Annual Report 2015 2016

Annual Report

2015 2016

Linkwest: supporting Neighbourhood Centres to develop vibrant, inclusive and connected communities in Western Australia -1-

Contents President’s Report ..................................................................................3 CEO’s Report .........................................................................................4 Treasurer’s Report ..................................................................................5 Financials ...............................................................................................6 Projects..................................................................................................10 Governance Resources.........................................................................13 Better Boards, Stronger Governance....................................................14 Training and Professional Development................................................15 Shining the Spotlight on Small, Community-Managed NFPs................16 Linkwest C.A.S.T. Awards......................................................................17 Neighbourhood House Week 2016.......................................................18 Linkwest Strengthening Ties in the Community....................................19 Advocacy...............................................................................................20 Gaining Member Insight into our Services.............................................21 Linkwest Resources..............................................................................21 Linkwest Representing our Members....................................................22 Linkwest Membership............................................................................22 A Pictorial Overview of Linkwest............................................................23

Linkwest AGM The 2015 Linkwest AGM was held at The Mercure Hotel in Perth on Thursday 27 August 2015.

Sixty six (66) members attended and nine (9) Board members were elected, with Dr. Nicky Howe from Southcare Inc. continuing to her second term as President and Virginia Aden from Sudbury Community House continuing to her second term as Vice-President.

Associate member and chartered accountant, Seemar Riyat, commenced her first term in the role of Treasurer, and Kylie Hansen, Associate member and management consultant, commenced her first term as Secretary.

The full Linkwest Board for 2015 – 2016 is listed on page 4 of this report.

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About Linkwest

President's Report Modelling the way has been a key approach for the Board and staff of Linkwest over the last 12 months.

This has translated in Linkwest monitoring the implementation of our strategic plan, focusing on organisational goals and key result areas that will create value for our members to manage in times of uncertainty.

Our first example of modelling the way was through us undertaking the due diligence required to make an informed decision about a merger with Association of Western Australian Community Resource Centres (AWACRC). The due diligence process seeks to provide evidence about each organisation and develop a ‘new’ organisational model based on the data. This process can create ‘uncertainties’ which are the plethora of factors in the areas of due-diligence including leadership, management, vision, integration, culture, customer/market preference, retaining key employees and communication. All of which can affect the process in a positive or negative direction. However popular the practice of mergers, it is only through experience we learn. Our learning on how to undertake a due diligence process has meant that we can pass this learning on to our members. The process also enabled both Linkwest and AWACRC boards to make the decision to merge. My thanks go to the AWACRC Chair Lee Steel and the Board for working with us, to helping us understand the overall network and the diverse services it delivers. We look forward to continuing our work together.

The second example of modelling the way has been the professional development activities undertaken by both members of the board and staff. Both Rebecca Davies (staff) and I have attended Leadership WA programmes. Board members have attended Linkwest governance training both to learn and provide feedback, and Jane Billham (staff) attended the ConnectingUp conference to ensure Linkwest is up to date with new technology. This learning benefits both Linkwest and our members as research shows that NFPs that systematically develop their people do better. All this learning was either free or reduced price thanks to Lotterywest scholarships.

The third example of modelling it is about leadership, in particular modelling the traits of courage and speaking our truth: traits that I have seen our CEO Jane Chilcott demonstrate when advocating for Neighbourhood Centres. Speaking our truth to politicians and bureaucrats who hold the purse strings is never easy – it takes courage. As a board, we respect and appreciate how Jane has been considered in her approaches; how she has sought our advice; and how she has built relationships while engaging in some very courageous conversations. Leadership traits to pass on!

My sincere thanks to all Board members for your continued support, knowledge and desire for driving Linkwest forward. Importantly, we continue to admire the energy and passion our leader and CEO Jane Chilcott brings to Linkwest. She has a clear vision and purpose and is leading the organisation with the strong support of all the staff – who we very much appreciate.

Dr. Nicky Howe

President, Linkwest 2015 – 2016

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Linkwest is the Peak Body for Neighbourhood Centres in Western Australia.

Linkwest offers a range of services to its members including: training and networking opportunities, resources, information advice and guidance, funding opportunities, marketing tools, and advice and assistance in areas such as Centre Governance, policies, and mediation.

Linkwest also advocates for its members with Federal, State and Local government and helps to inform policy development within the State and Federal Government through the National Peak Body, Australian Neighbourhood Houses and Centres Association (ANHCA).

Governance Linkwest is managed by a Board drawn from member Centres and Associate members.

The Board, which meets regularly throughout the year, is responsible for the strategic direction of the organisation.

Patron In 2008, Dr. Carmen Lawrence – retired Australian politician and former Premier of Western Australia – accepted the invitation to become the patron of Linkwest and to this day continues to be an advocate for the Neighbourhood Centre movement in Western Australia.

Operations Linkwest staff are responsible for the day-to-day activities of the organisation and the development of resources and training opportunities for Linkwest member Centres.

They are chosen not only for their qualifications, skills and experience in community development and adult and community education, but for their dedication to the advancement of Neighbourhood Centres in WA, in particular small community-managed NFPs.

Linkwest Board

The elected representatives for the 2015–2016 Linkwest Board were: Office Bearers President – Dr. Nicky Howe, Southcare Inc.

CEO's Report

Vice President – Virginia Aden, Sudbury Community House

The not-for-profit sector is facing a period of unprecedented disruption, change and uncertainty and Linkwest and our members are caught up in this storm of change.

Treasurer – Seemar Riyat, Associate Member Secretary – Kylie Hansen, Associate Member General Members Cheryle Brown, Nannup Community Resource Centre Maria Cavill, William Langford Community House Gaurav Chawler, Brockman Community House Andre Foulon, Manjimup Family Centre Inc. Cate Rocchi, Associate Member Viti Simmons, Associate Member Linkwest Patron Dr. Carmen Lawrence

Linkwest Staff

In 2015–2016, those on the Linkwest staff team were: Chief Executive Officer, Jane Chilcott Centre Development Manager, Rebecca Davies (until May 2016) Wynne Chow (from May 2016) Sector Development Projects Manager, Mihaela Nicolescu Projects Manager, Wynne Chow (to May 2016) Marketing and Office Manager, Jane Billham Finance Officer, Judy Summers Training and Projects Officer, Liz Nicholas Administration Officer, Helen Norris (to Aug 2015) Casual Administration Assistants, David Chilcott Caitlin Telford Thomas Windsor

In Darwinian terms the message is simple: adapt or die. It does not matter how well you are currently functioning as an organisaton, NFPs who ignore the signs do so at their peril. Linkwest board and staff have therefore had a very busy year producing resources and training to support our members and creating opportunities to stay current as a peak organisation.

Due to funding pressures and a clear strategy from government to reduce the number of contracts they manage, the community sector is buzzing with conversations about mergers, consortiums and strategic partnerships. Linkwest and the Association of Western Australian Community Resource Centres (AWACRC) board’s decision to join forces is a response to this trend and a belief that we are stronger together as a united peak organisation. To support our members in considering strategic partnerships, we have produced a Capacity through Collaboration Toolkit which includes three videos of stories from other NFPs who have gone through the process.

The new Associations Incorporation Act 2015 came into effect on 1 July 2016 and in preparation, Linkwest produced a template constitution, manual and online resource for our members. The board decision to use the template to form Linkwest’s new constitution – to be presented at the 2016 SGM – means we have directly experienced our own resource.

We hope we have made the process of updating your own constitutions much easier, while providing a tool that will strengthen your Centre.

A significant area of focus over the last year has been that of advocacy for Neighbourhood Centres. I have liaised with politicians from both major parties to ensure that they are aware of the amazing work that happens in our Centres. That politicians understand what Centres do was highlighted by the budget decision of the Department of Local Government and Communities (DLGC) to cease providing property support to 23 of our members. As a peak organisation, we are bipartisan and have therefore worked with DLGC and all parties to support our members. It is, however, clear that many key decision makers do not know what Centres do, and both Linkwest and our member Centres need to continue working on this.

We have also encouraged our Centres to work on raising their own profile. This aim influenced the Into the Spotlight theme of our 2015 conference; we initiated a small grants programme to enable our Centres to conduct activities during Neighbourhood House Week; and our profile video (in production) will highlight Linkwest and the role of Neighbourhood Centres in the community. The Beyond Gambling programme was a great success in raising awareness of Centres and fostering partnerships between centres and service providers.

I have been reporting to two boards over the last year and am very grateful to work for such proactive, supportive and engaged board members. In particular – as volunteers with no staff support – the hours and dedication of the AWACRC board on behalf of their members has been inspirational.

Jane Chilcott

CEO, Linkwest 2015 – 2016

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Treasurer's Report Progress has been made in the implementation of prudent financial management and reporting.

Small not for profit organisations like Linkwest have always faced challenges, but there are ways to turn these into opportunities. The last 12 months have been challenging, particularly as the sector moves towards individualised funding, the increasing competition seen among service providers across the sector and the tough economic landscape that places some competition for funding across restructuring Federal and State governments.

On that note, it is with great pleasure that I present my Treasurer’s report for the year ended 30 June 2016. It is with pride that I can report that Linkwest has been able to return a result with an established base for ongoing sustainability.

Despite having posted an operating deficit of $38,265 for the 2015/16 financial year, Linkwest has been able to utilise its existing surpluses and specific reserves to improve the scope and quality of its service delivery by reinvesting in the organisation. The organisation has invested in reviewing constitutional changes, implementing better reporting systems to the Board and it has maintained a sound level of cash reserves at the year end. This provides Linkwest with some flexibility to consider ways to improve the way we deliver our services through better resourcing of existing services, expansion / potential merging of services into areas of unmet need, and some limited investment opportunities.

Cash reserves of $941,220 as at 30 June 2016 were more than sufficient to cover the total liabilities ($539,229) of Linkwest. Hence, there are reasonable grounds to believe that Linkwest will be able to pay its debts as and when they fall due. Our appointed auditors Australian Audit Group Pty Ltd have again issued to the Board of Directors an unqualified audit report this year.

During my time as Treasurer, internal process improvements that have been implemented for further enhancing Linkwest’s financial management were: 1. Monthly review of Linkwest’s financial position and performance, including cash flow projections and the financial performance of individual programmes and projects.

2. Increased efficiencies and transparency across the preparation of the budget for the 2016/17 financial year.

3. Review of the Board, Finance Sub-Committee and Finance team policies and procedures.

Linkwest receives financial support from a number of funding organisations and I would like to thank and acknowledge their ongoing support. Revenue is generated mainly from service agreements, project grants, investment earnings, conference costs and training fees. Payroll and on-costs represented the majority of expenditure for the year (60% of total expenditure of $1,010,548).

It has been a privilege to have served as Treasurer of Linkwest and I would like to thank all past and present volunteers, staff and Board members: all have dedicated their time and worked extremely hard to advocate for and support Neighbourhood Centres for a better Western Australian community. I would like to acknowledge everyone for their significant contribution made to Linkwest throughout the year. The dedication and enthusiasm of everyone involved in the organisation in pursuing Linkwest’s vision has been remarkable.

Seemar Riyat

Treasurer, Linkwest 2015 – 2016

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Financials

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Projects Our pipeline over the past twelve months has seen some project completion, the continuation of others, and a number of new projects that will take us well into 2017.

Our ACE Community – Beyond Gambling 8 Neighbourhood Centres 12 Months 240 Workshops Countless individual stories Problem gambling has a social cost estimated to be at least $4.7 billion a year. It causes a wide range of issues including marital and family breakdown, homelessness, suicide, job loss and bankruptcy.

About 115,000 Australians are classified as problem gamblers.

For the past twelve months, thanks to a grant awarded in May 2015, Linkwest has been working with eight Neighbourhood Centres – six in the metro area and two in the southwest – that that are dealing with the fallout from problems caused by gambling in their communities.

Linkwest’s Our Ace Community – Beyond Gambling project has provided significant, grassroots opportunities to tackle the problem, including 240 community workshops, an awareness raising campaign and training for frontline staff. The project has been delivered in partnership with ConnectGroups, Centrecare, the WA Association for Mental Health, Relationships Australia WA, and Scitech.

It also generated media interest, with our CEO being invited to talk on Radio Southwest about the issue, and the Beyond Gambling project manager, Mihaela, featuring in Community News’ Southern Gazette.

Our ACE Community, Beyond Gambling documentary Over the course of the project, a film crew recorded some of the participants’ stories, and the result is a short documentary which highlights the realities of problem gambling from a community perspective.

The Premiere Screening of Our ACE Community, Beyond Gambling is scheduled to be held at The Backlot in West Perth in July 2016, after which the documentary will be available via our YouTube channel Linkwest335.

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The CRC Project Linkwest is now one year into a two-year contract to provide targeted support and advice to Community Resource Centres (CRCs). In the first year we concentrated on Human Resources education and support, which was delivered in partnership with Jobs Australia. During this period we created 30 CRC-specific resources, delivered 10 CRC-specific training sessions and had direct contact with 83 CRCs. Feedback received from the CRCs has been overwhelmingly positive, and our relationship with this vital regional network has been equally rewarding.

Since April 2016, our shift has focused to phase two of the contract: to provide targeted support in governance and operational capacity.

Rewriting the Rule Book At the end of June 2014, funding of $20,000 was awarded by the Department of Local Government and Communities (DLGC) to help improve the productivity, capacity and functionality of Neighbourhood Centre governance.

In particular, the aims of the project were to support Centres in re-developing their constitutions to comply with the Associations Incorporation Act (2015), the ACNC Act (2012), and to include various optional, good practice clauses to help their organisation better manage their affairs.

The project included the development of a sector specific template constitution, face-to-face and online training packages, and fact sheets and checklists of suggested policies and systems to support implementation.

An online resource is also being developed, which is scheduled for release in the 2016-17 financial year.

Measuring Impact Training and Consultancy Project In 2015-16, Linkwest continued the success of the Measuring Impact Training and Consultancy project that was launched in September 2014. This year saw organisations that took on the programme start to implement the Results Based Accountability (RBA) framework, and an additional two organisations commence the Programme.

Linkwest’s growing reputation in RBA in WA has initiated new partnerships with other NFPs, universities and governments. In particular, Linkwest has helped to support a number of local governments to become familiar with RBA through the delivery of introductory workshops to council staff. Linkwest has also contributed to the research of the state of outcome measurement in WA NFPs through the Centre of Social Impact, and in May, Linkwest delivered two half-day training sessions in partnership with the University to Community (U2C) that covered the what, why and how of impact measurement.

As the programme draws to an end, Linkwest will develop a suite of online resources that NFPs can access for further information on RBA. Linkwest will also share the evaluation and learnings from the programme with its members and interested stakeholders.

It is envisaged that Linkwest will continue to play a key role in progressing RBA and impact measurement in Neighbourhood Centres and the broader sector.

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Capacity Building Projects

Governance Models and Workshops for Sustainability In June 2015, Linkwest received a $100,000 Capacity Building grant to provide capacity building support to its members and other not-for-profit organisations, enabling them to effectively respond to the current environment and challenges. The aim of the grant was to initiate community conversations on ways to enhance the sustainability of small NFPs, while ensuring ongoing community participation in those services.

In 2015-16, Linkwest engaged a consultant to conduct research on alternative ‘more sustainable’ business models and shared leadership options, with a focus on governance. The research highlighted the role of collaboration and how different types of collaboration can be formed and run to bring benefits to communities. This included possible ways to streamline governance requirements.

Linkwest has translated these findings into the Capacity Through Collaboration Toolkit. The toolkit provides an overview of the essentials NFPs may need to think through for four types of collaboration: auspicing, community hub, consortium and merger. It also features a number of real life examples of organisations that have adopted the models.

Using the toolkit, Linkwest will hold a series of workshops across WA that bring together Members, and their current or potential partners to explore how they can work better together.

The toolkit, case studies and results of the workshops will be shared with Members and other interested NFPs.

Co-design for Thriving Communities Just before the end of this financial year, Linkwest was awarded a grant of $100,000 to strengthen the sustainability of Neighbourhood Centres and Community Resource Centres in metropolitan and regional areas through building capacity to co-design services with local communities and other stakeholders, including local government.

This project, aptly named Co-design for Thriving Communities, builds upon the successful Governance Models and Workshops for Sustainability project, which focusses on sustainable governance and partnerships in and between small NFPs. The project will run until late 2017 and will offer small NFP organisations: •

An integrated framework for co-design and facilitation for engaging community and other stakeholders in funded, outcomes-based service delivery. It is based on the principles of collaboration, collective impact, RBA and Asset Based Community Development.

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Training, mentoring, co-facilitation and resources to support service model co-design in metropolitan and regional centres.

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Linkwest will be one of the host organisations, facilitating co-design among peak bodies.

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An online resource package including a toolkit, stories and case-studies, and access to an online learning community.

International Results Based Accountability Summit In September, Wynne, our Centre Development Manager and resident RBA guru, attended the International Results Based Accountability (RBA) Summit, in Sydney.

More than 250 sector leaders, elected officials, and not-for-profit professionals attended the Summit to (re)ignite their passion for RBA and see how it is changing the lives of children, families and communities around the world. A key theme was that RBA (and any form of outcomes measurement) takes time, but if you stay focused on the purpose of your Centre or partnership, the effort will pay off.

A little bit of humour and fun also goes a long way.

Pictured: Wynne Chow, with Mark Friedman, the creator of RBA.

Governance Resources Keeping our resources relevant to Member needs and to changes in legislation is an ongoing process.

Over the past year, in addition to the resources produced as part of our Rewriting the Rule Book project (refer page 11), we have been busy revamping and revising our comprehensive governance suite.

Management Committee Handbook All sections of this handbook, which offers general guidance on the range of issues that typically are dealt with in the running of a Neighbourhood Centre by the Management Committee, have been revised and updated. A brand new section covering organisational performance has been added, and templates have been added or improved.

Good Practice Governance eCourse Our self-paced Governance training resource has been completely overhauled.

The revamped (and renamed) resource – Good Practice Governance eCourse – is still in self-paced format, however there are now thirteen modules instead of eleven, which are in alignment with the revised Management Committee Handbook.

Go Governance Fact Sheets Our set of Go Governance fact sheets is one of our most popular resources. Each sheet focusses on a particular aspect of good practice governance, and has been given a facelift and content rewrite in line with changes to the Management Committee Handbook.

One of our priorities for the next twelve months is to make further amendments to bring these resources into line with the new the Associations Incorporation Act (2015), which came into effect 1 July 2016.

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An ongoing challenge for not-for-profit associations is the engagement and retention of board members.

Better Boards: Stronger Governance In addition to our ongoing mission to maintain the diversity and professionalism of the Linkwest Board (pictured above), we work proactively to assist our members and the broader NFP sector in this area. All our governance resources (see page 14) have sections devoted to this topic, and our Board Matching service – which comprises an ongoing committee recruitment request on the Institute of Company Directors Board Matching Service – is continuing to reap benefits for our Centres, with new board members making significant positive differences to the organisations they now assist govern.

Linkwest is also involved in a hugely successful programme, Engaging Young Leaders on Boards (EYLB), that is improving governance and leadership by engaging dynamic young professionals to sit on NFP Boards.

The 3 month programme is designed to empower participants with the knowledge and skills to step onto boards and committees within the aged care sector and broader community.

Linkwest is a community partner in the programme and on a few occasions we have had EYLB participants sit in on our Board meetings. This provides valuable real-life experience and a true taste of how an NFP Board operates.

For a few months last year, one of the programme participants, management accountant Seemar Riyat, was a ‘shadow treasurer’, learning the ropes from Linkwest’s 2014-15 treasurer, Toni Angelevski. When Toni stepped down at last year’s AGM, Seemar nominated for the Board and is now our current treasurer.

This year we have had another EYLB participant become a trainee board member, with the intention of nominating for a board position for the 2016-17 term.

We’re making a movie

Well, not exactly a movie... but we have been working with a video production company to create a short profile video that will explain: •

what Neighbourhood Centres are and why they are so important to the community, and

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who Linkwest is and how we support the Neighbourhood Centre sector.

A few of our member Centres have had the lovely lads from Alucinor Productions (pictured busy at work at William Langford Community House) on site to gather footage.

The video is scheduled to be launched at the 2015-16 Linkwest AGM after which it will be available through our website and YouTube channel Linkwest 335.

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Training and Professional Development While the Into the Spotlight conference was our primary training and professional development (T&PD) platform for the year, we continued to offer a variety of T&PD opportunities targeted towards our Members and other small community-managed NFPs:

Best Practice Governance Full and half day sessions offered a great opportunity for new and existing committee members to gain an understanding of best practice strategies in governance to help ensure a functioning and effective management committee/board.

Understanding your Financial Statements This two-hour workshop was designed for people who do not necessarily have a strong financial background, but need to use financial information for strategic decision-making.

Delivered by Grace Mugabe, Certified Practising Accountant and CEO of Financially Empowered, the workshop covered the profit and loss statement and the balance sheet.

Marketing Fundamentals This one-hour workshop focused on the fundamental concepts of marketing an NFP, getting people through the door, and how to keep them coming back.

Domestic Violence Response Training Sadly, 1 in 3 Australian women will experience domestic violence (DV) at some point in their lives. Chances are, while working with the community, frontline staff will encounter someone experiencing domestic or family violence.

Linkwest, in collaboration with Lifeline, offered frontline staff the opportunity to access accredited DV-Alert training to enable them to confidently: •

Recognise the signs of domestic and family violence

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Respond with appropriate care, and

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Refer affected individuals and families to relevant support services

Five of our member Centres took the opportunity to undertake this training which was offered in two separate two-day streams: General or Multicultural DV-alert response.

Networking Meetings Linkwest’s networking meeting continue to provide our full members an opportunity to connect with other Neighbourhood and Community Resource Centres in their area. Four networking sessions were held over the past year. Two in-person meetings covered the north and south metropolitan areas, and two online meetings enabled our regional and remote members to meet virtually via BeingThere video-conferencing technology.

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Shining the Spotlight on small community managed NFPs

August 2015 saw the culmination of months of planning and hard work, with the staging of our Into the Spotlight conference at the Mercure Hotel in Perth. The Hon. Tony Simpson MLA, opened the conference and the Hon. Andrea Mitchell MLA opened Day Two. As those who attended the conference can attest, the decision to partner with ConnectGroups for this event was a sound one. While, as peak bodies, Linkwest and ConnectGroups are well aware of the synergies between our collective members, bringing together these two groups really brought to light how aligned they are in terms of values, particularly of the common goal of creating stronger, more adhesive and more resilient communities.

We are sure that – after three days, sixteen workshops, one cocktail party, two AGMs, numerous keynote sessions, and lots of opportunities to network and mingle – that many delegates took home a much greater understanding and appreciation for the work undertaken by ‘the other’.

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Community and Support Tribute (C.A.S.T.) awards give recognition to those working on the ground in small, community-managed NFPs The culmination of the Into the Spotlight conference was our gala lunch and awards ceremony, which was a true celebration of the spirit of our sector. The awards honoured the work undertaken by Linkwest member Centres and the positive difference they have made within their communities over the past 24 months.

Linkwest Patron, Dr. Carmen Lawrence, was on hand to present the awards, and Ms. Karen Tighe from 720 ABC Grandstand was the Master of Ceremonies at this event, which included a three course sit-down meal in sumptuous vintage Hollywood surrounds.

We again congratulate the winners and finalists:

Community Building:

Unfunded Excellence

For the Centre which has demonstrated effective community development practices to contribute meaningfully to a stronger, healthier, more inclusive local community.

For the self-funded Centre that consistently engages its community with a varied programme of activities and events.

Winner: Brockman Community House Finalist: Roleystone Neighbourhood Family Centre

“I Can’t Believe It’s Learning” For the Centre that creatively encourages and promotes skills development through non-formal and informal learning.

Winner: Manjimup Family Centre Finalist: The Meeting Place

Cutting Edge For the Centre that has initiated an exciting learning programme which encourages and supports lifelong learning and development.

Winner: Rainbow Coast Neighbourhood Centre Finalist: Manjimup Family Centre

Centre Reinvention For the Centre that has turned its ‘fortunes’ around by adopting strategies which enable it to better respond to community needs.

Winner: Milligan Community Learning and Resource Centre Finalist: Sudbury Community House

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Winner: Norwood Neighbourhood Association Finalist: Beaufort Street Community Centre

Linkwest Super User For the Centre that has actively taken advantage of the training, resources and project opportunities offered by Linkwest.

Winner: William Langford Community House Finalist: Yangebup Family Centre

Neighbourhood House Week (NHW) is a nationwide initiative to celebrate the role of Neighbourhood and Community Resource Centres in the community.

Centres Grow Together and Eat Together at Neighbourhood House Week 2016

While Centres do great work year-round, NHW provides a real opportunity for them to showcase this work and extend their reach to those in the community who may not yet be aware of what their local Centre has to offer.

In 2016, Linkwest provided a number of small grants to encourage NHW activities in Linkwest member Centres and members of the Association of WA Community Resource Centres (AWACRC).

The Grow Together, Eat Together theme gave Centres the chance to explore what “growing” means to them. While the events that ran as a result of this initiative predominantly had a foodie focus, each Centre added their own twist.

The aim of these grants was to support Neighbourhood Centres and Community Resources Centres in raising their profiles and sharing their wonderful work with the world. Linkwest developed and provided all the event resources, including the logo, a dedicated NHW website, and branded promotional material.

Thirty Centres took up the grant opportunity, and the result was an inspiring combination of growing gardens, friendships, and communities. Sudbury Community House and Manjimup Family Centre, in partnership with the Manjimup Community Resource Centre – hosted two launch events (one metro and one regional), guaranteeing a fabulous start to the week’s activities.

The events offered Centres the chance engage with local decision makers, as well as giving Councillors and MPs the chance to venture into the heart of community. Local newspapers, magazines, and radio stations advertised these events and ran features on some of the activities. Every one of the participating Centres agreed that the initiative was successful in raising the profile of Neighbourhood and Community Resource Centres.

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Linkwest strengthening ties in the community When it comes to building and strengthening communities, there are lots and lots of organisations, associations, and individuals ‘doing their bit’.

While many are quite specific in their activities, Linkwest recognises there is still an interconnectedness between what they do and the services offered by our member Centres. So, when the opportunity arises (or we create the opportunity!) we like to get out and about and spread the Neighbourhood Centre message.

Community Legal Centres

Our CEO, Jane Chilcott, delivered a one-hour workshop to Community Legal Centres, explaining how, given the cross-over of audiences, they could work with Neighbourhood Centres to not just promote themselves, but to deliver their services. For example, Community Legal Centres could supply promotional material for our Centres to have on display, and our Centres could provide a venue for legal clinics and / or workshops.

Men’s Sheds

Like the majority of our member centres, Men’s Sheds are not-for-profit incorporated associations managed by a governing body, and exist for the betterment for their communities. Linkwest staff were on hand at the Beyond Tools Men’s Shed Conference, held at the Cannington Exhibition Centre in September 2015, to promote our organisation, our training and our resources.

Gateway to all of WA

At Linkwest’s Gateway to all of WA event, representatives from government departments, NGOs and not-for-profit agencies discovered how they could expand their service delivery across WA, by utilising the physical and digital resources available through our wonderful network of Neighbourhood and Community Resource Centres.

Steve Nikola, Project Coordinator at Westlink (pictured below) explained how the Government-run satellite television service can be utilised for both pre-recorded and live broadcasts to rural, regional and remote communities. Gerry Murphy, Director of BeingThere, gave an overview of the videoconferencing service used by the entire Community Resource Centre network...and Nicole Gale, Coordinator of the Women’s Health and Family Services (WHFS) Rural In-Reach programme, gave a live demonstration of this technology by linking in to the event from her offices in Northbridge.

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The ongoing success and sustainability of the neighbourhood centre sector remains to be Linkwest’s number one priority.

Advocacy

A number of issues have emerged this financial year, which have the potential to adversely impact not just our members, but a range of community managed not-for-profits.

Meeting with Ms. Simone McGurk MLA

In February 2016, Linkwest CEO Jane Chilcott and a number of community service leaders, met with Ms. Simone McGurk MLA: Shadow Minister for Community Services, Children’s Interests and Women’s Interests. It was a good opportunity to initiate dialogue both with the Shadow Minister and her policy officer around issues such as Award system complexities, the competitive tender process, funding and funding models, measuring success and other sector priorities.

State Budget decision surrounding Centre accommodation

In the 2016 – 17 State Budget, under the Department of Local Government and Communities item, was a decision

by Cabinet to cease providing property management and maintenance services for a number of local child care and Neighbourhood Centres. This change will be incrementally implemented until it takes full effect on 1 July 2018.

Our primary aim is to ensure our member Centres can keep doing the wonderful work that they do, and that these valuable assets remain in their communities. We will support our Centres through whatever transition is necessary to make this happen.

As a first step, Linkwest initiated contact with all twenty-three Linkwest member Centres affected by the State Budget decision, to gather information in terms of their concerns and how it may affect them. As the circumstances for each Centre is unique, this fact gathering will inform our way forward, both in terms of creating positive outcomes for our members and for the communities they serve.

Jane Chilcott has also met with the Hon. Tony Simpson MLA to discuss this issue, as well as representatives from WALGA, WACOSS, Playgroup WA, Meerilinga, Ngala, and The Gowrie, all of which are stakeholders that share similar concerns to Linkwest.

Open Tender for Service Agreements

While most of our member Centres have service agreements lasting until 2018, there is already growing concern of the prospect of having to compete in an open tender process for the next service agreement.

Linkwest President Dr. Nicky Howe, Board member Andre Foulon and CEO Jane Chilcott met with representatives from both the Department of Finance and DLGC to discuss this concern, in particular that local services could be lost to local communities if larger NFPs are awarded contracts. Both Departments want to work with the sector to ensure the best outcome for the community, and the services who provide for them. Discussions are ongoing.

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Gaining member insight into our services Feedback from our members helps us to improve the services and support Linkwest offers. We understand that to build a sustainable peak body and be a leader in the sector, we need to keep talking to our members.

In December 2015, Linkwest conducted an online survey of our members. The survey has enabled Linkwest to gain a stronger picture of how they feel Linkwest is performing and to identify areas of improvement for our services and support.

The survey also identified our members’ current top 3 priorities: 1. Community – engagement and development 2. Programme – design and development 3. Sustainability – growth and funding In response, Linkwest has committed to: refine the way we engage with our members, especially regional centres; find and use new ways to promote our members; better communicate our advocacy efforts; and develop and deliver sector training in service delivery and development.

Our members provide expert, independent advice Last year, Linkwest appointed a Community Reference Group (CRG) to provide expert, independent advice on a range of dynamic topics, including current and future service provision, sustainability, cross sector partnerships and social impact investment. The CRG – which is comprised of Linkwest full and associate Members – plays a key role in gathering and providing insight to Linkwest on issues, challenges and opportunities facing the Neighbourhood Centre sector.

The CRG members (pictured below) are located afar afield as Kununurra in the north and Busselton in the South, so videoconferencing technology usually comes into play for the meetings. In May however, our first full in-person meeting was held at the Linkwest offices in Nedlands. It was a jam-packed four-hour agenda, but discussions remained lively throughout, and at the end, all participants were able to relax over lunch and a cuppa.

Linkwest Resources During 2015–16, Linkwest not only added a number of new resources to its impressive suite, but also revised and updated some existing resources to ensure they remain relevant to current needs and legislation: Governance Effective Governance self-paced eCourse • Principles of governance • Roles and responsibilities • Creating a strong committee • Maintaining a strong committee • Legal responsibilities • Financial responsibilities • Purpose and strategy • Risk recognition and management • Policies and procedures • Performance management • Ethics and culture • Stakeholder management Go Governance fact sheets - set of 12 (revised version) Management Committee Handbook (2015 update) Assuring the Financial Position of your Centre Constitution Template Constitution Manual to the Template Constitution Templates Delegation of Authority Neighbourhood House Week 2016 promotional materials YouTube Videos Brief Guide to Community Engagement Job Descriptions Contracts of Employment Performance Management Constitution Training

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Linkwest Representing our Members Linkwest staff represents its members on the following committees: •

WA Peaks Forum

•

WA Peaks Policy and Sector Development Forum

•

Community Services Learning Network

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South West Metropolitan Partnership Forum

•

Australian Neighbourhood Houses & Centres Association (ANHCA)

•

Adult Learning Australia (ALA)

Rebecca, a Rising Leader

In November, our Centre Development Manager, Rebecca, along with 25 other participants, graduated from Leadership WA’s Rising Leadership Programme.

The graduates represent a diverse range of leaders from financial services companies, Western Australian private companies, international law firms, not-for-profits and the State Government.

The programme engages high potential leaders, giving them an understanding of how to become a better leader and how their skills can contribute to their workplace and community. As an alumnus of Leadership WA, Rebecca joins a broad network of over 550 leaders committed to making a real difference in Western Australia.

Membership 2015 – 2016 Full - 68

Associate - 28

Life - 8

New Members Full

Karratha Community House

Associate Individual Dane Kirwan Saravathy Reddy Elizabeth White

Associate Organisational CSD Network

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A Pictorial Overview of Linkwest

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Linkwest is a member of:

Linkwest The Peak Body for Neighbourhood Centres in WA ABN: 51 172 714 842 a: Suite 7, 37 Hampden Rd Nedlands WA 6009 t: (08) 9485 8929 / 1800 818 991 e: office@linkwest.asn.au w: linkwest.asn.au fb: facebook.com/linkwest tw: @LinkwestTeam -- 24 24 --