

50 0

20 0

Hope Vale POP members Q1

2013

2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

Q2 2014

102

Hope Vale households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

15 Last quarter

18 This quarter

• There were five Garden Club2 events held this quarter attended by 90 participants (some partners attended more than one event). • Garden Club participants at the event in May prepared the Indigenous Knowledge Centre new garden layout and installed timber edging, planting and mulching. • In June Garden Club participants learnt how to design a feature fence and how to make gabion cage posts.

WHAT MEMBERS DID • To date there have been 48 Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Hope Vale. The completion of these Blitz projects has assisted in creating lovely outdoor living spaces for many Hope Vale families. • The nine POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in 2014 have so far contributed a cumulative total of $7,843.35 towards their combined target contribution of $9,000 ($1,000 each). Three of the nine members have already reached their individual $1,000 contribution targets. The remaining six members will continue to contribute towards reaching their targets over the coming months.

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MOSSMAN GORGE O-HUB Q2 4–5 Star fridges and washing machines, which was coming to a close. Mossman Gorge ITAV Parenting is a shining light with high patronage. The ITAV team and partners have settled in well into the new office space within the Wellbeing Centre. ITAV numbers are growing as more ladies join the special parenting support sessions held in the evenings each week. MPower staff attended Matrix on Board (Cert III Community Services) training as part of an ongoing development programme.

POINTS OF INTEREST • The O-Hub hosted His Excellency Sir Peter Cosgrove and Lady Cosgrove introducing the couple to O-Hub work and local families experiencing the benefits. The team collaborated with the local leadership and other service providers to ensure valuable engagement for their Excellencies and the people of Mossman Gorge. FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

Governor General visits Mossman Gorge

Mossman Gorge residents continue to demonstrate a commitment to family and personal development as

POPULATION

membership continues to steadily increase as new members

DEMOGRAPHIC

join from surrounding areas or return to the community. A

Overall

101

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

Adult (18+)

Children (0–14)

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

significant sum of money is being put aside for student educational expenses. The majority of families in Mossman Gorge are investing in their children’s education. More than 140 children have a Student Educational Trust.

(AT CENSUS 2011)

The MPower team reported encouraging progress in

Early childhood (0–4)

Coaching and iBanking

Primary school (5–11)

A record amount of money has been invested in value-for-

Secondary school (12–17)

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

money household goods through Wise Buys. Partners were supported to take advantage of Government subsidies on

Households

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MOSSMAN GORGE Q2

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY MPower membership has reached 161 in Q2 and a consistently high level of contributions have been made to SET. Mossman Gorge residents have made a strong commitment to investing in their children’s education. Wise Buys purchases have increased, with a record amount being spent on purchasing value-for-money household goods. POP activities to enhance the liveability of outdoor spaces have continued, while the overall number of ITAV Parenting sessions has remained strong. Mossman Gorge parents and carers are resolute in their commitment to grow their parenting skills. ITAV Home Pride is working to convert house visits from Q1 and Q2 to projects in the coming months.

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP) MPOWER • MPower membership continues to increase—161 Mossman Gorge adults are now signed up and committed to improving their financial knowledge and skills. • Fifty-six per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are self/friend/family- referred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission)—these partners are taking responsibility for their own finances.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 47 in Q1 2013 to 90 in Q2 2014. Mossman Gorge adults are keen to learn about value-for-money purchasing options. • The 27 Wise Buys purchases made this quarter included ‘need’ items such as washing machines, beds, fridges, freezers, a lounge suite and outdoor settings.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—152 Mossman Gorge children and students have now benefitted from SET. • With 98 Mossman Gorge adults now contributing to at least one SET account it is becoming the normal practice to put aside money for educational needs. • SET donors saved $18,735.61 during Q2—this is a significant sum of money put aside to meet the educational needs of the local students.

• POP membership has remained stable this quarter at 32 members from 26 households. By signing up to POP, these members are demonstrating their desire to enhance their outdoor living spaces. • Although no Backyard Blitzes were completed in Q2, POP staff conducted 26 Pop-up Visits. • Two Garden Club events were also held, with five participants attending. Participants planted vegetables and herbs and helped to construct a community garden.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Thirty-five community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. • Six ITAV sessions were held during the quarter with five members (14% of total membership) participating—some multiple times.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) HOME PRIDE • There are currently 11 Home Pride members in Mossman Gorge. These residents are making their homes happier and healthier for their families.

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family STORIES OPEN TO LEARNING “I am still learning and growing with my parenting.” Jason Soloman and Patricia Olbar say you are never too old or have too many children to learn better parenting skills. “We had done the Strong Families programme before, but our children have now grown up and now that we have a new baby we wanted to come back to the programme and get more support from a Parenting Consultant.” The couple attend sessions and activities regularly and were proud winners of the Mossman Gorge Baby Contest for their division. “I am still learning and growing with my parenting. We like to learn new ways of dealing with behaviour. “We are learning new skills, getting support for my family and building positive relationships with each other and our children.”

Jason and Patricia say you are never too old to learn new parenting tricks.

MOSSMAN GORGE WOMEN’S RETREAT CAPE TRIBULATION The “Kiji Story” Retreat on another piece of paper what they wanted to bring forth. These were then placed under their crystal grids for the duration of the camp. Some braved the cold water and went for swims in the creek, others went for walks on the beach, joined Yoga sessions or just enjoyed being immersed in the sanctuary of the rainforest.

The retreat was attended by a dozen women including camp co-ordinator, ITAV’s Julie Williams and Ellie Starkey, Community Development Officer/Counsellor at Mossman Gorge Wellbeing Centre. Many topics were covered over the duration of the camp, these included—Generational Mapping, Kija Story, Mother Legacy, Two Hours of Complete Silence, The Wild Women’s Nature, Family Roles, and Feeling Good About Yourself. The women also pulled out their crystal collections that were acquired through a recent workshop and used these to amplify their intentions of letting go, and creating new and positive situations in their lives. This was done by writing down on a piece of paper what they needed to let go, and

The Kiji Story Retreat was designed for the women to reflect, let go and grow for the future.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

The Mossman Gorge Women’s retreat at Cape Tribulation was a fitting end to a 10 week Women’s Conversation Circle. The Conversation Circle meetings were held once a week in the lead up to the retreat and carefully planned to coincide with the full moon, which was the theme of the camp—the Kija (Moon) Story. The Kija Story is a Kuku Yalanji dreamtime story, and is the birthing story for the local Bama people. The camp was held near the vicinity of where the birthing story begins.

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MPOWER

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS

• There were five new sign-ups this quarter. • Of the 161 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q2, 72 members (45%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. Members are regularly using the product. • Since Q1 2013 the largest proportion (56%) of new MPower members have been self/friend/family-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances.

150

161

100

Mossman Gorge MPower members

50 0

2011

2012

2013

2014

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

• At the end of Q2 there were a total of 161 MPower members in Mossman Gorge. Over time more and more community members are taking responsibility for improving their financial literacy.

Family/Friend/Self FRC referred O-Hub staff/ Centrelink

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

BANKING

BUDGET DEBT REDUCTION

LOAN PAYMENT WEALTH CREATION

• There were a total of 368 iBank sessions in Q2—a slight decrease from Q1 2014. Thirty-one per cent of these sessions were unassisted—less than Q1 2014. • A reduction in assistance levels over time indicates that iBank users are becoming more independent in managing their finances. The trend in Mossman Gorge indicates that the proportion of unassisted sessions is continuing to increase over time (see below). However, as we get new members we see assistance levels fluctuate as new members are more likely to require greater iBank assistance than older members. UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q2 2014

15 0

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3

IBANK USAGE

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

56%

Unknown2

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1 • Ten MMT sessions were conducted this quarter, focusing on Banking Support, Budget Support, Debt Reduction Support, Internet and Phone Banking Support and Payment Support. This is an increase on Q1, where the one MMT session held focused on Banking Support. • Over the period January 2013–June 2014 all MMTs, aside from Loan Support, were used at least once with Internet and Phone Banking Support being used most often (see below).

13% %

200

Q2 2011 TO Q2 2014

100% 80%

69%

60%

6 9

40%

31%

20% 0%

2011

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

Assisted

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q2 there were a total of 90 Wise Buys members in Mossman Gorge. Forty-three additional members have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that more and more adults in Mossman Gorge want support to make better-informed purchasing decisions.

• This quarter, a total of 20 unique1 members made a total of 27 purchases through Wise Buys. Of these 27 purchases: -- 18 were classified as ‘needs’2 -- nine were classified as ‘wants’.3 • A total amount of $50,743.20 was spent, including $12,359.53 on needs and $38,383.67 on wants. • Needs items purchased included beds, fridges, freezers, a lounge suite, outdoor settings and washing machines. • The 44 Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of 92 times. Most visits (48%) were to make purchases (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

100 80

DURING Q2 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=92)

2013

2014

• Of the 90 members at the end of Q2 2014, 44 (49% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter.

Initial consultation Research on purchase Purchase Make a payment

48%

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

General support

23%

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

Wise Buys members

% 17

20 0

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB

90 Mossman Gorge

10%

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY?

• At the end of Q2 2014 there had been a total of 152 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to rise in Mossman Gorge, indicating that more and more families consider education a priority.

• Out of the 141 SET accounts that remain open since the commencement of the programme in 2007: -- 26 (18%) had been used to make both

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS

contributions and purchases during the quarter—

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

160

these accounts are meeting the gold standard for activity

140

-- 49 (35%) had received at least one contribution

152 Mossman Gorge

120

or had been used to make at least one purchase during the quarter—this still represents a very high

SET accounts

100

2013

2014

level of activity -- 33 (23%) where no contributions or purchases

were made during this quarter, but where a

• The large majority (n=141, 93%) of the 152 total SET accounts remained open at Q2 2014, while 11 (7%) had been closed. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=89, 63%) are for primary school aged children.1 • The total trusts in this figure do not add to 141 because the schooling status of three SET students was unknown. These students are aged between 14–17 years and have a total combined balance of $1,216.39 (the balance of one trust is zero). This is a concern and O-Hub staff should follow up with the donors for these accounts to determine the schooling status of these students.

contribution or purchase had been made in the previous 12 months -- 33 (23%) where no activity had occurred in more than 12 months. • Most of the least active SET accounts have very small or nil balances. For instance, of the 33 accounts that had no activity for more than 12 months, -- eight have a balance of $0.00 -- eight have a balance between $0.01–$1.00

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

-- 15 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

Q2 2014

100

-- two have a balance between $1,001–$5,000

• These less active accounts have a total balance of $4,847.07. While the balance in these less-active

20 0

Early Childhood (0–4)

accounts is relatively small, there is still a need for

30 Primary School (5–11)

O-Hub staff to encourage these donors to re-activate

their SET usage and/or close these accounts.

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

53%

of SET accounts have been active2 during the quarter

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At Q2 2014, there was a total balance of $106,358.61 across all Mossman Gorge SET accounts (see below).1 This represents an increase of around eight per cent from the total balance at the close of Q1 2014. • The total balance for Mossman Gorge SET accounts at the end of Q2 includes $612.13 interest, which has accumulated since the close of Q1 2014.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

are now contributing to Mossman Gorge SET accounts PURCHASES • A total of 112 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q2 2014. The total value of these purchases was $10,984.77. Most (n=86, 77%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are,

Q1 2014 AND Q2 2014

Last quarter

98 DONORS

This quarter

Early Childhood

$4,543.62

therefore, best considered over the span of at least 12 months.

$5,768.57

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET

Primary School

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

$55,727.08

300

$59,277.71

285

284 200

Secondary School

$33,630.11

100

$36,926.95 Tertiary/Further Education

$0.00

131

162

2013

130 Q4

112 Q1

2014

$0.00 Finished/Left School

$4,385.38

CONTRIBUTIONS • During Q2 2014 a total of $18,735.61 was contributed to SET accounts in Mossman Gorge. This is slightly more than the amount being saved each quarter since Q1 2013 (see below) and represents a substantial amount of money being put aside to fund students’ educational needs.

DONOR PROFILE

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014 $20,000

2013

$18,735.61

$16,899.54

$9,260.55

$13,374.19

$13,261.75

$5,000

$12,029.38

$15,000 $10,000

of Mossman Gorge SET donors are female

2014

• At Q2 2014 there were a total of 98 unique2 donors contributing to the 141 open SET accounts. Two donors have left SET since Q1 2014. • Eighty per cent of Mossman Gorge SET donors are female, most being the recipient’s mother. Mossman Gorge women are committed to ensuring their children have everything they need to succeed at school.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

$4,132.73

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 35 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. During Q2 we have had four new members sign-up and overall, we have signed up 19 new members since the close of Q1 2013—a pleasing result.

• ITAV parenting staff members have been busily engaging with the community, including both members and potential members of ITAV. These engagement activities assist our staff to promote the benefits of the assistance and support they can receive through the ITAV programme.

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

• This quarter, a total of 94 engagement activities were undertaken. These included: informal discussions (n=42, 45%); home visits (n=33, 35%); workshops (n=12, 13%); handicraft sessions (n=3, 3%); community events (n=2, 2%); and information sessions (n=2, 2%).

40 30

Mossman Gorge ITAV members

10 0

2013

2014

WHAT MEMBERS DID Q2

• Out of the 35 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 31 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- four partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

STAFF CONTACT HOURS • During Q2, Mossman Gorge ITAV staff spent a combined total of 341 hours and three minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time, staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

• Six ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter, all of which were for the Strong Families programme. • During these sessions, partners worked on a number of areas including: -- strategies to set appropriate rules and boundaries for children -- understanding the importance of relaxation and other techniques to cope with the stress associated with parenting -- understanding the importance of showing affection to children. • Five unique members participated in these sessions, with some members participating multiple times.

31 PARTNERS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

are signed up to Strong Families in Mossman Gorge

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

The partner has now learned how to establish bedtime routines, understands the importance of child nutrition, and knows how to support their child in day care. One child’s behaviour at day care has improved and the partner reports spending more quality time playing with their children. While much improved, the partner at times experiences distress and requires ongoing support. The partner enjoys attending ITAV sessions and to participates enthusiastically.

Partner signed up to ITAV as they were experiencing behavioural issues with their children. The partner was stressed and having trouble coping with their baby.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• There have been six engagement house visits by Home Crew this quarter which is slightly more than Q1, where five visits were conducted. • Because Home Pride is new in Mossman Gorge, it will take time for our staff to build the rapport with community members that is needed to undertake a large number of home visits. As the Home Crew team stabilizes and this rapport is built, we look forward to seeing engagement activities increase.

Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

20 15

Mossman Gorge Home Pride members

5 0

2013

2014

• At the end of Q2 there were a total of 11 Home Pride members in Mossman Gorge. Membership has remained stable over the past three quarters. • Of these 11 partners: -- all 11 partners are signed up to both the House Blitz2 and Home Maker3 components. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having only been launched mid-2013. It has been slow to grow due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. As the programme matures over the coming months and years, we look forward to seeing membership grow.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

ALL

of the partners signed up to Home Pride are signed up to Home Maker and to complete a House Blitz

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Mossman Gorge to date

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 32 partners signed up to POP. This is a substantial increase from the eight members who had signed up by Q1 2013.

• Two Garden Club1 events were held this quarter, with five participants attending. Participants planted out herb and vegetable patches, and created a community garden. • Twenty-six Pop-up Visits2 were also conducted during Q2.

TOTAL POP MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q2 2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS

Q1 2014 AND Q2 2014

100

10 0

32 Mossman Gorge

2013

2014

POP members

Last quarter

This quarter

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q2 2014

Q2 2014

WHAT MEMBERS DID

Mossman Gorge households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

• To date there have been 16 Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Mossman Gorge. These Mossman Gorge families have created lovely outdoor living spaces. • The two POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in 2014 have so far saved a cumulative total of $80 towards their combined target amount of $2,000 ($1,000 each). These members will continue to save towards their targets over the coming months.

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Q3 2014 CYP450 FER_Single Pages.indd 16

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AURUKUN O-HUB Q3 The Aurukun O-Hub continues to see a steady increase

POINTS OF INTEREST

in the number of people using our development products.

• Attracting more than 200 people, the Celebrating Family Day was a great opportunity for families to socialise and have fun with children.

More than 730 people are signed on to improve their money management skills and participation in Student Education Trust is heartening. A high number of educational items

NOTABLE IMPACTS

were purchased this quarter, 135 in total.

• There have been periods of high tension in the community this quarter which impacts on O-Hub operations, particularly programmes involving projects in and around the home such as ITAV Home Pride and Pride of Place.

The number of families purchasing furniture and household items through Wise Buys was also high signalling careful money management. More than 90 people have joined Wise Buys since the same quarter last year, growing from 11 to 103. Locals are catching on to the benefits of Wise Buys and wanting to learn about better buying options to help make their dollar stretch further. Families came together for the community-wide ‘Celebrating Family Day’ event coordinated by ITAV Parenting. Children, parents and carers enjoyed a range of fun activities.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

Attracting families to the parenting programme has been difficult due to a stigma attached to mandated referrals. In a bid to overcome this stigma and attract voluntary members we have employed local staff and invested heavily in staff ‘engagement training’. This in itself presents challenges as

DEMOGRAPHIC

POPULATION

(AT CENSUS 2011)

Overall

1190

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

811

Adult (18+)

750

Children (0–14)

379

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

617

Pride of Place participants have been making contributions

Early childhood (0–4)

126

to their project deposits and two have started work, tallying

Primary school (5–11)

203

almost 11 hours of sweat equity so far. The POP team

Secondary school (12–17)

113

has also been working on the development of community/

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

175

the skill and experience level of local staff is often limited. It requires a strong commitment to (local) capacity building to ensure these people can perform this valuable role now and into the future.

voluntary projects in Coen and Aurukun.

Households

179

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AURUKUN Q3

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY Membership for MPower in Aurukun continues to expand, with 739 community members having now signed up to improve their financial literacy. Access to SET accounts is again high with a total of 136 educational items being purchased. Wise Buys activity has picked up this quarter with purchases again being made. These community members are using their buying power to get the best value for money on the goods they need. ITAV Parenting hosted a community-wide ‘Celebrating Family Day’ event this quarter. Families came together to participate in a range of fun activities. ITAV Home Pride activity has been low due to issues within community. Finally, POP participants continue to input to their project deposits and two have already begun work, contributing almost 11 hours of sweat equity so far.

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP) MPOWER • MPower membership continues to increase—739 Aurukun adults are now signed up and taking steps towards improving their financial knowledge and skills. • Sixty-four per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are self/friend/or family—referred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission).

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 11 in Q1 2013 to 103 in Q3 2014. Aurukun adults have a clear desire to learn how they can make better purchasing decisions. • Three purchases were made during Q3, including a dining table and chairs.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—271 Aurukun kids and students have now benefitted from SET. • It is becoming common practice to put aside money for student educational needs, with 153 Aurukun adults now contributing to at least one SET account. • SET donors saved $20,332.95 during Q3. This represents a significant sum of money being put aside to meet the educational needs of Aurukun students.

• One new community member has signed up to POP this quarter, bringing the total membership to 82 members from 66 households. By signing up to POP, these members are taking action to create family outdoor living spaces. • Two POP members began work on their Backyard Blitz projects in Q3, setting up maintenance kits and starting their designs. • POP staff conducted 50 Pop-up Visits—a dramatic increase from the 21 conducted in Q2. • Two Garden Club events were held during Q3 with 16 participants attending. Participants undertook painting, planting, propagation and also built a community garden.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Seventy-nine community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. • Two ITAV sessions were held during the quarter with two members (3% of total membership) participating. There were fewer sessions held this quarter due to staff turnover and periods of high community tension.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) HOME PRIDE • There are currently 13 Home Pride members in Aurukun. These members are making their homes happier and healthier for their families.

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family STORIES CELEBRATING FAMILY DAY

Celebrating Family Day in Aurukun was a great opportunity for the community to come together to pay tribute to their strong family cultural values. It was a time for mums, dads, aunties and uncles to join their children for an afternoon of fun and games. More than 200 joined in the breakie and treasure hunt at the landing, lunch at the oval, and Kup Murri in the park in the evening, where footy was a hit with the kids. The slip and slide was the most fun, courtesy of the local fire volunteer fire truck, as children tried to cool down from the Aurukun heat that had come in earlier than hoped.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

SETTING AN MPOWER EXAMPLE “I want to show a good example to others in my community.” Sandra Grace Bowenda said she is currently saving money so that she can buy a lawn mower, car, bed and mattress. “I found out about these things from family members and decided to sign up for myself so that I could learn to manage my money and show a good example to others in my community. “I contribute to my granddaughter’s SET account. She is seven years-old and will need that when she moves further through school so she can get what she needs at school. It’s very important for her to be in school.” Sandra Grace Bowenda is a member of MPower and saves for family and household items.

Sandra said in the future she would like to sign up for Pride of Place as she has a keen interest in gardening.

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MPOWER

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS Q2 2011 TO Q3 2014

1000 800 600

739

400

Aurukun MPower members

200 0

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 2011

2012

2013

Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 2014

• There were 13 new sign-ups this quarter. • Of the 739 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q3, 388 members (53%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. These members are regularly using the product. • Since Q1 2013 the largest proportion (64%) of new MPower members have been friend/family- or self-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances.

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

• At the end of Q3 there were a total of 739 MPower members in Aurukun. Over time more and more community members are taking responsibility for improving their financial literacy.

18%

Family/Friend/Self FRC referred O-Hub staff/ Centrelink

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

BANKING

DEBT REDUCTION

LOAN PAYMENT WEALTH CREATION

27 1

• There were a total of 2158 iBank sessions in Q3—a large increase from 1487 in Q2 2014. Thirty-one per cent of these sessions were unassisted—down from 42 per cent in Q2 2014. • A reduction in assistance levels over time indicates that iBank users are becoming self-sufficient in managing their finances. The trend in Aurukun indicates that unassisted sessions are trending up and assisted sessions are trending down (see below). These figures do fluctuate as new and inexperienced members come on board. UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q3 2014

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3

IBANK USAGE

BUDGET

64%

Unknown2

• Thirteen MMT sessions were conducted this quarter, focusing on Banking Support, Budget Support, Internet and Phone Banking Support, Loan Support, Payment Support and Wealth Creation Support. This is a slight increase on the previous quarter, where the 12 sessions focused on Internet and Phone Banking Support, Debt Reduction Support and Banking Support. • Over the period January 2013–September 2014 all MMTs were used at least once with Internet and Phone Banking Support being used most often (see below).

11%

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

100% 80%

69%

60%

40%

20% 0%

31% Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 2011

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

Assisted

100

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q3 there were a total of 103 Wise Buys members in Aurukun. Ninety-two additional members have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that more and more adults in Aurukun want support to make better-informed purchasing decisions.

• This quarter, a total of two unique1 partners made a total of three purchases through Wise Buys. Of these three purchases: -- one was classified as a ‘need’2 -- two were classified as ‘wants’3. • A total amount of $3,661.39 was spent, including $1,330.20 on needs and $2,331.19 on wants. • ‘Needs’ items purchased included a dining table and chairs (counted as one item). • The 16 Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of 35 times. Most visits (54%) were to conduct research on future Wise Buys purchases (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

120 100 80

DURING Q3 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=35)

Aurukun Wise Buys members

20 Q1

2013

2014

General support Initial consultation4

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY • Of the 103 members at the end of Q3 2014, 16 (16% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter.

% 54

9% 37%

Research on purchase Purchase Make a payment4

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

40 0

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB

103

101

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY?

• At the end of Q3 2014 there had been a total of 271 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to rise in Aurukun, indicating that more and more families are choosing to make their children’s education a priority.

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS Q1 21013 TO Q3 2014

280 260

271

240 220

Aurukun SET accounts Q1

2013

2014

• The large majority (n=258, 95%) of the 271 total SET accounts remained open at Q3 2014, while 13 (5%) had been closed—four of which were closed during Q3. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=158, 61%) are for primary school aged children.1 • The total trusts in this figure do not add to 258 because the schooling status of 23 SET students was unknown. These students are aged between 13–17 years and have a total combined balance of $34,788.26. This is a concern and O-Hub staff should follow up with the donors for these accounts to determine the schooling status of these students.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

• Out of the 258 SET accounts that remain open since the commencement of the programme in 2007: -- 14 (5%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the quarter—these accounts are meeting the gold standard for activity -- 81 (31%) had received at least one contribution or had been used to make at least one purchase during the quarter—this still represents a very good level of activity -- 102 (40%) had no contributions or purchases made during this quarter, but did register activity—a contribution or purchase—in the previous 12 months -- 61 (24%) recorded no activity in more than 12 months. • Of the 61 accounts that had no activity for over 12 months, -- two have a balance of $0.00 -- 21 have a balance between $0.01–$1.00 -- 26 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000 -- 10 haves a balance between $1,001–$5,000 -- two have balances between $5,001–$10,000. • These less active accounts have a total balance of $44,185.70. Because this is such a large amount of money, O-Hub staff should contact the account holders as a matter of priority to encourage these donors to re-activate their SET usage or close these accounts.

Q3 2014

200 150 100 50 0

158 16 Early Childhood (0–4)

49 Primary School (5–11)

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

$20,332.95 was contributed to Aurukun SET accounts this quarter

1 The age ranges for SET accounts are as follows: early childhood = 0–4 years; primary school = 5–11 years; secondary school = 12–17 years; tertiary/further education = 18–25 years.

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At Q3 2014, there was a total balance of $414,088.10 across all Aurukun SET accounts (see below).1 This represents an increase of $7,816.85 from the total balance at the close of Q2 2014. • The total balance for Aurukun SET accounts at the end of Q3 includes $2,392.30 interest, which has accumulated since the close of Q2 2014.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q2 2014 TO Q3 2014

Last quarter

This quarter

Early Childhood

$5,823.18

The total balance of all SET accounts in Aurukun at the end of the quarter was

$414,088.10

PURCHASES • A total of 136 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q3 2014. The total value of these purchases was $14,874.29. Most (n=131, 96%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least 12 months (see below, covering 21 months).

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

$6,923.58

500

Primary School

$227,943.85

400

$229,225.66

300

414 144

200

Secondary School

100

$101,293.28

$105,139.47

65 Q1

23 Q2

2013

136

95 Q4

2014

Tertiary/Further Education

$0.00

$0.00 Finished/Left School

$71,210.94 $72,799.39

• During Q3 2014 a total of $20,332.95 was contributed to SET accounts in Aurukun. This is consistent with the amount being saved each quarter since Q1 2013 (see below) and represents a substantial sum of money being put aside to fund student educational needs.

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014 $25,000 $20,000

$20,332.95

2013

$20,332.28

$18,783.62

$15,879.93

$21,000.51

$5,000

$20,191.12

$10,000

$21,822.85

$15,000

2014

of Aurukun SET donors are female DONOR PROFILE • At Q3 2014 there were a total of 153 unique2 donors contributing to 258 SET accounts. • Ninety-three per cent of Aurukun SET donors are female, most being the recipient’s mother. Aurukun women are setting a good example to their children and their community by making education a priority. • Through SET they are committed to ensuring their children have everything they need to succeed at school.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

CONTRIBUTIONS

103

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 79 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. During Q3 we have had two new members sign-up and overall, we have signed up 32 new members since the close of Q1 2013. This is a very pleasing result.

• ITAV parenting staff members have been actively engaging with the community, both members and potential members. These engagement activities assist our staff to promote the benefits of the programme including the assistance and support they can receive through the ITAV programme. • This quarter, a total of 59 engagement activities were undertaken—a substantial increase on the 39 undertaken in Q2. These included: informal discussions (n=35, 59%); ‘other’ engagements including family games, youth dance group, family night and midday activities (e.g. movies) (n=11, 19%); community events (n=5, 8%); handicraft activities (n=4, 7%); women’s groups (n=3, 5%); and men’s activities (n=1, 2%). • Ten partners participated in the four Handicraft sessions held during the quarter, making mobiles for babies, jewelry and loom bands. Handicraft sessions are designed to be socially interactive and to get parents/carers together to build relationships and support one another in their parenting journeys. • One of the community events held in late September— a ‘Celebrating Family’ day—attracted 89 participants. This was a day-long event aimed at encouraging community members to have fun with their children and other families. Activities included traditional dancing, story-telling and cooking competitions—lots of fun was had by all.

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

100 80 60

Aurukun ITAV members

20 0

2013

2014

• Out of the 79 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 74 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- five partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

WHAT MEMBERS DID

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

SESSIONS • Two ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter, both for the Strong Families programme. • During these sessions, partners worked on: -- understanding the key skills needed to communicate and discuss children’s needs (session one) -- understanding the causes of childhood behaviour (session two). • Two members participated in session one, while those same two members also went on to participate in session two. • Overall, fewer sessions were held during Q3 due to staff turnover and periods of high community tension.

PRACTICAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT1 • During Q3, Aurukun ITAV staff provided practical and emotional support to clients on 10 occasions. This included support around liaising with and attending other service providers, understanding strategies to keep children safe from violence in the home, and general emotional support for partners experiencing difficult family circumstances.

CASE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES1 • During Q3, Aurukun ITAV staff also undertook 15 case management activities, including case conferencing and strategic conversations.

STAFF CONTACT HOURS • During Q3, Aurukun ITAV staff spent a combined total of 561 hours and 49 minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time, staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

89PARTICIPANTS

attended Celebrating Family Day event

1 Rules around the collection of activity data were amended at the beginning of Q3. Thus this activity measure is unavailable for Q1 and Q2.

104

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

Upon signing up to ITAV, the partner stated that they were shy and unable to be assertive enough with their children. They also asked for assistance around how to talk with their children and show affection at the right times. The family was having trouble with school attendance.

The partner learned about the types of conversations they could have with their children, as well as different activities they could engage the children in. They also worked to implement strategies that would assist them to get their children to attend school, including behaviour charts at home. The partner was recently encouraged by the fact that their children have begun showing increased affection at home. Ongoing support and training is needed, but things are beginning to improve for this partner and their family.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• Engagement house visits have not been conducted during the quarter due to high levels of community tension and sorry time, which have affected our partners.

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

20 15

Aurukun Home Pride members

2013

2014

• At the end of Q3 there were a total of 13 Home Pride members in Aurukun. Membership has remained stable since Q3 2013. • Of these 13 partners: -- twelve partners are signed up to complete a House Blitz2 -- one is signed up to the Home Maker3 component. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having been launched mid-2013. It has been relatively slow to progress due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. As the programme matures over the coming months and years, we look forward to seeing membership grow.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

12 OUT OF 13 of the partners signed up to Home Pride are signed up to complete a House Blitz

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Aurukun to date

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 82 partners signed up to POP. This has almost doubled from the 42 members who had signed up by Q1 2013.

• There were two Garden Club1 events Held this quarter with 16 participants. During the first event held in July, participants undertook planting, painting and learned how to propagate plants. During the second event held in August, participants worked together to build a community garden. • There were 50 Pop-up Visits2 this quarter—a dramatic increase from Q2 where 21 were held.

TOTAL POP MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

100 75

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS

25 0

Q2 2014 AND Q3 2014

82 Aurukun POP

50 40

members

2013

2014

30 Q3

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS Q3 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

Aurukun households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

10 0

Last quarter

This quarter

WHAT MEMBERS DID • To date there have been 23 Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Aurukun, including 205 separate Backyard Blitz elements.4 The completion of these Blitz projects has created enhanced outdoor living spaces for Aurukun families. • During Q3, two POP members began new Backyard Blitz projects by setting up their maintenance kits and beginning their designs. These two participants have already contributed almost 11 hours of sweat equity—a great effort so far. We look forward to seeing these partners continue their projects over the coming months. • The seven POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in 2014 have so far contributed a cumulative total of $3,720.30 towards their combined target contribution of $7,000 ($1,000 each). (Since Q2, one member has decided not to go ahead with their Backyard Blitz). These members will continue to contribute towards reaching this target.

1 The POP Enabler runs Garden Club events to: hold discussions and demonstrations on gardening; discuss gardening design ideas; teach methods for maintaining gardens and growing plants, including fruits and vegetables; and/or up-skill partners around gardening tool use and maintenance 2 The POP Enabler does home visits to: promote participation in POP, discuss membership benefits and processes; offer free plants, seeds and magazines; assist in planting and provide advice on plants; and/or support with ongoing yard upkeep. 3 ‘Backyard Blitzes’ are garden renovation projects partners can sign-up for as a POP member. Members work with a POP Enabler to develop a design for their garden and to discuss contributions. 4 ‘Backyard Blitz elements’ are individual items that members choose to include in their garden renovation project such as (but not limited to) pergolas, decking, sand pits, garden beds, swing set, tables, chairs and lattice screens.

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COEN O-HUB Q3

Coen held combined celebrations for NAIDOC week and the 150-year anniversary of the Queensland Police Service. The community acknowledged the contribution of Indigenous law enforcement officers, as well as the positive interaction between law enforcement and Indigenous people in Coen. These events also coincided with the retirement of Queensland’s last Indigenous Tracker, Barry Port, who had been working with Coen Police since 1981 and was central to solving a number of important cases. The community turned out in great numbers to the celebration, with highlights including a school band performance and family activities such as a jumping castle, face painting and pony rides. O-Hub staff made the most of the opportunity to promote the suite of Opportunity Products. SET continues to be well utilised with many students updating their lunchboxes, boarding school students purchasing new laptops and parents selecting educational toys for their 0–3 year olds—174 items in total. With tax returns due to arrive in Coen the MPower team ran a campaign to encourage saving and/or well-considered purchases. The campaign resulted in Wise Buys usage which shows partners actively seeking to find value-formoney deals and broadening their purchasing options. MPower consultants stepped up engagement this quarter undertaking more home visits. As a result MPower membership continued its steady growth.

As part of Pride of Place, Bama Services, an Indigenous building and landscape business, began building pergolas at partner homes. This has inspired families to get more involved in the building process. POP activity overall picked up during this quarter as a result of Pop-up Visits and a Garden Club event. The POP Enabler also worked with various community agencies on potential community/ voluntary project work in both Coen and Aurukun.

POINTS OF INTEREST • A SET stall selling art supplies was held at the Wellbeing centre. As per previous quarters, this had great success, with stock being sold out in less than an hour.

NOTABLE IMPACTS • Our MPower Coach/Consultant assisted with training at the Aurukun O-Hub for three weeks—one week for every month in the quarter. • The O-Hub had visiting staff from Hope Vale, Cairns and Aurukun to assist with ITAV Parenting and MPower. • Secondees from Jawun joined the team for six weeks to examine Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) to ensure appropriate procedures were in place.

DEMOGRAPHIC

POPULATION

(AT CENSUS 2011)

Overall

264

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

176

Adult (18+)

161

Children (0–14)

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

149

Early childhood (0–4)

Primary school (5–11)

Secondary school (12–17)

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

Households

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

Participation in ITAV Parenting was at a record high this quarter with an increase in sessions that can be attributed to a new local staff member who has shown great enthusiasm in promoting the programme and working with our partners. Through the sessions parents and carers are improving their knowledge and skills through informal/social discussions and activities, workshops and home visits.

47 107

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COEN Q3

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY MPower membership has increased again this quarter as more community members become aware of the benefits of MPower and take control of their finances. A substantial contribution has been made to SET accounts and 174 individual items were purchased to ensure Coen kids are school-ready in Q3. While Wise Buys purchases were made this quarter, most members who visited the O-Hub researched future purchases. POP activity has picked up during Q3 as did ITAV, whereby parents attended a record number of sessions during the quarter. Conversely, ITAV Home Pride activity has been low due to their being no dedicated Home Crew staff members stationed at Coen during the quarter. As staffing vacancies are filled in the coming months, we hope to see activities increase.

MPOWER

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP)

• MPower membership continues to increase—201 Coen adults are now signed up and taking steps towards improving their financial knowledge and skills. • Forty-five per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are self/friend/or family referred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission)—these partners are taking responsibility for their own finances.

• POP membership has remained stable this quarter at 46 members from 44 households. By signing up to POP, these members are taking action to create enhanced family outdoor living spaces. • Although no Backyard Blitzes were completed in Q3 and no Garden Club events were scheduled, POP staff conducted 29 Pop-up Visits—an increase from the three visits conducted in Q2.

WISE BUYS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

• Wise Buys membership has increased from 22 in Q1 2013 to 46 in Q3 2014. Coen adults are keen to learn how to access better options. • The three Wise Buys purchases made this quarter included ‘need’ items such as groceries.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Forty-seven community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. • Forty-four ITAV sessions were held during the quarter with 13 unique members (28% of total membership) participating, some multiple times including in group sessions.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—199 Coen kids and students have now benefitted from SET. • With 150 Coen adults now contributing to at least one SET account, it is becoming the norm in this community to put aside money for student educational needs. • SET donors saved $19,366.27 during Q3— a significant sum of money is being dedicated to meet the educational needs of Coen students.

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family STORIES WOMAN ON A MISSION “The kids have for school.”

got

what

they

need

Cindy Thompson has set herself a goal to save money for laptops and to get her kitchen Home Blitz finished. Cindy is a member of MPower, ITAV Parenting, Wise Buys, POP as well as SET. “I signed up to SET to help with my kids schooling and their education and to meet their needs for school. “I came into the O-Hub and an MPower Consultant came and talked to me about SET,” explains Cindy on how she found out about this opportunity product. Cindy Thompson is proud to be putting education first and to be putting money aside for her home.

“As a carer, I am proud knowing the kids have got what they need for school.”

CREATING CHRISTMAS CHEER “I have learned how to manage money better.” Kayla Kulla Kulla is setting a good example for other young mothers in Coen.

Now a member of MPower, SET and a regular iBank user, she feels like she is in control and making progress. “I have learned a lot. I have learned how to manage money better through budgeting, and how to do internet banking.” “My SET helps me to put money aside for my son Phoenix’s schooling, his uniform and other educational things that you can buy at the SET stalls. “I am working on savings to buy Christmas presents— a bike, trampoline and toys for my son and I have five nieces and three nephews I want to buy presents for.” Kayla is working with Lionel Perrier, a Coen MPower Consultant to put money away to make Christmas everything she is hoping for. Kayla Kulla Kulla is focussed on providing for her son.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

She heard through friends and family about Opportunity Products at the O-Hub and thought she’d see first-hand what they were talking about.

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MPOWER

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

Q2 2011 TO Q3 2014

250 200 150

201

100

Coen MPower members

50 0

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 2011

2012

Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3

2013

2014

• There were three new sign-ups this quarter. • Of the 201 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q3, 45 members (22%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. These members are regularly using the product. • Since Q1 2013 the largest proportion (45%) of new MPower members have been friend/family- or self-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances.

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

Family/Friend/Self

• At the end of Q3 there were a total of 201 MPower members in Coen. Over time more and more community members are taking responsibility for improving their financial literacy.

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

FRC referred O-Hub staff/ Centrelink

45%

Unknown2

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1 • Only one MMT session was conducted this quarter, focusing on Internet and Phone Banking Support. This is a decrease from Q2, where the nine sessions held focused on Internet and Phone Banking Support, Banking Support, Budget Support and Payment Support. • Over the period January 2013–September 2014 all MMTs, aside from Loan Support, were used at least once with Internet and Phone Banking Support being used most often (see below).

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014 BANKING

BUDGET

DEBT REDUCTION

IBANK USAGE 100% 80%

64%

60%

PAYMENT WEALTH CREATION

• There were a total of 104 iBank sessions in Q3—a reduction from the 135 held in Q2 2014. Sixty-four per cent of these sessions were unassisted—nine per cent fewer than in Q2 2014. • A reduction in assistance levels over time indicates that iBank users are becoming self-sufficient in managing their finances. The trend in Coen reflects membership trends (see below). For example, in 2012, 51 new members signed up—at the same time the proportion of assisted sessions also increased because new members likely required greater assistance than older members. Through 2013 membership stabilised and levels of assistance again reduced. Over time, we hope to see assistance levels gradually reduce as iBank users become more able to independently managing their finances. UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q3 2014

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

LOAN

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3

40%

36%

20% 0%

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 2011

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

Assisted

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q3 there were a total of 46 Wise Buys members in Coen. Twenty-four additional members have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that more and more adults in Coen are keen to make better-informed purchasing decisions and to learn about different purchasing options.

• This quarter, three unique1 members made a total of three purchases through Wise Buys. Of these three purchases: -- two were classified as ‘needs’2 -- one was classified as a ‘want’.3 • A total amount of $514.52 was spent, including $176.38 on needs and $388.14 on wants. • Needs items purchased included groceries. Two of the three purchases were recorded as ‘other’ and no further details were recorded. • The 14 Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of 32 times. Most visits (84%) were to conduct research on potential future purchases (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

50 40 30

Coen Wise Buys members

10 0

2013

2014

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB DURING Q3 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=32)

General support

% 84

13% 3%

Initial consultation4

• Of the 46 members at the end of Q3 2014, 14 (30% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter.

Research on purchase Purchase Make a payment4

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES • At the end of Q3 2014 there had been a total of 199 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to rise in Coen, indicating that more and more families are making a clear decision to prioritise their children’s education.

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS

-- 16 (10%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the quarter—these accounts are meeting the gold -- 60 (38%) had received at least one contribution

210

or had been used to make at least one purchase

200

during the quarter, which is considered a very

190

good level of activity

199

180

-- 59 (38%) had no contributions or purchases during this quarter, however a contribution or

Coen SET accounts Q1

2013

2014

purchase had been made in the previous Q3

• The large majority (n=157, 79%) of the 199 total SET accounts remained open at Q3 2014, while 42 (21%) had been closed. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=64, 41%) are for primary school aged children.

12 months -- 22 (14%) where zero activity had occurred in more than 12 months. • Of the 22 accounts that had no activity in more than 12 months, -- three have a balance of $0.00

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

• Out of the 157 SET accounts that remain open since the commencement of the programme in 2007:

standard for activity

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

170

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY?

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

-- one has a balance between $0.01–$1.00

Q3 2014

-- 13 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

-- four have a balance between $1,001–$5,000 -- one has a balance between $5,001–$10,000. • These less active accounts have a total balance

64 30 Early Childhood (0–4)

of $17,325.46. There is a need for O-Hub staff to

38 1 Primary School (5–11)

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

• The total trusts in the above figure do not add to 157 because for two trusts, the schooling status of the recipients is unknown. These students are 15 years of age and have a combined total balance of $1,472.42 in their SET accounts. This is a concern and O-Hub staff should follow up with the donors for these accounts to determine the schooling status of these students.

encourage these donors to re-activate their SET usage and/or close these accounts.

$19,366.27

was contributed to Coen SET accounts this quarter

1 The age ranges for SET accounts are as follows: early childhood = 0–4 years; primary school = 5–11 years; secondary school = 12–17 years; tertiary/further education = 18–25 years.

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At Q3 2014, there was a total balance of $249,561.00 across all Coen SET accounts (see below).1 This represents an increase of around one per cent from the total balance at the close of Q2 2014. • The total balance for Coen SET accounts at the end of Q3 includes $1,432.20 interest, which has accumulated since the close of Q2 2014.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q2 2014 AND Q3 2014

Last quarter

This quarter

Early Childhood

$27,845.44 $32,117.08

The total balance of all SET accounts in Coen at the end of the quarter was

$249,561.00

PURCHASES • A total of 179 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q3 2014—fewer than in Q2. The total value of these purchases was $19,187.87. Most (n=143, 80%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least 12 months (see below—covering 21 months).

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET

Primary School

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

$97,704.42

300

$99,910.58

250

270

200

Secondary School

$72,874.17

100

173

168

237

184

179

$70,356.53 0

Tertiary/Further Education

$2,943.95

2013

2014

$2,960.96

Finished/Left School

$46,532.42 $44,215.85

CONTRIBUTIONS

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014 $25,000 $20,000

$19,366.27

2013

$23,222.23

$16,708.78

$12,925.64

$15,934.43

$5,000

$17,258.71

$10,000

$14,959.00

$15,000

2014

of Coen SET donors are male DONOR PROFILE • At Q3 2014 there were a total of 150 unique2 donors contributing to the 157 open SET accounts. Two donors have left SET since Q2 2014. • Sixty-four per cent of Coen SET donors are female, most (72%) being the recipient’s mother. Coen women are making education a priority and setting a fine example to their children and those around them. They are committed to ensuring their children have everything they need to succeed at school.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

• During Q3 2014 a total of $19,366.27 was contributed to SET accounts in Coen. This is $3,855.96 less than the amount saved in Q2, but is relatively consistent with the savings made each quarter since Q1 2013 (see below). This represents a substantial amount of money dedicated to fund student educational needs.

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 47 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. During Q3 we have had one new member sign-up and overall we have signed up 13 new members since the close of Q1 2013.

• ITAV parenting staff members have been actively engaging with the community—including both members and potential members. These engagement activities serve to promote the importance of parenting, encourage parents to support one another, and advise community members of the assistance and support they can receive through the ITAV programme. • This quarter, a total of 27 engagement activities were undertaken. These included: informal discussions (n=20, 74%); handicraft sessions (n=6, 22%); and a workshop (n=1, 4%). • The total voloume of engagement activities undertaken this quarter was affected by sorry time and school holidays— whereby many families, including Parenting members, spend prolonged periods of time away from the community. Staff turnover also had an effect on engagement. As these issues resolve, we anticipate that an overall increase in community engagement activities will follow.

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

50 40 30

Coen ITAV members

10 0

2013

2014

• Out of the 47 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 42 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- five partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

WHAT MEMBERS DID SESSIONS

STAFF CONTACT HOURS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

• During Q3, Coen ITAV staff spent a combined total of 178 hours and 51 minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time, staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

PARENTING SESSIONS

held in Coen this quarter

• Forty-four ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter, including: -- 27 Strong Families sessions -- 17 Baby College sessions. • During these sessions, partners worked on: -- understanding when and how to seek emotional and practical parenting support -- understanding the importance of showing affection, and skill building around the most appropriate ways and times to do so -- understanding the importance of spending special time with the children in their care. • Thirteen unique members participated in these sessions— some attending several, including group sessions.

PRACTICAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT1 • During Q3, Coen ITAV staff did not log any practical and emotional support sessions with our ITAV members.

CASE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES1 • During Q3, Coen ITAV staff also undertook one case management activity—case conferencing—with members.

1 Rules around the collection of activity data were amended at the beginning of Q3. Thus this activity measure is unavailable for Q1 and Q2.

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

After talking to the ITAV consultants about the nature of stress and how to identify it in the body, the partner reported that they were more able to identify and cope with the symptoms. The partner now feels less stressed about their parenting role and is feeling confident enough to teach their family about their responsibilities to help. The partner now spends more special time with their children, including talking to their daughter. ‘My children are my angels, so I show them a lot of affection’

Partner was incredibly stressed when first attending ITAV sessions. They were stressed about their family and the fact that their partner was not helping them with parenting responsibilities.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• There was one engagement house visit by Home Crew this quarter. This represents a decrease from Q2, where six visits were conducted. • The low level of engagement during Q3 can be attributed to the fact that there were no dedicated Home Crew staff members in Coen during the quarter. Once staffing issues are resolved, we expect to see home visits increase again. • Because Home Pride is new in Coen, it will take time for our staff to build the rapport with community members that is needed to undertake a large number of home visits. As the Home Crew team stabilises and builds this rapport, we look forward to seeing activities increase.

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

20 15 10

14 Coen Home

Pride members

5 0

2013

2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

• At the end of Q3 there were a total of 14 Home Pride members in Coen. Membership has remained stable since Q2 2014. • Of these 14 partners: -- all are signed up to complete a House Blitz2 though none are currently signed up to the Home Maker3 components. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having only been launched mid-2013. It has been relatively slow to grow due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. We hope to see membership and activities increase in the coming months as staffing issues are resolved.

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Coen to date GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 46 partners signed up to POP. We have had four new members sign up since Q1 2013.

TOTAL POP MEMBERS

• No Garden Club1 events were scheduled for this quarter. However, POP staff did undertake 29 Pop-up Visits2— a dramatic increase from the three that were conducted in Q2.

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS

Q2 2014 AND Q3 2014

30 20

Coen POP members

10 0

2013

2014

10 Q3

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS

3 Last quarter

This quarter

WHAT MEMBERS DID

Q3 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

Coen households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

• To date there have been eight Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Coen. The families completing these Blitz projects have greatly enhanced their outdoor living space. • Of the four POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz from the previous quarter, two pulled out during Q3 and withdrew their savings to date. • The two remaining POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in 2014 have so far contributed a cumulative total of $1,690.00 towards their combined target of $2,000 ($1,000 each). These members will continue to contribute towards reaching this target over the coming months.

1 The POP Enabler runs Garden Club events to: hold discussions and demonstrations on gardening; discuss gardening design ideas; teach methods for maintaining gardens and growing plants, including fruits and vegetables; and/or up-skill partners around gardening tool use and maintenance. 2 The POP Enabler does home visits to: promote participation in POP, discuss membership benefits and processes; offer free plants, seeds and magazines; assist in planting and provide advice on plants; and/or support with ongoing yard upkeep. 3 ‘Backyard Blitzes’ are garden renovation projects partners can sign-up for as a POP member. Members work with a POP Enabler to develop a design for their garden and to discuss contributions.

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HOPE VALE O-HUB Q3 This quarter Parenting and MPower staff immersed

POINTS OF INTEREST

themselves in community events helping to create and organise a week of activities within the CYAAA school Club

• The Family Day celebration was a wonderful way to unite with our families to relax and have fun.

and Culture programmes, which draws parents and carers.

• Hosted Westpac executives

They also hosted a Celebrating Family Day. The Family

• Hosted a contingent of Northern Territory government officials seeking to better understand Cape York’s welfare reform in action, to see how the O-Hubs function, and take their findings back to their regions.

Day was held at the CYAAA Multi-Purpose Centre, which included novelty races, a SET Fair and each classroom had their own games and food stores to raise funds for school excursions. The activities were designed to encourage parents to play with their kids. This day was also combined with the weekly school parade where awards are presented to students for attendance and hard work.

NOTABLE IMPACTS • An MPower Graduate/staff member left to do further study which we support. • Several power blackouts lasting several days interrupted capacity.

The week-long CYAAA activities coordinated by the O-Hub included arts and crafts, story telling with elders, photography and a fashion parade with a theme of past, FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

present and future. These events help to nurture community relationships and show that we too are members of the community and care about our future. ITAV Parenting community engagement occurred mostly through these community initiatives this quarter in addition to bi-weekly handicraft workshops, weekly Home Pride DIY workshops and parenting workshops.

DEMOGRAPHIC

POPULATION

(AT CENSUS 2011)

Overall

931

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

635

Adult (18+)

589

POP Garden Club held a number of workshops, such as

Children (0–14)

296

how to turn recycled tyres into pot plants. This inspired

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

505

workshop attendees to return to their gardens to create

Early childhood (0–4)

pot plants in all manner of shapes and creations from

Primary school (5–11)

142

swans to teapots. The POP team also reported traction

Secondary school (12–17)

109

on a town mapping exercise with My Pathways, Hope Vale

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

162

Shire Council and Congress.

Households

208

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HOPE VALE Q3

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY A total of 530 Hope Vale community members have now signed up to MPower and are taking steps to take better control of their finances. SET contributions have remained steady and 142 purchases of school uniforms, books and educational toys and games have contributed to Hope Vale children’s school readiness. Wise Buys purchases increased this quarter. While ITAV Parenting engagement activities were lower during Q3 due to staff taking leave, 41 per cent of members participated in parenting sessions. ITAV Home Pride staff members have been working intensively with families to complete House Blitz and Home Maker projects during the quarter. These families are working towards making their homes happier and healthier.

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP) MPOWER • MPower membership continues to increase—530 Hope Vale adults are now signed up and committed to improving their financial knowledge and skills. • Seventy per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are friend/ family/ or self-referred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission)—these partners are taking responsibility for their own finances.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 13 in Q1 2013 to 59 in Q3 2014. Hope Vale adults are keen to learn how they can make better purchasing decisions. • The 11 Wise Buys purchases made this quarter included ‘need’ items such as kitchen utensils, furniture, white goods, a car, bed and fridges.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—229 Hope Vale kids and students have now benefitted from SET. • With 146 Hope Vale adults now contributing to at least one SET account, it is becoming the norm to put money aside for student educational needs. • SET donors saved $22,174.50 during Q3. A significant sum of money is being dedicated to meet the educational needs of Hope Vale students.

• One new community member has signed up to POP this quarter, bringing the total membership to 133 from 103 households. By signing up to POP, these members are taking action towards creating healthier outdoor living spaces. • Although no Backyard Blitzes were completed in Q3, POP staff conducted a very high number of Pop-up Visits—66 in total, up from 18 in the previous quarter. • There was one Garden Club event this quarter attended by 20 participants.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Eighty-two community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. • Twenty-five ITAV sessions were held during the quarter with 17 unique members (21% of total membership) participating.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) HOME PRIDE • There are currently 27 Home Pride members in Hope Vale. These members are taking action towards enhancing their interiors for a happier and healthier lifestyle.

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family STORIES ANYONE FOR TEA? Irene Bambie’s garden is turning heads in Hope Vale—“They love it”. Irene started with a Pride of Place project and there’s now no stopping her. “Pride of Place and the POP Garden Club gave me ideas about how to complete my garden. It has been good motivation and encouragement for others who have got ideas. Many locals say they love it and they it is giving them ideas about doing things in their gardens. “I plan to keep doing more work with tyres, now I’m completing what I started. It’s very nice having people come by, stopping and looking at it, and admiring it.”

POP Garden Club member Irene Bambie has created a tourist attraction with her sense of garden fun.

A PROUD MUM “I recommend SET to other parents—it helped me out a lot financially.”

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

Paula Fullagar says before SET she always had to budget to reach the amount of money she needed to buy uniforms and shoes and could only afford to buy individual items a bit at a time. She says through SET she has learnt budgeting skills and is a lot more organised, building up her money and saving it for important purchases. “It makes me feel proud of myself. I feel a better person— especially when I’m on top of everything and the new school year is just around the corner.” Paula’s mother told her about SET after a workshop was held. Paula says, “Other kids were buying things like educational books and toys and I wanted the same for my kids.” “I feel pretty independent now and not seeking handouts from family. “I am trying to stay ahead of the due date knowing that I have money to cover everything.”

Paula Fullagar said SET has helped to take the stress out of saving for school items.

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MPOWER

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS Q2 2011 TO Q3 2014

600 500 400

530

300 200

Hope Vale MPower members

100 0

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 2011

2012

2013

Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 2014

• At the end of Q3 there were a total of 530 MPower members in Hope Vale. Over time more and more community members are taking responsibility for improving their financial literacy.

• There were 25 new sign-ups this quarter. • Of the 530 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q3, 154 members (29%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. Members are regularly using the product. • Over the last 21 months the largest proportion (70%) of new MPower members have been friend/family/or self-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances. There has been an increase of four per cent in unknown referrals this quarter. O-Hub Staff will take measures towards ensuring accurate referral data is maintained.

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

Family/Friend/Self FRC referred O-Hub staff/ Centrelink

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

36 12

BUDGET DEBT REDUCTION

WEALTH CREATION

• There were a total of 291 iBank sessions in Q3—a decrease from Q2 2014. Sessions have been decreasing throughout 2013 and 2014. This downward trend in use will be investigated. • Sixty-eight per cent of iBank sessions were unassisted—down from 70 per cent in Q2 2014. A reduction in assistance levels over time indicates that iBank users are becoming selfsufficient in managing their finances. The trend in Hope Vale indicates that unassisted sessions began to outstrip assisted sessions in late 2011(see below). However, an influx of new members as in this quarter sees assistance levels swing as new and inexperienced members require greater iBank assistance than older members. UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q3 2014

100%

80%

PAYMENT

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3

IBANK USAGE

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

LOAN

70%

Unknown2

• Twenty MMT sessions were conducted this quarter, focusing on Banking Support, Budget Support, Internet and Phone Banking Support, Loan Support and Payment Support. This is slightly up on the previous quarter, where the 15 MMT sessions held focused on Internet and Phone Banking, Banking Support and Payment Support. • Over the period January 2013–September 2014 all MMTs, aside from Wealth Creation Support, were used at least once with Internet and Phone Banking Support being used most often (see below).

BANKING

% 17 10%

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

68%

60% 40%

32%

20% 0% 1 Money Management Tools (MMTs) are sessions where partners are taught skills that assist them to build their financial literacy. 2 ‘Unknown’ is where data are not available or captured. 3 iBank is an Internet and online banking facility situated within the O-Hub. Partners can receive advice and assistance to use iBank for paying bills and manage their finances more generally.

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 2011

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

Assisted

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q3 there were a total of 59 Wise Buys members in Hope Vale. Forty-six additional members have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that more and more adults in Hope Vale want to learn how to make better-informed purchasing decisions.

• This quarter, a total of eight unique1 members made a total of 11 purchases through Wise Buys. Ten purchases were classified as ‘needs’2 while one was classified as a ‘want’.3 A total amount of $20,933.35 was spent including $19,493.35 on needs and $1,440.00 on wants. • ‘Needs’ items purchased included furniture, white goods, kitchen utensils, a car, bed and fridges. • The 21 Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of 59 times. Most visits (53%) were to conduct research on future Wise Buys purchases (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

60 50 40

DURING Q3 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=59)

Hope Vale Wise Buys members Q2

2013

2014

General support Initial consultation

• Of the 59 members at the end of Q3 2014, 21 (36% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter.

Purchase

22 % 2%

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

Research on purchase

17 %

53%

Make a payment

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

20 0

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY?

• At the end of Q3 2014 there had been a total of 229 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to rise in Hope Vale, indicating that more and more families are choosing to make their children’s education a priority.

• Out of the 215 SET accounts remaining open since the commencement of the programme in 2007: -- 13 (6%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the quarter—these accounts are meeting the gold standard for activity

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

-- 65 (30%) had received at least one contribution

240

or had been used to make at least one purchase during the quarter—this still represents a very

220

good level of activity

229

200 180

-- 104 (48%) recorded zero activity during this quarter, but had been accessed for contribution or purchase in the previous 12 months

Hope Vale SET accounts Q1

2013

2014

• The large majority (n=215, 94%) of the 229 total SET accounts remained open at Q3 2014, while 14 (6%) had been closed. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=115, 53%) are for primary school aged children.1

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q3 2014

12 months. • Most of the least active SET accounts have very small or nil balances. For instance, of the 33 accounts that had no activity for over 12 months, -- two have a balance of $0.00 -- five have a balance between $0.01–$1.00 -- 25 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000

120

-- one has a balance between $1,001–$5,000

100

-- zero have balances between $5,001–$10,000. • These less active accounts have a total balance of

accounts is relatively small, there remains a need for

40 20 0

$5,150.73. While the balance in these less-active

115

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

-- 33 (15%) recorded zero activity in more than

31 Early Childhood (0–4)

Primary School (5–11)

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

• The total trusts in the above figure do not add to 215 because the schooling status of 13 SET students is unknown. These students are aged between 13–17 years and have a combined total amount of $7,755.51 in their SET accounts. This is a concern and O-Hub staff should follow up with donors for these accounts to determine schooling status.

SET staff to encourage these donors to re-activate their SET usage and/or close these accounts.

$22,174.50 was contributed to Hope Vale SET accounts this quarter

1 The age ranges for SET accounts are as follows: early childhood = 0–4 years; primary school = 5–11 years; secondary school = 12–17 years; tertiary/further education = 18–25 years.

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At Q3 2014, there was a total balance of $168,944.47 across all Hope Vale SET accounts (see below).1 This represents an increase of $11,639.65 from the total balance at the close of Q3 2013. • The total balance for Hope Vale SET accounts at the end of Q3 includes $934.30 interest, which has accumulated since the close of Q2 2014.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q2 2014 AND Q3 2014

Last quarter

This quarter

Early Childhood

$16,182.83 $18,102.38 Primary School

The total balance of all SET accounts in Hope Vale at the end of the quarter was

$168,944.47

PURCHASES • A total of 137 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q3 2014. The total value of these purchases was $11,639.65. Most (n=95, 69%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least 12 months. For example, as shown in the below graph covering 21 months, we typically see a higher number of purchases at the beginning of the school year, in preparation for term one.

$92,462.90

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET

$99,069.15

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

300

Secondary School

$39,218.97

280

224

200

$41,233.54 Tertiary/Further Education

137 145

100

135 145

143

$254.33 0

$494.56

2013

2014

Finished/Left School

$9,356.29

$10,044.84

CONTRIBUTIONS

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS

DONOR PROFILE

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014 $25,000 $20,000

$22,174.50

$21,916.83

2013

$17,795.54

$13,164.43

$19,209.45

$20,024.30

$5,000

$18,646.96

$15,000 $10,000

of Hope Vale SET donors are female

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

• During Q3 2014 a total of $22,174.50 was contributed to SET accounts in Hope Vale. This is slightly up from the previous quarter and is relatively consistent with sums being contributed since Q1 2013 (see below). This represents a substantial amount of money being put aside to fund student educational needs.

2014

• At Q3 2014 there were a total of 146 unique2 donors contributing to 215 open SET accounts. • Eighty-four per cent of Hope Vale SET donors are female, most being the recipient’s mother. This is a strong indication that Hope Vale women are committed to ensuring their children have everything they need to succeed at school.

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 82 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. During Q3, two new members signed on and overall there have been 33 new members since the close of Q1 2013. This is a pleasing and encouraging result.

• ITAV parenting staff members have been actively engaging with the community, both members and potential. These engagement activities assist our staff to promote the importance of positive parenting, encourage parents to support one another, and advise community members of the assistance and support they can receive through the ITAV programme. • This quarter a total of 94 engagement activities were undertaken. These included: informal discussions (n=72, 77%); women’s groups (n=8, 9%); community events (n=5, 5%); handicraft sessions (n=6, 6%); and workshops (n=3, 3%). • The volume of engagement activities undertaken during Q3 was affected by sorry time and the prolonged absence of many Parenting members from community during the school holiday period. • Women’s group activities were introduced in Hope Vale during Q3. The groups have been popular so far, involving: discussions around how dance can improve overall health and wellbeing; self-harm and suicide, including how members can seek help; and family craft activities. One group session was jointly run with the Wellbeing Centre and involved a camping weekend away. The main theme was spiritual values/beliefs, and activities included Tai Chi, healthy cooking and making homemade beauty products. A total of 81 women attended.

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

100 80 60

Hope Vale ITAV members

20 0

2013

2014

• Out of the 82 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 63 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- 19 partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

WHAT MEMBERS DID

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

SESSIONS • Twenty-five ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter, including: -- 15 Strong Families sessions -- 10 Baby College sessions. • During these sessions, partners worked on parenting aspects including: -- understanding the importance of nutrition, and growing skills including cooking nutritious food for toddlers -- strategies to build strong parent-child relationships and deal constructively with behavioural problems -- understanding how it important it is to spend quality time with children • Thirteen unique members participated in these sessions, with some members participating across multiple sessions.

PRACTICAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT1 • During Q3, Hope Vale ITAV staff provided practical and emotional support to clients on 21 occasions. This included support provided to parents and families to attend other support services, discussions around strategies to ensure children get to school, and other general emotional support around difficult family circumstances.

CASE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES1 • During Q3, Hope Vale ITAV staff also undertook 21 case management activities, including case conferencing and strategic conversations and recording case notes.

STAFF CONTACT HOURS • During Q3, Hope Vale ITAV staff spent a combined total of 649 hours and 38 minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time, staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

A camping weekend run by ITAV and the Wellbeing Centre attracted

81ATTENDEES

1 Rules around the collection of activity data were amended at the beginning of Q3. Thus this activity measure is unavailable for Q1 and Q2.

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

The partner learned about the importance of spending quality time with their children, including making time to sit and yarn with them. The partner is working hard to set a good example for their children, including making a stronger effort to get them to school. They have continued to attend ITAV sessions to further build their parenting skills.

The partner was referred to ITAV by the Family Responsibilities Commission. They were experiencing problems with their children’s behaviours and were having trouble getting them to attend school.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• There have been 15 engagement house visits by Home Crew this quarter which is an increase on Q2 2014, where 34 were conducted. Home Crew staff have been focused on working more intensively with fewer families this quarter, resulting in fewer house visits overall. • We expect to see activities increase as our Home Crew team stabilizes.

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

40 30

Hope Vale Home Pride members

10 0

2013

2014

• At the end of Q3 there were a total of 27 Home Pride members in Hope Vale. Membership has remained stable since last quarter. • Of these 27 partners: -- 23 are signed up to complete a House Blitz2 -- four are signed up to the Home Maker3 component. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having been launched mid-2013. It has been relatively slow to progress due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. As the programme matures over the coming months and years, we expect to see participation grow.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

23OUT OF 27

of the partners signed up to Home Pride are signed up to complete a House Blitz

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Hope Vale to date

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 133 partners signed up to POP. This is a slight increase from the 127 members who were signed up at the same time last year. Membership has been static for the last 12 months.

TOTAL POP MEMBERS

• There were 66 Pop-up Visits1 conducted during Q3 2014, up from 15 in the previous quarter. This substantial increase is due to POP Enablers having completed the remaining Blitzes from 2013 in Q1 2014 and having the capacity to focus their efforts on visits during this quarter.

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS Q2 2014 AND Q3 2014

150

80 100

133

50 0

40 20

Hope Vale POP members Q1

2013

2014

0 Q3

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS Q3 2014

18 Last quarter

This quarter

• There was one Garden Club2 event held this quarter. This event was attended by 20 participants, who learned how to recycle tyres as pot-plant holders.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

WHAT MEMBERS DID

103

Hope Vale households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

• To date there have been 48 Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Hope Vale. Families completing these Blitz projects have created lovely outdoor living spaces. • While no Backyard Blitz projects were completed during Q3, plenty are underway. Eight participants have finalized their garden designs and ordered their maintenance kits. Three participants have ordered pergolas and lattice screening while five have ordered paving materials. We look forward to seeing these projects move towards completion in the coming months. • The nine POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in 2014 have so far contributed a cumulative total of $9,106.47 towards their combined target contribution of $9,000 ($1,000 each)—six members have exceeded their individual targets. The remaining three members will continue to contribute towards reaching their targets over the coming months.

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MOSSMAN GORGE O-HUB Q3 MPower membership has increased by a further eight per cent since the previous quarter, demonstrating a clear ambition to make the most of their earnings and to get ahead. Wise Buys activity was high again this quarter again displaying an engaged community seeking to spend carefully and get the most out of their income. Families from Mossman Gorge commit significant sums from their income to educational and school equipment for their children. This level of contribution to SET remained stable. Pride of Place continues to be well utilised in the Gorge. An increase in the number of home visits by POP staff this quarter helped to keep the interest alive and maintain uptake of this opportunity product designed restore value in the home/family environment. Eighty-four per cent of households have completed a Pride of Place project.

While ITAV Parenting has run fewer formal sessions than last quarter, the number of proactive engagement activities has remained high. ITAV Home Pride staff members went door-to-door to promote Home Pride, which is an interior makeover initiative designed to support families to create healthier and happier home environments. The Home Pride initiative is relatively new and not well understood. The best way to promote the opportunity has been face-to-face through home visits.

POINTS OF INTEREST • The level of confidence amongst partners to engage with their money in a proactive sense is difficult to measure but rewarding to observe. In our observation more and more partners are looking ahead and planning for their future with growing ambitions for themselves and their children. • The parents and carers engaged with ITAV are connecting well during the activities and conversations, comfortable sharing in reflective and self-development discussions.

DEMOGRAPHIC

POP member Katrina Gibson and brother Andrew

POPULATION

(AT CENSUS 2011)

Overall

101

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

Adult (18+)

Children (0–14)

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

Early childhood (0–4)

Primary school (5–11)

Secondary school (12–17)

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

Households

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

The commitment that families in Mossman Gorge are making to better their financial literacy is commendable.

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MOSSMAN GORGE Q3

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY MPower membership has continued to rise throughout Q3. The level of MPower participation in Mossman Gorge is testament to a community invested in improving their financial futures. SET contributions remained stable, indicating that Mossman Gorge donors are still committing large proportions of their income to ensure their children are properly equipped for school. Wise Buys activity was again high this quarter, while POP home visits increased dramatically. ITAV Parenting has run fewer sessions than last quarter, though engagement activities overall have remained high. Finally, ITAV Home Pride staff members were particularly active this quarter, undertaking a much higher number of home visits to encourage community members to engage with Home Pride as a means of creating healthier and happier home environments.

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP) MPOWER • MPower membership continues to increase—168 Mossman Gorge adults are now signed up and committed to improving their financial knowledge and skills. • Sixty-one per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are friend/family/or self-referred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission)—these partners are taking responsibility for their own finances.

• POP membership has remained stable this quarter at 32 members from 26 households. By signing up to POP, these members are taking action to create healthier outdoor living spaces. • Although no Backyard Blitzes were completed in Q3, POP staff conducted 90 Pop-up Visits—a significant increase from the 26 conducted in Q2. • Two Garden Club events were also held, with 12 participants attending. Participants harvested and re-planted a community garden, learned how to strike plants from cuttings and created pots, vases and timber sculptures.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 47 in Q1 2013 to 92 in Q3 2014. Mossman Gorge adults are keen to learn about cost effective purchasing options. • The 26 Wise Buys purchases made this quarter included ‘need’ items such as fridge/ freezer combinations, cars, mattresses, beds, clothing and an outdoor shed.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—153 Mossman Gorge children and students have now benefitted from SET. • With 98 Mossman Gorge adults now contributing to at least one SET account, it is considered the norm to dedicate money for student educational needs. • SET donors saved $14,690.26 during Q3—a significant sum of money set aside to meet the educational needs of Mossman Gorge students.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Thirty-six community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. • Ten ITAV sessions were held during the quarter with 10 members (28% of total membership) participating.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) HOME PRIDE • There are currently 13 Home Pride members in Mossman Gorge. These members are making their homes more comfortable for their families.

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family STORIES LEADING BY EXAMPLE “Without MPower I guarantee I wouldn’t have a car” It was the vision of Kuku Yalanji elder Roy Gibson to capture the tourism market at Mossman Gorge to create employment and a better future for his people. His vision was brought to life with the Mossman Gorge Centre, an Indigenous eco tourism development and gateway to Mossman Gorge. He has another driving ambition, to own his own home. Roy talks here about his personal journey towards financial empowerment and his commitment to MPower. “Without MPower I guarantee I wouldn’t have a car— here now where I am today. MPower is the best. You don’t see money grow, but with MPower grows just like a tall tree in the forest until it reached the sky. It’s just suddenly there, something you never believe you could have—it’s unreal to me. As I got more involved with tourism, I needed a brand new car, and asked Reggie at the O-Hub ‘can you do this thing for me?’ I fall in love with walks and talks—I didn’t see the goal—I didn’t see the money.

Roy Gibson worked closely with MPower to achieve his goal of buying this “beast”—his car. His next goal is home ownership.

“More of our people must and should go to MPower and fulfill their stories and dreams—they will fulfill their dreams so fast they won’t believe it! I know when I worked all my life in tourism, I didn’t have much money to spend, MPower turned that around in a different way.

On recent changes in the community “The changes that I see, is that some people have got cars, washing machines and kids have got more toys, presents that I never see before. “I think what we need to do more, is to make them change into more employment and using MPower to reach goals. We need to get more of our people that live in community to start thinking of the future more, thinking about family and the younger generation—making them go to school more and get a better education and go away for school for better education. Then they have the Gateway Centre to come back to, to come back home, working and taking over the operation in the Centre. You can tell them the history of coming from there to here.” Next steps “Home ownership. I want to pay my car off in three years and then chuck another seed in the forest and watch that grow until I’m ready to reach out and grab it—the house. I don’t care how long it takes, but I’m going to get it. And then I’m going to try and make the rest of our people understand it’s not hard. MPower will help put you on the right track. In 5–10 years time “I want to buy land somewhere someday. I want to be free and relax and start training about the culture—keep the culture alive—and just go fishing. I did what I did now for my people with the Gateway Centre, and now I want to see my people understand we can go higher.”

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

On challenges with MPower and saving “Computer is hard for me, I’m not a computer guy. The hardest part is people have to go and ask for help and understand if you can’t read and spell, they will support you. MPower is not a bank but they help you put your money away safe towards something. You realize that it’s going to take time, but you’ll achieve it.

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MPOWER

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

Q2 2011 TO Q3 2014

200 150

168

100

Mossman Gorge MPower members

50 0

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 2011

2012

Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3

2013

2014

• There were seven new sign-ups this quarter. • Of the 168 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q3, 81 members (48%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. Members are regularly using the product. • Since Q1 2013 the largest proportion (61%) of new MPower members have been friend/family/or self-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances.

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

• At the end of Q3 there were a total of 168 MPower members in Mossman Gorge. Over time more and more community members are taking responsibility for improving their financial literacy.

Family/Friend/Self FRC referred

Unknown2

• Seven MMT sessions were conducted this quarter, focusing on Payment Support, Internet and Phone Banking Support, Banking Support, Wealth Creation Support and Debt Reduction Support. This is a slight decrease from Q2, where the 10 MMT sessions held focused on Banking Support, Debt Reduction Support, Internet and Phone Banking Support, Budget Support and Payment Support. • Over the period January 2013–September 2014 all MMTs, aside from Loan Support, were used at least once with Internet and Phone Banking Support being used most often (see below).

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

100%

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

PAYMENT WEALTH CREATION

• There were a total of 408 iBank sessions in Q3—a slight increase from Q2 2014. Thirty-six per cent of these sessions were unassisted—five per cent more than in Q2 2014. • A reduction in assistance levels over time indicates that iBank users are becoming more able to independently manage their finances. The trend in Mossman Gorge indicates that the proportion of unassisted sessions is continuing to increase over time (see below). However, influxes of new members see assistance levels also fluctuate as they are more likely to require greater iBank assistance than older members. UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q3 2014

DEBT REDUCTION

LOAN

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3

IBANK USAGE

BUDGET

61%

O-Hub staff/ Centrelink

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1

BANKING

13%

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

80%

64%

60% 40%

36%

20%

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 2011

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

Assisted

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q3 there were a total of 92 Wise Buys members in Mossman Gorge. Forty-five additional members have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that more and more adults in Mossman Gorge want support to make better-informed purchasing decisions.

• This quarter, a total of 19 unique1 members made a total of 26 purchases through Wise Buys. Of these 26 purchases: -- 17 were classified as ‘needs’2 -- nine were classified as ‘wants’.3 • A total amount of $13,537.90 was spent, including $9,057.90 on needs and $4,480.00 on wants. • Needs items purchased included fridge/freezer combinations, cars, mattresses, beds, clothing, a desktop computer, television and an outdoor shed. • The 23 Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of 50 times. Most visits (46%) were to make purchases (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

100 80

92 Mossman Gorge

DURING Q3 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=50)

Wise Buys members Q1

2014

General support Initial consultation

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY • Of the 92 members at the end of Q3 2014, 23 (25% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter.

Research on purchase

14%

2013

14%

Purchase Make a payment

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB

46%

% 26

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES • At the end of Q3 2014 there had been a total of 153 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to rise in Mossman Gorge, indicating that more and more families are making their children’s education a priority.

• Out of the 141 SET accounts that remain open since the commencement of the programme in 2007: -- 20 (14%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS

quarter—these accounts are meeting the

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

gold standard for activity

160

-- 38 (27%) had received at least one contribution or had been used to make at least one purchase

140

100

during the quarter—this still represents a very

153 Mossman Gorge

120

good level of activity -- 50 (35%) were not accessed for contributions

SET accounts

2013

2014

or purchases during this quarter, but did record Q3

• The large majority (n=141, 92%) of the 153 total SET accounts remained open at Q3 2014, while 12 (8%) had been closed. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=77, 55%) are for primary school aged children.1

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

• Most of the least active SET accounts have very small or nil balances. For instance, of the 33 accounts that had no activity for more than 12 months:

-- 15 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000

-- two have a balance between $1,001–$5,000

-- zero have balances between $5,001–$10,000.

12 months.

-- eight have a balance between $0.01–$1.00

100

activity in the previous 12 months -- 33 (23%) recorded zero activity in more than

-- eight have a balance of $0.00

Q3 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY?

• These less active accounts have a total balance of

77 38

12 Early Childhood (0–4)

Primary School (5–11)

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

• The total trusts in the above figure do not add to 141 because for six trusts, the schooling status of the recipients is unknown. These students are 14–17 years of age and have a combined total balance of $1,677.71 in their SET accounts. This is a concern and O-Hub staff should follow up with the donors for these accounts to determine the schooling status of these students.

$4,884.89. While the balance in these less-active accounts is relatively small, there remains a need to encourage these donors to re-activate their SET usage and/or close these accounts.

$14,690.26 was contributed to Mossman Gorge SET accounts this quarter

1 The age ranges for SET accounts are as follows: early childhood = 0–4 years; primary school = 5–11 years; secondary school = 12–17 years; tertiary/further education = 18–25 years.

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At Q3 2014, there was a total balance of $110,840.81 across all Mossman Gorge SET accounts (see below).1 This represents an increase of around four per cent of the total balance at the close of Q2 2014. • The total balance for Mossman Gorge SET accounts at the end of Q3 includes $624.97 interest, which has accumulated since the close of Q2 2014.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q2 2014 AND Q3 2014

Last quarter

This quarter

Early Childhood

$5,768.57 $6,744.79

The total balance of all SET accounts in Mossman Gorge at the end of the quarter was

$110,840.81

PURCHASES • A total of 114 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q3 2014—the same number as in Q2. The total value of these purchases was $10,833.03. Most (n=102, 89%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least 12 months. For example, as shown in the below graph, covering 21 months, we typically see a higher number of purchases at the beginning of the school year, in preparation for term one.

Primary School

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET

$59,277.71

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

300

$60,323.74 Secondary School

284

200

$36,926.95

162

$40,182.20

285 131 130

100

112

Tertiary/Further Education 0

$0.00 $0.00

2013

$3,590.08

CONTRIBUTIONS

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014 $20,000

$14,690.26

$18,735.61

$16,899.54

2013

$9,260.55

$13,261.75 Q2

$13,374.19

$12,029.38

$15,000

2014

of Mossman Gorge SET donors are female

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

• During Q3 2014 a total of $14,690.26 was contributed to SET accounts in Mossman Gorge. This is slightly less than the amount saved in Q2, but is relatively consistent with the savings made each quarter since Q1 2013 (see below). This represents a substantial amount of money being put aside to fund student educational needs.

2014

$4,385.38

$5,000

Finished/Left School

$10,000

114

DONOR PROFILE • At Q3 2014 there were a total of 98 unique2 donors contributing to the 141 open SET accounts. This total has remained stable from last quarter. • Eighty per cent of Mossman Gorge SET donors are female, most being the recipient’s mother. Mossman Gorge women are setting a strong example by making education a priority. They are committed to ensuring their children have everything they need to succeed at school.

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 36 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. During Q3 we have had one new member sign-up and overall, we have signed up 20 new members since the close of Q1 2013. This is a very pleasing result

• ITAV Parenting staff members have been busily engaging with the community, both members and potentials. These engagement activities assist our staff to promote the importance of parenting, encourage parents to support one another, and advise community members of the assistance and support they can receive through the ITAV programme. • This quarter, a total of 75 engagement activities were undertaken. These included: informal discussions (n=42, 56%); home visits (n=20, 27%); women’s groups (n=6, 8%); handicraft sessions (n=4, 5%); community events (n=2, 3%); men’s activities (n=1, 1%). • The volume of engagement activities undertaken in Q3 was impacted by a period of sorry time during September. Telecommunications problems also disrupted activities for a short time.

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

40 30

Mossman Gorge ITAV members

10 0

2013

2014

• Out of the 36 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 32 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme. -- four partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

STAFF CONTACT HOURS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

• During Q3, Mossman Gorge ITAV staff spent a combined total of 358 hours and seven minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time, staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

NEW MEMBERS

since the beginning of 2013

WHAT MEMBERS DID SESSIONS • Ten ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter, all of which were for the Strong Families programme. • During these sessions, partners worked on: -- understanding the causes of particular childhood behaviours -- understanding the importance of spending special time with children, including the impact on childhood development, and more. • Ten members participated in these sessions.

PRACTICAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT1 • During Q3, Mossman Gorge ITAV staff provided practical and emotional support to clients on 33 occasions. This included support provided to parents and families attending other support services, discussions around strategies to ensure kids attend school, as well as general emotional support provided to families that had experienced grief during the quarter.

CASE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES1 • During Q3, Mossman Gorge ITAV staff also undertook 26 case management activities, including case conferencing, strategic conversations and arranging referrals.

1 Rules around the collection of activity data were amended at the beginning of Q3. Thus this activity measure is unavailable for Q1 and Q2.

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

The partner learned about the value of quiet time and time out for their children. The partner also learned about the importance of communicating with children – particularly babies, during their first year. Now, the partner has developed a routine for their children and has been able to stick to it most of the time. The partner still experiences troubles with the children, but things will keep improving as they continue to do the learning and practice required.

The partner was having problems dealing with their children’s behaviour and came to ITAV because of concerns about Child Safety intervention. The partner required intensive support.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• There have been 34 house visits by Home Crew this quarter which is much higher than Q2, where six visits were conducted. • Fifteen Home Maker sessions were also held this quarter. One partner who is signed up to a House Blitz has begun a series of ‘do-it-yourself’ projects, including sewing curtains and cushions for their home. • Because Home Pride is new in Mossman Gorge, it will take time for our staff to build the rapport with community members needed to undertake a large number of home visits. As the Home Crew team has stabilised and established this rapport during Q3, we have seen visits begin to increase. We hope to see this trend continue into the future.

Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

20 15

Mossman Gorge Home Pride members

5 0

2013

2014

• There are currently 13 partners signed up to ITAV Home Pride. • All 13 partners are signed up to both the House Blitz2 and Home Maker3 components. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having been launched mid-2013. It has been relatively slow to grow due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. As the programme matures over the coming months and years, we look forward to seeing membership build. This programme has a commitment to employing from the local community.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Mossman Gorge to date

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 32 partners who have taken part in POP. Although this is a substantial increase from the eight members who had signed up by Q1 2013, membership has stabilised over the past nine months.

• Two Garden Club1 events were held this quarter, with 12 participants attending (including 10 unique partners—two partners attended both events). At the first event held in July, participants harvested then re-planted the local community garden. Harvested goods were used to cook with. At the second event held in August, participants made timber sculptures and designed creative pots and vases. Cuttings were also taken and struck to grow new plants. • Furthermore, 90 Pop-up Visits2 were conducted—a dramatic increase from Q2.

TOTAL POP MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

40 30

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS

Mossman Gorge POP members

10 Q1

2013

2014

Q2 2014 AND Q3 2014

75 50 25

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS Q3 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q3 2014

100

Mossman Gorge households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

26 Last quarter

This quarter

WHAT MEMBERS DID • To date there have been 16 Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Mossman Gorge. The families who have completed these Blitz projects have created creating lovely new outdoor living spaces. • The two POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in 2014 have so far contributed a cumulative total of $1,565.00 towards their combined target of $2,000 ($1,000 each). These members will continue to contribute towards reaching this target over the coming months.

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Q4 2014 CYP450 FER_Single Pages.indd 22

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AURUKUN O-HUB Q4 The Aurukun O-Hub is usually a busy place and this quarter was no exception with approximately 260 visits by partners to the O-Hub in just one fortnight in December (1–12). The majority of partners came to use the iBank, for coaching, budgeting and money management sessions. SET experienced a spike in new memberships which can be attributed to targeted engagement on this product, including strategy meetings with the school. MPower staff report an increase in the need for partner support around deceased estates, superannuation and taxation. These conversations have been useful in setting up coaching, budgeting, Wise Buys and other MPower programme opportunities.

POINTS OF INTEREST

ITAV has been moving in the right direction consistently running workshops and networking across all the relevant agencies. Our new Parenting Consultant/Home Pride Lead has been holding regular sewing classes with 6–12 partners attending each day. Several have shown great dedication in producing hand bags, pillows and curtains with a high standard of quality. Some of these partners are also displaying leadership potential, which we intend to nurture by working with them to plan and run classes.

NOTABLE IMPACTS

A Friday scrapbooking workshop entitled ‘Keeping Memories’ started this quarter. Participation is slowly growing with partners bringing in photos of family past and present to preserve. Staff use these workshops to stimulate ‘family/parenting’ conversations.

• All staff completed week long training in Cairns. O-Hub operations were supported by backfill staff • Currently seeking two Aurukun MPower staff following recent departures • Community tensions escalated at times affecting operations. The O-Hub was recently vandalised.

DEMOGRAPHIC

POPULATION

(AT CENSUS 2011)

Overall

1190

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

811

Adult (18+)

750

Children (0–14)

379

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

617

Early childhood (0–4)

126

Primary school (5–11)

203

Secondary school (12–17)

113

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

175

Households

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

Participation by partners in POP Garden Club events has been minimal so we intend to unite with Cape York Employment to produce and develop a community garden alongside the Parenting Hub. Plans are also in place to build a greenhouse for a nursery, compost system and garden decorations. Partners have started planting seeds for propagation and will also work on cuttings.

• Costa Georgiadis, host of ABC TV’s Gardening Australia programme spent two days in Aurukun judging the Best Garden in the Village Competition. Costa made a touching connection with our community partners, Cape York Employment, the local Council and other stakeholder organisations. Costa said that he is keen to stay connected with our work and our communities. • ITAV coordinated a fashion parade at the Community Christmas party. The children and parents did a magnificent job in rehearsals and walking the catwalk on the day, striking poses to show off the clothes.

179

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AURUKUN Q4

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY Aurukun O-Hub has been relatively quiet across most of the Opportunity Products in Q4, which is usually expected leading into the holiday period. Even though visits and activities have been slightly fewer this quarter, membership continues to increase across nearly all of the Opportunity Products. MPower membership increased by 18 during Q4—more and more community members are taking responsibility for improving their financial literacy. Wise Buys activity was relatively low while SET membership reached a new high, with 284 kids now having benefitted from a SET account and 161 Aurukun adults donating to at least one account. ITAV membership remained stable and activity was relatively low, though Home Pride activity increased dramatically. Twenty-six engagement activities were conducted including home visits and workshops—three House Blitz projects were also conducted. This is a great effort. POP membership continues to slowly increase and activity remains stable. As 2014 comes to a close, we wait in anticipation for what the New Year will bring. As long as community members keep stepping up and taking responsibility, we are optimistic for the future.

MPOWER

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP)

• MPower membership continues to increase—757 Aurukun adults are now signed up and committed to improving their financial knowledge and skills. • Sixty-five per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are friend/family- or self-referred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission). These partners are taking responsibility for their own finances.

• One new community member has signed up to POP this quarter, bringing the total membership to 83 members from 79 households. By signing up to POP, these members are expressing a clear desire to create healthier outdoor living spaces. • POP staff conducted 51 Pop-up Visits—a slight increase from the 50 conducted in Q3. • One Garden Club event was held during Q4 with seven participants attending. Participants undertook weeding and planting activities.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 11 in Q1 2013 to 106 in Q4 2014. Aurukun adults have a clear desire to learn how they can make better purchasing decisions. • Although no purchases were made during Q4, members continued to visit the O-Hub to research future purchases and to receive general support.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—284 Aurukun kids and students have now benefitted from SET. • It is becoming the norm to put aside money for students’ educational needs, with 161 Aurukun adults now contributing to at least one SET account. • SET donors saved $21,862.75 during Q4. This represents a significant sum of money is being put aside to meet the educational needs of Aurukun’s students.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Seventy-nine community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. • Session activity was low during Q4 though case management was ongoing, with 21 meetings occurring. We hope to see session activity increase again over the coming months.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) HOME PRIDE • There are currently 18 Home Pride members in Aurukun. These members are interested in making their homes happier and healthier for their families. • Q4 saw 25 engagement activities by Home Crew staff to encourage community members to participate in Home Pride. Three House Blitz projects were also conducted, during which staff worked with partners to develop the design and layout of their projects, as well as research required materials.

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family STORIES LEARNING THE SECRETS OF SAVING “I wanted to buy good things for the kids.” Shirley Wolmby is a member of MPower and regularly uses iBank. “People told me what good deals they get from talking with MPower. “I spoke with the MPower staff and decided to sign up so that I could put money away in a savings account. “I wanted to buy a new vehicle and good things for the kids.” Shirley is currently working with Mpower consultant Haylene Agie. “MPower has taught me how to balance money and put money into a savings account rather than keeping it in a transaction account. “I tell people who are not signed up for MPower to visit the O-Hub and talk to the friendly staff that have patience. They help you with the paper work and the computers.

Shirley works with MPower staff to reach her savings goals.

“In the future I would like to sign up for Pride of Place, I want to do planting, keep the garden healthy and take good care of it.”

COMMUNITY COMPLIMENTS “Pride of Place is just the start.” Anthony Yunkaporta will have his Pride of Place project completed in time for Christmas celebrations.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

“I signed up for Pride of Place this year and it has helped my family in a big way because they’re learning about gardening and the kids want to help when I’m pushing the wheelbarrow, which is good exercise,” Anthony said. “I had seen it from other people and it’s not a bad idea because you only have to put a bit of money in,” Anthony said. “Everyone should have Pride of Place if they want a good garden. It’s also something to do after work, instead of sitting around.” Although the garden is still a work in progress, Anthony said he enjoys the paved area the most. “It’s a place where you can relax and have your own time. It’s my relaxation square.” A lot of people in the community have also responded positively to the garden. “People are asking where I got this stuff and I say, ‘Pride of Place’. They say to me, ‘I’m going to sign up next year’.” Anthony has ambitious plans for his backyard. “In the future I would like to build a waterslide, swimming pool and fountains in my garden… Pride of Place is just a start.”

Anthony Yunkaporta said the kids are keen to help in the new garden and friends and family are paying him nice compliments

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MPOWER

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS Q2 2011 TO Q4 2014

1000 800

757

400

Aurukun MPower members

200 0

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 2011

2012

2013

2014

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER

• At the end of Q4 there were a total of 757 MPower members in Aurukun. Over time more and more community members are taking responsibility for improving their financial literacy.

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

17%

Family/Friend/Self FRC referred O-Hub staff/ Centrelink

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

BANKING

DEBT REDUCTION

LOAN

80%

60%

60% 40%

PAYMENT WEALTH CREATION

100%

48 3

• There were a total of 2067 iBank sessions in Q4—slightly fewer than the 2158 held in Q3 2014. Forty per cent of these sessions were unassisted—up from 31 per cent in Q3. • A reduction in assistance levels over time indicates that iBank users are becoming self-sufficient in independently managing their finances. The trend in Aurukun indicates that unassisted sessions are trending up and assisted sessions are trending down (see below). UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q4 2014

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3

IBANK USAGE

BUDGET

65%

Unknown2

• Twenty-four MMT sessions were conducted this quarter, focusing on Banking Support, Budget Support, Internet and Phone Banking Support, Loan Support and Payment Support. This is an increase from the previous quarter, where the 13 sessions focused on Banking Support, Budget Support, Internet and Phone Banking Support, Loan Support, Payment Support and Wealth Creation Support. • Over the period January 2013–December 2014 all MMTs were used at least once with Internet and Phone Banking Support being used most often (see below).

11%

600

• There were 18 new sign-ups this quarter. • Of the 757 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q4, 374 members (49%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. These members are regularly using the product. • Since Q1 2013 the largest proportion (65%) of new MPower members have been friend/family- or self-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances.

40%

20% 0%

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 2011

2012

Unassisted

2013

2014

Assisted

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q4 there were a total of 106 Wise Buys members in Aurukun. Ninety-five additional members have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that more and more adults in Aurukun want support to make better-informed purchasing decisions.

• No purchases were made through Wise Buys this quarter. However, partners continued to visit the O-Hub to conduct other Wise Buys activities. • The eight Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of nine times. Most visits (67%) were to conduct research on future Wise Buys purchases (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

120

DURING Q4 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=9)

100

Initial consultation1

Aurukun Wise Buys members

20 0

General support

106

2013

2014

% 33

67%

Research on purchase Purchase1 Make a payment1

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

• Of the 106 members at the end of Q4 2014, eight (8% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. This level of engagement is lower than we have seen in previous quarters. O-Hub staff should work to determine the reasons for this.

1 Each of these categories=0% during this quarter and are therefore not illustrated on the above graph.

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY?

• At the end of Q4 2014 there had been a total of 284 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to rise in Aurukun, indicating that more and more families are making a clear decision to prioritise their children’s education.

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS 300 280 260

220

-- 115 (43%) where no contributions or purchases were made during this quarter, but where a contribution or purchase had been made in the previous 12 months

284

Aurukun SET accounts Q1

2013

2014

• The large majority (n=270, 95%) of the 284 total SET accounts remained open at Q4 2014, while 14 (5%) had been closed. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=170, 63%) are for primary school aged children.1

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q4 2014

-- 64 (24%) where no activity had occurred in more than 12 months. • Of the 64 accounts that had no activity for over 12 months, -- two have a balance of $0.00 -- 20 have a balance between $0.01–$1.00 -- 25 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000

200

-- 15 haves a balance between $1,001–$5,000

150

• These less active accounts have a total balance of $53,843.62. O-Hub staff should contact the account holders as a matter of priority to encourage these donors to re-activate their SET usage or close these accounts.

-- two have balances between $5,001–$10,000.

100 50

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

-- three (1%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the quarter— these accounts are meeting the gold standard for activity -- 88 (33%) had received at least one contribution or had been used to make at least one purchase during the quarter—this still represents a very high level of activity

Q1 21013 TO Q4 2014

240

• Out of the 270 SET accounts that remain open since the commencement of the programme in 2007:

170 17 Early Childhood (0–4)

47 Primary School (5–11)

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

• The total trusts in this figure do not add to 270 because the schooling status of 24 SET students was unknown. These students are aged between 12–17 years and have a total combined balance of $35,767.10 in their SET accounts. This is a concern and O-Hub staff should follow up with the donors for these accounts to determine the schooling status of these students.

130 PURCHASES were made from Aurukun SET accounts this quarter

1 The age ranges for SET accounts are as follows: early childhood = 0–4 years; primary school = 5–11 years; secondary school = 12–17 years; tertiary/further education = 18–25 years.

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At Q4 2014, there was a total balance of $421,927.17 across all Aurukun SET accounts (see below).1 This represents a gross increase of $7,839.07 from the total balance at the close of Q3 2014. • The total balance for Aurukun SET accounts at the end of Q4 includes $2,225.98 interest, which has accumulated since the close of Q3 2014.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

$16,249.66

PURCHASES • A total of 130 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q4 2014. The total value of these purchases was $16,249.66. Most (n=126, 97%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least 15 months.

Q3 2014 TO Q4 2014

Last quarter

The total value of Aurukun purchases made from SET accounts this quarter was

This quarter

Early Childhood

$6,923.58 $8,709.47

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

Primary School

500

$229,225.66

414

400

$231,562.19

300

Secondary School

144

200

$105,139.47

100

$107,353.29

Tertiary/Further Education

$0.00

65 Q1

23 Q2

2013

95 Q3

136 130

69 Q4

2014

$0.00

Finished/Left School

$72,799.39 $74,302.22

CONTRIBUTIONS

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014 $25,000 $20,000

2014

$21,862.75

$20,332.95

2013

$20,332.28

$18,783.62

$15,879.93

$21,000.51

$5,000

$20,191.12

$10,000

$21,822.85

$15,000

of Aurukun SET donors are female DONOR PROFILE • At Q4 2014 there were a total of 161 unique2 donors contributing to 270 open SET accounts. • Ninety-three per cent of Aurukun SET donors are female, most (77%) being the recipient’s mother. Aurukun women have taken a strong stand when it comes to their children’s education—they are committed to ensuring their children have everything they need to succeed at school.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

• During Q4 2014 a total of $21,862.75 was contributed to SET accounts in Aurukun. This is relatively consistent with the amount being saved each quarter since Q1 2013 (see below) and represents a substantial amount of money being put aside to fund students’ educational needs.

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 79 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. Although no new members have signed up in Q4, overall we have signed up 32 new members since the close of Q1 2013. This is a fantastic result.

• ITAV parenting staff members have been busily engaging with the community—including both members and non-members of ITAV. These engagement activities assist our staff to spread the word about the importance of parenting, encourage parents to support one another, and advise community members of the assistance and support they can receive through the ITAV programme. • This quarter, a total of 51 engagement activities were undertaken—a slight decrease from the 59 undertaken in Q3. These included: informal discussions (n=22, 43%); home visits (n=16, 31%); community events (n=4, 8%); men’s activities (n=2, 4%); handicraft sessions (n=4, 8%); ‘other’ activities, including a conference with Child Safety (n=2, 4%); and a women’s group (n=1, 2%). • The volume of engagement activities during Q4 was affected by prolonged staff absences from community due to leave, ongoing security issues at the O-Hub, and also by severe community tensions often fuelled by alcohol. A mechanical fault on the Parenting Hub air conditioning unit that was unable to be repaired until after Q4 also made it difficult and uncomfortable for members to participate in activities run by the Parenting Hub in the summer heat and humidity. We hope to see engagement activities increase as these issues resolve. • Nine partners participated in the four Handicraft sessions held during the quarter, undertaking crocheting, scrapbooking and sewing. Handicraft sessions are designed as a way of getting parents/carers together to build relationships and support one another in their parenting journeys.

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

100 80 60

Aurukun ITAV members

20 0

2013

2014

• Out of the 79 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 74 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- five partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

WHAT MEMBERS DID SESSIONS • There were no ITAV Parenting sessions held during the quarter. • We look forward to seeing session activity increase again in the coming months as we move beyond the holiday season.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

PRACTICAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT1 • During Q4, Aurukun ITAV staff provided practical and emotional support to clients on four occasions. This included support provided to families that were struggling to get their kids to attend school, as well as support in attending other community service providers.

CASE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES1 • During Q4, Aurukun ITAV staff also undertook eight case management activities, including case conferencing and strategic conversations.

51ENGAGEMENT

activities were held this quarter

STAFF CONTACT HOURS • During Q4, Aurukun ITAV staff spent a combined total of 329 hours and 42 minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time, staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

1 Rules around the collection of activity data were amended at the beginning of Q3. Thus this activity measure is unavailable for Q1 and Q2.

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

Partner attended ITAV and learned about the importance of spending special time with their child whilst also being calm and assertive about correcting bad behaviours. With the assistance of other family members and behaviour charts, the partner is working hard to encourage their child to attend school. ITAV staff members are also assisting the partner to work with the school to ensure that the partner’s child receives the attention they need. There is still much hard work to be done, but this partner is becoming familiar with the tools they need to get the best outcomes for their child.

Partner is having a lot of trouble getting their child to attend and stay at school during the day while the partner goes to work. The problem has been ongoing for some time and the partner is very stressed and has also come to the attention of the Family Responsibilities Commission.

ANNUAL SNAPSHOT • Between Q1 and Q4 2014, Aurukun staff members have spent a combined total of 1296 hours and 48 minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. Contact hours during Q1 were relatively lower due to small staff numbers in the community, while contact hours increased towards the end of the year as a result of recruitment efforts improving the number of available staff (see below). • It is important to note that ITAV is committed to employing and building the capabilities of local people in local roles.

TOTAL STAFF CONTACT HOURS

TOTAL STAFF CONTACT HOURS AS AN AVERAGE RATE PER STAFF MEMBER2 Q1 2014 TO Q4 2014 HOURS

500 400 300

Q1 2014 TO Q4 2014

600

100

500

400 300

561.82

200

162.55 Q1

242.73 Q2

2014

162.55

173.38

149.86 2014

329.70 Q4

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

468.18

200

HOURS

100

• When considered as an average contact rate per staff member, the level of contact our staff have had with partners has remained high throughout the year (see below).

1 Some details have been altered to ensure this partner cannot be identified. 2 Backfill personnel are treated as 0.2 full time equivalent for the purpose of these analyses.

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• Home Crew staff conducted a total of 25 engagement activities during Q4. These included: -- six engagement home visits—a welcome increase on the zero conducted in Q3 -- seven workshops, which focused on building sewing skills -- twelve informal discussions within and beyond the O-Hub. • Three House Blitz sessions were also conducted during Q4, during which partners: conversed with staff around the design and layout for their projects, were assisted to conduct research on their future projects, including identifying materials needed and comparing prices. • After a relatively slow start since it was launched in April 2013, Home Pride activities are beginning to increase. We hope to see this continue over the coming months.

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

20 15

Aurukun Home Pride members

5 0

2013

2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

• There are currently 18 partners signed up to ITAV Home Pride. Q4 saw five new members sign up. • Of these 18 partners: -- twelve partners are signed up to the Home Maker1 and House Blitz2 components -- six are signed up to the Home Maker component only. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having only been launched mid-2013. It has been slow to progress due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. As the programme matures over the coming months and years, we look forward to seeing membership grow.

1 Through ‘Home Maker’, families learn practical household skills such as housekeeping schedules, routines for kids, planning meals, cleaning techniques and how to create natural cleaning products. The Home Crew staff work with families in their homes to build confidence, and help families create a healthier home environment. 2 Through ‘House Blitz’, families are assisted to make their homes happier and healthier spaces. The Home Crew staff work with families on interior design ideas to transform living spaces, as well as providing support and motivating families to complete household projects. Families must commit to providing the necessary sweat equity for House Blitz activities.

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Aurukun to date

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 83 partners signed up to POP. This has almost doubled from the 42 members who had signed up by Q1 2013.

• There was one Garden Club1 event held this quarter with seven participants. Participants undertook planting and weeding activities. • There were 51 Pop-up Visits2 this quarter—relatively stable from Q3 (see below).

TOTAL POP MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS

100

Q3 2014 AND Q4 2014

83 Aurukun POP

50 25 0

40 20

members

2013

2014

Last quarter

This quarter

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS Q4 2014

Aurukun households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

• To date there have been 23 Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Aurukun, including 205 separate Backyard Blitz elements.4 The completion of these Blitz projects has assisted in creating fantastic outdoor living spaces for Aurukun families. • The seven POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in 2014 have so far contributed a cumulative total of $5,900.00 towards their combined target contribution of $7,000 ($1,000 each). These members will continue to contribute towards reaching this target.

1 The POP Enabler runs Garden Club events to: hold discussions and demonstrations on gardening; discuss gardening design ideas; teach methods for maintaining gardens and growing plants, including fruits and vegetables; and/or up-skill partners around gardening tool use and maintenance 2 The POP Enabler does home visits to: promote participation in POP, discuss membership benefits and processes; offer free plants, seeds and magazines; assist in planting and provide advice on plants; and/or support with ongoing yard upkeep. 3 ‘Backyard Blitzes’ are garden renovation projects partners can sign-up for as a POP member. Members work with a POP Enabler to develop a design for their garden and to discuss contributions. 4 ‘Backyard Blitz elements’ are individual items that members choose to include in their garden renovation project such as (but not limited to) pergolas, decking, sand pits, garden beds, swing set, tables, chairs and lattice screens.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

WHAT MEMBERS DID

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COEN O-HUB Q4 With the wet season just around the corner the O-Hub team

NOTABLE IMPACTS

has been encouraging partners to stock up. Residents

• Currently recruiting for vacant Parenting Consultant position.

cannot rely on local shops for stock. During the 2013 wet season each household was limited to purchasing one roll of toilet paper as the local stores hadn’t stocked up. Staff from fly-in-fly out service providers were bringing in cans of

• MPower has been slow due to MPower staff fluctuations over the last several weeks with training and annual leave

food and other necessities for the elders because no one had thought to order extra for them. We are encouraging families to order their food online but it’s a challenge to get people to plan in advance. Our Home Crew (Lutonya Creek) has facilitated some great activities including craft sessions to make decorations for the Community Christmas Party. POP finished the year on a high note. The team has agreed to upgrade the garden at the Wuthulpu Cultural Centre as part of 2015 POP community/voluntary project. Our new FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

Coen POP Enabler (Thomas Clubb) has ordered the plants and the irrigation system for this project. Thomas also finished the last pieces of work on Marilyn Kepple’s gazebo, which means that all POP Blitzes have been finalised for the POPULATION

year. (Pictured page 152)

DEMOGRAPHIC

We were all hands on deck in preparation for the

Overall

264

Community Christmas Party, which was followed by Carols

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

176

By Candlelight and a service by Pastor David Spanagel

Adult (18+)

161

from the Lutheran Church.

Children (0–14)

POINTS OF INTEREST

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

149

Early childhood (0–4)

the Wellbeing Centre to say farewell for the Christmas

Primary school (5–11)

break, and to form an Events Committee that will plan

Secondary school (12–17)

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

• All service providers united for Christmas Lunch at

and lobby the Cook Shire Council for community events funding in the future.

Households

(AT CENSUS 2011)

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COEN Q4

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY MPower membership remained stable during Q4 while SET membership continued to rise—more and more Coen students are reaping benefits from SET. A substantial amount of money was put aside again this quarter to fund Coen students’ educational needs. Wise Buys had one new sign-up, though there was no purchasing activity during Q4. Despite this, members continued to visit the O-Hub, particularly to research potential future purchases. ITAV continues to slowly increase in Coen. Home Pride membership has also increased, while Home Crew staff continued to conduct workshops and community events. We expect these engagement activities will increase as ongoing issues with recruiting local suitable staff are resolved. Finally, POP members were relatively active during Q4, having completed a Backyard Blitz project and continued with ongoing community engagement. While 2014 has been a busy year overall, we look forward to even busier times ahead.

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP) • MPower membership has remained stable during Q4—201 Coen adults are now signed up and committed to improving their financial knowledge and skills. • Forty-five per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are friend/family- or selfreferred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission)—these partners are taking responsibility for their own finances.

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 22 in Q1 2013 to 48 in Q4 2014. Coen adults have a clear desire to learn how they can make better purchasing decisions. • Although no purchases were made during Q4, Wise Buys members continued to visit the O-Hub to conduct research on future purchases.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—203 Coen kids and students have now benefitted from SET. • It is becoming the norm to put aside money for students’ educational needs, with 151 Coen adults now contributing to at least one SET account. • SET donors saved $15,715.50 during Q4—a significant sum of money is being put aside to meet the educational needs of Coen’s students.

• POP membership has remained stable this quarter at 46 members from 44 households. By signing up to POP, these members are expressing a clear desire to create healthier outdoor living spaces. • One Backyard Blitz project was completed in Q4, during which partners contributed a total of 14 hours sweat equity—a great effort. No Garden Club events were scheduled though POP staff conducted 14 Pop-up Visits—a slight decrease from the 29 conducted in Q3.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Forty-eight community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. • Fifteen ITAV sessions were held during the quarter with 10 members (21% of total membership) participating. We hope to see session activity increase next quarter as staffing issues are resolved.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

MPOWER

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family STORIES CELEBRATING FAMILY DAY Celebrating Family Day in Coen was a great opportunity for the community to come together to pay tribute to their strong family cultural values. It was a time for mums, dads, aunties and uncles to join their children for an afternoon of fun and games in the school yard. The event was opened by the fabulous school band.

OUR FAMILY YARNING SPACE “My kids and I are excited about doing the Pergola up.”

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

“My kids and I are proud to finally have somewhere to call home. We wanted something different like having a pergola added to our back yard because it looked bare We love the Pergola, and what we hope to do with it during the summer months is take full advantage of it like having BBQ and just finding time to go and sit there in the evenings just to yarn, relax and reflect. My kids and I are excited about doing the pergola up like putting some climbing plants around the beams, finding some nice lighting to put up for the evenings and some beautiful potted plants to put around the outside and maybe putting up some water proof curtains for privacy. It wasn’t hard to save as I nominated a certain amount to be deducted out of my account and deposited into the POP account each fortnight The building part of it wasn’t hard too because my boys got in and helped as well.” By Marilyn Kepple

The whole family got stuck into building the pergola and love the new yarning space.

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MPOWER

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

250 200 150

201

100

Coen MPower members

50 0

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 2011

2012

2013

2014

• At the end of Q4 there were a total of 201 MPower members in Coen. Over time more and more community members are taking responsibility for improving their financial literacy.

• There were no new sign-ups this quarter. • Of the 201 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q4, 40 members (20%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. These members are regularly using the product. • Since Q1 2013 the largest proportion (45%) of new MPower members have been friend/family- or self-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances.

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER Family/Friend/Self FRC referred O-Hub staff/ Centrelink

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK1

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)3 • Only one MMT session was conducted this quarter, focusing on Budget Support. This is stable from Q3, where the one session held focused on Internet and Phone Banking Support. • Over the period January 2013–December 2014 all MMTs, aside from Loan Support, were used at least once with Internet and Phone Banking Support and Budget Support being used most often (see below).

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

IBANK USAGE

BANKING

UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q4 2014

BUDGET

100%

60%

53%

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

40%

47%

LOAN

20% 0%

12 13

DEBT REDUCTION

80%

1 13 0 9

PAYMENT Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 2011

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

45%

Unknown2

• There were a total of 89 iBank sessions in Q4—a reduction from the 104 held in Q3 2014. The usage of iBank has been trending down now for three quarters. Fifty-three per cent of these sessions were unassisted—11 per cent fewer than in Q3 2014. • A reduction in assistance levels over time indicates that iBank users are becoming self-sufficient in independently managing their finances. The trend in Coen reflects membership trends (see below). For example, in 2012, 51 new members signed up; at the same time the proportion of assisted sessions also increased because new members likely required greater assistance than older members. Through 2013 membership stabilised and levels of assistance again reduced. However, it is concerning that there appears to be a downward trend in unassisted levels despite membership not changing during Q4. O-Hub staff should keep an eye on this trend—over time, we hope to see assistance levels gradually reduce as iBank users become more self-sufficient in independently managing their finances.

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

Q2 2011 TO Q4 2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WEALTH CREATION

Assisted

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q4 there were a total of 48 Wise Buys members in Coen. Twenty-six additional members have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that more and more adults in Coen want support to make better-informed purchasing decisions.

• This quarter, no purchases were made through Wise Buys. However, members visited the O-Hub to undertake other activities. • The seven Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of eight times. All eight visits were to conduct research on potential future Wise Buys purchases. • Overall, member activity has been relatively low during Q4. The holiday season is often quieter with families choosing to save for Christmas and with some families leaving community. We hope to see activity pick up again in the New Year.

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

50 40 30

DURING Q4 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=8)

Coen Wise Buys members

10 0

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB

2013

2014

100%

General support1 Initial consultation1

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

Purchase1 Make a payment1

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

• Of the 48 members at the end of Q4 2014, seven (15% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter.

Research on purchase

1 Each of these categories=0% during this quarter and are therefore not illustrated on the above graph.

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES • At the end of Q4 2014 there had been a total of 203 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to rise in Coen, indicating that more and more families are making a clear decision to prioritise their children’s education.

• Out of the 158 SET accounts that remain open since the commencement of the programme in 2007: -- 22 (14%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the quarter— these accounts are meeting the gold standard

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS

for activity

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

-- 55 (35%) had received at least one contribution

210

or had been used to make at least one purchase

200

during the quarter—this still represents a very

190

high level of activity

203

180

-- 59 (37%) where no contributions or purchases were made during this quarter, but where a

Coen SET accounts Q1

2013

2014

• The large majority (n=158, 78%) of the 203 total SET accounts remained open at Q4 2014, while 45 (22%) had been closed. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=64, 41%) are for primary school aged children.1

contribution or purchase had been made in the previous 12 months -- 22 (14%) where no activity had occurred in more than 12 months. • Of the 22 accounts that had no activity for over 12 months, -- three have a balance of $0.00

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

-- one has a balance between $0.01–$1.00

Q4 2014

-- 13 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

-- four have a balance between $1,001–$5,000 -- one has a balance between $5,001–$10,000. These less active accounts have a total balance

64 31 Early Childhood (0–4)

of $17,418.29. There is a need for O-Hub staff to

38 Primary School (5–11)

encourage these donors to re-activate their SET usage

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

170

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY?

and/or close these accounts.

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

• The total trusts in the above figure do not add to 158 because for two trusts, the schooling status of the recipients is unknown. These students are 15 years of age and have a combined total balance of $1,477.60 in their SET accounts. This is a concern and O-Hub staff should follow up with the donors for these accounts to determine the schooling status of these students.

155 PURCHASES were made from Coen SET accounts this quarter

1 The age ranges for SET accounts are as follows: early childhood = 0–4 years; primary school = 5–11 years; secondary school = 12–17 years; tertiary/further education = 18–25 years.

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At Q4 2014, there was a total balance of $252,309.17 across all Coen SET accounts (see below).1 This represents an increase of around one per cent from the total balance at the close of Q3 2014. • The total balance for Coen SET accounts at the end of Q4 includes $1,333.78 interest, which has accumulated since the close of Q3 2014.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q3 2014 AND Q4 2014

Last quarter

This quarter

Early Childhood

$32,117.08 $30,102.91

The total value of all Coen purchases made from SET accounts this quarter was

$14,301.11

PURCHASES • A total of 155 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q4 2014—fewer than in Q3. The total value of these purchases was $14,301.11. Most (n=133, 86%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least 12 months (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET

Primary School

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

$99,910.58

300

250

$93,079.17 200

Secondary School

$70,356.53

100

$84,043.05 Tertiary/Further Education

$2,960.96

2013

$43,002.56 • During Q4 2014 a total of $15,715.50 was contributed to SET accounts in Coen. This is $3,650.77 less than the amount saved in Q3, but is relatively consistent with the savings made each quarter since Q1 2013 (see below). This represents a substantial amount of money being put aside to fund students’ educational needs.

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014 $25,000 $20,000

2014

$15,715.50

$23,222.23

$19,366.27

$16,708.78

2013

$12,925.64

$15,934.43

$17,258.71

$15,000

$14,959.00

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

CONTRIBUTIONS

2014

$44,215.85

179 155

Finished/Left School

$5,000

237

184

173 168

$2,081.48

$10,000

270

of Coen SET donors are male DONOR PROFILE • At Q4 2014 there were a total of 151 unique2 donors contributing to the 158 open SET accounts. One new donor has joined SET since Q3 2014. • Sixty-four per cent of Coen SET donors are female, most (69%) being the recipient’s mother. Thirty-six percent are male donors. Coen has the highest number of male donors across all four communities. It’s great to see that in Coen men and women are both contributing to children’s education costs.

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 48 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. During Q4 we have had one new member sign-up and overall, we have signed up 14 new members since the close of Q1 2013.

• This quarter, a total of 14 engagement activities were

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS

57%); home visits (n=2, 14%); a community event (n=1, 7%); women’s group (n=1, 7%); handicraft session (n=1, 7%); and ‘other’ activity, which involved contacting a member to

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

arrange an appointment (n=1, 7%).

• The volume of engagement activities this quarter has been

affected by staff turnover, intermittent telecommunications issues and sorry time. As these issues resolve over the coming

months, we hope to see activities increase.

Coen ITAV members

10 Q1

2013

2014

• Out of the 48 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 43 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- five partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

STAFF CONTACT HOURS • During Q4, Coen ITAV staff spent a combined total of 90 hours and 31 minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

14 ENGAGEMENT

activities were held this quarter

WHAT MEMBERS DID SESSIONS • Fifteen ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter, including: -- 10 Strong Families sessions -- five Baby College sessions. • During these sessions, partners worked on: -- understanding how the behaviour of parents can impact the behaviour of their children -- understanding the importance of spending special time with children, including showing children love and affection on a daily basis. • Ten members participated in these sessions—some attending multiple times.

PRACTICAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT1 • During Q4, Coen ITAV staff did not log any practical and emotional support sessions with our ITAV members.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

undertaken. These included: informal discussions (n=8,

CASE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES1 • During Q4, Coen ITAV staff also undertook two case management activities, both of which involved case conferencing.

1 Rules around the collection of activity data were amended at the beginning of Q3. Thus this activity measure is unavailable for Q1 and Q2.

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

Partner was distraught that their children had been removed by Child Safety and wanted to see how they could improve their parenting skills to get their children back. The partner admitted they need to learn how to better control their anger.

The partner has been working with ITAV staff members to improve their parenting skills and learn some techniques to better cope with their anger. ITAV has also assisted the partner to liaise with Child Safety where possible. The partner still has a lot of hard work to do before things can dramatically improve, but they appear willing and able to do the legwork required.

ANNUAL SNAPSHOT • Between Q1 and Q4 2014, Coen staff have spent a combined total of 723 hours and 47 minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. Although staff are continuing to spend a good deal of time with members, we have seen a decline in total contact hours during 2014 (see below). This downward trend has most likely been caused by ongoing staffing transitions. • It is important to note that ITAV is committed to employing and building the capabilities of local people in local roles.

TOTAL STAFF CONTACT HOURS HOURS

300

Q1 2014 TO Q4 2014 HOURS

200

100 50

200

251.41

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

TOTAL STAFF CONTACT HOURS AS AN AVERAGE RATE PER STAFF MEMBER2

150

Q1 2014 TO Q4 2014

100

• When considered as an average rate per staff member, the level of contact our staff have had with partners has actually remained relatively high throughout the year (see below). However, as our team is revitalised in 2015 we look forward to seeing contact hours increase again.

203.00 Q2

178.85 2014

125.71 Q1

178.85

169.17

90.523 Q2

2014

90.52 Q4

1 Some details have been altered to ensure this partner cannot be identified. 2 Backfill personnel are treated as 0.2 full time equivalent for the purpose of these analyses. 3 One fulltime staff member resigned two weeks in to Q4 and until a new parenting member was sought, backfill staff delivered ITAV in Coen. In combination, these staff members have been treated as 1.0 full-time equivalent staff.

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

HOUSE VISITS

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

14 Coen Home

Pride members

10 5 0

2013

2014

• There are currently 14 partners signed up to ITAV Home Pride. • All 14 partners are signed up to both the House Blitz1 and Home Maker2 components. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having only been launched mid-2013. It has been relatively slow to progress due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. We hope to see membership and activities increase in the coming months as staffing issues are resolved.

• No engagement house visits were conducted this quarter, though a workshop and community event were held. During the workshop, members worked together to make pots and Christmas cards. • After having no dedicated Home Crew staff in Coen during Q3, staffing remained problematic in Q4. As a result, activities were low. Once staffing issues are resolved, we expect to see home visits increase again. • Because Home Pride is only new in Coen, it will also take time for our staff to build the rapport that is needed with community members to be able to undertake a large number of home visits. As the Home Crew team stabilises and builds this rapport, we look forward to seeing activities increase.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

1 Through ‘House Blitz’, families are assisted to make their homes happier and healthier spaces. The Home Crew staff work with families on interior design ideas to transform living spaces, as well as providing support and motivating families to complete household projects. Families must commit to providing the necessary sweat equity for House Blitz activities. 2 Through ‘Home Maker’, families learn practical household skills such as housekeeping schedules, routines for kids, planning meals, cleaning techniques and how to create natural cleaning products. The Home Crew staff work with families in their homes to build confidence, and help families create a healthier home environment.

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Coen to date GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 46 partners signed up to POP. We have had four new members sign up since Q1 2013 but over the previous 12 months, membership has remained stable.

• No Garden Club1 events were scheduled for this quarter. However, POP staff did undertake 14 Pop-up Visits2— decrease from the 29 visits that were conducted in Q3.

TOTAL POP MEMBERS

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

Q3 2014 AND Q4 2014

30 20

Coen POP members

10 0

2013

2014

10 0 Q4

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS

14 Last quarter

This quarter

WHAT MEMBERS DID

Q4 2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

Coen households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

• To date there have been nine Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Coen, one of which was completed during Q4. During the completion of the most recent Blitz project, members contributed a total of 14 hours of sweat equity—a great effort. The completion of these Blitz projects has assisted in creating fantastic outdoor living spaces for multiple Coen families. • The two members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz in 2014 have already saved a cumulative total of $1,830.00 towards their combined total target amount of $2,000 ($1,000 each). These members will continue to contribute towards reaching this target over the coming months.

1 The POP Enabler runs Garden Club events to: hold discussions and demonstrations on gardening; discuss gardening design ideas; teach methods for maintaining gardens and growing plants, including fruits and vegetables; and/or up-skill partners around gardening tool use and maintenance. 2 The POP Enabler does home visits to: promote participation in POP, discuss membership benefits and processes; offer free plants, seeds and magazines; assist in planting and provide advice on plants; and/or support with ongoing yard upkeep. 3 ‘Backyard Blitzes’ are garden renovation projects partners can sign-up for as a POP member. Members work with a POP Enabler to develop a design for their garden and to discuss contributions.

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HOPE VALE O-HUB Q4 gardens so the Best Garden in the Village Competition is hotly contested with very high quality entries. There were nine entries ranging in style from tropical to quirky and gardens to eat. Irene Bambie’s garden, inspired by POP Garden Club, won her Most Interesting Garden (see picture in this report). A Wise Buys Christmas campaign was executed to encourage saving ahead of Christmas and value for money purchases. While there are more people engaging in simple budgets, we struggle to get partners to commit to coaching sessions. MPower staff plan to tap into the ITAV workshops and include money management training as part of their DIY and Parenting workshops in 2015. There has been an increase in partners attending ITAV Handicraft and workshops in the past month, the majority of them being the old ladies who bring with them the younger mothers. We are concerned and are investigating the rise in the

POINTS OF INTEREST • MPower staff completed training in Cairns this quarter. Staff feedback and evaluations show high confidence in the MPower program and improved confidence in their own abilities. • Local girl Sha-lane Gibson is working with us during her university break and will be concentrating on SET • Two of our MPower Team members have become first home owners. Khandra Stafford is building at Millers Block and will move in early 2015. Zeila Wallace and her husband moved into their first home in Cooktown.

NOTABLE IMPACTS • There is limited space for Parenting and Home Pride workshops in the Parenting Hub and we go begging to other organisations for space. Our partners have suggested that they lobby Council through a petition to urge them to find a bigger space. • There has been substantial community concern around ice and marijuana in the community which is hindering on our capacity to make a greater impact.

number of partners taking up high-interest, pay-day loans—

POPULATION

they are particularly problematic in Hope Vale. We are also

DEMOGRAPHIC

scoping a range of No Interest Loan Schemes offered by

Overall

931

charitable organisations such as St Vincent De Pauls.

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

635

Backyard Blitz has been full steam ahead with 10 partners

Adult (18+)

589

participating, however due to the work commitments of

Children (0–14)

296

our partners there have been difficulties in securing family

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

505

sweat equity. The ITAV team assisted CYAAA with their Year 6 and 7 Graduation Evening. It was great to see the students flanked by parents, their grandparents and godparents in some instances.

(AT CENSUS 2011)

Early childhood (0–4)

Primary school (5–11)

142

Secondary school (12–17)

109

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

162

Households

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

Hope Vale has a long history of taking great pride in

208

161

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HOPE VALE Q4

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY MPower membership has continued to increase during Q4 while the number of Hope Vale kids benefitting from SET has also increased. More adults than ever before are also donating to SET accounts to prepare Hope Vale kids for school. Wise Buys membership has increased and purchasing activity is ongoing. POP has more members than ever before while ITAV has also seen an increase in members—more and more Hope Vale parents and carers are making a strong commitment to improve their parenting skills. Finally, Home Pride activities have picked up during Q4 as the Home Crew team begins to stabilise. Staff have made a high number of engagement visits and conducted Home Maker and House Blitz sessions to assist members to create happier and healthier home environments.

MPOWER • MPower membership continues to increase—542 Hope Vale adults are now signed up and committed to improving their financial knowledge and skills. • Seventy-one per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are friend/ family- or self-referred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission)—these partners are taking responsibility for their own finances.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 13 in Q1 2013 to 66 in Q4 2014. Hope Vale adults have a clear desire to learn how they can make better purchasing decisions. • The two Wise Buys purchases made this quarter included a washing machine (‘need’ item) and television (‘want’ item).

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership continues to rise—232 Hope Vale kids and students have now benefitted from SET. • It is becoming the norm to put aside money for students’ educational needs, with 147 Hope Vale adults now contributing to at least one SET account. • SET donors saved $22,428.86 during Q4. A significant sum of money is being put aside to meet the educational needs of Hope Vale’s students.

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP) • One new community member has signed up to POP this quarter, bringing the total membership to 134 from 106 households. By signing up to POP, these members are expressing a clear desire to create healthier outdoor living spaces. • No Garden Club events were scheduled for Q4, though POP staff conducted a very high number of Pop-up Visits—57 in total, slightly down from the 66 conducted during the previous quarter. • Although no Backyard Blitzes were completed this quarter, participants contributed 53.3 hours of sweat equity to projects that are ongoing.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Eighty-five community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. • Twenty-one ITAV sessions were held during the quarter with 23 members (27% of total membership) participating.

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family STORIES WISE BUYER “I had empty pockets.” Like most of us, Hope Vale’s Delma Darkin found herself short on funds on a regular basis, especially in ‘slack week’. These days she’s got her money matters under control. “I didn’t know anything about money and I was struggling to afford things for my children. I had empty pockets and now there is money there for them at all times. “If they lose their uniform or shoes, I can pop in and buy from their Student Education Trust. “I buy products from the SET stalls which means the kids can learn at home which has helped as the kids grow.” Delma is an O-Hub regular and is signed on to MPower, Wise Buys as well as SET. She says these opportunity products have helped her a lot. “Wise Buys has also helped me to buy a washing machine and I am saving to buy a box freezer.

Delma Darkin no longer needs to wait for pay day, she has the money when she needs it.

“I am very proud of what I have got today—the washing machine and that money is there for what my children need. I don’t need to wait for my next pay.”

PROUD HOME OWNER “The house is a joint family venture.” Cheryl Cannon retired from teaching to build a family home. “I did a budgeting course through MPower, found out that I was spending on silly things. I didn’t need to go to Gilled and Gutted every weekend. Now I drive past and no big deal. “I wanted to show my community and family that you have to care for your home that you don’t have to run to council for everything. “I’ve planted out the front yard with flowers and bush tress, and the backyard with edible varieties, Tahitian limes, lemon, mandarins and bananas. “The house is a joint family venture—my youngest daughter will inherit it. “We’ve been busy done landscaping. I was mowing on a right angle, so my son made it level for me with rocks. Every time I’m in Cairns I look around for a new plant.” But retirement wasn’t enough for Cheryl. She still wanted to help her community. Now, she’s a Family Responsibilities Commissioner and has her first sitting, in October, under her belt. Rather than

Cheryl is helping her family to build wealth for generations to come.

being like a courtroom, she was surprised it was such a ‘two-way learning’ experience. “All the aggro is gone, and people are willing to accept consequences and talk through problems and be helped through issues.” She says income management is the only way to get some people to take responsibility. “Those who are income managed always have food on the table, and bills paid. “When we were growing up we had elders that would support our families. That respect for elders is returning. As FRC Commissioners, we are there for families to talk to and help.”

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

“It took six months for me to save the deposit.

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MPOWER

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS Q2 2011 TO Q4 2014

600 500 400

542

300 200

Hope Vale MPower members

100 0

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 2011

2012

2013

2014

• There were 12 new sign-ups this quarter—a strong result. • Of the 542 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q4, 144 members (27%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. Members are regularly using the product. • Over the last two years the largest proportion (71%) of new MPower members have been friend/family- or self-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances.

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER

% 3% 15

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

• At the end of Q4 there were a total of 542 MPower members in Hope Vale. Over time more and more community members are taking responsibility for improving their financial literacy.

Family/Friend/Self FRC referred

11%

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

71%

O-Hub staff/ Centrelink Unknown2

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1 • Seven MMT sessions were conducted this quarter, focusing on Internet and Phone Banking Support, Loan Support and Payment Support. This is a decrease from the 17 sessions held in Q3, which focused on Banking Support, Budget Support, Internet and Phone Banking Support, Loan Support and Payment Support. • Over the period January 2013–December 2014 all MMTs, aside from Wealth Creation Support, were used at least once with Internet and Phone Banking Support being used most often (see below).

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

BANKING

DEBT REDUCTION

UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q4 2014

100%

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

LOAN

WEALTH CREATION

19 0

80%

56%

60%

PAYMENT

• There were a total of 336 iBank sessions in Q4—an increase from the 291 sessions held in Q3. • Fifty-six per cent of iBank sessions were unassisted—down from 68 per cent in Q3 2014. A reduction in assistance levels over time indicates that iBank users are becoming selfsufficient in independently managing their finances. The trend in Hope Vale indicates that unassisted sessions began to outstrip assisted sessions in late 2011 (see below). However, as we get greater influxes of new members like we have had this quarter we see assistance levels also fluctuate—new members are more likely to require greater iBank assistance than older members.

IBANK USAGE

BUDGET

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3

40%

44%

20% 0%

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 2011

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

Assisted

164

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q4 there were a total of 66 Wise Buys members in Hope Vale. Fifty-three additional members have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that more and more adults in Hope Vale want support to make better-informed purchasing decisions.

• This quarter, a total of two unique1 members made a total of two purchases through Wise Buys. One purchase was categorised as a ‘need’2 while the second purchase was classified as a ‘want’.3 A total amount of $1,103.00 was spent including $725.00 on needs and $378.00 on wants. • The ‘needs’ item purchased was a washing machine, while the ‘want’ item purchased was a television. • The 24 Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of 52 times. Most visits (65%) were to receive general support from O-Hub staff (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

80 60

DURING Q4 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=52)

2013

2014

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY • Of the 66 members at the end of Q4 2014, 24 (36% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter.

4% 65%

General support Initial consultation4 Research on purchase

31%

Hope Vale Wise Buys members

Purchase Make a payment4

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB

165

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES • At the end of Q4 2014 there had been a total of 232 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has continued to rise in Hope Vale, indicating that more and more families are making a clear decision to prioritise their children’s education.

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY? • Out of the 218 SET accounts remaining open since the commencement of the programme in 2007: -- four (2%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the quarter—these accounts are meeting the gold standard for activity

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

-- 66 (30%) had received at least one contribution

240

or had been used to make at least one purchase during the quarter—this still represents a very

220

232

200 180

high level of activity -- 115 (53%) where no contributions or purchases were made during this quarter, but where a

Hope Vale SET accounts Q1

2013

2014

• The large majority (n=218, 94%) of the 232 total SET accounts remained open at Q4 2014, while 14 (6%) had been closed. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=115, 53%) are

previous 12 months -- 33 (15%) where no activity had occurred in more than 12 months. • Most of the least active SET accounts have very small or nil balances. For instance, of the 33 accounts that had no activity for over 12 months,

for primary school aged children.

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

-- two have a balance of $0.00

Q4 2014

-- five have a balance between $0.05–$1.00

120

-- 25 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000

100

-- one has a balance between $1,001–$5,000

-- zero have balances between $5,001–$10,000.

115

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

contribution or purchase had been made in the

40 20 0

33 Early Childhood (0–4)

• These less active accounts have a total balance

Primary School (5–11)

of $5,178.33. There is a need for O-Hub staff to

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

• The total trusts in the above figure do not add to 218 because for 14 trusts, the schooling status of the recipients is unknown. These students are 13–17 years of age and have a combined total balance of $8,549.58 in their SET accounts. This is a concern and O-Hub staff should follow up with the donors for these accounts to determine the schooling status of these students.

encourage these donors to re-activate their SET usage and/or close these accounts.

46 PURCHASES were made from Hope Vale SET accounts this quarter

1 The age ranges for SET accounts are as follows: early childhood = 0–4 years; primary school = 5–11 years; secondary school = 12–17 years; tertiary/further education = 18–25 years.

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At Q4 2014, there was a total balance of $186,569.55 across all Hope Vale SET accounts (see below).1 This represents an increase of $17,625.08 from the total balance at the close of Q3 2014. • The total balance for Hope Vale SET accounts at the end of Q4 includes $945.48 interest, which has accumulated since the close of Q3 2014.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

$5,749.26 PURCHASES

• A total of 46 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q4 2014. The total value of these purchases was $5,749.26. Most (n=30, 65%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least 12 months. For example, as shown in the below graph covering 24 months, we typically see a higher number of purchases at

Q3 2014 AND Q4 2014

Last quarter

The total value of all Hope Vale purchases made from SET accounts this quarter was

This quarter

Early Childhood

$18,102.38 $21,011.48 Primary School

$99,069.15

the beginning of the school year, in preparation for term one.

$107,750.46

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

Secondary School

300

$41,233.54 $46,939.11

280

224

200

Tertiary/Further Education

$494.56

145 135

100

$383.81

Finished/Left School

2013

145 Q4

143 137 Q1

2014

46 Q4

$10,044.84

$10,484.69

CONTRIBUTIONS

DONOR PROFILE

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014 $25,000 $20,000

2014

$22,428.86

$22,174.50

$21,916.83

2013

$17,795.54

$13,164.43

$19,209.45

$20,024.30

$5,000

$18,646.96

$15,000 $10,000

of Hope Vale SET donors are female

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

• During Q4 2014 a total of $22,428.86 was contributed to SET accounts in Hope Vale. This is slightly up from the previous quarter and is relatively consistent with amounts being contributed since Q1 2013 (see below). This represents a substantial amount of money being put aside to fund students’ educational needs.

• At Q4 2014 there were a total of 147 unique2 donors contributing to 218 open SET accounts. • Eighty-four per cent of Hope Vale SET donors are female, most (80%) being the recipient’s mother. Hope Vale women have taken a strong stand when it comes to their children’s education—they are committed to ensuring their children have everything they need to succeed at school.

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 85 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. During Q4 we have had three new members sign-up and overall, we have signed up 36 new members since the close of Q1 2013. This is a pleasing result.

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

100 80 60

Hope Vale ITAV members

20 0

2013

2014

• Out of the 85 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 64 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- 21 partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

STAFF CONTACT HOURS

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

• During Q4, Hope Vale ITAV staff spent a combined total of 631 hours and 17 minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

74 ENGAGEMENT activities were held this quarter

WHAT MEMBERS DID SESSIONS

PRACTICAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT1

• Twenty-one ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter, including: -- 15 Strong Families sessions -- six Baby College sessions. • During these sessions, partners: -- discussed the importance of showing affection to children, including the impact of this on children’s self-confidence and overall wellbeing -- worked to create behaviour charts to assist them to manage their children’s behaviour. • Twenty-three members participated in these sessions, with some members participating across multiple sessions and in group sessions.

• During Q4, Hope Vale ITAV staff provided practical and emotional support to clients on 21 occasions. This included being a listening ear for partners who are finding it difficult to cope with difficult family circumstances, working with partners to ensure their case plans are satisfying their needs, and speaking to partners about the importance of children having good role models.

CASE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES1 • During Q4, Hope Vale ITAV staff also undertook 14 case management activities, including case conferencing and strategic conversations.

1 Rules around the collection of activity data were amended at the beginning of Q3. Thus this activity measure is unavailable for Q1 and Q2.

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

The partner has consistently attended ITAV sessions for the last couple of years, working on improving their parenting skills to give the best lives they can to their children. Early on, the partner reported that the things they had learned were making a positive difference to their relationship with their kids. They were less stressed and felt more able to cope. Since then, things have continued to improve.

Partner was having trouble getting their children to attend school, as well as managing their children’s behaviours. They were receiving little support from the children’s other parent, and were stressed about what the future would hold.

ANNUAL SNAPSHOT • Between Q1 and Q4 2014, Hope Vale staff members have spent a combined total of 2399 hours and 10 minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. Contact hours have remained relatively stable throughout 2014, with a slight positive trend upwards during Q3 (see below).

• When considered as an average rate per staff member, the level of contact our staff have had with partners has remained relatively high throughout the year and improved during Q4 (see below).

TOTAL STAFF CONTACT HOURS

Q1 2014 TO Q4 2014 HOURS

550.15

568.10

649.63

2014

631.28

350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0

275.08

284.05

2014

270.68

315.64

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0

TOTAL STAFF CONTACT HOURS AS AN AVERAGE RATE PER STAFF MEMBER2

1 Some details have been altered to ensure this partner cannot be identified. 2 Backfill personnel are treated as 0.2 full time equivalent for the purpose of these analyses.

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• There have been 41 engagement house visits by Home Crew this quarter which is a large increase on the 15 conducted in Q3. Other engagements also included: informal discussions (n=53), workshops (n=6) and a community event (n=1). • Four Home Maker and five House Blitz sessions were completed during Q4. A further four DIY sessions were held, focusing on sewing, curtain making, cleaning and storage. An additional three sessions involved strategic conversations with partners. • As our Home Crew team continues to stabilise and build rapport with the community, we hope to see activity increase.

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

40 30

Hope Vale Home Pride members

10 0

2013

2014

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

• There are currently 27 partners signed up to ITAV Home Pride. • Out of these 27 partners: -- 23 are signed up to complete a House Blitz1 and Home Maker2 component -- four are signed up to the Home Maker component only. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having only been launched mid-2013. It has been relatively slow to progress due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. As the programme matures over the coming months and years, we look forward to seeing membership grow.

170

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Hope Vale to date

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 134 partners signed up to POP. Seven new members have signed up since the same time last year—a promising result.

• There were 57 Pop-up Visits1 conducted during Q4 2014, slightly fewer than the 66 conducted in Q3.

TOTAL POP MEMBERS

Q3 2014 AND Q4 2014

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

150

134

20 0

Hope Vale POP members Q1

2013

2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS Q4 2014

106

Hope Vale households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

Last quarter

This quarter

• No Garden Club2 events were held this quarter.

WHAT MEMBERS DID • To date there have been 48 Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Hope Vale. The completion of these Blitz projects has assisted in creating fantastic outdoor living spaces for multiple Hope Vale families. • While no Backyard Blitz projects were completed during Q4, participants contributed 53.5 hours of sweat equity to their ongoing projects during the quarter. We look forward to seeing these projects move towards completion in the coming months. • The nine POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in 2014 have so far contributed a cumulative total of $9,650.00 towards their combined target contribution of $9,000 ($1,000 each)—seven members have met their individual targets while the remaining two partners have exceeded these targets. This is a fantastic effort—we look forward to seeing these Blitz projects go ahead over the coming months.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

100

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS

171

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MOSSMAN GORGE O-HUB Q4

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

Partners in Mossman Gorge are more engaged than ever before with their money management development. Over a seven week period this quarter MPower averaged 3.5 budgets and coaching sessions each week. This is a high level of intensive coaching that shows a high level of commitment on the part of partners. Community members are readily using Wise Buys to purchase whitegoods and other household items. Over a seven-week period this quarter there were 18 purchases valued at $13,263 for an average purchase of $736.00. Partners are still utilizing the No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) as the smart alternative to rental companies and high interest short-term loans. Moving into the school holiday period SET activity slowed but parents were checking their balances ahead of the new school year. ITAV Parenting has been focused on Case Management activities over the past month and working more closely with the FRC. Home Crew have stepped up the number of workshops held and are paying particular attention to engage with individuals who in the past have been reluctant to participate. House Blitz celebrates its first sign up, scheduled for early 2015. Work started on the final two POP Blitzes of the year, which means 97 per cent of available homes in Mossman Gorge have participated in POP. Seven home gardens were

entered in the Best Garden In the Village competition which, for a small community, was a very pleasing result. POP has completed its contribution to the CAF/PAN Project, landscaping and building a retaining wall at a community playground. The playground is set to open after Christmas as BBN Board awaits Building Certification on the installation.

POINTS OF INTEREST • Our O-Hub team is collaborating well with the BBN Board and strengthening our relationship with the FRC • We are currently looking for a suitable local MPower Cadet candidate.

DEMOGRAPHIC

POPULATION

(AT CENSUS 2011)

Overall

101

Adult (15+) (MPower eligibility)

Adult (18+)

Children (0–14)

Youth (0–25) (SET eligibility)

Early childhood (0–4)

Primary school (5–11)

Secondary school (12–17)

Tertiary/further education (18–25)

Households

172

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MOSSMAN GORGE Q4

PARTNER PARTICIPATION SUMMARY The Mossman Gorge O-Hub was busy during Q4, with membership increasing across most Opportunity Products. MPower membership and activity has remained high, while SET members again put away a substantial amount of money to ensure the educational needs of Mossman Gorge students are taken care of. Wise Buys purchasing activity remained strong as families continued to use their buying power to get great deals on furniture and products for their homes. During ITAV Parenting sessions, partners worked on understanding the effects of different experiences, including trauma, on the behaviour of children. Partners were also excited to learn about strategies for developing positive and respectful relationships with their children. Home Pride activity has increased, which is great to see. Two POP members have begun their Blitz projects, while Pop-up Visits were ongoing. It has been a strong and energetic end to the year, with partners as enthused as ever in their participation.

• MPower membership continues to increase—172 Mossman Gorge adults are now signed up and committed to improving their financial knowledge and skills. • Sixty-one per cent of new MPower members (since Q1 2013) are friend/family- or selfreferred (as opposed to referrals from the Family Responsibilities Commission)—these partners are taking responsibility for their own finances.

WISE BUYS • Wise Buys membership has increased from 47 in Q1 2013 to 93 in Q4 2014. Mossman Gorge adults have a clear desire to learn how they can make better purchasing decisions. • The 18 Wise Buys purchases made this quarter included ‘need’ items such as washing machines, chest freezers, lounge suites, fridge/freezer combinations, a bed and a dryer.

STUDENT EDUCATION TRUST (SET) • SET membership remains high—150 Mossman Gorge kids and students have now benefitted from SET. • It is becoming the norm to put aside money for students’ educational needs, with 98 Mossman Gorge adults now contributing to at least one SET account. • SET donors saved $13,032.97 during Q4—a significant sum of money is being put aside to meet the educational needs of Mossman Gorge’s students.

• POP membership has remained stable this quarter at 32 members from 26 households. By signing up to POP, these members are expressing a clear desire to create healthier outdoor living spaces. • After reaching their target savings of $1,000 each, two members began work on their Backyard Blitz projects during Q4. So far, 38 hours of sweat equity has been contributed—a very pleasing effort. • One Garden Club event was also held, with seven participants attending. Participants cleaned up and painted a veggie tank to get it ready for a new crop.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) PARENTING • Thirty-eight community members are now signed up to ITAV Parenting. These men and women are learning the skills they need to become the best parents they can be. • Eleven ITAV sessions were held during the quarter with 11 members (29% of total membership) participating.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

MPOWER

PRIDE OF PLACE (POP)

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD (ITAV) HOME PRIDE • There are currently 13 Home Pride members in Mossman Gorge. These members are interested in making their homes happier and healthier for their families. • Twenty-four engagement activities were conducted this quarter, including house visits and cooking and sewing skill building workshops.

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family STORIES MOBILE MAKES IT EASY “It’s much easier to pay bills.” Clive Kooka is a man on the move and pleased to learn how to use his mobile phone to check his bank balance whenever he needs. “I signed up to MPower so that I can do internet banking and order over the phone and pay for things. It also makes it much easier with paying bills. “I learnt how to do internet banking and the new one for me is the mobile—checking my bank details using my mobile. “My goal is to save up for a house. I also think others should sign up if they have an interest in doing internet banking.”

Clive Kooka loves internet banking and checking details on his phone.

GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT “I am looking at growing paw paw, mint and spinach.” Susan Joyce Bamboo ‘Joyce’ signed up for Pride of Place (POP) to make the garden look “beautiful”. “My father was a keen gardener and would grow all sorts of fruit and veges and I want to do the same. I grow wild tomatoes and chillies. The tomatoes are good to eat—we cook them or put them in a salad. “Since joining up I’ve learned a lot about gardening, how to look after it, water it and keep it in good shape.” Joyce says that Barry Preston, POP Supervisor at Mossman has inspired her with lots of good ideas.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

“Barry showed us a garden with Mexican chillies, grapefruits and beans. I am looking at growing paw paws, mint and spinach.” Susan Bamboo loves to grow a garden she can cook with and gets lots of ideas from POP.

Susan won ‘Best Edible Garden in the Village’ in 2012 and will nominate for the 2014 Garden Competition.

TAKING PRIDE “Get to know people by doing a lot of activities.” Trixie Kerr is a Home Pride star sewing her own curtains and cushions. Her latest piece of artwork included an image transferring activity. She chose a photo of her late husband which is now proudly displayed in her home. “I’m enjoying Home Pride, I get to know people by doing a lot of activities together.”

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MPOWER

MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL SOURCES AND TURNOVER

TOTAL NUMBER OF MPOWER MEMBERS Q2 2011 TO Q4 2014

200 150

172

100

Mossman Gorge MPower members

50 0

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 2011

2012

2013

2014

• There were three new sign-ups this quarter. • Of the 172 members signed up to MPower by the end of Q4, 68 members (40%) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter. Members are regularly using the product. • Since Q1 2013 the largest proportion (61%) of new MPower members have been friend/family- or self-referred. These members are aware of the assistance MPower can provide and are taking responsibility for their own finances.

REFERRAL SOURCES FOR MPOWER Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

• At the end of Q4 there were a total of 172 MPower members in Mossman Gorge. Over time more and more community members are taking responsibility for improving their financial literacy.

12%

Family/Friend/Self

24%

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

FRC referred O-Hub staff/ Centrelink

61%

Unknown2

WHAT MEMBERS DID: MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOLS (MMT)1 • Nine MMT sessions were conducted this quarter, focusing on Banking Support, Debt Reduction Support, Internet and Phone Banking and Payment Support. This is a slight increase on Q3, where the seven MMT sessions held focused on Payment Support, Internet and Phone Banking Support, Banking Support, Wealth Creation Support and Debt Reduction Support. • Over the period January 2013–December 2014 all MMTs, aside from Loan Support, were used at least once with Internet and Phone Banking Support being used most often (see below).

• There were a total of 405 iBank sessions in Q4—a slight decrease from the 408 held in Q3. Thirty-six per cent of these sessions were unassisted—stable from Q3. • A reduction in assistance levels over time indicates that iBank users are becoming self-sufficient in independently managing their finances. The trend in Mossman Gorge indicates that the proportion of unassisted sessions is continuing to increase over time (see below).

TOTAL MMT SESSIONS

IBANK USAGE UNASSISTED AND ASSISTED SESSIONS AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL SESSIONS Q2 2011 TO Q4 2014

BANKING

80%

DEBT REDUCTION

WEALTH CREATION

40%

19 0

64%

60%

INTERNET & PHONE BANKING

PAYMENT

100%

BUDGET

LOAN

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

WHAT MEMBERS DID: IBANK3

36%

20% 0%

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 2011

8 10

Unassisted

2012

2013

2014

Assisted

175

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WISE BUYS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

WHAT MEMBERS DID

• At the end of Q4 there were a total of 93 Wise Buys members in Mossman Gorge. Forty-six additional members have signed up since the end of Q1 last year. The growth in Wise Buys membership indicates that more and more adults in Mossman Gorge want support to make better-informed purchasing decisions.

• This quarter, a total of 16 unique1 members made a total of 18 purchases through Wise Buys. Of these 18 purchases: -- 13 were classified as ‘needs’2 -- five were classified as ‘wants’.3 • A total amount of $13,263.00 was spent, including $10,224.00 on needs and $3,039.00 on wants. • Needs items purchased included washing machines, chest freezer, lounge suites, fridge/freezer combination, a bed and dryer. • The 26 Wise Buys members who had visited the O-Hub this quarter visited a total of 39 times. Most visits were to conduct research on future purchases (46%) and to make purchases (46%) (see below).

TOTAL NUMBER OF WISE BUYS MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

100 80 60

Mossman Gorge Wise Buys members

20 0

2013

2014

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE O-HUB Q4

DURING Q4 AS A PROPORTION (%) OF TOTAL VISITS (N=39)

Initial consultation

• Of the 93 members at the end of Q4 2014, 26 (28% of all members) had visited the O-Hub at least once during the quarter.

Research on purchase Purchase

46%

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

46%

General support

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

Make a payment

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STUDENT EDUCATION TRUSTS INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

NUMBER OF SET ACCOUNTS AND PROFILE OF TRUSTEES • At the end of Q4 2014 there had been a total of 150 SET accounts established. • Since it was launched in 2007, the number of SET accounts has risen dramatically in Mossman Gorge, indicating that more and more families are making a clear decision to prioritise their children’s education.

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS

-- two (1%) had been used to make both contributions and purchases during the quarter—these accounts are meeting the gold standard for activity

during the quarter—this still represents a very high level of activity

140

-- 55 (40%) where no contributions or purchases

150 Mossman Gorge

120

were made during this quarter, but where a contribution or purchase had been made in the

SET accounts

2013

2014

previous 12 months Q4

-- 32 (23%) where no activity had occurred in more than 12 months.

• The large majority (n=138, 92%) of the 150 total SET accounts remained open at Q4 2014, while 12 (8%) had been closed. • Of those accounts remaining open, most (n=74, 54%) are for primary school aged children.1

TOTAL SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING

• Most of the least active SET accounts have very small or nil balances. For instance, of the 32 accounts that had no activity for over 12 months, -- eight have a balance of $0.00 -- eight have a balance between $0.01–$1.00

Q4 2014

-- 14 have a balance between $1.01–$1,000

100

-- two have a balance between $1,001–$5,000

-- zero have balances between $5,001–$10,000.

• These less active accounts have a total balance

74 39

12 Early Childhood (0–4)

of $4,525.52. There is a need for O-Hub staff to

Primary School (5–11)

Secondary Tertiary/Further Finished/ School Education Left School (12–17) (18–25) (18–25)

• The total trusts in this figure do not add to 138 because the schooling status of six SET students was unknown. These students are aged between 14–17 years and have a total combined balance of $1,684.34 in their SET accounts. This is a concern and O-Hub staff should follow up with the donors for these accounts to determine the schooling status of these students.

encourage these donors to re-activate their SET

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

the commencement of the programme in 2007:

or had been used to make at least one purchase

160

• Out of the 138 SET accounts that remain open since

-- 49 (36%) had received at least one contribution

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

100

HOW MANY SET ACCOUNTS ARE BEING USED AND HOW REGULARLY?

usage and/or close these accounts.

85 PURCHASES

were made from Mossman Gorge SET accounts this quarter

1 The age ranges for SET accounts are as follows: early childhood = 0–4 years; primary school = 5–11 years; secondary school = 12–17 years; tertiary/further education = 18–25 years.

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SET ACCOUNTS END OF QUARTER BALANCE, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PURCHASES BALANCE • At Q4 2014, there was a total balance of $117,929.07 across all Mossman Gorge SET accounts (see below).1 This represents an increase of around six per cent from the total balance at the close of Q3 2014. • The total balance for Mossman Gorge SET accounts at the end of Q4 includes $606.26 interest, which has accumulated since the close of Q3 2014.

TOTAL BALANCE OF SET ACCOUNTS BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING Q3 2014 AND Q4 2014

Last quarter

This quarter

Early Childhood

$6,744.79 $8,058.18

The total value of all Mossman Gorge purchases made from SET accounts this quarter was

$6,550.97

PURCHASES • A total of 85 purchases were made from SET accounts in Q4 2014—fewer than the 114 purchases made in Q3. The total value of these purchases was $6,550.97. Most (n=78, 92%) were for primary school aged children. • SET saving and purchasing trends are often uneven over the course of a year due to changing financial circumstances of donors and seasonal costs of schooling. Quarterly rates are, therefore, best considered over the span of at least 15 months. For example, as shown in the below graph, we typically see a higher number of purchases at the beginning of the school year, in preparation for term one.

Primary School

TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES MADE USING SET

$60,323.74

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

$63,330.77

300

284

Secondary School

285

200

$40,182.20 $42,930.80

162

100

131 130 112 114

Tertiary/Further Education

$0.00

2013

Finished/Left School

• During Q4 2014 a total of $13,032.97 was contributed to SET accounts in Mossman Gorge. This is slightly less than the amount saved in Q3, but is relatively consistent with the savings made each quarter since Q1 2013 (see below). This represents a substantial amount of money being put aside to fund students’ educational needs.

TOTAL VALUE OF QUARTERLY SAVINGS Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014 $20,000

2014

$13,032.97

$14,690.26

$18,735.61

2013

$16,899.54

$9,260.55

$13,374.19

$13,261.75

$15,000

$12,029.38

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

CONTRIBUTIONS

2014

$3,609.32

$5,000

$3,590.08

$10,000

of Mossman Gorge SET donors are female DONOR PROFILE • At Q4 2014 there were a total of 98 unique2 donors contributing to the 138 open SET accounts. This total has remained stable for the last three quarters. • Eighty per cent of Mossman Gorge SET donors are female, most (79%) being the recipient’s mother. Mossman Gorge women have taken a strong stand when it comes to their children’s education— they are committed to ensuring their children have everything they need to succeed at school.

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—PARENTING INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 38 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting. During Q4 we have had two new members sign-up and overall, we have signed up 22 new members since the close of Q1 2013. This is a fantastic result.

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV PARENTING MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

40 30

Mossman Gorge ITAV members

10 0

2013

2014

• Out of the 38 partners signed up to ITAV Parenting: -- 34 partners are signed up to the Strong Families programme -- four partners are signed up to the Baby College programme.

STAFF CONTACT HOURS

57ENGAGEMENT

activities were held this quarter

WHAT MEMBERS DID SESSIONS

PRACTICAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT1

• Eleven ITAV Parenting sessions were held during the quarter, all of which were for the Strong Families programme.

• During Q4, Mossman Gorge ITAV staff provided practical and emotional support to clients on 36 occasions. This included support provided to parents and families around difficult family circumstances particularly coming up to the Christmas period, providing a general listening ear and supporting partners to attend relevant additional support services.

• During these sessions, partners: -- discussed the effects of intergenerational trauma on how children behave -- worked to understand and develop strategies for developing positive relationships with children, including spending special time with them—even when they are very young. • Eleven members participated in these sessions.

CASE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES1 • During Q4, Mossman Gorge ITAV staff also undertook 16 case management activities, including case conferencing and arranging referrals.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

• During Q4, Mossman Gorge ITAV staff spent a combined total of 296 hours with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. During this time, staff undertook engagement activities, ongoing case management (e.g. providing emotional and practical support), delivered parenting training sessions and worked with Home Pride partners to create happy and healthy family homes.

1 Rules around the collection of activity data were amended at the beginning of Q3. Thus this activity measure is unavailable for Q1 and Q2.

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PERSONAL PROGRESS STORY1

The partner came to ITAV to understand how they could better manage the stress of caring for their grandchildren and also help their own children to be better parents. The partner has worked continuously with ITAV staff to understand the importance of relaxation and meditation in calming themselves. They have also asked for ongoing advice on how to assist their children to parent more effectively. The partner has shown great dedication to learning new skills and improving their situation. Things improving for this family.

A partner was incredibly stressed and fatigued after continuously caring for their grandchildren. They were not coping well and needed strategies to improve their situation.

ANNUAL SNAPSHOT • Between Q1 and Q4 2014, Mossman Gorge staff members have spent a combined total of 1183 hours and 17 minutes with ITAV members across the Parenting and Home Pride programmes. Contact hours increased during the middle of the year and have decreased only slightly during Q4 (see below). • It is important to note that ITAV is committed to employing and building the capabilities of local people in local roles.

TOTAL STAFF CONTACT HOURS Q1 2014 TO Q4 2014

• When considered as an average rate per staff member, the level of contact our staff have had with partners has remained relatively high throughout the year (see below).

TOTAL STAFF CONTACT HOURS AS AN AVERAGE RATE PER STAFF MEMBER2 Q1 2014 TO Q4 2014 HOURS

150 100

HOURS

400

300 200 100

341.05

296.01

2014

119.37

109.633

62.70 Q1

188.10

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

358.12

113.68

2014

1 Some details have been altered to ensure this partner cannot be identified. 2 Backfill personnel are treated as 0.2 full time equivalent for the purpose of these analyses. 3 One fulltime staff member left at the end of November and are thus treated as 0.7 full-time equivalent staff for the purpose of these analyses.

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD—HOME PRIDE INDICATORS OF PARTNER PARTICIPATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

HOUSE VISITS

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITAV HOME PRIDE MEMBERS

• There have been 24 engagement activities undertaken by Home Crew this quarter, including 11 house visits—fewer than the 32 visits conducted in Q3. The seven workshops held involved various activities, including making Halloween decorations, Christmas trifle, Christmas decorations and trees, sewing new clothes, making alterations to clothes and vision board activities. • Two Home Maker sessions were also held this quarter. • Because Home Pride is only new in Mossman Gorge, it will take time for our staff to build the rapport that is needed to undertake a large number of home visits. As the Home Crew team began to stabilise and build this rapport during Q3, we saw visits begin to increase. It is hoped that the slight dip in activity is seasonal.

Q1 2013 TO Q4 2014

20 15

Mossman Gorge Home Pride members

5 0

2013

2014

• There are currently 13 partners signed up to ITAV Home Pride. • All 13 partners are signed up to both the House Blitz1 and Home Maker2 components. • Home Pride is a relatively new programme, having only been launched mid-2013. It has been relatively slow to progress due to challenges in attracting and retaining suitable local staff. As the programme matures over the coming months and years, we look forward to seeing membership grow.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

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PRIDE OF PLACE

BACKYARD BLITZES

have been completed in Mossman Gorge to date

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

• There are currently 32 partners signed up to POP. Although this is a substantial increase from the eight members who had signed up by Q1 2013, membership has stabilised over the past fifteen months.

• One Garden Club1 event was held this quarter, with seven participants attending. During the event, partners cleaned up and painted a veggie tank. • Thirty-five Pop-up Visits2 were also conducted in Q4— a decrease from the 90 conducted in Q3. This decrease is due to POP staff members spending increased time assisting partners to plan and begin their Backyard Blitz activities.

TOTAL POP MEMBERS Q1 2013 TO Q3 2014

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP-UP VISITS

Q2 2014 AND Q3 2014

32 Mossman Gorge

20 10 0

100 75

POP members

2013

2014

50 Q4

TOTAL NUMBER OF POP HOUSEHOLDS

25 Last quarter

This quarter

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT REPORT Q4 2014

Q3 2014

Mossman Gorge households have now signed up to make healthier living spaces for their families

WHAT MEMBERS DID • To date there have been 16 Backyard Blitzes3 completed in Mossman Gorge. The completion of these Blitz projects has assisted in creating fantastic outdoor living spaces for Mossman Gorge families. • The two POP members signed up to do a Backyard Blitz project in 2014 have reached their target contribution amount, saving a cumulative total of $2,015.00 towards their combined target of $2,000 ($1,000 each). These members have begun work on their Backyard Blitz projects, contributing a total of 38 hours sweat equity in Q4. This is a fantastic effort. Although these Blitz activities are not yet complete, they are well on their way.

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