Annual Grants Report 2006-07

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT O6/O7

The Ian Potter Foundation was established in 1964 and is today one of Australia’s major philanthropic foundations. Sir Ian Potter (1902–1994), an Australian financier and stockbroker, was the founder and benefactor of the Foundation.

Contents Governors

1

Funding Principles

1

Report from the Chairman

2

Report from the Chief Executive Officer

3

Program Areas Arts

5

Community Wellbeing

13

Education

23

Environment & Conservation

29

Health

35

Medical Research

39

Science

45

Travel and Conference

49

Cover Image Beautiful Tassel Bradshaw Panel of the North West Kimberley.

Photograph: Susan Bradley. Reproduced courtesy of the Kimberley Foundation Australia.

From the late 1930s, ‘seahorse’ was the cable address for Ian Potter and Company, the stockbroking firm founded by Sir Ian Potter. The seahorse symbol was taken as the logo of The Ian Potter Foundation in 1996.

Governors

Funding principles

The Ian Potter Foundation is governed by a Board of thirteen non-executive Governors.

There are some common principles which underlie our grantmaking. When assessing applications, we look for:

Life Governor Lady Potter, AC

A commitment to excellence We support organisations, programs and individuals who are outstanding in their field, in a national and international context.

Governors Mr Charles B Goode, AC, Chairman Professor Geoffrey N Blainey, AC Mr Neil Clark, AO (to 30 June 2007) Mr Leon Davis, AO (from 22 March 2007) The Hon Sir Daryl Dawson, AC, KBE, CB The Hon Sir James Gobbo, AC, CVO Mr John B Gough, AO, OBE Professor Thomas W Healy, AO Dr Thomas H Hurley, AO, OBE Mr Allan J Myers, AO, QC Mr Frank L Nelson Dr P John Rose, AO Professor Graeme B Ryan, AC

Staff

An emphasis on the “innovate – evaluate – disseminate” process We seek to fund programs and projects which take a new approach to problems, support the evaluation of their trial, and, if successful, their replication in other locations or contexts.

A focus on prevention In seeking to maximise the value of our grants, we try to address the causes of problems, rather than treat the symptoms. Supporting research is fundamental to this approach.

Potential for leverage Our grants have greater impact when combined with support from other sources. These might include other trusts and foundations, government, business, and volunteers. We are very happy to be one of a number of supporters of a program.

Chief Executive Officer Mrs Janet Hirst

Long-term thinking We try to fund programs that will continue to have an impact well beyond the period of our support. Will the grant be significant (within its context) in ten years time?

Finance Mr John Kellaway Ms Therese Reidy

Partnerships We encourage applications from organisations which are working with others in their field, and indeed in other fields.

Grant Management Ms Caitriona Fay Ms Helen Murray Ms Maria Roberts Ms Mary Benson

Sustainability In making grants, attention is given to the sustainability of the project at the conclusion of the period covered by the grant.

Administration Manager Ms Gail Lewry Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer Ms Kay Roworth Mrs Josephine Berthelemy

Above Foundation Staff, Back Left to Right: Caitriona Fay, John Kellaway, Gail Lewry, Mary Benson, Josephine Berthelemy; Front Left to Right: Maria Roberts, Therese Reidy, Janet Hirst, Helen Murray, Kay Roworth.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 1

In September 2006, the Foundation held a function at which the Director of The Howard Florey Institute, Professor Frederick Mendelsohn, AO spoke on the subject “Are Brain and Mind Disorders Inevitable? New Optimism from Neuroscience”. Sir Ian Potter was one of the founders of the Howard Florey Institute and from its inception the Foundation has been closely involved with the development of the Florey Institute, culminating last year in the Foundation giving a grant of $10 million towards a major new neuroscience facility, the Florey Neuroscience Institutes.

Chairman’s Report This year the Foundation passed the $100 million mark in grants it has awarded since its formation in 1964.

In the grants made during this financial year, the Foundation has continued to support initiatives of excellence and innovation and to support outstanding leadership.

Sir Ian Potter was deeply involved in the visual and performing arts and the Foundation has a commitment to supporting cultural institutions and organisations. A grant of $1 million has been given to the National Library of Australia to build a Treasures Gallery where iconic items will be able to be displayed on a permanent basis, and $1 million to the new National Portrait Gallery in Canberra to develop its collection of major Australian portraits.

The Foundation provided a grant of $5 million to the Royal Botanic Gardens for the Australian Garden at Cranbourne. This is a project of outstanding national and international significance, and offers a greater understanding of Australia’s remarkable natural world.

In June the Governors agreed to grant $500,000 to the Kimberley Foundation Australia to fund a program to study the Kimberley’s ancient past. The region may hold the key to Australia’s prehistory, being home to hundreds of thousands of rock art paintings and drawings known as Bradshaw (Gwion Gwion) and Wandjina rock art.

In October 2006, Lady Potter officially opened The Ian Potter Centre for Tropical Marine Research at Lizard Island, which is a world class facility that will be used by some of the world’s best coral reef researchers. In 2004 the Foundation investigated the feasibility of supporting research on the Great Barrier Reef, and contributed $1.5 million towards the Station’s $4.5 million infrastructure upgrade plan. “When the Potter Foundation gives money, we really do hope to make a difference, and we always satisfy ourselves of the status of the leadership of the organisation.

When money is given, in many cases it enables the recipient to approach others and reach a much higher figure for the total project. I am very pleased to say that this has occurred, and the total funds raised, including generous international sponsorship, are in excess of $4 million.” Lady Potter Mr Neil Clark retired as a Governor of the Foundation at the end of June 2007. Mr Clark joined the Board of Governors in 1993 and made a major contribution as Chairman of the Finance Committee. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Clark for his contribution to the Foundation. I also wish to welcome Mr Leon Davis on his appointment to the Board of Governors. I would like to thank Janet Hirst, our Chief Executive Officer, and her staff for their commitment and contribution to our operations, and to thank my fellow Governors for their commitment to the Foundation.

Charles Goode, AC Chairman

Chief Executive Officer’s Report During the past year The Ian Potter Foundation awarded 147 grants, ranging from $500 for a travel grant to Dr Lawrence Ngeh to give a presentation on the use of Magnetic Particle Technology (MPT) in the treatment of oiled wildlife at an international conference in Monterey, USA to $5 million to the Royal Botanic Gardens for the Stage 2 of the Australian Garden Project at Cranbourne.

Grants approved during the year totalled $11,966,763. The distributions made during the year to 30 June 2007, totalled $12,280,112. As of 30 June 2007, the amount committed but not yet paid for approved grants totalled $12,970,124. Since the Foundation was established in 1964, 7488 grants have been awarded to the value of $102 million.

The Ian Potter Cultural Trust which is a separate legal entity funded by The Ian Potter Foundation, awarded 45 Grants valued at $186,811.

During the year the Foundation supported major projects which seek to improve Australia’s future. Some involved initiatives of excellence and innovation, others nurtured people with ideas that make a difference, while many organisations which have outstanding leadership and vision were supported. One of the roles a philanthropic foundation can play is to provide grants at critical times, which help leverage other funding. Examples of this are the major grant the Foundation made to the Howard Florey Institute for a new neuroscience entity, the Florey Neuroscience Institutes, which led to a ten-fold leveraging of State and Federal funding, and the $5 million grant to The Royal Botanic Gardens for Stage 2 of the Australian Garden which was a significant factor in the State Government’s decision to provide funding of $21 million in this year’s Budget to complete the Australian Garden.

The year has seen some major changes at the Foundation.

During the year, the Foundation moved to an application form process in the hope that this will help organisations applying to the Foundation to more easily demonstrate the need for their project and the difference it will make to our society. Applications for Health and Medical Research are now considered only once a year in the first funding round of the year, Environment & Conservation and Science applications are considered in the second funding round of the year, whilst the program areas of the Arts, Community Wellbeing, Education, Travel and Conference are considered in each of the four funding rounds.

In May 2007 the Foundation launched its new website www.ianpotterfoundation.org.au. Although the address is the same, the look and content has changed. The website should be the first point of contact for any organisation wishing to apply for funding to the Foundation. It provides information about the Foundation’s history, our funding principles and guidelines, our program areas, case studies of recently funded and completed projects and copies of our distribution reports. Our application forms can be downloaded from the website once a checklist has been completed.

I would like to thank the Chairman of the Board of Governors, Mr Charles Goode and the Governors for their support and advice.

We have a wonderful team at the Secretariat and I would like to thank them for their commitment and professionalism.

Janet Hirst Chief Executive Officer

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 3

ARTS NURTURING CREATIVE TALENT The Ian Potter Foundation’s name is synonymous with philanthropic arts funding in Australia. Sir Ian Potter was deeply involved in the visual and performing arts and was the Chairman of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust, the Australian Ballet and the Australian Opera.

Sir Ian’s commitment to nurturing the creative talents of Australians has been reflected in the Foundation’s support for the Arts sector.

Our focus is on education, innovative programs, and enhancing the opportunities for young people, particularly those in rural and regional communities, to engage with the arts.

The Foundation’s funding in the arts ranges from supporting programs developed by small to medium arts companies to funding major developments undertaken by large cultural organisations.

In the past year the Foundation’s funding has included support for companies such as Malthouse Theatre for their Arts Immersion Program and community radio station 4MBS for their Online Music Appreciation Courses. Large grants have been awarded to The National Library of Australia to enable the redevelopment of an area to incorporate a ‘Treasures Gallery’, which will display some of the most significant items held in the Library’s collection, and to the National Portrait Gallery for the acquisition of major Australian portraits for its new gallery.

Exceptionally talented early career and emerging artists are supported to undertake professional development overseas through The Ian Potter Cultural Trust, which is a separate legal entity. For details on the Cultural Trust please check our website http://culturaltrust.ianpotter.org.au

Funding objectives in the Arts program area are: To support cultural institutions and organisations in Australia, which are distinctive in performance, imagination and innovation, and through them to encourage, in particular, young people of talent and individuality To support the linking of education and the arts To extend cultural opportunities to regional centres, and encourage the development of arts programs at a local level.

Exclusions The Foundation does not support performances, exhibitions or festivals unless there is a special educational focus.

Australian Print Workshop, Victoria $100,000 towards the purchase of the Gertrude Street, Fitzroy premises Ms Anne Virgo Director www.australianprintworkshop.com “…On 26 October 2006, as I turned the key in the lock and opened the door to Australian Print Workshop (APW) I knew that the future of the workshop was secured. It was a very special moment. An amazing feeling knowing that APW was now the owner of its Fitzroy building and that in the short space of just over six months we had accomplished what many had said would be impossible...” Anne Virgo, Director For Australian Print Workshop to be able to purchase their building after only six months of fundraising is a great story of the determination of their Director and the collaboration between a number of Trusts and Foundations.

In addition to funds that APW had put aside from the National Gallery of Australia’s acquisition of the second archive of workshop proofs (APW2/2) in 2003, The Ian Potter Foundation, The Gordon Darling Foundation, Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, The Sidney Myer Fund, The John T Reid Charitable Trust, The Collie Print Trust, Mr Gordon Darling, AC CMG, and Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, AC DBE, contributed to the purchase cost of the Gertrude Street premises.

Above, left to right Australian Print Workshop’s Fitzroy building. Australian Print Workshop: Indigenous artist’s hand with etching needle drawing on a perspex etching plate.

Previous page Australian Print Workshop: Printer Martin King and Artist Aleks Danko printing an etching.

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Australian Print Workshop, Australia’s leading centre for fine art printmaking, has been at its current premises for the past 15 years and has been in existence for 25 years. It not only collaborates with Australia’s leading artists to produce fine art limited edition prints, it also provides important early career support and encouragement for emerging artists. It offers community access to printmaking services and facilities, education programs, outreach programs with indigenous communities and a public gallery and exhibitions program. Recently during the Venice Biennale, APW set up a workshop for three weeks and worked with the Venice Printmaking Studio. Four leading artists, Rick Amor, Jon Cattapan, Jan Senbergs and Louise Weaver were invited to produce a suite of prints inspired by and about ‘the city of lagoons’. This was another opportunity for the Australian Print Workshop to forge new relationships with overseas print workshops.

With the purchase of the Gertrude Street building, Australian Print Workshop has a permanent home and an opportunity to ‘think big’ and look to the future with confidence and to build on its successes. There are plans to upgrade and renovate its facilities and APW is currently seeking to raise $500,000 to undertake this.

La Luna Arts, Queensland $5,000 to Come Home Ms Hilary Martin Artistic Director www.lalunanq.com “discover where you come from and you’ll find where you are going…”

Come Home was an arts project for young people aged 9–12 from Townsville linking them with their grandparents or a significant elder in their lives to tell stories of place, family and home.

Conversations and connections were provoked by Come Home – between young people and their elders, regional and metropolitan artists and Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Seventy young people from three primary schools worked with 12 artists to produce the breathing house exhibition, which was seen by over 500 people during the open house week.

Come Home brought together arts and education and was a project about faith, generosity and possibility.

Above La Luna Arts: Come Home Open House.

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Australian Art Orchestra, Victoria $20,000 to Crossing Roper Bar – Breaking the Sound Barrier – workshops ($10,000 per workshop), Melbourne and Brisbane Ms Ann Moir General Manager www.aao.com.au The Roper River is a magnificent waterway flowing from Mataranka, 100 km south of Katherine in the Northern Territory and out across the land of the Manggarayi and Yungman people.

Before it reaches the Gulf of Carpentaria, it passes the remote town of Ngukurr which is isolated by the Wet from November to April each year when the Roper engulfs all but the highest land.

At other times, Roper Bar is the point where it is possible to cross the river and go on to Ngukurr.

Since mid-2005 the Australian Art Orchestra (AAO) has been working with musicians who are the keepers of traditional songs belonging to the Wagilak people who live in Ngukurr.

Crossing Roper Bar is about the two-way learning of traditional Aboriginal Manikay (song) and western improvisation techniques.

Through the first series of workshops held in March 2007 traditional songs were shared by Benjamin Wilfred, Roy Natilma, Johnston Hall and Rex Wilfred with the musicians from the AAO.

Above, left to right Johnston Hall and Benjamin Wilfred at the Breaking the Sound Barrier workshop. The AAO and Wagilak Gujarra/Nyilapidgi on stage at Birrarung Marr for the FINA Festival March 2007.

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This was done with permission of the elders from Ngukurr. The teaching of the songs aims to create a deeper understanding of the cultural customs. The workshops facilitate the exchange of musical ideas and the strengthening of goodwill and respect between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The work being undertaken is new and as such, methods have had to be developed to facilitate communication and the learning process.

During the workshops songs were taught by the Wagilak group, which were then taken up by the AAO musicians and interpreted within the context of western instrumentation.

Following the first round of workshops there were two performances at Birrarung Marr as part of the FINA Cultural Festival.

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Victoria $150,000 to the Centenary Tour to Europe Mr Trevor Green Managing Director www.mso.com.au “Excellence, versatility and perfection united together on the stage.” El Periodico Mediterraneo (Castellon) 23 January 2007 In January and February of 2007, as a highlight of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s (MSO) Centenary celebrations an orchestra of 107 musicians, MSO staff and supporters travelled through Europe with five tonnes of freight under the baton of its Chief Conductor and Artistic Director, Oleg Caetani. The eight-concert tour included performances in Castellon, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Pamplona, Madrid, Paris, Berlin and Milan. This was also the first time a professional Australian orchestra had performed in Paris.

The European tour was an opportunity to showcase the talent of the MSO. The orchestra performed works by Rachmaninov, Stravinsky and one of Australia’s pre-eminent composers, Brett Dean. The tour also featured acclaimed international violinists, Vadim Repin and Sarah Chang performing concertos by composers such as Sibelius, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky.

The concerts were well received and the reviews positive. The tour cemented the reputation of Melbourne as a place of cultural significance and the MSO as a fine orchestra.

“The Australian orchestra impressed for its precision of attacks of the winds and the dynamics of the percussion... but above all with Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring the MSO was able to demonstrate the cohesion of its sections and its sense of rhythm.” Agence France Press (Paris) 31 January 2007 “The Australian Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, directed by Oleg Caetani, gave a guest performance at the Konzerthaus, where it kept the audience in thrall from the first to the very last bar of its demanding programme.” Berliner Morgenpost 4 February 2007

Above Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: 2007 European tour, Berlin Konzerthaus.

Photo Greg Barrett.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 9

DOWN THE TRACK Arts Project Australia, Victoria $100,000 in 2000 for the Building Acquisition and Refurbishment Project, Northcote, Victoria Mr Brendan Lillywhite Transition Executive Director www.artsproject.org.au

“Arts Project Australia (APA) started in 1974 and since then it has grown with the generous support of individuals, government funding and philanthropic commitment to the overarching ideals and more particularly, to the artists. There were no precedents in Australia when APA started the Studio Workshop Programme in 1984. In the beginning it ran one day per week at the Moorakyne Stables in Hawthorn with eighteen participants. In 1986 it moved to Abbotsford Convent and in 1988 to two adjacent single storey shops in High Street, Northcote, prior to moving into its current premises at 24 High St.” Brendan Lillywhite Arts Project Australia was founded in 1974 by Myra Hilgendorf OAM with the purpose of ‘exhibiting artwork in a manner that accords artists with an intellectual disability the same dignity and respect as other artists’.

Prior to moving to its current premises, the organisation had been housed in two adjacent single storey shops. One shop housed art cubicles and easels for 20 – 30 individuals, and the adjoining shop had art framing, storage facilities, an office and a small gallery for public presentation of the works. The restrictions and difficulties these premises presented were additional barriers, particularly for some of the artists who also had physical disabilities.

Above, left to right Arts Project Australia: Building exterior 24 High Street, Northcote.

Artist Dorothy Berry with her work at the opening of the exhibition ‘A Lucid Moment’.

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The Ian Potter Foundation led a collaboration of funders, including the Victorian State Government and a number of Trusts and Foundations. As a result, Arts Project Australia was able to purchase and refurbish its current building, which was officially opened on 12 November 2003.

“Today we have a wonderful studio space offering great facilities to 150 artists and a purpose designed gallery. An active exhibition program and healthy sales reflect the quality of work whilst more importantly it builds on the artists’ self esteem.”

Brendan Lillywhite Arts Project Australia readily accommodates a diverse range of skills and abilities. Art forms vary from drawing and printmaking to sculpture and animation. “ Arts Project Australia is not about people with a disability who have an interest in art, rather it is about a creative expression of artists exploring their artistic practice with individual integrity and ability.” Brendan Lillywhite

ARTS GRANTS PAID 2006/2007 Australian Art Orchestra (AAO) Breaking the Sound Barrier – Crossing Roper Bar – AAO musicians working with traditional musicians who are the keepers of the traditional songs belonging to Yugul Mangi.

Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies (CERES) Toward a new Performing Arts and Community Centre at the CERES site in Brunswick East.

Chamber Music Australia Inc. International Chamber Music Master Classes – held during the 2007 International Music Competition.

$10,000

Music Broadcasting Society of Queensland Ltd (4MBS Classic FM) To create four educational music appreciation courses to be available for purchase on-line.

$200,000

$10,000

Just Us Theatre Ensemble Regional Wave Young & Emerging Writers Development Program – pilot program to enable 10 young and emerging regional playwrights to develop skills, new work and create career pathways.

$10,000

La Luna Youth Arts Come Home – to link young people with their grandparents or significant elder in their lives to tell stories of place, family and home.

$5,000

Malthouse Theatre Arts Immersion – Starting Points – to bring students to Malthouse, Chunky Move and the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art to experience visual art, dance and theatre.

$9,500

Melba Foundation Limited To make professional recordings of four emerging and exceptionally talented musicians for distribution in Australia and internationally.

Melbourne International Film Festival Accelerator Program 2007 – filmmakers attend film screenings and structured discussions with feature filmmakers, actors and producers in attendance at the festival.

Melbourne Opera Company Ltd For the regional touring program of Don Giovanni, Barber of Seville and Madame Butterfly.

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Centenary Celebration eight-concert tour included performances in Castellon, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Pamplona, Madrid, Paris, Berlin and Milan.

Music Broadcasting Society of Victoria (3MBS-FM) Radio and Music Education Program – training secondary and tertiary music students in broadcasting and performance for radio.

National Portrait Gallery For the acquisition of new works to be exhibited at the new National Portrait Gallery.

$100,000

$10,000

$50,000

$50,000

$5,000

National Library of Australia To redevelop an area within the National Library to incorporate a ‘Treasures Gallery’, which will display some of the most significant items held in the Library's collection. $1,000,000 Object – Australian Centre for Craft and Design For the 'New Design 2007' exhibition of emerging designers’ work at the Melbourne Museum and the development of an education pack.

$25,000

Somebody’s Daughter Theatre Inc. CRED (Community CReative EDucation) Project 2007 – to enable regional communities with marginalised and disadvantaged youth to develop successful creative partnerships.

$50,000

The Song Room Inc. Harmony in the Community – to implement a music program in three primary schools in the Hunter/Central Coast region of NSW.

$20,000

The University of Melbourne J. A. McKenzie School of Art History, Cinema, Classics and Archaeology Publication of a book – ‘Aboriginal Art: Creativity and Assimilation’.

$5,000

Visionary Images Inc A-LURE – for young people to create a location based multi-faceted game through training in computer technology.

$7,500

Wesley Performing Arts & Cultural Centre Inc. Drought to the Stage project – to enable people of the Wimmera access to quality live performance.

Youth Arts Queensland HYPE – a creative development program to enable young emerging performing, visual and cross-discipline artists to gain practical project management skills and the opportunity to create a new body of work.

Sub-Total Arts

$150,000

$1,000,000

$10,000

$10,000 $2,737,000

The Ian Potter Cultural Trust Payments from The Ian Potter Foundation for 2006/2007.

$308,706

Total Cultural Trust

$308,706

Total Arts

$3,045,706

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 11

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COMMUNITY WELLBEING ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE ‘Community wellbeing’ can be defined as the sum of the factors that contribute to the quality of life of community members.

The Foundation supports the development of new approaches to the factors that contribute to community wellbeing. Projects that follow the “innovate, evaluate, disseminate” model with the goal of enhancement of the quality of life of the people who will be served by the project are viewed favourably, as are projects that incorporate contributions from volunteers and collaboration between different groups and agencies.

The Foundation also has a program of Community Wellbeing International Travel Grants to assist senior managers and leaders in this sector undertake international scoping tours of centres of excellence.

Funding objectives in the Community Wellbeing program area are: To support innovative programs which have a strong preventative focus and which are directed to family preservation To assist programs which have an established record of providing meaningful employment opportunities for young people To assist projects designed to develop strong business, community and volunteer partnerships which provide support for families and other groups experiencing economic or other hardships To encourage the economic, social, educational and cultural life of communities and the people who live in them, and to help develop nationally applicable strategies for community development To encourage the dissemination of results of successful programs Australia wide and to assist organisations to access proven overseas practice.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 13

The Mental Health Research Institute, Victoria $80,000 (over two years) to develop the Cunningham Dax Collection into a Community Resource Dr Eugen Koh Director, Cunningham Dax Collection

Vision Australia $20,000 for Vision Australia’s A Survivor’s Guide to Braille Music Notation Ms Christine Allen Submissions and Government Relations Manager www.visionaustralia.org.au

www.mhri.edu.au/dax/gallery The Cunningham Dax Collection consists of over 10,000 creative works – mainly paintings and drawings – by people who have experienced mental illness and/or psychological trauma. One of the world’s largest collections of such art, it is an invaluable educational resource for students and clinicians, and is also exhibited to the general public to increase their understanding of mental illness.

The Ian Potter Foundation has collaborated with The William Buckland Foundation, The Myer Foundation, and the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust to provide funding that will allow the Collection to become self-sustaining through increased staffing, extended opening hours, and improved maintenance of the works, which in turn will lead to increased revenue from government and other partnerships.

The collaborative approach to funding the greater accessibility to the Collection is in keeping with the Foundation’s commitment to partnering with others.

Above The Mental Health Research Institute: Dr Eugen Koh speaking to a group of medical students.

Previous page Brotherhood of St Laurence: Taking his first few steps. This mother is spending time with her child in the program and we are lucky enough to share in her joy of his first few steps!

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Vision Australia partners with Australians who are blind or have low vision to help them achieve the same opportunities in work, education and recreation as are available to their sighted peers.

The organisation provides a range of services, including the teaching of Braille which is still an essential tool for many of their clients. Vision Australia has now produced A Survivor’s Guide to Braille Music Notation. Developed over five years, the guide consists of a teacher’s guide, a student’s guide, and a CD which can be used to teach clients the basic skills of Braille music notation, enabling them to learn or re-learn how to read and write music using the Braille music code. The course is suitable for adults and children aged 12 and over who are new to learning Braille, and music teachers who do not know how to read Braille.

The grant from The Ian Potter Foundation will contribute towards the cost of producing the Survivor’s Guides so that they can be provided free of charge to clients. The demand for the new guides is demonstrated by the fact that already more than 130 copies of the Teacher’s Guide and 150 copies of the Student’s Guide (Braille Copy) have been requested.

Above Vision Australia client Peter playing the piano using A Survivor’s Guide to Braille Music Notation. Vision Australia A Survivor’s Guide to Braille Music Notation Development Team: Mrs Mary Cameron, Sister Helen Merrin OP, Sister Margaret Kealy RSJ, Sue Small (former Regional Manager) and Denise Pellow (Senior Development Manager).

St Laurence Community Services Inc., Victoria

Limbs4Life, Victoria

$100,000 Contribution to refurbishment of St Laurence Lodge

$20,000 towards a Peer Support Program for Recent Amputees

Ms Michelle Plane Chief Executive Officer

Melissa Noonan Executive Officer

www.stlaurence.org.au

www.limbs4life.com

The region served by St Laurence Community Services has almost 10,000 people receiving disability support, and a growing number of retirees who have moved to the area and may develop dementia as they age. St Laurence Lodge, a residential property on one and a half acres in the Victorian seaside town of Ocean Grove, was purchased by the agency in early 2006. The property was purchased to provide dementia and disabled clients and their carers with access to a holiday that offers both recreation activities and relaxation opportunities. Accommodating both parties means that the facility is accessible to those clients and carers who cannot be separated, offering both a much needed break. The grant from The Ian Potter Foundation fits the principle of innovation, as St Laurence Lodge is unusual in that it caters at the same time for both carers and clients. Funds from the grant were used towards the extension and renovation of the residence so that it is now fully accessible to disabled people and their carers. It is estimated that 450 to 500 clients will use the service each year.

Limbs4Life was established in October 2004 to assist amputees lead independent, productive and fulfilling lives. There are around 40,000 amputees in Victoria, and a further 250,000 in the rest of Australia. Most are over the age of 35, with amputation resulting primarily from diabetes, vascular disease, cancer and trauma. The mission of Limbs4Life is to assist new amputees move through rehabilitation to independent living.

Above St Laurence Community Services: St Laurence Lodge exterior after renovation.

Above Limbs4Life: Seventy percent of limb loss is experienced by people over the age of 60. Limbs4Life Peer Support Volunteer Clarence Wheeler (right) visiting a new amputee at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre. Clarence brings with him almost 50 years of experience of living with limb loss.

One program designed to achieve this involves the provision of peer support from other amputees who can provide information and knowledge not available in any other way. Amputees who volunteer to provide peer support are trained to meet individually with patients who have recently lost limbs and have requested such meetings. In keeping with the Foundation’s guidelines, the grant will support disadvantaged Victorians.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 15

DOWN THE TRACK

Bathurst Meals on Wheels Services Inc., New South Wales $4,710 in 2005 to the Short Term Emergency Pet Support program Ms Leonie Darling Manager admin@bathurstmow.ngo.org.au Sometimes it is relatively small grants that can make a large difference. In March 2005 The Ian Potter Foundation made a grant of $4,710 to the Bathurst Meals on Wheels Service for the establishment of a ‘pet-pal’ component to complement their very successful Meals on Wheels Service.

Assistance Dogs Australia, New South Wales $10,000 towards the training of an assistance dog Mr Richard Lord Chief Executive Officer www.assistancedog Have you ever seen a dog push a button at a pedestrian crossing or turn on a light switch for its owner? Since 1996 Assistance Dogs Australia (ADA) has been training Labradors and Golden Retrievers to become service and companion dogs for people with physical disabilities. During the two years of each dog’s $20,000 training, they spend sixteen months living with volunteer puppy raisers before moving to ADA’s training centre for a further six months of training. They are then given to their new owners who receive two weeks intensive training in how to work with their new companions.

The recipients of service dogs report greater mobility, confidence and self-esteem, and less loneliness and need for assistance from others – a win-win situation. In keeping with the Foundation’s principle of providing support for people or families experiencing hardship, the IPF grant contributed to the purchase and training of Hope, a rusty coloured Labrador. On April 13 2007 Hope was presented to Jye, a 25 year old from Bendigo. The presentation was made by Mr John Gough, one of the Governors of The Ian Potter Foundation. Hope will become Jye’s close companion, assisting him with his everyday activities.

Above, left to right Assistance Dogs Australia: The Ian Potter Foundation Governor Mr John Gough presents Jye with Assistance Dog Hope’s certificate. Assistance Dog Hope graduates in April 2007.

Bathurst Meal on Wheels Service Inc.: Beloved pets are in good care with STEPS.

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The major objective of Meals on Wheels is to enable people who have a disability, are frail or recovering from an accident or surgery to maintain their independence and remain in their own homes rather than alternative accommodation such as a hospital or clinic.

By offering a choice of hot, chilled, or frozen meals that include low salt, diabetic and coeliac sensitive, pureed, low sugar and vegetarian choices, the Meals on Wheels Service goes a long way towards achieving this objective. However, there are times when the recipient of the Meals on Wheels Service needs to be away from home – and finds this impossible because they need to care for a beloved pet.

Bathurst Meals on Wheels identified the need for an emergency pet support program that would assist people to care for their pets in circumstances such as these. The service would be offered by trained pet-loving volunteers who understand the importance of keeping pets and owners together. Services to be offered include feeding, grooming, exercising and transporting a pet when its owner is away from home or unable to attend to these tasks.

Bathurst Meals on Wheels received its grant in March 2005, and by September that year the pet support program had been introduced as Short Term Emergency Pet Support –STEPS for short. Users of the service have to meet the Home and Community Care criteria of being at risk of premature or inappropriate long term residential care, and must enter into a service agreement with the agency. Once this has been achieved, they can go into hospital or respite care, or continue their recovery from illness, confident that the care of their pet is in good hands.

Two years after its establishment STEPS is well integrated into the range of programs offered by Bathurst Meals on Wheels.

Manager Leonie Darling reports that although STEPS is not swamped by requests for its services, just knowing that the service is there provides a sense of security and comfort to potential users.

“Knowing there is a reliable person who will come in once a day to feed their cat and change its litter tray or walk their dog can make all the difference to someone who has been worrying about their animal.” Leonie Darling.

This grant fits well the Foundation’s desire to assist projects that have a strong volunteer component, and contribute to the life of their communities.

DOWN THE TRACK Mallee Family Care, Victoria $186,950 over six years for support and evaluation of the Chances for Children program Ms Fiona Harley Deputy Executive Director www.chancesforchildren.com.au

The Chances for Children program was established by Mallee Family Care in 2001 as a local response to economic and social concerns in the region. The program seeks to address the problems of young people who, because of financial worries, struggle to participate in and complete secondary and tertiary education and fulfil their potential. The Ian Potter Foundation initially contributed $10,000 towards this program, which works by offering support in the form of computers and books, tools for young apprentices, funding for tuition, coaching in music and sport, and grants to cover the cost of accommodation for university students who have to leave home to study.

The initial grant was followed by a grant of a further $34,950 in March 2002 to be used to employ a Coordinator of Volunteers for the Mentor Program. The Mentor Program offers Chances for Children recipients who are studying at tertiary institutions the opportunity to be part of a program in which volunteer mentors provide them with support and advice. This relationship is enormously helpful for young people who leave their small rural communities to study in the city. For many, this will be the first time they have caught public transport, and for some the university itself is far bigger than the community they have come from. These new experiences, together with managing living independently for the first time, can be so overwhelming that students sometimes drop out of university and return home.

The support of a mentor in this first year can make an enormous difference to their capacity to embrace and flourish in their new environments.

Now in its sixth year, Chances for Children has supported close to 430 young people, and currently has 70 recipients studying at tertiary level and 22 matches between mentors and mentees in Sydney, Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne and Bendigo. In the past two years Chances has partnered with the professional services firm Ernst & Young in Melbourne to provide mentors for the expanding the number of tertiary recipients studying in Melbourne.

In September 2005 The Ian Potter Foundation made a third grant of $142,000 to Mallee Family Care to fund the evaluation of the mentoring aspect of the Chances for Children program. This grant will be paid over three years, and has allowed Chances for Children to commission the Monash University Centre for Population and Urban Research to undertake an evaluation to explore what it is doing well and what could be done better. The evaluator will review current processes and also track the 2007 cohort through their first year of the mentor/mentee relationship.

Already, through the review of the policies and procedures and through interviews and focus groups, useful information has been gained. This will lead to enhancements of the program, and ultimately to improved outcomes for the recipients of the Chances opportunities. The final report of the evaluation will be available in mid 2008.

The Chances for Children program fits very well with the Foundation’s philosophy of supporting programs that innovate, evaluate and disseminate. To date the first two steps of the process have been addressed, and in late 2008 the dissemination of the results of the evaluation will complete the cycle, paving the way for the replication of the program in other agencies.

Above Mallee Family Care: Mentors from Ernst and Young, Melbourne (Professional Services Firm) with Chances recipient. Chances recipient Lindsay with mentor Brian.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 17

COMMUNITY WELLBEING GRANTS PAID 2006/2007 Action For Community Living Inc. Certificate IV in Training and Assessment for people with disabilities – the grant will contribute towards the 'Becoming the Boss' (BtB) project. This project, offered by people with disabilities to other people with disabilities, gives training in how to choose, access and manage their individual care workers and supports.

$5,000

Anglicare SA Musical equipment for the Monday Music Group at the Magdalene Centre – provision of instruments and other equipment for The Monday Music Group at The Magdalene Centre.

$5,000

Assistance Dogs Australia Purchase and Training of Service Dogs – contribution towards the training of a service dog or companion dog for a person with physical disabilities.

$10,000

Association for the Blind of WA Inc. State of the art software and technology for new facility – contribution towards the purchase of industry standard computers, software, and assistive technologies to be used by clients in their classes so that they have every opportunity to develop their skills to the utmost.

Broken Hill & District Hearing Resource Centre Inc. Expansion of services and accommodation for the hearing impaired – a grant towards the cost of the purchase of a building to be converted to appropriate accommodation for provision of services to the hearing impaired.

Brophy Family & Youth Services Construction of a Community & Youth Complex – contribution towards a one-stop information, activity and services centre for young people in Warrnambool.

Bundaberg Disability Resource Centre Resource Enrichment and Enhancement Project – the grant contributed towards the purchase of materials and toys that will develop gross motor skills, manipulative skills, and assist in the sensory and cognitive development of special needs children.

$5,000

$20,000

$50,000

$5,000

Cancer Patient Support Group (Illawarra) Incorporated Two Free Cancer-related Seminars in 2007 – the grant assisted with the provision of two free educational seminars for people with cancer and their families.

$5,000

Carina Youth Agency Inc. A three month program offering a variety of recreational, artistic and creative workshops – the grant contributed to salaries, equipment, transport and catering.

$5,000

Carinya Society Interactive Dark Room & Sound and Sensory Room Equipment – the grant paid for equipment designed to stimulate the senses of the occupants of a new multi-sensory experience room, encouraging their communication abilities and motor skills, and leading to improved behaviour and increased relaxation.

$15,000

Centacare – Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Hands on Studio for refugees – the grant assisted with the employment of a refugee artist to teach at the Hands on Studio, culminating in the exhibition of students' works.

$10,000

Coffs Harbour Police & Community Youth Club Costs of Positive Choice Mentoring Program – Positive Choice Mentoring is a program targeted at 12–18 year olds who are unemployed and not in school, and at risk of homelessness, drug abuse, or becoming involved in crime.

Council for Christian Education in Schools Specialist training for School Chaplains dealing with Road Accident Trauma – the grant will be used to train Chaplains in the skills needed to help students who are dealing with loss due to road trauma.

Cystic Fibrosis Victoria Participation in CFV Duke of Edinburgh Program – the grant will pay the program costs for a group of twenty students with cystic fibrosis to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Program.

$30,400

$5,000

$8,050

Dingley Village Community Advice Bureau Inc. Money for purchase of food supplies for emergency relief – the grant will be used for funding of emergency relief supplies.

$10,000

Disability and Aged Information Service Inc Kin-Carer and Youth Initiative – the grant will enable the agency to implement the Initiative, an early intervention strategy.

$65,350

Disability Opportunities Victoria (formerly Wongabeena Association Inc.) To continue the Education Program at Chisholm Institute for the first half of 2007 – this grant will assist disabled students attend classes at Chisholm Institute.

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$5,000

Finding Workable Solutions To establish a salvage yard at Goolwa in regional South Australia to provide long term employment for people with a disability.

$15,000

Fitted for Work Volunteer Recruitment and Training at Fitted for Work – this grant will be used in the recruitment and training of volunteers who work with unemployed women who are seeking access to paid employment.

$20,000

Hanover Welfare Services To develop a Pilot Intern Program – Interns will generate research work by identifying areas needing further study or innovative inquiry which will be undertaken by appropriately matched student interns.

$18,100

Housing for the Aged Action Group Housing options information project for older women at risk of homelessness – this grant will fund a project worker and contribute to other costs associated with generating and distributing information about housing options for older women.

$5,000

Life Education Australia ‘Harold's Express’ health and drug education program – to assist with the purchase of a vehicle and the equipment needed to convert it to a travelling classroom.

$50,000

Lifeline Central Australia Support for Lifeline Central Australia's suicide prevention program – two-day workshops, refresher courses, suicide awareness talks, and one-day loss and grief workshops will be offered at various sites throughout central Australia.

$10,000

Limbs4Life Peer Support Program for recent amputees – Limbs4Life will use this grant to develop a peer support program within metropolitan Melbourne and the greater Geelong area.

$20,000

Liminal Lines Peer education / prevention Project – Liminal Lines will provide peer drug education workshops to Year 8, 9 and 10 students in ten schools.

$3,600

Mental Health Association NSW Inc. Mental Health film distribution to video stores throughout NSW – the grant will be used to distribute DVDs containing information about mental health to the community. The DVDs will be able to be borrowed free of charge from video stores and other sites, and will increase the community's awareness and understanding of mental health problems.

$28,011

Monkami Centre Inc. The Monkami Community Art Program – this grant will be used to supplement the basic arts program already offered to the intellectually disabled adults who attend the Monkami centre.

$4,800

Odyssey House Victoria Mutual Assistance – Victorians Working Together – this grant will fund a program that will target 75 jobseekers who are recovering from alcohol and drug dependency. The program will provide them with "job ready" vocational skills to match current employment skills shortages in Victoria.

$100,000

Odyssey House Victoria Odyssey Community Schools Program – this grant will contribute to the cost of counselling services within the two schools where the Drug and Alcohol program is currently run.

$40,000

Palliative Care Victoria Re-fit of the East Melbourne Office of Palliative Care Victoria.

$50,000

Reach Out for Kids Foundation Inc. Cultural Connectedness and Therapy Through the Arts – Art therapy for children between the ages of 6 and 11 will be funded. The children will be able to use art to explore issues of family separation, loss and grief, and other challenges.

$10,000

Relationships Australia FUN (Fathers Using Networks) for Kids – this grant will be used over the next three years to fund the cost of the evaluation component of the FUN program.

$30,000

Riding for the Disabled Ballarat, VIC Indoor arena project – the Central Highlands Equestrian Centre (CHEC) – this grant will contribute to the cost of building a permanent all-weather centrally located indoor arena that will enable the Riding for the Disabled program to be expanded to five days per week, year round. The facility will also be available for the use of the broader community.

$75,000

Rotary Club of Melbourne, VIC Support for next phase of The Donydji Community Development Project in Arnhem Land – The Donydji Community Development Project is a vocational training and life skills education program designed to encourage young people, particularly young men, to remain in or return to their traditional homelands in this East Arnhem Land region. Funding will be used to complete the project.

Social Firms Australia (SoFA) Evaluation of effectiveness of accessible employment in social firms for people with a psychiatric disability – this grant will enable SoFA to investigate the impact of a social firm environment for employees with a psychiatric disability.

Whitelion Incorporated HOPE (Helping Open People's Eyes) – this grant will support Whitelion's HOPE Program which is offered through its Young Women's Support Service, a post-release service designed to help young women make the transition from custody back to the community.

$25,000

$81,000

Woolloomooloo – City of Sydney Police & Community Youth Club ‘Racing to the Top’ race car building program – ‘Racing to the Top’ is a 14 week structured program targeted at Indigenous and at-risk young people in the Woolloomooloo area.

$10,580

$19,998

Wyndarra Centre Inc. For the refurbishment of current premises.

St Laurence Community Services (Barwon) Inc. Contribution to costs of residential facility ‘St Laurence Lodge’ – this grant will contribute to the costs of St Laurence Lodge in Ocean Grove, designed to offer a shared holiday model of respite care to people with dementia or disabilities and their carers.

$100,000

John Ambulance Australia (NSW) The purchase of defibrillator units to save lives in the community.

$5,000

St Vincent de Paul Society McCosker House To purchase and install a CCTV 24hr Video Surveillance System.

$5,000

Strathdon Community Sensory and diversional stimulation for residents with dementia – the purchase of sensory equipment for residents to continue a stimulation program will be funded by this grant.

Sunraysia Residential Services Inc. Residential Accommodation For People With an Intellectual Disability in Sunraysia Project – this grant will contribute to the cost of specialised disability-friendly fittings and furniture.

SURFCiTY Community Support Ltd Purchase of a mini-bus – the second-hand bus purchased with this grant will allow service users to get around more easily.

Technical Aid to the Disabled (NSW) The POSH chair project – this grant will fund the modification of school chairs for children who can not attend regular school because their physical disabilities prevent them from using standard equipment.

Subtotal Community Wellbeing COMMUNITY WELLBEING – ARTS

$5,000

$25,000

$10,000

$8,550

The Community Hospice Project Building Anam Cara House Hospice – this grant will contribute to the cost of building the hospice and purchasing essential equipment.

$80,000

The Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria Inc. Training program for volunteers – this grant will be used for the implementation and trial of a training program for volunteers that will enhance current services and use the Foundation's skill base more effectively.

$10,000

The Mental Health Research Institute Developing the Cunningham Dax Collection into a Community Resource – Stage 2 – funds from this grant will allow the Collection to increase its operational level from 1.5 to 3.5 days per week over the next two years.

The Mirabel Foundation Inc To employ a Specialist Education Worker – this grant will be used towards the employment of an Education Worker who will assist children who have been orphaned because of parental drug use.

Travellers Aid Society of Victoria To maintain the ‘Homeward Bound’ program – this grant will provide ongoing support for the Homeward Bound Program for young people.

TRY Youth Community Services Inc The Seymour Holiday Care Project – this grant will contribute to the salary of carers, bus hire, and entry to venues which are part of the holiday care project.

Typo Station The creation of a ‘Community Support and Development Worker’ position – this grant will contribute to the employment of a Community Development Worker for the next three years.

Victorian Court Information and Welfare Network To establish the volunteer Court Network Service in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) offices in King Street – this grant will contribute to the cost of a manager and the recruitment and training of new volunteers.

Vision Australia Vision Australia Survivor's Guide to Braille Music Notation – funds from this grant will be used to assist with the production of guidebooks to Braille music notation.

$20,000 $1,361,439

Albany Youth Support Association Open Access Project – this grant will enable participants to work under the guidance of professional practising artists in art forms including music, song writing, creative writing, urban art, computer animation, illustration, painting and sculpture.

$10,000

Arbias Sparc Fly & Mad Like You: a co-production during Mental Health Week 2007 – the grant funds will assist with a theatre project that will benefit those with mental illness or substancerelated brain injury.

$3,500

Austin Health Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre Music Therapy program – this grant will contribute towards the costs of a music therapy program provided to patients from the six clinical units.

$20,000

Big hART Radio Holiday Stage 2 – this grant will be used towards a three-year community-based arts project that encourages connections between young people and older people in both urban and isolated Tasmanian communities.

$10,000

The Big Issue Australia Stories from the Big Issue and Friends – funds from this grant will enable The Big Issue to run a series of arts workshops, focusing primarily on writing and performance, with some attention to photography and visual art.

$5,000

Westside Circus Circus in Schools Program – this grant will be used to assist young people from refugee backgrounds to become part of their school and broader community by encouraging the development of skills, self esteem, trust, social connectedness and leadership though their participation in a circus and performance program.

$18,360

Total Community Wellbeing – Arts

$66,860

COMMUNITY WELLBEING – TRAVEL GRANT $40,000

$53,000

HomeGround Services Scoping tour of overseas housing strategies and models for single homeless people.

Ruby Gaea House (Darwin Centre Against Rape) Travel grant for training related to community education for prevention of violence.

Total Community Wellbeing – Travel Grant

$15,000

$5,000 $20,000

INTEREST FREE LOAN (IFL) SCHEME $15,000

$10,000

Port Kembla Community Project Inc. No Interest Loan Scheme

$20,000

Anglican Community Care Incorporated No Interest Loan Scheme

$15,000

Total Interest Free Loan (IFL) Scheme

$35,000

THE ALEC PRENTICE SEWELL GIFT – COMMUNITY WELLBEING $50,000

$30,000

Brotherhood of St Laurence ‘Pathways to the Future’ project – Provides intensive support for refugee children under eight.

$87,750

Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency Co-operative Limited VACCA Youth Video Project – The creation of a film recording the stories of Koorie children in out-of-home care. The project will provide opportunities for the children to be involved in the workshop and script writing process for the film.

$10,000

Total Alec Prentice Sewell – Community Wellbeing $20,000

Total Community Wellbeing

$97,750 $1,581,049

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 19

THE ALEC PRENTICE SEWELL GIFT PROVIDING OPPORTUNITES FOR CHILDREN

Mr Alec Prentice Sewell (1909-2003) of Toolangi, Victoria bequeathed a large part of his estate to The Ian Potter Foundation.

In recognition of Mr Sewell’s life-long concern for the welfare of children in our society, the Governors of the Foundation have chosen to honour his memory by making grants in his name for the benefit of disadvantaged children in Australia under the age of 12 years. Mr Sewell’s love of both literature and nature are also reflected in the grants awarded.

Ardoch Youth Foundation, Victoria

The Red Room Company, New South Wales

$50,000 to the Education Support Project

$10,000 to the Poetry Education Program

Ms Kathy Hilton Director

Ms Joanna Featherstone Artistic Director

www.ardoch.asn.au

www.redroomcompany.org

The Ardoch Education Support Project aims to address the need to create continuing pathways of support for children throughout their educational life. The Alec Prentice Sewell Gift will provide funding for a Project Coordinator to develop and link support projects at an early childhood centre, a primary school and a secondary school. This approach will enable ongoing support, within the same geographic area, for children and families as they advance through the education system.

The Poetry Education Program aims to develop and implement a poetry education program that will stimulate individual students’ and schools’ interest in poetry. It is based on successful Red Room Company projects that encourage students and teachers to take notice of poetry as an essential component in the education syllabus and their everyday lives, by integrating both traditional and contemporary approaches to poetry.

The goals of the project are: To provide continuity of support for vulnerable students and families To develop programs at each site that meet the continuing welfare and educational support needs of vulnerable students and families To provide a school support demonstration model which can be transferable to school settings nationally To develop a sustainable approach to the project.

Sites identified for participation include schools and kindergartens in Elwood, South Melbourne and Port Melbourne.

The Red Room Company has a particular interest in new technologies such as radio, pod casting and video; this allows students new skills and new experiences as to what poetry is and how it can be delivered.

Funding contributed to the development of teaching materials, including CDs, DVDs and posters, all of which will encourage student participation both as listeners and performers in live poetry sessions.

As Alec Prentice Sewell himself was an accomplished poet, it is very apt that this project continues his legacy of encouraging and nurturing a love of poetry among young people.

This initiative strongly meets with the objectives of the Alec Prentice Sewell Gift as it actively seeks to use sustainable educational approaches to benefit children under the age of 12 who are at risk.

Above Items from the Red Room’s Cabinet of Lost and Found Project.

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The Brotherhood of St Laurence, Victoria $87,750 for the Pathways to the Future project Mr Tony Nicholson Executive Director www.bsl.org.au Pathways to the Future is a project that works primarily with children under eight years old who have been exposed to very traumatic experiences in transition prior to arrival in Australia. Many families have fled their war torn countries and spent prolonged periods of time in refugee camps, invariably experiencing exposure to violence, social and emotional deprivation, prolonged hunger and lack of safety and security. Often the children have witnessed the death, torture or loss of close family members and these experiences in the early years have a marked effect on the abilities of children to trust, participate and learn.

As a result, many of the children find it difficult to settle into main stream early childhood programs and require intensive support and attachment. The Pathways to the Future project provides intensive intervention strategies with the children and their parents in an attempt to address their individual needs and prepare the children for participation in community kindergartens and schools. The grant from the Foundation will help fund the program and its evaluation.

It is hoped that if it is successful, the program can be replicated by other agencies that work with other damaged children and families.

Above, left to right: The Brotherhood of St Laurence: Brother and sister enjoying morning tea during a planned excursion to the Melbourne Museum to learn about Australian animals. These children have been in Australia less than 6 months.

Brothers in Cars – These two boys spent most of their first day in the program sitting in this car – they had never seen anything like it and were very upset to have to leave at the end of the day.

Carefree water play – these children are experiencing worry free playtime in a safe environment that is focused on their development and wellbeing.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 21

22

EDUCATION ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE THROUGH EDUCATION Grants in the area of education have in the past been strongly influenced by other funding areas, in particular the environment, the arts and community wellbeing.

Over the past twelve months the Foundation has had an opportunity to fund programs that look at providing better educational outcomes for diverse audiences. Funding has been provided to programs that reflect our commitment to finding innovative ways to encourage wider involvement, greater engagement and life long learning opportunities.

Through the support of innovation and research, the Foundation has continued in its willingness to support projects that examine barriers to providing the wider community with the best possible educational outcomes.

Funding objectives in the Education program area are: To support educational policy research of outstanding quality To support educational programs of benefit to the general community.

Exclusions Education grants are limited by the fact that Government primary and secondary schools, kindergartens, preschools and special education providers do not have Deductible Gift Recipient status for educational programs and therefore are not eligible to apply for funding. The Foundation does not fund School Building Funds.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 23

Swinburne University, Victoria

The Asialink Centre – University of Melbourne, Victoria

$50,000 to Bringing Science for Living to People in Rural Communities: Discovering the Person Within Project

$100,000 to The Asialink Leadership Program

Dr John Patterson Faculty of Life and Social Science

Ms Julia Fraser Director, Asialink www.unimelb.edu.au

www.swinburne.edu.au There is a shortage of trained science teachers in Australia, which is more prevalent in our regional and rural centres than urban areas. With the assistance of a grant from the Foundation, Swinburne University is delivering a travelling educational science program to rural communities across Victoria. The project has been designed to ensure it has relevance to the lives of people in rural communities. It looks specifically to improve community understanding of the importance of science as a career pathway, and to motivate young people to engage with and become involved in science and technology. Using resources already developed for use in practical classes, the travelling science resource kit will use interactive presentations that have a strong scientific focus, but are also fun and easy to engage with.

Above, left to right Swinburne University: Remote control car driven by physiological signals, e.g. eye movements for steering, as part of the science resource kit.

The Asialink Centre: The Asialink program builds links across all sectors of the Australian professional community Brendan Rowbothom, IAG with Andrea Kleist, City of Melbourne and Katica Dias, Red Cross.

Previous page Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation: Nunawading students enjoy the spoils of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation.

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Asialink, a Department of the University of Melbourne, is Australia’s largest centre for the promotion of public understanding of countries in Asia and Australia’s role in the region. Asialink’s Leadership Program aims to produce a regional network of emerging leaders respectful of their own culture and traditions and those of others, while also encouraging ongoing sustainable development and understanding within the region.

The grant from The Ian Potter Foundation has allowed 15 participants from the not-for-profit sector to take part and engage in the program. Non-profit-leaders chosen to take part represented the Environment, Medical, Development and International Health sectors. The grant also provided an opportunity for two leaders of Muslim communities in Australia to participate.

“International humanitarian assistance is inherently a political undertaking within the context of broader government priorities.

The Asialink Leadership Program competently sets the stage for me to acknowledge this and deepens my understanding of the complex issues influencing Australia’s humanitarian aid and as a consequence directly benefits humanitarian outcomes.”

Katica Dias, Business Development Manager for the Red Cross took part in the Asialink Leadership program thanks to the grant from the Foundation.

Music Council of Australia, Victoria

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation, Victoria

$25,850 to Guitars for Schools

$30,000 to Assist Nunawading Primary School in the establishment of a Kitchen Garden Program

Ms Tina Broad Manager, Music Play for Life www.musicplayforlife.org

Ms Ange Barry Executive Officer www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au

The Guitars for Schools project began in 2004 and is Australia’s only scheme to provide musical instruments to students of schools in low socio-economic areas so they can continue their music practice outside of school hours on an instrument that is their own for life. One of the prerequisites for participating schools is the involvement of a committed and enthusiastic guitar teacher who will create opportunities for students to play together both during and outside of school hours.

“I look forward to my guitar lesson every week because I enjoy challenging myself and getting new music to practise.”

Michelle, 2006 program participant The grant from The Ian Potter Foundation has allowed for the expansion of the program in Victoria and the development of a pilot program for South Australia. The grant will also help fund research into the importance of providing greater musical engagement opportunities for children and the contribution of learning an instrument to the development of children’s confidence, self esteem and educational outcomes.

Above Guitars for schools: Preston Girls Secondary College – (back left to right) Ashely Fretton, Alethia Toronis (front left to right), Sokopeti Latu, Lindita Levrovski

With funding from The Ian Potter Foundation in 2004, The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation launched its second full kitchen and garden program at Nunawading Primary School in early 2007. The program allows children from Grades 3 through to 6 to participate each week in garden classes and kitchen classes taught by specialists, where they learn to grow, harvest, prepare and share delicious food – and have fun as they do it.

The project also provides opportunities for greater engagement between the school and its community. At Nunawading, parents, friends and volunteers helped raise funds, solicited donations of equipment and assisted with the construction of the kitchen and the garden. Volunteers are also crucial assistants in kitchen and garden classes, and ensure that the garden is well tended and watered during weekends and school holidays.

The last twenty years have seen a deterioration in the dietary habits of Australian children, with a decline in consumption of fruit and vegetables, and an increase in consumption of sugary foods and drinks. Concern about these changes was behind the development of the Kitchen Garden Program. By introducing children to different food options in a relaxed cooperative atmosphere, the Program goes some way towards addressing the major health issues facing children today, in particular obesity, dental diseases and emotional and behavioural problems.

Above Stephanie Alexander working with students at Nunawading Primary School.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 25

Constitution Education Fund – Australia, New South Wales $25,000 towards The Parliamentary Club and Website Redesign Mrs Kerry Jones Executive Officer www.cefa.org.au A grant from The Ian Potter Foundation has enabled the Constitution Education Fund Australia (CEFA) to introduce one of the most powerful civics education initiatives ever seen in Australian schools.

The Parliamentary Club is a whole-of-school civics activity, which re-creates a micro-cosmic political system, mirroring the federal system of government.

It is an ongoing learning activity, which prides itself on engaging students on a massive scale and continues throughout the school year. It is becoming increasingly recognised as the mechanism by which the nation’s young people will become the most highly informed and active participants in the history of our democracy.

In 2007, CEFA has successfully implemented a NSW Primary Schools’ Pilot Program, and Stage 1 of this project is nearing completion.

Success stories are now appearing and schools are making headlines in local media. One such story comes from Al Zahra College in Sydney, a primary school that not only promotes harmony between people but also places emphasis on civic knowledge and participation.

Stage 2 of this project will continue in 2008 with each pilot school’s Parliamentary Club website being linked to CEFA’s.

This will allow for collaboration between schools and the creation of a civics forum, blogs, podcasts and vodcasts of student parliaments and the possibility of an online quiz for primary school students from participating schools.

CEFA is currently initiating a Parliamentary Club pilot program in Western Australia and these schools will now join with their NSW, Queensland, and Victorian counterparts taking CEFA another step closer to its goal of national implementation.

Above, left to right Students participating in a Parliamentary Club Forum and students at Al-Zahra College taking part in the Parliamentary Club Program.

EDUCATION GRANTS PAID 2006/2007 Constitution Education Fund – Australia Towards The Parliamentary Club and Website Redesign – the ‘kid's zone’ designed by technology-empowered youth will enable their peers to successfully investigate and understand Australia's unique democratic heritage.

Menzies School of Health Research The Ian Potter Foundation Indigenous Research Fellowship at the Menzies School of Health Research – research fellowships for outstanding Indigenous health researchers and leaders.

Music Council of Australia Guitars for Schools – to provide disadvantaged young people, who have shown a commitment to studying music, with their own guitar.

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation Ltd The Kitchen Garden at Nunawading Primary – the establishment of a kitchen and kitchen garden at Nunawading Primary as part of the successful Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program.

Swinburne University of Technology Faculty of Life & Social Sciences Bringing Science for Living to People in Rural Communities: Discovering the Person Within Project – the provision of relevant science demonstrations and toolkits for rural communities.

$25,000

$64,000

Worawa Independent Aboriginal College Student Transport – the purchase of a bus to enable travel to activities such as Croc Festivals, outdoor education programs and camps, as well as transporting students to the airport, buses and stations at the beginning and end of term.

$100,000

Total Education

$369,850

THE ALEC PRENTICE SEWELL GIFT – EDUCATION $25,850

$30,000

$50,000

Ardoch Youth Foundation Education Support Project – a holistic approach to educational support from kindergarten through to high school for disadvantaged children and their families.

$50,000

The Red Room Company Poetry Education Program – a program to encourage greater involvement in poetry by teachers and students.

$10,000

Tweddle Child & Family Health Service ‘Post Natal Depression and Beyond’ mothers' group – provision of post natal depression groups with the support of the Austin Hospital.

$23,570

Total Alec Prentice Sewell – Education

$83,570

Total Education

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$75,000

The University of Melbourne (The Asialink Centre ) The Asialink Leadership Program – to provide opportunities for non-profit leaders to participate in the Program.

$453,420

DOWN THE TRACK Jewish Museum of Australia, Victoria $30,000 in 2005 towards Access and Education at the Jewish Museum of Australia Ms Ricki Hersburgh Development Manager www.jewishmuseum.com.au

The Access and Education project at the Jewish Museum of Australia aims to maximise regional and disadvantaged students’ educational experiences while engaging with themes of social harmony and tolerance. The project has been extremely well received to date. In 2006, 478 children visited the Jewish Museum of Australia thanks to the support of The Ian Potter Foundation.

The children all participated in the wildly popular exhibition Where the Wild Things Are: Maurice Sendak in his own words and pictures. The groups came from a wide range of disadvantaged backgrounds, including a group of 50 children from the English as a Second Language (ESL) class at St Albans Primary School in the western suburbs of Melbourne.

The Ian Potter Foundation funded project aimed to provide opportunities for children from disadvantaged schools to visit the museum. The project has since exceeded those expectations and in its first year, provided educational opportunities to 50 per cent more children than originally expected.

The project has been largely successful due to the overwhelming response from the schools invited to participate. Excursions costs are prohibitive for many schools and students, and the participant schools were very grateful for the opportunity to attend. The children’s exhibition also meant that the program was extended to younger students, thus increasing the museum’s profile and audience.

Above, left to right St Josephs Primary School students having fun at the exhibition Where the Wild Things Are: Maurice Sendak in his own words and pictures; St Josephs students reading Where the Wild Things Are

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 27

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ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION PRESERVING AND LEARNING ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT In 1984, The Ian Potter Foundation gave a grant of $250,000 to support a new approach to land management. What was described in 1984 as an ‘exercise in farm planning’ would become known nationally and internationally as The Potter Farmland Plan (PFP).

While issues relating to soil erosion and land degradation were already gaining broader public awareness prior to the development of PFP, the question of how best to address the issues on farms across regional Australia had not fully gained consensus. The idea of PFP was to develop partnerships between communities, governments and land holders with a view to demonstrating that an ecological approach to agriculture did not have to impact negatively on the economic sustainability of farms and farmers. Ownership remained within the community and it was the voice and actions of farmers within the project that made it so successful.

Twenty years on, the Potter Farmland Plan continues to influence the agenda for funding by the Foundation. Importance is still placed on the development of partnerships within communities, and the protection and maintenance of our biodiversity is still the long term goal. Sustainable development of land and land management practices remain at the forefront of the Foundation’s funding guidelines and practices.

In the twenty three years since funding the Potter Farmland Plan there have been many changes within our landscape and our wider environment. Australia is in the midst of a once in a hundred year drought, and with that a greater burden has been placed on our water supplies, our agricultural industry and our native flora and fauna. With that in mind, the Foundation is committed to supporting research programs as well as on the ground projects. The Foundation also sees its role in supporting projects that increase public awareness as to the environmental challenges that face rural and regional communities and our cities, while also respecting the cultural significance of our diverse built environments.

Funding objectives in the Environment & Conservation program area are: To develop partnerships with communities, government and the private sector to help prevent irreversible damage to the environment and to encourage the maintenance of biodiversity To support programs and policies which are committed to the economic and ecologically sustainable development of land, and the preservation of species To foster a broad public awareness of the environmental challenges facing urban and rural Australia To assist communities which are threatened with serious economic hardship due to the degradation of land and water resources, to develop policies to manage the social, economic and cultural changes needed for survival To assist projects designed to preserve the built environment which has cultural significance.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 29

Catholic Education South Australia Environmental Trust, South Australia

University of Tasmania, Tasmania

$50,000 to Marine Discovery Centre Extension

$15,000 to Immunology, Ecology and Management of the Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease

Mr Tim Hoile Chairman, Marine Discovery Centre

Dr Menna Jones Researcher

www.marinediscoverycentre.com.au

www.utas.edu.au

The Marine Discovery Centre in South Australia received funding to expand the Centre and its education programs over the next two years. Regarded as South Australia’s leading marine education network, the Centre currently caters for nearly 150 schools and is regularly booked out two years in advance. The grant from The Ian Potter Foundation will contribute to supporting the building of an auditorium and providing water saving toilets and a low energy cooling system. Once completed the Centre will have the facilities to cater for double the number of students and classroom groups, and will continue to provide education that encourages an appreciation and understanding of marine life with a view to promoting conservation and the sustainable use of our natural environment.

Tasmanian devils are suffering dramatic and ongoing population decline from a new and unusual disease, Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD). This infectious cancer, first seen in 1996, is thought to be spread through biting. Once a common species, devils are now listed as vulnerable to extinction on state and national threatened species lists. The Ian Potter Foundation grant will help researchers at the University of Tasmania examine opportunities for improving conservation management of the devil population by investigating causal factors for changes in genetic populations. The project is being delivered in partnership with the Tasmanian Government Devil Disease Project.

This project strongly meets the Foundation’s objective to foster broad public awareness of environmental challenges facing our communities.

Above, left to right Catholic Education South Australia Environmental Trust: Stuart and Nick examining marine life with the video-microscope.

University of Tasmania: Dr Menna Jones with a wild large male Tasmanian Devil.

She is investigating changes in genetic diversity with the invasion of a new disease, Devil Facial Tumour Disease that is threatening the devil with extinction.

Previous page The Royal Botanic Gardens: The Red Sand Garden, reminiscent of inland Australia, is a central feature of the Australian Garden. Photo: Janusz Molinski. Reproduced courtesy of Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.

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This project is an excellent fit with the Foundation’s objective for funding programs that are committed to the preservation of an Australian species.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Victoria $1.25 million (part of a commitment of $5,000,000 over 4 years) to Australian Garden Project (Stage 2) Dr Philip Moors Chief Executive Officer www.rbg.vic.gov.au The Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) ‘Australian Garden’ is a project of outstanding national and international significance. Set within the 363 hectare RBG Cranbourne site, the nine-hectare garden opened its doors to visitors for the first time in May 2006. The Australian Garden displays over 100,000 native plants set within 15 different striking landscapes that showcase the diversity of the Australian environment. The Ian Potter Foundation is contributing $5 million towards stage two of the project, which will see the creation of a woodland family recreation area, an extension of the visitor centre and a further ten hectares of garden displays and landscapes.

Already the Australian Garden is distinctively different from other botanic gardens around the world. Apart from bringing together a breathtaking array of Australian flora, the Australian Garden is a demonstration site for the attractive, drought-proof planting options available to the ‘home’ gardener. Volunteers are on hand each day to discuss different species and provide advice to visitors.

The Australian Garden provides outstanding opportunities for volunteers and visitors alike to engage actively in learning about

and protecting our environment. The Royal Botanic Gardens play an important role in environmental and conservational education at its Melbourne and Cranbourne sites, offering a wide range of formal and informal educational programs and services.

More than 35,000 students participate every year in education programs. The development of the Australian Garden will continue to build on the learning experiences and opportunities available to students, volunteers and visitors.

A visit today to the Australian Garden site in Cranbourne will, through its landscapes, gardens and artworks, offer a greater understanding of Australia’s remarkable natural world and how the plants of our island continent have helped develop our Australian characteristics. The completion of stage two of the project will further enhance the Royal Botanic Gardens’ reputation for outstanding visitor facilities, displays and distinctive landscapes.

Through its commitment to building partnerships and building strong community links, the Australian Garden at Cranbourne is an excellent fit with the Foundation’s Environment and Conservation objectives. The Ian Potter Foundation is proud to support the ongoing creation of a world class botanic garden at Cranbourne.

Above Volunteer Master Gardeners are on hand each day at the Australian Garden to provide visitors with advice about growing native plants.

Detail of the 90-metre long Escarpment Wall sculpture (by Greg Clark) and the Rockpool Waterway at the Australian Garden. Photos: Janusz Molinski. Reproduced courtesy of Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 31

Kimberley Foundation Australia, Western Australia $500,000 to the Kimberley Region Human and Environmental Program Dr Michael Lisle-Williams Chief Executive http://kimberleyfoundation.com The remote Kimberley region of northwest Australia is one of the world’s last remaining great wilderness areas. Rugged, beautiful and isolated, the region may also hold the key to Australia’s pre-history, being home to hundreds of thousands of rock art paintings and drawings known as Bradshaw (Gwion Gwion) and Wandjina rock art. These mysterious and beautiful paintings are hidden in outback bush galleries on the huge terracotta rock surfaces and escarpments of the north Kimberley. How we protect, conserve and research the region and its rock art will say much about us as nation.

Foundation’s long-term research program. Outstanding researchers from all relevant disciplines will be attracted by the opportunity to contribute to unravelling the by-ways of human development in the ancient environments of the Kimberley.

The Kimberley Foundation Australia (KFA) was established in 1995 to study the past and protect the future of the Kimberley region.

Very little is known of Australia’s pre-history or of the continent’s ancient history prior to European settlement. The KFA hopes to do something to rectify this omission in Australia’s rich past history.

In 2007–2008 KFA will be funding field and other research projects that contribute to the completion of the research program.

In doing so, KFA looks forward to strengthening relationships with the Australian and international research community, including universities.

The Ian Potter Foundation grant of $500,000 enables KFA to fund a program to study the Kimberley’s ancient past. Eminent scientists have accepted KFA’s invitation to guide this study, and have joined the Scientific Advisory Council to shape the

The research program continues to evolve with the assistance of the Scientific Advisory Council. KFA acknowledges the seminal work of Dr Grahame Walsh in the study of Kimberley rock art, as well as the contributions of numerous archaeologists, anthropologists, geologists, and geomorphologists that bear on the questions addressed by the research program.

Above left to right Kimberley Foundation Australia: Kimberley Wandjina Doublehead, and two examples of Bradshaw Tassels. Reproduced courtesy of the Kimberley Foundation Australia.

Next Page RMIT University: Former participants in the ‘Potter Farmland Plan’ gathered for the 20 year celebration in November 2006. Photo: RMIT Hamilton

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In addition, KFA has been fortunate to obtain the support of Qantas to compile a Kimberley Research Archive, a repository of all that is relevant and known about topics of interest in the Kimberley.

This resource will be available to scholars interested in advancing knowledge of the Kimberley’s ancient peoples and their cultures and environments.

DOWN THE TRACK RMIT University, Victoria $75,000 in 2005 to The Potter Farmland Project – Past, Present and Future Ms Kaye Scholfield Manager Community Partnerships & Projects www.rmit.edu.au The Potter Farmland Project – Past, Present and Future, has over the last twelve months achieved some important outcomes while gathering key information for future work. The Ian Potter Foundation funded the initial Potter Farmland Plan in the mid eighties. That grant provided 15 farmers in the Hamilton region of Victoria with funding to set up demonstration sites that illustrated a variety of resource management techniques that otherwise would have taken years to instigate. At the time very few farmers were interested in returning trees to their farms and maintaining agricultural enterprises. The resulting project helped to create what we know today as the Landcare movement.

The 2005–2006 scoping project undertaken by RMIT aimed to evaluate the long term outcomes of the original Potter Farmland Plan; how successful was it in achieving its goals; what was learnt from the project; is it still relevant twenty years later?

This project enabled the continued collection and growth of the Potter Farmland archives, currently stored at RMIT Hamilton.

Throughout the project artefacts continued to arrive from former Potter personnel and farmers who have entrusted the University with their precious records.

The archives are a vitally important resource which document not only the changes to the land and community over the past

twenty years, but also provide an important community narrative.

As such, the need for a regional archive facility has been raised and its feasibility is one of the recommended outcomes of this evaluation. A twenty year celebration and reunion of former Potter Farmland Plan participants was a highlight of the year’s activities.

The past twenty years have seen the effects of the drought change both the landscape and agricultural practices of this country.

The greatest changes on Potter Farms and the Hamilton community have been driven, and continue to be dictated to, by environmental forecasts.

The twenty year documentation of this project means that researchers have access to important resources that may reflect whether the Potter Farmland Plan led to long-term policy-level influences, and whether it will continue to in the current period of such environmental uncertainty.

The review has thrown up many more questions and areas for ongoing research than was first expected. The legacy left over the last twenty years, via the archive, farms, farmers and the community, places the Potter Farmland Plan in a unique position to reflect upon the changing environment and its effect on regional communities and farms. The Ian Potter Foundation has continued its financial commitment to this review process in 2007–2008.

ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION GRANTS PAID 2006/2007

Australian Catholic University Restoration of Central Hall – the restoration and conservation of the iconic Central Hall at ACU Melbourne.

Catholic Education South Australia Environmental Trust Marine Discovery Centre Extension – the extension of the centre to provide greater opportunities for school visits and learning about the marine environment.

Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal Small Rural Communities Program – provision of funding towards a grant program for rural communities to be delivered

by FRRR. Italian Assistance Association, Melbourne Italian Carlton – interactive educational program that will allow students to develop a greater understanding of the positive impact of Italian and wider migration.

$212,896

$50,000

$75,000

$10,000

Kimberley Foundation Australia Kimberley Human and Environmental History Project – funding to assist with the research surrounding the history and significance of rock art in the Kimberley region.

$500,000

Macquarie University Disease Management for Conservation of Endangered Rock Wallabies – extensive conservation program attempting to save the highly endangered Rock Wallaby.

$12,000

Newman College Parkville Stonework Restoration at Newman College – restoration and conservation of the historic Newman College, at Melbourne University.

$100,000

St Michael’s Church Restoration Fund Help Our Heritage – replacement of stonework and brickwork, and the landscaping of the gardens at the historic St Michael's Church in Melbourne.

$145,000

The Royal Botanic Gardens Australian Garden Project (Cranbourne) – stage two of the Australian Garden construction to include family picnic areas, continued development of installations and the visitors centre.

$1,250,000

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ACT RSPCA Community Education and Volunteer Training Programs. $5,000 The Wetlands Centre Australia Community Education Workshops – to provide information about animals, plants and the wetlands, and to further the community's understanding and commitment to environmental conservation. $5,000 University of Tasmania, School of Zoology Immunology, Ecology and Management of the Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease – improving conservation management of disease-ravaged populations of Tasmanian devils through investigating casual factors for changes in genetic diversity. $15,000 Wirraminna Environmental Education Trust To display and protect the Trust's Taxidermied Specimens and Educational Resources – provision of appropriate display materials.

$7,500

Australian Landscape Trust, Victoria Infrastructure support – the provision of ongoing support to the infrastructure of the Trust.

$250,000

Total Environment & Conservation

$2,637,396

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 33

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HEALTH SUPPORTING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES The Foundation supports programs that help prevent disease and enhance the quality of life for members of the community who suffer chronic health conditions. The Foundation looks for projects which demonstrate forward thinking strategies that help advance our understanding of best practice treatment, educational programs and projects with a focus on the prevention of diseases.

The Foundation encourages research partnerships between universities, research institutes, community health organisations or condition-specific associations. Projects supported this year reflect the Foundation’s commitment to indigenous health through the Rural Health Education Foundation and the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation in Queensland.

Programs offering innovative solutions for people living with chronic illness, and which can be replicated elsewhere, are of interest to the Foundation.

Funding objectives in the Health program area are: To support organisations undertaking research into and treatment of major diseases To support innovative programs designed to improve the delivery of services to people handicapped by health conditions To support educational programs for the prevention of diseases.

Exclusions The Foundation will not normally support requests for funds for: Salaries of health personnel, research assistants, small items of equipment or programs which are substantially funded

by Government or major public health organisations Equipment and services which should properly be provided for in the usual operation of the hospital or health facility.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 35

Haemophilia Foundation Australia Inc., Victoria

SIDS and Kids Victoria

$30,000 for the Hepatitis C Project

Ms Karen Passey Chief Executive Officer

Ms Sharon Caris Executive Director

$10,000 to the Safe Sleeping Community Education Program

www.sidsandkids.org/vic/

www.haemophilia.org.au A priority for the Haemophilia Foundation Australia (HFA) is to understand the needs of the bleeding disorders community affected by hepatitis C and to develop and carry out a strategy to address those needs.

This project directly addresses The Ian Potter Foundation’s interest in improved delivery of services to those members of the community with chronic health conditions.

HFA’s discussions so far with the community, health professionals and community workers have highlighted some issues that are very important to people with bleeding disorders affected by hepatitis C. These include: Treatment issues, the side effects, uncertainty of success Lack of knowledge about the current level of liver disease Physical and emotional effects The impact on family relationships and quality of life Discrimination and prejudice Access to treatment Restrictions on school, career and employment

Reducing the Risk of SIDS through the Safe Sleeping program is a statewide strategy that aims to create community awareness of safe sleeping practices for infants.

SUDI is a term used to describe the sudden and unexpected death of an infant. SUDI may be a result of a serious illness or a problem from birth, but most SUDI deaths occur as a result of either SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) or a fatal sleep accident. Research in Queensland and South Australia has shown that one-third of parents are not aware of safe sleeping procedures.

The grant of $10,000 from The Ian Potter Foundation will enable workshops and in-service training to be provided in hospitals and community centres throughout Victoria with the intention of educating midwives and health professionals, who in turn will educate parents and carers of babies with regard to safe sleeping practices. Public awareness and educational resource materials for parents, health professionals and the wider community will be developed and distributed.

This important project directly meets The Ian Potter Foundation’s priorities to focus on prevention and support of health education programs.

The impact on income and financial hardship The potential need for a carer.

Those people who are affected by bleeding orders and hepatitis C and live in rural, regional and remote areas may be further disadvantaged by their limited access to information, education and support for the psychosocial and financial needs associated with their health condition.

Above, left to right Haemophilia Foundation Inc.: Suzanne O’Callaghan (Policy Officer, HFA), Sandy Breit (Hepatitis C Counsellor, The Alfred), Sharon Caris (Executive Director, HFA).

SIDS and Kids Victoria: A workshop for midwives and health professionals on teaching parents about safe sleeping procedures for babies.

Previous page Haemophilia Foundation Inc.: Hepatitis C virus

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DOWN THE TRACK Eastern Palliative Care Association Inc., Victoria $60,000 in December 2003 to Client Information Management System – PalCare Ms Lyn Hayes Executive Director www.eastpallcare.asn.au To install an IT platform from which to develop Eastern Palliative Care’s (EPC) future care systems. The requirements for the system were developed in April 2003 by a working group of management, medical staff and patient carers. The new system was to enhance patient care by improving accuracy, currency and efficiency of patient information. This system has led to a paperless office with all information regarding clients being held electronically.

PalCare is a secure fully managed client information management system and service that integrates medical and community care information into a single view of the client, enabling care providers to optimise the quality of care for their client at the time and point of care. Whether the care provider is at the home of the client, treating the client at the inpatient facilities or on-call, real time information regarding the client can be remotely accessed using Fujitsu electronic tablets via 3G wireless access and can be updated conveniently and efficiently. This keeps medical staff current with any changes to medication or other forms of care a client is receiving.

PalCare is constantly being refined to best suit the requirements of the clients. EPC is currently working with eClinic, the owner of the product, to enable the rostering of staff through the system, rather than manually through EPC.

Above Eastern Palliative Care Association staff member accessing the client information database system PalCare, through a Fujitsu electronic tablet.

The replication of PalCare in New Haven in New Zealand and in South Australia directly fits The Ian Potter Foundation’s funding model of ‘innovate – evaluate – disseminate’, and the principle to support innovative programs designed to improve the delivery of services to people handicapped by health conditions.

HEALTH GRANTS PAID 2006/2007

Bayside Health Service, VIC (The Alfred Hospital) To establish the Research Centre for Medication Use and Safety.

Haemophilia Foundation Australia Inc. Hepatitis C Project – an education program for people with bleeding disorders and Hepatitis C. Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation, QLD Mobile Tele-ENT Unit - for the establishment and evaluation of an online health screening service for indigenous children in a remote Queensland community.

$100,000

$30,000

$50,000

Rural Health Education Foundation, ACT Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect in Rural Australia – an education and training program.

$30,000

SIDS and Kids Victoria Safe Sleeping Community Education Program – to assist with the prevention of SIDS.

$10,000

Vision Australia Orientation and Mobility Project – to improve current orientation and mobility training service to people who are blind or significantly vision impaired within the Newcastle/Hunter areas. $5,000 Total Health

$225,000

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 37

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MEDICAL RESEARCH ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT DISEASE

The Foundation has a long history of support for major medical research through grants to institutes such as the Howard Florey Institute, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, and the Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, as well as universities and hospitals across Australia.

Major initiatives involving world class experts, leading edge technology and the provision of major items of equipment are the focus of the Foundation’s funding for this area. This is reflected in the grants made this year, which include support of $500,000 (over two years) to the Bionic Ear Institute for development of the Bionic Eye, and support to Melbourne and Monash Universities for the purchase of equipment which will advance research into cancer, stem cells and genetic disorders.

In 2006 the Foundation built on Sir Ian Potter’s commitment to the Howard Florey Institute through a grant of $10 million over five years for the Florey Neuroscience Institutes. This is a visionary project that brings together Melbourne’s key brain research institutes into a new world class facility. Research will initially focus on Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, Huntington’s disease, brain injury and repair, multiple sclerosis and stroke.

The Foundation supports the use of cutting edge technology and equipment to advance our understanding of disease.

Funding objectives in the Medical Research program area are: To support major initiatives by leading Australian research institutes, universities and teaching hospitals in innovative biomedical research, the anticipated benefits of which are likely to advance the institution as a whole.

Exclusions The Foundation will not normally support requests for funds for: Projects suitable for submission to the Australian Research Council (ARC) and / or the National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) Salaries for researchers or research assistants and for equipment which should be the subject of submissions to the ARC or NH&MRC Purposes which are core to the operations of the organisation and should more appropriately be funded from institutional operating funds Research projects for which there would be a reasonable prospect of attracting commercial funding Research scholarships or projects which would be awarded by the grantseeker to third parties Projects with an immediate or short term expectation of commercial interest.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 39

The Bionic Ear Institute, Victoria $500,000 for The Bionic Eye Biocompatibility and Efficacy Project Professor Robert K.Shepherd, PhD, Director www.bionicear.org The Bionic Ear Institute (BEI) has built a strong reputation for research excellence based on the development of the Bionic Ear technology. The research pioneered by Professor Graeme Clark AC, Professor Robert Shepherd and the team of world class researchers and its strong collaborations, led to the successful commercialisation of cochlear implant or Bionic Ear, bringing hearing to more than 95,000 people across 100 countries.

The Bionic Ear Institute and the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), in collaboration with their research partners National Information and Communication Technology Australia (NICTA), the University of Melbourne (Faculty of Engineering) and Department of Biomedical Engineering of University of New South Wales, are developing an electronic implant to restore reading vision to people suffering from macula degeneration, which is responsible for 48% of all blindness in Australia. This impressive research team brings together world leaders in each key area required to develop this iconic technology.

Established in the 1996, CERA has grown out of and is affiliated with the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Melbourne. Internationally recognised, the Centre is comprised of five research divisions, including Basic Science, Clinical Epidemiology, Clinical Research Division, Population Health and Surgical Research. Attracting world leading professors, CERA is playing a critical role in the Bionic Eye project.

Above The Bionic Ear Institute: Bionic Eye explanatory poster.

Previous page Monash University: Associate Professor Mibel Aguilar preparing membrane protein samples for analysis by the new Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor.

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The project aims to fully integrate a single implant device with more than 1,000 electrodes to be fixed to the surface of the retina. The implant would receive wireless transmission from miniature cameras mounted on a pair of glasses. The implant would then stimulate the optic nerve, sending messages to the brain where it would be translated into an image.

The grant from the Foundation will support the initial part of this feasibility study which will focus upon: Biological safety studies and electrical safety studies Examining the biocompatibility of neural interfaces (i.e. the electrodes and material encapsulating the implant) Surgical feasibility Initial physiological studies.

The Bionic Ear Institute is a world leader in the field of medical bionics – the discipline of applying advanced technologies to the biological systems for medical benefit. Other projects conducted within the BEI include spinal cord repair and the treatment of epilepsy.

This is an exciting collaboration for two organisations which have built up strong bases in Melbourne and internationally in terms of rigorous research techniques, safety protocols, world-class staff, strong collaborations and proven track records in taking research outcomes through to clinical application.

St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Victoria $200,000 toward the purchase of an Imaging Unit Professor Thomas Kay Director www.svi.edu.au To advance the research of the BioResources Centre in the area of cancer metastasis, a IVIS200 Xenogen Biophotonic Imaging Unit is allowing researchers to observe cells non-invasively in mice. Installed in June 2007 the Imaging Unit will enable researchers to make significant advances in tracking cancer cells non-invasively as they grow and spread in ‘real-time’ in mice models. An advantage of the Imaging Unit is that molecules that are fundamentally involved in cancer metastasis and the efficacy of drugs that may prevent or inhibit metastasis can be evaluated.

As well as advancing the detection and treatment of cancer, this state-of-the-art piece of equipment is being used for research into other diseases, such as diabetes.

Above, left to right St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research: Xenogen Bioptonic Imaging Unit; Daniela Novembre at work in the Bio Resources Centre at St Vincent’s.

Monash University: Associate Professor Mibel Aguilar preparing membrane protein samples for analysis by the new Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor.

Monash University, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Victoria $100,000 for the Establishment of a new Monash Membrane Protein Interaction Facility: A Farfield Analyte Bio200 Dual Polarisation Interferometer (DPI) and a Biacore T100 Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) Biosensor Associate Professor Mibel Aguilar http://www.med.monash.edu.au/biochem/ A new facility is to be established that will focus on the structure and interactions of membrane proteins, which constitute about one third of the expressed proteome and are targets for approximately 75% of all pharmaceuticals. Indeed, 50% of the top 100 drugs target one class of membrane receptors, the so-called G-protein coupled receptors. To keep pace with new target identification driven by genomics and proteomics, this facility allows the researchers to characterise molecular details of membrane proteins and their interactions. The long term aim is to facilitate the identification of new drug targets and to underpin new developments in drug design and discovery. The initiative will provide substantial benefits to the emerging field of drug development and to the Australian pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in general. For example, this facility could make a substantial contribution to the rational design of novel drugs to target conditions such as inflammation, depression and pain.

The grant has already facilitated a new partnership between Monash University and UK nanotechnology company, Farfield Scientific, to develop the new technology and has attracted funding from the Australian Research Council.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 41

DOWN THE TRACK Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Victoria $750,000 (awarded over three years, 1996–1998) to the Nossal Fellow Leadership Fund

In 1996, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) set up a Leadership Fund with the aim of establishing three perpetual five-year fellowships that would support the early career development of future leaders in Australian biomedical science.

The Fellowships were named in honour of three of WEHI’s most eminent scientists: Sir Gustav Nossal, Director from 1965–1996; Professor Donald Metcalf, Assistant Director from 1965 –1996; and Professor Jacques Miller, Head of Thymus Biology from 1966 –1996. The Potter Foundation awarded a grant of $750,000 to be paid over three years to assist in the establishment of the Fund and to directly support the inaugural Nossal Fellow.

Dr Hamish Scott was repatriated from Switzerland in 1998 as the inaugural Nossal Fellow. Work in his laboratory has focused on genetic predisposition to disease: Dr Scott and his team have identified two genes involved in hearing and demonstrated that, similar to blood clotting, hearing requires a cascade of proteins that cleave other proteins. The activity of these proteins is likely to be altered as we get older and harder of hearing.

They have also shown that the Autoimmune Regulator (Aire) gene is a master controller of the thymus, the organ in which the immune system is taught to recognise self from non-self. Defects in the Aire gene confer susceptibility to autoimmune diseases such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Dr Scott is now leading a national collection of families having predisposition for leukaemia and lymphoma. His team have identified germline mutations in 36 Australian patients from three families, including many at-risk individuals.

Dr Stephen Nutt was repatriated from the UK in 2001 as the inaugural Metcalf Fellow. He is studying how a handful of masterregulatory genes dictate how multiple blood cell types are produced in the bone marrow from a rare stem cell. He has shown that the Pax5 and Blimp-1 genes control the production of antibodies that protect us against infectious diseases and that Blimp-1 also has a role in preventing autoimmune diseases, such as colitis. A third regulatory gene, PU.1, was found to control blood stem cell biology and guards against the development of leukaemia.

Dr James Beeson was appointed as the inaugural Miller Fellow in 2004, following post-doctoral studies in Kenya. He studies malaria, a leading cause of childhood deaths globally and one of the most significant infections of women during pregnancy.

He is investigating children and pregnant women in Africa, Asia, and Papua New Guinea to understand how the malaria parasite causes disease and how immunity to malaria is eventually established. His research has already led to important insights that will aid the development of vaccines and new therapies for malaria.

Above Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research: The three Leadership Fellows: Dr James Beeson (Miller Fellow), Dr Hamish Scott (Nossal Fellow) and Dr Stephen Nutt (Metcalf Fellow)

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MEDICAL RESEARCH GRANTS PAID 2006/2007 Bionic Ear Institute The Bionic Eye Biocompatibility and Efficacy Project – The Bionic Ear Institute aims to develop an electronic implant capable of restoring reading vision to people suffering from macula degeneration. The grant is to fund a feasibility study that will be conducted during the period June 2007 – December 2008.

Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine To establish a Neuropeptide Laboratory to facilitate the discovery of new drugs to treat disorders of the brain.

$250,000

$80,000

Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine Formation of the new Florey Neuroscience Institutes to focus on neuroscience research and the health significance of brain disorders. $2,000,000 The Macfarlane Burnet Institute For Medical Research and Public Health Ltd To establish The Ian Potter Cancer Immunotherapy and Bio-Organic Chemistry Laboratory for cancer research.

$250,000

Menzies School of Health Research (Murdoch Childrens Research Institute) Healthy Skin Program to reduce chronic diseases in Indigenous communities.

$234,861

Monash University Establishment of the new Monash Membrane Protein Interaction Facility to research the structure and interactions of membrane proteins.

Monash University High Content Analysis Facility to serve the research needs of several groups researching biochemistry and molecular biology, stem cell research, pharmacology, drug discovery biology and genetic disorders.

$250,000

Queensland Institute of Medical Research Purchase of a HPLC-Linked Mass Spectrometer for drug discovery and development for the profiling and identification of bioactive compounds in natural product extracts, the purity and identity of synthetic compounds, proteins and peptides.

$100,000

St. Vincents Institute of Medical Research Purchase of an Imaging Unit to allow researchers to observe cells non-invasively in animal models.

$200,000

The University of Melbourne Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital Live Cell Imaging Facility – enable immediate transfer of current studies of inflammation, brains, cancer and malaria onto the confocal system.

$100,000

Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre To fund the research project ‘Mapping Genetic Influences On Brain Connectivity’. The project aims to make fundamental changes in the understanding of the origin and development of severe mental illnesses by mapping how different parts of the brain are connected.

$50,000

The University of Tasmania Identification of genes that influence MS progression. $100,000

Total Medical Research

$50,000 $3,664,861

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 43

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SCIENCE THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE George Bernard Shaw once said that “Science becomes dangerous only when it imagines that it has reached its goal”.

It is fitting therefore that the Foundation’s approach to giving in the field of science has long been to support research in the pursuit of excellence, which as Samuel Johnson once said is a lifetime task.

The Foundation’s giving in the field of science has always been broad with funding provided for everything from the purchase of equipment and support for individual research projects, to the delivery of science education opportunities and tutoring for school students.

The Foundation has continued its support for outstanding individual researchers with the provision of another Ian Potter Foundation Doctoral Fellowship at Lizard Island.

Funding objectives in the Science program area are: To support high quality scientific research of particular value to the development and enhancement of the economic and ecological sustainability of Australian enterprises To support high quality scientific research to preserve Australian flora and fauna.

Exclusions The Foundation will not normally support requests for funds for: Projects suitable for submission to the Australian Research Council (ARC) and /or the National Health and Medical Research Centre (NH&MRC) Salaries for researchers or research assistants and for equipment which should be the subject of submissions to the ARC Purposes which are core to the operations of the organisation and should more appropriately be funded from institutional operating funds Research projects for which there would be a reasonable prospect of attracting commercial funding.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 45

Lizard Island Research Foundation, Queensland

Lizard Island Research Foundation, Queensland

$13,000 (part of a commitment of $60,000 over 3 years) to The Ian Potter Foundation Doctoral Fellowship

$500,000 (part of a commitment of $1,500,000 over 3 years) to The Ian Potter Centre for Tropical Marine Research

Mr Charlie Shuetrim Trustee

Mr Charlie Shuetrim Trustee

www.lizardisland.net.au

www.lizardisland.net.au

James Cook University doctoral student Andrew Hoey was awarded The Ian Potter Doctoral Fellowship at Lizard Island for 2007. The Fellowship will provide Andrew with funding for bench fees at the Lizard Island Research Station, travel and freight costs towards his research over three years. Andrew’s study aims to determine how plant-eating fishes interact with fleshy algae on coral reefs and how this relationship varies across a gradient of wave exposure.

The Lizard Island Research Station provides facilities which enable about 100 coral reef research projects to be conducted annually.

Many of the projects are directly relevant to management of the Great Barrier Reef. The facility itself is 270km north of Cairns and provides accommodation, research equipment, diving gear and boats to researchers utilising the station.

“Coral reefs in other parts of the world have suffered ‘phase-shift’ from coral-dominated to algal-dominated communities following overfishing for herbivorous fishes. My work will identify which fish species are important in preventing phase-shift on healthy coral reefs and also identify those that are capable of reversing such phase-shifts. Lizard Island is an ideal place to do this work and it is a privilege to have this opportunity though the support of The Ian Potter Foundation.” Andrew Hoey, 2007 Ian Potter Doctoral Fellow Another Fellowship under this program will be awarded in 2008.

Above, left to right Lizard Island Research Foundation; Damsel fish; Lady Potter with a researcher at The Ian Potter Centre for Tropical Marine Research; The Ian Potter Foundation Governors, Professor Tom Healy and Mr John Gough with the 2007 Ian Potter Doctoral Fellow Mr Andrew Hoey; Lion fish.

Previous page Lizard Island Research Foundation: James Cook University PhD student Cathie Page conducting research.

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In 2005, The Ian Potter Foundation provided a grant of $1.5 million towards the Station’s $4.5 million infrastructure upgrade plan. Funding from the Foundation was specifically used to create aquarium rooms, a seminar room, library, computer facilities, office, dive and gear store and a services area. These facilities encompass a complex which is known as The Ian Potter Centre for Tropical Marine Research.

The Centre was officially opened for use by Lady Potter on October 26, 2006. While works continue at the site, The Ian Potter Centre for Tropical Marine Research is a world class facility that will be used by some of the world’s best coral reef researchers. Over the last twelve months, the final touches have been placed on the Centre with the completion of The Thyne Reid Wing which provides for three modern laboratories for researchers, the addition of The Raymond E. Purves Laboratory and the acquisition of a significant amount of new laboratory equipment. The final instalment of the Foundation’s grant was released in June 2007.

2007–2008 will see further improvements and development at the Research Station, with additional accommodation upgrades and a continuing program to replace the old dinghies and motors.

DOWN THE TRACK Murdoch University, Western Australia $80,000 in 2004 to the STAR Program Ms Yolanda Pereira Coordinator, STAR Program http://about.murdoch.edu.au/star/navpage.html

Above Murdoch University: STARtrekker, Claire Zuideveld expresses amazement as a student points out a yabby in a sample from the local wetland. The students were investigating the diversity of ‘bugs’ as an indicator of the health of the wetland.

The STAR (Science and Technology Awareness Raising) Peer Tutoring Program addresses the twin goals of embedding a commitment to volunteerism in young people, and raising awareness of science and science education. The program began modestly at Murdoch University 14 years ago, with six peer tutors engaging with three schools. The concept was simple. University students, near in age to secondary school students, were well placed to serve as mentors, conveying and sharing their enthusiasm for learning and science. STAR, modelled on a similar scheme operating for thirty years at the Imperial College London, offers peer tutors an opportunity to spend between two and four hours per week with assigned classes, most commonly secondary school science and mathematics classes. The experience benefits all the participants, including the peer tutors, students, teachers and schools.

Appropriately match peer tutors and student needs

Two grants from The Ian Potter Foundation helped to expand and promote the program to universities across Australia and assist in evaluating its effectiveness. Over the last 14 years the STAR Program has grown to involve around eighty peer tutors and 72 schools in urban and regional areas. While the program continues to grow, there are currently 15 universities involved actively in the program, which collectively have several hundred peer tutors working in hundreds of schools within every State and Territory in Australia.

At the end of the first decade of running the program, some of the key positive outcomes include: A trend towards peer tutors pursuing teacher qualifications following their experiences All peer tutors reporting positive outcomes for themselves from involvement in STAR, including increased self-confidence The majority of teachers involved believe STAR to be a worthwhile program and were keen to have it continue within their classroom.

A detailed evaluation of the program has helped to establish many of the factors that influence the success of peer tutoring and mentoring programs, including the need to:

Establish a rapport between peer tutors, the students and the classroom teacher Provide classroom activities conducive to peer tutoring participation Ensure peer tutors feel confident enough to initiate interactions with students Provide youthful, dedicated peer tutors who are currently students themselves Establish a voluntary and non-coercive program.

Many of the learnings from the STAR evaluation are transferable to other mentoring and peer tutoring programs. STAR has demonstrated itself to be an outstanding success and one that is replicated in many formats across Australia. The STAR Program is currently in discussion with the Federal Government to examine opportunities for the broader expansion of the program across Australia and has also been nominated for the Eureka Prize for Promoting the Understanding of Science.

“I know with [the peer tutor] there’s been a few times where we’ve talked about how they go about teaching the technology side of the course at uni...[the peer tutor] certainly helped with me with sources I wasn’t aware existed.” Quote from a teacher “Me and my friend, we did talk to [the peer tutor] about stuff, like uni and that, and like what it’s really like – and it’s sort of good to know that because...we then would have an idea of what it would be like to do science at uni.” Quote from a Secondary Student “Teachers are more for, like, actual teaching and recording and marking – whereas the peer tutors are, like, they want to help with learning.” Quote from a Secondary Student “It takes you into the community and to help people and you get something out of it as well because it helps you learn how other people are as well. It’s an excellent program to introduce you to more real world…it gives you experience.” Quote from a Peer Tutor

SCIENCE GRANTS PAID 2006/2007

Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation The Ian Potter Tropical Marine Research Centre.

$500,000

Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation Post Doctoral Fellowships – for fieldwork, travel and bench expenses of at least 100 person days at the Lizard Island Research Station by the Fellow and his/her assistant.

Total Science

$13,000 $513,000

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 47

48

TRAVEL AND CONFERENCE EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE The travel grants program gives early career individuals an opportunity to present findings of their research at international conferences. Recipients report that the financial assistance from the Foundation which is provided at a critical point in their careers, gives them an opportunity to gain a worldwide perspective across their area of expertise. This provides the opportunity for Australia’s finest emerging researchers not only to share their research, but to benefit from meeting with their international peers.

The conference grants program enables key note speakers of international renown to travel to Australia to attend symposia and conferences of international standing.

Funding objectives in the Travel and Conference program areas are: To assist early career staff members with an appointment of at least three years, to attend overseas conferences to develop their research, and to interact with their peers in the international scene To support symposia and conferences of international status to be held within Australia. Generally grants are made to assist with the travel and accommodation costs of an international keynote speaker Please note that the Foundation requires that the individual’s employing organisation commits their own funding before requesting a matching grant.

Exclusions The Foundation does not provide travel grants for: Domestic travel Undergraduate, Masters, or Doctoral students; or Retrospective grants for travel already undertaken in part or in whole.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 49

University of Melbourne, Victoria

University of South Australia, South Australia

$3,000 Travel Grant

$2,300 Travel Grant

Dr Sophie Havighurst Centre for Training and Research in Developmental Health

Dr Carol Collins School of Education

http://www.tuningintokids.org.au

www.unisa.edu.au/eds

To provide the first presentation of the study ‘Tuning in to Kids’, an early intervention program for preventing behavioural problems in preschool children, at the Society for Prevention Research Conference, and to spend a week at Pennsylvania State University’s Prevention Research Centre, USA, 23 May – 6 June 2007.

To present ideas from her doctoral research into the teaching of critical and ethical thinking at the 13th International Conference on Thinking, Sweden, 2–6 June 2007.

Dr Havighurst presented at the conference and at Pennsylvania State University on the early intervention program ‘Tuning into Kids’. The intervention is the first of its kind, and aims to prevent behavioural problems in preschoolers by providing them with skills in understanding and regulating emotions. The study also tested the efficacy of an intervention that builds parents’ and teachers’ emotion coaching skills and examines whether this leads to improved emotional competence and behavioural functioning in children.

Previous page University of Tasmania: TAFI staff Dr Julian Harrington (front) and Malcolm Haddon (second front) help the crew of a commercial scallop vessel sort sample tow contents during an Industry survey.

Above, left to right University of Melbourne: Pennsylvania State University Prevention Research Centre where Dr Havighurst presented a day workshop to clinicians and researchers.

University of South Australia: Dr Carol Collins at the 13th International Conference on Thinking, Sweden.

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Dr Collins presented two papers: ‘The role of dialogue-based ethical inquiry in educating for a just democracy: an intervention study’ and ‘Engaging students in the processes of rational ethical justification: a way forward for social and environmental education?’ Dr Collins also facilitated a workshop session entitled ‘The complexities and challenges of fostering ethical reasoning in our schools’.

“I have gained many ideas which I will bring back to my own research and teaching work. For example I am currently working to adapt the understanding I gained through a presentation by Hans Rosling on the need for a fact based world view, to the delivery of a curriculum course I am coordinating next semester.

Similarly, several of the papers I attended will be of benefit to doctoral students under my supervision.” Dr Carol Collins

University of Tasmania, Tasmania

Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria

$2,700 Travel Grant

$5,661 Conference Grant

Dr Julian Harrington Tasmanian Aquaculture & Fisheries Institute

www.swinburne.edu.au

www.utas.edu.au/tafi/index.html To attend the 16th International Pectinid Workshop, Nova Scotia, 9–21 May 2007

To bring Professor Kwadwo Osseo-Asare and Professor Frank Szoka Jr, to the Australian Colloid and Interface Symposium.

Dr Harrington made two presentations at the workshop. Both were collaborations between Julian Harrington, Jayson M. Semmens and Malcolm Haddon. The first presentation provided the initial results of a detailed study looking at the impact of scallop dredge fishing on scallops and scallop habitat. The experiment for this study was conducted during the 2006 Tasmanian commercial scallop season within the region known as White Rock, on the east coast of Tasmania.

The 2007 Australian Colloid Interface Symposium was the third in a series of biennial meetings held under the auspices of the Division of Colloid and Surface Science of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. Two hundred and fifty people attended the symposium. The international status of the conference was underscored by 30 per cent of the attendees comprising overseas visitors. The symposium was attended by representatives of all major Australian universities and several divisions of the CSIRO.

The second presentation, ‘The Tasmanian commercial scallop, Pecten fumatus, fishery’, provided a broad overview of the detailed spatial management strategy used in the Tasmanian scallop fishery, and the use of industry surveys as the key mechanism for obtaining the data needed to manage the fishery. Under the strategy, only small regions of known scallop stocks are opened to commercial harvesting, and all remaining state waters remain closed.

Professor Kwadwo Osseo-Asare from Pennsylvania State University, USA presented a lecture on ‘Metal oxides in aqueous processing systems: colloids, solutions and surfaces’. Professor Frank Szoka Jr, from the University of California, USA, presented a lecture entitled ‘Dendritic polymers as drug carriers’.

“The overall benefit of attending the Pectinid Workshop was to meet and discuss issues concerning scallop research and management with many of the leading scallop researchers from around the world. This communication allowed the formation of several collaborations, and an increased interest/knowledge of the work being conducted within the SE Australian commercial scallop fisheries, particularly within Tasmania.”

Dr Julian Harrington

The symposium represented an excellent mechanism for maximising the opportunity for discussion between Australian researchers and international visitors.

Above, left to right University of Tasmania: Dr Julian Harrington on a commercial scallop vessel measuring scallops during an Industry survey.

Swinburne University: Professor Szoka makes a presentation on ‘Dendritic Polymers as Drug Carriers’. Professor Kwadwo Osseo-Asare from Pennsylvania State University presenting at the symposium.

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 51

TRAVEL GRANTS PAID 2006/2007

The Australian Ballet Ms Janet Karin – to attend International Association for Dance Medicine and Science, USA, October 2006.

Centre For Eye Research Australia Limited (CERA) Dr Patricia O'Connor – to attend the Association for Research in Vision and Opthamology Annual Meeting, USA, May 2007.

Central Queensland University Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Education Dr Kathleen Baker – to present papers at the British Educational Research Association Conference, UK and at the European Conference on Educational Research, Switzerland, September 2006.

Dr Roberta Harreveld – to present a paper at the European Conference on Educational Research, Switzerland, and to attend meetings with education and training academics in the Netherlands and Ireland, September 2006.

Dr Bernadette Walker-Gibbs – to present a paper at the British Educational Research Association Conference, UK, September 2006.

Craft Victoria For five participants to attend the South Project Gathering: Culture and Politics in Times of the South, Chile, October 2006.

Deakin University Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology Dr Roxana Llanos – to present a paper at the International Copper Meeting ‘Copper and Interacting Metals in Biology’, Italy, October 2006.

$2,500

$2,330

$3,000

$3,000

$2,170

$16,200

$2,000

Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research Dr Simon Chu – to present, as an invited speaker, at the 12th International Congress on Hormonal Steroids and Hormones and Cancer, Greece, September 2006.

$1,700

Ms Kerry McInnes – to present a paper at the Endocrine Society's 89th Annual Meeting, Canada, June 2007.

$2,433

Dr Ashwini Chand – to present a paper at the Endocrine Society's 89th Annual Meeting, Canada, June 2007.

$2,433

Telethon Institute for Child Health Research Dr Cecilia Prele – to attend the 8th World Congress on Inflammation, Denmark, June 2007.

$1,075

The University of Adelaide School of Population, Health and Clinical Practice Dr Anne Wilson – to present, as an invited speaker, at the 1st International Suicide Postvention Seminar and 11th European Symposium on Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour, Slovenia, September 2006.

$1,600

Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre Professor Nick Crofts and Jennifer Johnston – to attend the 18th International Conference on the Reduction of Drug Related Harm, Poland, May 2007.

$2,000

University of Queensland School of Integrative Biology Dr Dustin Marshall – to present, as an invited speaker, at the International Larval Biology Meeting, Washington, Oregon, USA, August – September 2006.

$2,236

University of Melbourne Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning Dr Hemanta Doloi – to attend CME25: Construction Management and Economics: Past, Present and Future at the University of Reading, UK, July 2007.

$2,000

Department of Pharmacology Dr Jane Ward – to attend the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) in Auckland, March 2007.

$1,000

$3,000

Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine Dr Sherie Ma – to undertake collaborative research with Professor Francisco Olucha-Bordonau, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid and Professor Angel Nunes, Universidad de Valencia, Spain, September – December 2006.

$5,000

Dr Joanne Britto – to present a paper at the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience, Banff, Canada, August 2006.

$2,154

La Trobe University Department of Biochemistry Dr Matthew McKenzie – to attend the Mitochondrial Medicine 2007 and Gordon Molecular and Cellular Bioenergetics Conferences, USA, June 2007.

$2,746

Mindful: Centre for Training & Research in Developmental Health Dr Sophie Havighurst – to attend the Society for Prevention Research Conference, develop collaborative research and seek advice on analysis and dissemination of the prevention program ‘Tuning in to Kids’, USA, May – June 2007.

$2,125

Department of Microbiology & Immunology Mr Patrick Reading – to attend the "Options for the Control of Influenza VI" meeting, Canada, June 2007.

$2,000

Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation Ms Nicole Tse – to present a paper titled at the International Council of Museums-Committee for Conservation (ICOMM-CC) Working Group Paintings: Interim Meeting on the 'Preparation for painting: the artist's choice and its consequence', UK, May – June 2007.

$1,949

School of Physiotherapy Dr Peter Bragge – to attend and present a paper at the Symposium on Medical Problems of Musicians & Dancers, USA, 21 – 24 June 2007.

$2,500

University of Newcastle Centre for Multiphase Processes Dr Seher Ata – to present at the XXIII International Mineral Processing Congress, Turkey, September 2006.

$2,600

University of South Australia School of Education Dr Carol Collins – to present at the 13th International Conference on Thinking, Sweden, June 2007.

$2,300

University of Sydney Centre for Advanced Technologies in Animal Genetics and Reproduction Dr Chris Grupen – to speak and present research data at international conferences, Japan, January 2007.

$2,500

Department of Physics Dr Roman Markarevich – to attend the SuperDARN Workshop 2007, Japan, June 2007.

School of Social Work & Social Policy Dr Suzanne Hodgkin – to present a paper at a conference titled 'Extended and Extending Families', Scotland, June 2007.

$2,918

Department of Economics & Finance Dr Liam Lenten – to attend the First International Conference on Mathematical Modelling in Sport (IMA Sport 2007), UK, June 2007.

$1,500

Monash University School of Rural Health Ms Geethan Ranmuthugala – to present a paper at the 7th World Organisation of National Colleges, Academies (or World Organisation of Family Doctors), USA, September 2006.

$1,500

School of Nursing and Midwifery Dr Susan Lee – to present a paper at the 16th International Congress of Care for the Terminally Ill, Canada, September 2006.

$2,000

Murdoch Childrens Research Institute Dr Jim Vadolas – to present at the 15th Conference on Haemoglobin Switching, UK, September 2006.

$2,000

Neuroscience Institute of Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders (NISAD) Dr Tim Karl – to attend the International Congress on Schizophrenia Research (ICOSR), USA, from March – April 2007.

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$1,500

TRAVEL GRANTS contd.

School of Physiotherapy Dr Bronwen Acckermann – to present at the Medical Problems of Musicians and Dancers Symposium, USA, June 2007.

Dr Lyndall Maxwell PHD – to present at the 15th World Congress of Physical Therapy, Vancouver, Canada, June 2007.

Agriculture and Resource Economics Dr Tihomir Ancev – to attend the 15th Conference of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economics, Greece, June 2007.

$2,500

Tasmanian Aquaculture & Fisheries Institute Dr Jayson Semmens – to attend the 7th Conference on Fish Telemetry, June 2007.

$2,000

$2,500

Dr Julian Harrington – to attend the 16th International Pectinid Workshop, Canada, May 2007.

$2,700

University of Western Sydney School of Education Ms Crystyn Davies – to present a paper at Gender and Citizenship in a Multicultural Context, Poland, August – September 2006.

$2,000

$3,300

Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology Dr Jonathon Arnold – to present at the 12th Biennial Meeting of the European Behavioural Pharmacology Society, Germany, September 2007.

$1,862

Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research Institute Dr Scott Byrne – to present findings on the cellular mechanisms of sunlight-induced immune suppression at the 12th Congress of the European Society for Photobiology, UK, September 2007.

$2,230

University of Tasmania School of Plant Science Dr Julianne O’Reilly-Wapstra – to attend the Gordon Research Conference on Plant/Animal Interactions, USA, February 2007.

$2,000

University of Wollongong School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering Dr Alexandra Golab – to present a paper at the Second International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology, USA, and to visit US Geological Survey facilities, August 2006.

Total Travel

$3,000 $112,061

CONFERENCE GRANTS PAID 2006/2007

Australian National University Centre for Cross Cultural Research For the costs of speakers to attend the Negotiating the Sacred III: Religion, Medicine and the Body Conference, Canberra, ACT, November 2006.

$3,000

Griffith University Centre for Quantum Dynamics Costs for Professor Pierre-Gilles de Gennes to attend as plenary speaker at the 17th Biennial Congress of the Australian Institute of Physics, Brisbane, Queensland, December 2006.

$4,000

School of Environmental & Applied Sciences To support keynote speakers attending the International Jellyfish Blooms Symposium to be held on the Gold Coast, Queensland, June 2007.

$4,500

Flinders University Department of Archaeology For Associate Professor George Nicholas to attend, as keynote speaker, at Cultural Heritage and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, Burra, South Australia, December 2006.

Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute To bring Professor Etienne Hirsch, Director of Research at the Hospital de la Salpetiere, INSERM, Paris, France, to attend a workshop on Parkinson's disease during the IBRO meeting Melbourne followed by attendance at a 2 day satellite meeting entitled ‘New Frontiers in Basic and Clinical Research in Parkinson's disease and other Synucleinopathies’, Gold Coast, Queensland, July 2007.

$2,400

$9,000

Retina Australia (VIC) Inc For Professor Gerald Chader to present at ‘Looking to the Future’ – Retina Australia’s Biennial Congress, Canberra, ACT, September 2006.

$4,354

RMIT Department of Cinema Studies For Professor Ian Christie to attend the XIIIth Biennial Conference of the Film and History Association of Australia and NZ, Melbourne, Victoria, November 2006.

$4,345

Swinburne University of Technology Faculty of Life & Social Sciences For Professor Kwadwo Osseo-Asare and Professor Frank Szoka Jr. to attend as keynote speakers at the Australian Colloid and Interface Symposium, Sydney, NSW, February 2007.

$5,661

The University of Melbourne Centre for Equity and Innovation in Early Childhood For Professor Peter Moss to attend, as international keynote speaker, the Honoring the Child, Honoring Equity 6 International Early Childhood Conference, University of Melbourne, Victoria, November 2006.

$1,907

Department of Political Science For Professor Honig to attend Popular Sovereignty and Rule of Law in Divided Societies, Victoria, Melbourne, December 2006.

$3,000

The University of Queensland School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences To bring Professor Helmut Schwarz, from the Technical University of Berlin to attend the Heron Island Conference Mechanism and Synthesis, Queensland, July 2007.

Total Conference

$5,452 $47,619

THE IAN POTTER FOUNDATION REPORT 53

The Ian Potter Foundation Limited ACN 004 603 97 2 ABN 42 004 603 972 Level 3, 111 Collins Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 Telephone 03 9650 3188 Facsimile 03 9650 7986 Email admin@ianpotter.org.au www.ianpotter.org.au