2012-2013 Annual Report by Dianne Ballestrin

2012-2013 ANNUAL REPORT

Our Conference members and volunteers provided almost $10 million of emergency assistance to 305,691 adults and children in their local communities

Our five Soup Van Services with the assistance of over 477 volunteers provided 241,800 meals to 664 people living rough each night

Our Vinnies Shops provided material aid valued at $2.5 million to people in need and almost $10 million was made available for distribution

Our Educational programs assisted over 90 students per week from a wide range oF backgrounds and ethnic groups to embrace a positive educational experience

Our 500 Vinnies Youth members continued to provide children’s activities such as Roadshow, Kids’ Camps, Kids’ Days Outs and Teen Days Out to over 1,000 children and teenagers.

VICTORIA

Our Asylum Seeker and Refugee programs provided support services, advocacy and material assistance to over 400 people to help rebuild their lives in a new country

The St Vincent de Paul Society in Victoria has over 12,000 members and volunteers providing assistance to people through its two arms: St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc. and VincentCare Victoria. Programs, services and facilities for both arms of the Society operate within the seven central council areas.

Local parish groups known as conferences are the heart of the St Vincent de Paul Society that enable our members to do together what they could not do alone. Conferences meet regularly, providing the opportunity for members to come together in mutual support and spiritual encouragement to review and organise activities, report on assistance given and together find better ways of responding to people in need. The St Vincent de Paul Society members are people who put their Christian faith into action by helping others in need personally, materially, socially and spiritually. Members do this by visiting people in their homes, serving them in our Vinnies Shops and meeting them on the streets through our soup vans.

ANALYSIS OF THE MATERIAL ASSISTANCE GIVEN BY CONFERENCES

NORTH WESTERN CENTRAL COUNCIL

NORTHERN CENTRAL COUNCIL

NORTH EASTERN CENTRAL COUNCIL

WESTERN CENTRAL COUNCIL

GIPPSLAND CENTRAL COUNCIL SOUTHERN CENTRAL COUNCIL

St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc. Central Councils Regions Conferences

EASTERN CENTRAL COUNCIL

VincentCare Victoria 7 34 302

Glenroy Community Hub Access Point Services

Family Violence Services

Case Management Services

HomeConnect Youth Outreach Support Services

Members

3,946

Community Housing Services

Associate Members

2,004

Inner Melbourne Community Hub

Mini Vinnies Conferences

Adult Outreach Support Services

Ozanam House

College Conferences

Homelessness Drug Dependency Program

Quin House

Youth Conferences Vinnies Shops

103

4.62% 0.93% 14.31% 2.43% 46.72% 3.90% 1.26% 13.90% 3.60% 6.30% 2.02%

At the heart of what they do is the sharing of themselves, person-to-person and the sharing of what they have: food, clothing, shelter, advice and friendship. Members assist people who are struggling to get back on their feet, empowering them to decide the future direction of their lives by giving them a hand up.

opportunity of getting to know people in need personally. By seeing first hand their personal circumstances and meeting their families, members gain a better understanding of their problems. Members hold seriously to the values of dignity, self-respect and confidentiality for the people visited.

Members do their work by going out in pairs, visiting people in their homes or where they feel comfortable and offering material assistance with food, clothing and furniture, advocacy and friendship. By meeting people face-to-face in their homes, members are given the unique

The statistics on this page relate to the level of support and material assistance provided by the St Vincent de Paul Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conferences during the year.

SOURCE OF REFERRAL OF PEOPLE ASSISTED

SOURCE OF INCOME OF PEOPLE ASSISTED

2.50% 2.78% 2.83% 74.86% 17.03%

Accommodation Cash Donated Food Education Food vouchers/Gift cards Other Prescription/Medicine Purchased food Transport Utilities bills Whitegoods

Church or similar Government department Non-Government agencies Previous caller Self-referred/Friend

6.28% 35.20% 22.81% 1.96% 2.73% 3.45% 2.71% 22.84% 0.42% 1.60%

Age pension Disability support Newstart/Unemployment benefits No income Other government Other/Not determined Salary & wages Sole parent payment WorkCover Youth/Study allowance

Conference statistics for the 2012-2013 financial year Cases where material assistance given

Adults assisted

Children assisted

$ value of assistance provided

Bread runs

Households assisted by bread runs

Visits not involving material assistance

Conferences

Members Associate Members

$ 1,681,204

1,488

6,740

1,176

833

663

9,334 $ 874,282

115

519

335

318

Eastern Central Council

21,236

28,597

Northern Central Council

8,484

12,597

Southern Central Council

23,545

34,467

28,836

$ 1,986,490

881

5,535

2,424

750

380

Seniorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Living Community Hub

Western Central Council

20,496

30,609

24,289

$ 1,564,408

501

1,872

810

733

330

Residential aged care facilities

Gippsland Central Council

9,959

14,132

12,999 $ 976,299

340

5,916

1,011

319

104

North Eastern Central Council

22,610

27,908

24,693

$ 1,615,631

1,445

3,400

3,495

500

155

North Western Central Council

16,363

21,160

20,163

$ 1,247,153

1,295

18,234

5,625

493

283

122,693

169,470

136,221

$ 9,945,467

6,065

42,216

14,876

302

3,946

2,004

Ozanam Community Centre

Social Enterprises Hub Ozanam Enterprises

Reconstructing Life After Dependency Program

15,907

ANALYSIS OF THE MATERIAL ASSISTANCE GIVEN BY CONFERENCES

NORTH WESTERN CENTRAL COUNCIL

NORTHERN CENTRAL COUNCIL

NORTH EASTERN CENTRAL COUNCIL

WESTERN CENTRAL COUNCIL

GIPPSLAND CENTRAL COUNCIL SOUTHERN CENTRAL COUNCIL

St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc. Central Councils Regions Conferences

EASTERN CENTRAL COUNCIL

VincentCare Victoria 7 34 302

Glenroy Community Hub Access Point Services

Family Violence Services

Case Management Services

HomeConnect Youth Outreach Support Services

Members

3,946

Community Housing Services

Associate Members

2,004

Inner Melbourne Community Hub

Mini Vinnies Conferences

Adult Outreach Support Services

Ozanam House

College Conferences

Homelessness Drug Dependency Program

Quin House

Youth Conferences Vinnies Shops

103

4.62% 0.93% 14.31% 2.43% 46.72% 3.90% 1.26% 13.90% 3.60% 6.30% 2.02%

The statistics on this page relate to the level of support and material assistance provided by the St Vincent de Paul Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conferences during the year.

SOURCE OF REFERRAL OF PEOPLE ASSISTED

SOURCE OF INCOME OF PEOPLE ASSISTED

2.50% 2.78% 2.83% 74.86% 17.03%

Accommodation Cash Donated Food Education Food vouchers/Gift cards Other Prescription/Medicine Purchased food Transport Utilities bills Whitegoods

Church or similar Government department Non-Government agencies Previous caller Self-referred/Friend

6.28% 35.20% 22.81% 1.96% 2.73% 3.45% 2.71% 22.84% 0.42% 1.60%

Age pension Disability support Newstart/Unemployment benefits No income Other government Other/Not determined Salary & wages Sole parent payment WorkCover Youth/Study allowance

Conference statistics for the 2012-2013 financial year Cases where material assistance given

Adults assisted

Children assisted

$ value of assistance provided

Bread runs

Households assisted by bread runs

Visits not involving material assistance

Conferences

Members Associate Members

$ 1,681,204

1,488

6,740

1,176

833

663

9,334 $ 874,282

115

519

335

318

Eastern Central Council

21,236

28,597

Northern Central Council

8,484

12,597

Southern Central Council

23,545

34,467

28,836

$ 1,986,490

881

5,535

2,424

750

380

Seniorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Living Community Hub

Western Central Council

20,496

30,609

24,289

$ 1,564,408

501

1,872

810

733

330

Residential aged care facilities

Gippsland Central Council

9,959

14,132

12,999 $ 976,299

340

5,916

1,011

319

104

North Eastern Central Council

22,610

27,908

24,693

$ 1,615,631

1,445

3,400

3,495

500

155

North Western Central Council

16,363

21,160

20,163

$ 1,247,153

1,295

18,234

5,625

493

283

122,693

169,470

136,221

$ 9,945,467

6,065

42,216

14,876

302

3,946

2,004

Ozanam Community Centre

Social Enterprises Hub Ozanam Enterprises

Reconstructing Life After Dependency Program

15,907

2012-2013 ANNUAL REPORT

Our Conference members and volunteers provided almost $10 million of emergency assistance to 305,691 adults and children in their local communities

Our five Soup Van Services with the assistance of over 477 volunteers provided 241,800 meals to 664 people living rough each night

Our Vinnies Shops provided material aid valued at $2.5 million to people in need and almost $10 million was made available for distribution

Our Educational programs assisted over 90 students per week from a wide range oF backgrounds and ethnic groups to embrace a positive educational experience

Our 500 Vinnies Youth members continued to provide children’s activities such as Roadshow, Kids’ Camps, Kids’ Days Outs and Teen Days Out to over 1,000 children and teenagers.

VICTORIA

Our Asylum Seeker and Refugee programs provided support services, advocacy and material assistance to over 400 people to help rebuild their lives in a new country

Our Mission

St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc.

The St Vincent de Paul Society is a lay Catholic organisation that aspires to live the gospel message by serving Christ in the poor with love, respect, justice, hope and joy, and by working to shape a more just and compassionate society.

State Council

Advisory Committees

State President’s Report

Chief Executive Officer’s Report

Organisational Chart

Executive Group

Our Vision The St Vincent de Paul Society aspires to be recognised as a caring Catholic charity offering ‘a hand up’ to people in need. We do this by respecting their dignity, sharing our hope and encouraging them to take control of their own destiny.

St Vincent de Paul Society

Eastern Central Council

Northern Central Council

Southern Central Council

Western Central Council

Empathy Advocacy

Gippsland Central Council

Courage

North Eastern Central Council

North Western Central Council

Hands@work

Soup Vans

Vinnies Shops

Migrants & Refugees

Overseas Development

Membership & Development

> The hand of suffering that receives the cup.

Vinnies Youth

When reproducing the St Vincent de Paul Society logo, all three components must be incorporated.

Compeer

Fundraising & Marketing

Vinnies CEO Sleepout

Events

Risk Management

Human Resources

Policy & Research

Social Justice

VincentCare Victoria

Financial Statements

Images

Thank you

Some photographs appearing in this Annual Report have been selected from iStockphoto.com to protect the identity of our clients.

Beginnings

Our Values Commitment Compassion Respect Integrity

Our Logo

The St Vincent de Paul Society logo incorporates the symbol of three hands which represents: > The hand of Christ that blesses the cup, > The hand of love that offers the cup, and

Patron The Governor of Victoria The Honourable Alex Chernov AO QC

Editor Dianne Ballestrin St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc.

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 3

The St Vincent de Paul Society is a lay Catholic organisation made up of over 12,000 members and volunteers as well as a small number of staff. In Victoria, the Society is governed by State Council currently consisting of 13 members, representing the members and volunteers, and overseeing the strategic direction of the Society. The 13 members are made up of eight elected members and up to a further seven appointments that may be made by the State President (at the time of this report five appointments have been made). The term of office for elected members is for up to four years with retirements occurring at any time during the year.

In addition State Council relies on external expertise for specific roles. Advisors are appointed and attend State Council as required to assist our work in legal, spiritual, risk management and other special areas. We sincerely thank previous State Council members John Bohan (Northern Central Council), Paul McCarthy (Southern Central Council) and

Bernie Trevaskis (North Eastern Central Council) for their commitment and years of service on State Council. Finally we also take this opportunity to acknowledge former Chief Executive Officer, Brian Dalton for his 18 years of service to both State Council and the St Vincent de Paul Society.

Anthony Tome State President

John Lazzari Deputy State President

Susan Dornom Vice President

Val Dunn Vice President

John Hayes Treasurer & Corporate Secretary

Michael Liddy Eastern Central Council President

Kevin McMahon Northern Central Council President

Michael Cashman Southern Central Council President

Paul McManus Western Central Council President

Terry Randall Gippsland Central Council President

Carol Messer North Eastern Central Council President

John Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien North Western Central Council President

Katherine Galea Youth Representative

Cam Battaglia Chief Executive Officer

4 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

The St Vincent de Paul Society has established various advisory committees to oversee specific areas of service within the Society. In many instances, the advisory committees and groups provide advice and recommendations to the St Vincent de Paul Society’s State Council so informed decisions can be made. Audit Risk & Compliance Committee This committee provides assistance to the St Vincent de Paul Society’s State Council in fulfilling its corporate governance and oversight responsibilities in relation to: financial reporting, internal control structure, risk management systems, and the external and internal audit function.

Compeer Advisory Groups There are two Compeer advisory groups, one in the east of Melbourne at Box Hill and one in Bendigo. The groups provide advice and support to the Compeer Program with respect to the program’s strategic direction, service delivery and development. Represented areas of expertise include: mental health including service delivery and policy, volunteer management, legal, marketing and fundraising, program volunteer, a St Vincent de Paul Society representative and a person with a lived experience of mental illness.

Emergency Recovery Liaison Committee This committee’s main purpose is to assist in coordinating the Society’s input into the ‘recovery’ phase of any major State emergency as well as any locally based disasters. Formed by representatives from each central council, the committee members liaise with local authorities and organisations to ensure people in need are properly assisted.

Finance Committee The primary role of this committee is to monitor and review the effectiveness of controls in the areas of operational and balance sheet risk, legal/ regulatory compliance and financial reporting. The overriding objective is to provide a review of budgeting, financial and other information provided by management. The committee provides advice on any significant financial proposals which occur, is responsible for overseeing the development of treasury policy and monitoring its operation to ensure that an effective policy of delegated

authorities is in place and that it is effectively monitored. The committee also advises on business risk management.

Fundraising, Marketing & Public Relations Committee This committee reviews, assesses and makes recommendations on strategies and policies as well as directing the conduct of major gift appeals and programs as well as capital appeals on behalf of the St Vincent de Paul Society’s State Council. The committee ensures that these activities are appropriate and that they will enhance the Society’s image as well as deliver outcomes that support the Society’s mission and ethos.

Membership & Development Committee This committee ensures that the St Vincent de Paul Society remains an effective force in its service to the disadvantaged and marginalised in our community. The committee oversees the recruitment, induction and ongoing training of new and existing members in all Victorian conferences and councils. It is also responsible to State Council for preserving the ethos, mission and spirituality of the Society and its members.

Mission Identity Advisory Committee This committee was established to lead and coordinate a cross-organisational approach to promote, integrate and serve our mission by practical action.

Overseas Development Committee This committee provides and takes advice from State Council on all matters relating to our responsibilities in providing support and assistance to our fellow Vincentians in the developing countries of Asia-Pacific. The

committee is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the three major support programs: Twinning, Assist a Student and Projects continue to grow and develop.

Refugees, Asylum Seekers & Migrants Committee This committee seeks to promote a sense of compassion and dignity towards new settlers while also providing a range of support services, advocacy and material assistance as people rebuild their lives in a new country.

Social Justice Committee The purpose of this committee is to engender in Society members the recognition, understanding and appreciation of social justice issues as they arise in the day-to-day work of the Society. The committee assists State Council to be an effective force at all levels, for the promotion of social justice in Victoria, and an effective part of the Society’s national promotion of social justice in Australia.

State Youth Team This committee provides strategic planning for Vinnies Youth initiatives as well as reporting on activities and discussing issues relevant to youth members within the Society. The team is chaired by State Council’s Youth Representative and comprises youth representatives from all central councils. All initiatives developed by the State Youth Team are actioned by the youth staff within the Membership & Development team.

Vinnies Shops Advisory Committee This committee oversees the operation of Vinnies Shops throughout Victoria, recommending and monitoring appropriate strategies, policies and directions for the development of shops to State Council. The committee also evaluates the administrative and management performance of all shops.

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 5

Firstly allow me to extend a thank you to my fellow State Councillors for their wonderful contribution during the year. I also acknowledge and thank all members on our advisory committees for the valuable time they put in and the knowledge they bring. To all our donors, benefactors and supporters, we are sincerely grateful for your continuing support of our work in the community and to our wonderful staff and volunteers, I also extend my thanks for their expertise and dedication.

As a consequence, and following a rigorous tender process, KPMG was appointed to develop a strategic analysis and vision to encompass all services provided by the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc.

Due to the completion of their four-year terms of office, this year has seen a number of changes on State Council with retirements of Central Council Presidents Bernie Trevaskis, Paul McCarthy and John Bohan. To each I thank you for your support, wise counsel and hard work.

Further, KPMG will identify emerging opportunities that may be needed to provide additional services to adults and children experiencing disadvantage and where the Society could help meet those needs.

I also take the opportunity to welcome Carol Messer, Michael Cashman and Kevin McMahon to State Council. Brian Dalton, General Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, decided to leave the St Vincent de Paul Society in January 2013.

The project methodology consists of four stages Stage 1

Project initiation

Stage 2

Current State analysis

Stage 3

Opportunity identification

Stage 4

Option development

Brian’s working career with the Society spanned 18 years, with the last 12 as General Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer.

At the time of writing, stages 1 and 2 are complete with stage 3 about to commence which will include market assessment and demand modelling.

Brian’s dedication, integrity, professionalism, communication skills, strong administrative skills and knowledge of the Society will be missed.

A finalised document, with recommendations and an implementation plan, is expected to be provided to State Council toward the latter part of this year.

We wish him well in whatever he decides to do. We welcome Cam Battaglia as Chief Executive Officer/General Secretary. Cam brings extensive senior corporate management experience, predominantly in the retail/service area, to the role. Cam was significantly involved in a world-wide charity that provided primary eye care to third world countries. Given the growing need for welfare within the community at large, during 2012 State Council decided to undertake a full review of how the Society is meeting its mission in present day circumstances.

6 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

Consistent with our mission, this is an exciting development for the St Vincent de Paul Society that will help streamline current services and provide strategies into the future that will meet the ever-changing needs of assistance. On Sunday 24 February 2013 we held our annual Ozanam Lecture. This year the lecture was given by Robert Fitzgerald AM Adjunct Professor, Australian Catholic University and Commissioner, Productivity Commission.

The lecture was entitled “Would Ozanam join the St Vincent de Paul Society today? Reimagining his call to faith, service and advocacy in our times.” During what was a difficult year for retail, our shops continue to contribute considerable funds towards the work of the conferences. Whilst they achieved the sales budget that was set, it is unfortunate that expenses were 3% above budget. This increase was mainly a result of staff and premises costs as well as the considerable cost of providing material aid, especially mattresses for asylum seekers, which reduced the bottom line to less than last year. The Federal Government’s decision that asylum seekers arriving after 13 August 2012 be issued a Bridging Visa E (mainly single males) would not be allowed to work (receiving only 89% of the lowest Centrelink payment) and have to find private accommodation after six weeks, has resulted in increased referrals to the Society for the supplying of material aid in the form of bedding and furniture. The Society receives no government support to supply this assistance and the increase in referrals has put an enormous strain on our resources which are additional to the normal assistance we provide. Anthony Tome State President

Since my appointment in April 2013, I have been truly overwhelmed by the scale of work undertaken by the St Vincent de Paul Society which impacts thousands of people across the State. The underlying strength of our organisation is our people â&#x20AC;&#x201C; our members and volunteers who generously give their time, care and compassion to those we serve. Supporting our members and volunteers, we have committed and passionate staff that have worked collaboratively all year to ensure that the Society fulfils its mission whilst adhering to its values. During the year our conference members completed in excess of 120,000 visitations across Victoria and provided assistance to the monetary value of $9,945,467. A further $2.5 million in material aid (equivalent) was supplied by the Vinnies Shops. Importantly, this assistance directly impacted the lives of 169,470 adults and 136,221 children in the community. Our Policy & Research unit has continued to provide valuable input to a broad range of forums in relation to ongoing changes to utilities pricing and the resulting impact on low-income households. The Society has been and will continue to be a voice for the disadvantaged. During the year a decision was taken to close the Vinnies Budget Groceries stores in Ballarat and Mildura. The Society worked diligently to provide low-cost groceries to disadvantaged communities through the use of a volunteer workforce and an objective of a break-even only trading. Over recent years the supermarket sector has become increasingly competitive and while the stores were operated at a very high standard they were unable to achieve the level of local patronage necessary to justify the required levels of ongoing funding. We remain very grateful to other welfare and community groups who worked closely with us on this project.

The financial results of the Society for the year indicates a surplus of $1.4 million (prior to consolidation). The result largely reflects increasing demands for support across the State and particularly an increase in material aid and the associated costs of supplying assistance especially to asylum seekers.

How we have helped: Conference visits

122, 693

Adults assisted

169,470

Children assisted

136,221

Value of assistance

$9,945,467

As the forecasted demand for our services continues to escalate, State Council have undertaken to review the strategic direction of the Society to ensure that the organisation is appropriately positioned to respond to changing and growing levels of poverty both now and in the future. We recognise that to achieve our mission, we need to collectively focus on developing our staff, continue to provide careful management of finances, identify further operational efficiencies and explore opportunities to grow our income. We remain confident that our planned initiatives, particularly across our retail and fundraising operations, combined with the outcomes of the strategic review, will ensure the Society is well positioned to respond to the challenges ahead. I wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding commitment and dedication of all Society staff throughout the year and look forward to working together with all stakeholders as we share the challenges and opportunities ahead of us. Cam Battaglia Chief Executive Officer

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 7

St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc. State Council

VincentCare Victoria Board of Directors

VincentCare Community Housing

Chief Executive Officer

St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc.

VincentCare Victoria

> Compeer

> Corporate Services

> Finance & Facilities

> Glenroy Community Hub

> Fundraising, Marketing & Public Relations

> Inner Melbourne Community Hub

> Human Resources

> Internal Audit

> Internal Audit & Risk Management

> Organisational Development & Strategy

> Membership & Development

> Risk Management & Continuous Quality Improvement

> Policy & Research

> Seniorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Living Community Hub

> Soup Vans

> Social Enterprises Hub

> Vinnies Shops

> Social Policy & Research

8 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

Paul Jackson Chief Financial Officer

Garry Webb Manager, Internal Audit & Risk Management

Elizabeth Cromb Manager, Compeer

Carol Taylor General Manager, Fundraising, Marketing & Public Relations

Cam Battaglia Chief Executive Officer

Gavin Dufty Manager, Policy & Research

Ann Timoney Manager, Human Resources

Patricia McCourt Manager, Membership & Development

Garry McBride General Manager, Vinnies Shops

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 9

“YOURS MUST BE A WORK OF LOVE, OF KINDNESS, YOU MUST GIVE YOUR TIME, YOUR TALENTS, YOURSELVES…” Blessed Frederic Ozanam, Founder

10 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

The St Vincent de Paul Society’s members and volunteers provide practical support, advocacy and friendship to the most vulnerable in our community. The majority of assistance provided by the Society is through local groups, known as conferences, our soup van services and Vinnies Shops. However the Society also provides assistance to asylum seekers and refugees seeking to rebuild their lives in a new country, as well as supporting individuals and communities in developing countries. The St Vincent de Paul Society is one of the most well recognised and highly regarded charitable organisations in Australia. The Society’s members, volunteers and employees reach out and serve the most vulnerable in our community through:

Home Visitation Visiting people in their homes, we extend the hand of friendship and offer practical support to people who seek our assistance. In some rural areas, due to distance, help is provided through the local conference assistance centre.

Vinnies Youth Supporting and encouraging young people in schools, universities and youth conferences to be active in assisting people in need in their local communities.

Soup Vans Offering meals, friendship and referral services to people living on the streets or in unstable accommodation. The first of the nine soup vans commenced operating in Fitzroy in 1975.

Asylum Seekers & Refugees Providing a range of services to support and assist refugees to rebuild their lives and establish a home in their new country.

Overseas Development Providing support to people in developing countries, fostering links and cultural exchange.

Vinnies Shops Providing quality clothing, furniture and household goods to people in need who are being supported by their local conference. Donated goods not required for supporting people in need is offered for sale to the public and the revenue generated is redistributed to further support the local welfare work of the Society.

Compeer

VincentCare Victoria

Supporting friendships between caring volunteers and people living with mental illness on a one-toone basis through regular contact.

Established in 2003 by the Society to provide a range of professional accommodation and support services to people that are facing disadvantage and those that are ageing throughout metropolitan and regional Victoria.

Education & Tutoring Assisting students from a wide range of backgrounds and ethnic groups to embrace and develop their educational experience through reading and tutoring programs.

VincentCare has developed service delivery models known as ‘hubs’. Each hub comprises a different mix of accommodation, support and health services driven by the needs of the catchment population. > Glenroy Community Hub > Inner Melbourne Community Hub > Seniors’ Living Community Hub > Social Enterprises Hub

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 11

Eastern Central Council The Eastern Central Council conference members have provided assistance to the value of $1,681,204 to 21,236 families in need during the last 12 months. Regions Conferences Members Associate Members Mini Vinnies Conferences College Conferences Youth Conferences Vinnies Shops Area covered

Northern Central Council The Northern Central Council conference members have provided assistance to the value of $874,282 to 8,484 families in need during the last 12 months.

7 69 833 663 10 8 4 18 East Metro

Regions Conferences Members Associate Members Mini Vinnies Conferences College Conferences Youth Conferences Vinnies Shops Area covered

3 31 318 89 6 1 1 5 North Metro

Eastern Central Council comprises the regions of Box Hill, Camberwell, Knox-Sherbrooke, Melbourne, Ringwood, Waverley and Yarra Valley.

Northern Central Council comprises the regions of Brunswick, Diamond Valley and Preston.

Educational Scholarships

Increased Demand

There are five scholarship/bursary schemes operating within the Eastern Central Council which help students who are struggling with the financial costs of education.

Calls for assistance have remained very strong over the past year, particularly in light of Government policy changes and cost of living pressures on vulnerable community members. Conferences have had to closely monitor their budgets, while continuing to effectively support those in need of assistance.

Knox-Sherbrooke The Knox-Sherbrooke Region, in partnership with the Ferntree Gully Parish and Knox City Council, assisted 31 primary students and 66 secondary students in 2013, with $21,715 in funding. Since the Vincentian Scholarship Scheme commenced in 2002, almost 1,500 students in both Catholic and State schools have benefited from $300,000 in funding.

Melbourne The Fitzroy Mobile Conference (Melbourne Region), funded by a bequest from the late Marie Therese Rochford in 2007, has provided 25 scholarships (each valued at $100) for students at Sacred Heart Primary School, Fitzroy. The majority of recipients are African refugees.

Black Saturday The Strathewen Special Works Conference continues to support those affected by the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires by distributing funds from the Strathewen Community Trust Fund. The conference’s work is almost complete and the Trust has expressed its gratitude for our small but energetic team entrusted with this task

Vinnies Shops Vinnies Shops continue to provide goods and finance for the Society and conferences. The Epping Hub also meets most of the furniture and whitegoods requirements of families we assist in the northern suburbs.

Yarra Valley

Reading Club

The Mooroolbark Conference (Yarra Valley Region) offers up to four scholarships, each valued at $200, to students at two parish primary schools annually. School principals will select this year’s recipients in October 2013. These scholarships aim to reduce expenses for students making the transition to secondary education.

The successful West Heidelberg Reading Club also continues to encourage a love of reading among primary school children. One hour sessions are conducted each Tuesday outside of school hours. The number of students enrolled is around capacity (20 students) and the volunteers attend regularly. It is pleasing to have the ongoing involvement of secondary students from Our Lady’s Heidelberg, Catholic Ladies’ College Eltham and Loyola College Watsonia. A new coordinator has been appointed and has settled in well and is doing great work. This very successful program is funded through bequest monies.

Camberwell The Hawthorn Conference (Camberwell Region) awards one or two scholarships each year. The Fred Flowers Fund, operated by the Deepdene/Balwyn Conference (Camberwell Region), this year awarded two $2,000 scholarships to students in local Catholic schools.

12 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

Recruitment & Training Recruitment and training continues to be a focus to update member skills, and helps us to meet the demands of those in need. Special efforts will go into recruiting new regional presidents for Brunswick and Diamond Valley.

Southern Central Council The Southern Central Council conference members have provided assistance to the value of $1,986,490 to 23,545 families in need during the last 12 months. Regions Conferences Members Associate Members Mini Vinnies Conferences College Conferences Youth Conferences Vinnies Shops Area covered

Western Central Council The Western Central Council conference members have provided assistance to the value of $1,564,408 to 20,496 families in need during the last 12 months.

5 48 750 380 9 7 3 16 South Metro

Regions Conferences Members Associate Members Mini Vinnies Conferences College Conferences Youth Conferences Vinnies Shops Area covered

5 57 733 330 7 8 5 18 West Metro

Southern Central Council comprises the regions of Berwick, Dandenong, Hampton, Mentone and Mornington.

Western Central Council comprises Altona, Broadmeadows, Central Highlands, Essendon and Geelong, stretching from Seymour to Queenscliff.

With conference calls often exceeding 2,000 per month, combined with bread runs, the Southern Central Council is extremely well served by its members and volunteers.

Increasing demands for assistance over the past year have highlighted the need for more recruitment, support and training.

Our council area is culturally diverse and we share our collective experiences, learning that hope is paramount for the people we support.

Training Training courses continue to run throughout the regions, focusing on this question, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What would Christ want us to do?â&#x20AC;?

Social Justice Our Social Justice Officer has found there are many burdens placed on families living across south east Melbourne, especially the challenging environment of rooming houses and their effect on individuals.

Tutoring Our Tutoring Project has been an outstanding success and has 145 students and tutors. A high percentage of students are from refugee or asylum seeker backgrounds.

Twinning Twinning, the program through which Australian conferences partner with developing countries to assist them to move towards self-sufficiency, is a continuing activity which our council develops within the 40 conferences across the regions.

Vinnies Youth We also support the community through Mini Vinnies Conferences, College Conferences and Vinnies Youth programs.

Our council continues to identify any service gaps provided to people seeking our help.

No Interest Loan Schemes The council supports two schemes at Hobsons Bay and Geelong which continue to grow.

Breakfast Programs Two successful breakfast programs operate in the Geelong Region. Members, volunteers, parents and students from local secondary colleges support and mentor children who attend.

Different Strokes for Different Folks More than 160 members attended an event which helped to build an understanding of the issues facing those we serve. We look forward to rolling out the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second stage in the near future.

Vinnies Shops We thank the wonderful volunteers at our shops that provided excellent service and supported our conferences.

Asylum Seekers Requests from asylum seekers are increasing and we are responding well. Recently issued asylum seeker guidelines have provided an excellent reference for members on how to proceed. With limited members in some areas it is gratifying to draw support from people working outside their normal conference boundaries.

Ongoing Development The ongoing development of the hub network will be vital in providing material aid, and our conferences and Festival Masses will continue until September 2013.

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 13

gippsland Central Council The Gippsland Central Council conference members have provided assistance to the value of $976,299 to 9,959 families in need during the last 12 months. Regions Conferences Members Associate Members Mini Vinnies Conferences College Conferences Youth Conferences Vinnies Shops Area covered

North eastern Central Council The North Eastern Central Council conference members have provided assistance to the value of $1,615,631 to 22,610 families in need during the last 12 months.

3 19 319 104 2 11 South East Victoria

Regions Conferences Members Associate Members Mini Vinnies Conferences College Conferences Youth Conferences Vinnies Shops Area covered

5 35 500 155 2 5 18 North East Victoria

Gippsland Central Council comprises the regions of East Gippsland, LaTrobe Baw Baw and South Gippsland.

North Eastern Central Council comprises the regions of Bendigo, Goulburn Valley, Mid Murray, Upper Murray and Wangaratta.

Spiritual Retreats

The council comprises 34 conferences across five regions.

The Gippsland Central Council hosted three Spiritual Retreats across Gippsland for members and volunteers. The retreats centred on the theme “Walking in the footsteps of Blessed Frederic Ozanam – keeping the faith”. They were facilitated by Fr Kevin Canty, a Vincentian Priest and the Chaplain to the Society’s State Council in New South Wales.

Bicentennial Celebrations

Festival Mass – Latrobe Baw Baw Region The Moe Conference hosted the 2012 Festival Mass in September. Five new conference presidents were commissioned at the mass. The guest speaker was John O’Brien, Chair of the Overseas Development Committee. John spoke about Overseas Development and the work they are currently doing to assist and maintain partnerships with developing countries. Members found John’s talk very informative and interesting. The Moe Conference did an excellent job hosting the mass and lunch.

Winter Kids Camps In June 2013 more than 30 children from across the Gippsland area attended the winter Kids’ Camp which was held at Coonawarra Farm Resort. The kids had a fantastic time and cannot wait to do it again. A big thanks to Vinnies Youth for organising and running the camp.

We gathered recently to celebrate the bicentennial of Blessed Frederic Ozanam and the work that continues in his footsteps. The gathering highlighted diversity in the conference’s responses to vulnerable people in our communities.

What we do Prior to the gathering conferences were asked for examples of community support responses falling “outside the square”. Innovative solutions are often seen by members as “just what we do”, without recognising the uniqueness of Vincentians responding to individual needs. The result was an inspiring collection of stories about encounters with people suffering many forms of disadvantage. A variety of programs are offered across our rural communities and our seven dedicated support centres are complemented by home visits. Wherever the encounter, the methodology is the same – empowering and enabling people to move through crisis or sharing in their journeys of isolation and poverty. Our work includes visits to aged care facilities, hospitals and prisons. Other efforts include: > Breakfast clubs > Coffee mornings > Community lunches > Tertiary scholarships > Tutoring programs > Assistance for asylum seekers and refugees re-settling into communities These works are evolving as we respond to changing forms of disadvantage in rural communities.

14 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

north western Central Council The North Western Central Council conference members have provided assistance to the value of $1,247,153 to 16,363 families in need during the last 12 months. Regions Conferences Members Associate Members Mini Vinnies Conferences College Conferences Youth Conferences Vinnies Shops Area covered

6 43 493 283 6 4 2 17 West Victoria

North Western Central Council comprises the region of Avoca-Tyrell, Ballarat, Colac, Glenelg, Sunraysia and Wimmera. The council members continue to serve people in a challenging environment where need for our financial and material assistance is growing.

Assistance Centre The Ballarat Assistance Centre has maintained a strong volunteer base, with members supporting 20 people on average per day. The No Interest Loans Scheme has received many referrals resulting in 614 loans valued at $600,000 being allocated.

Vinnies Budget Groceries The closure of our Vinnies Budget Groceries stores in Mildura and Ballarat became necessary due to a lack of public support and insufficient skilled volunteer labour. On the positive side, many volunteers gained permanent work through their traineeship experience and a closer working relationship with other agencies has been developed.

Providing Support Members provided both material aid and financial support to the Charlton community following substantial flooding and property damage. It was also pleasing to boost our membership with new members to the local conference.

Hands@work In March a purpose-built website for our members and volunteers was launched. The site known as Hands@work provides up-to-date information and resources about the St Vincent de Paul Society’s good works. This secure site is currently accessible to all members and associate members www.ourhandsatwork.org.au Hands@work was created to specifically support the services provided by members to people in need. The information offered is interesting, useful, relevant and accessible in ‘real time’. Currently the site offers members access to: > About us – comprising information on our history, mission, vision, values and organisational structure > Our Mission – comprising information about mission integration, spiritual reflections, supports and resources and Vincentian stories > Our Works – lists our services > Resources – providing support materials through the areas of conference support, external agencies, presentations and publications > News & Events – providing information on upcoming events as well as media releases that have been produced Hands@work will continue to evolve and develop in line with the needs and requirements identified by our members. The Hands@work site is a useful tool that will continue to provide information to benefit members but, more importantly, benefit the people we serve.

Vinnies Roadshow This year’s Vinnies Roadshow travelled to Monivae College in Hamilton, Emmanuel College in Warrnambool and Mercy Regional College in Camperdown. Our Vinnies Youth provided a great day for the children.

Centenary Celebrations Congratulations to Ballarat East Conference who will soon hold its Centenary Celebrations – an outstanding achievement.

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 15

The growing need for our services is a sign of harsh economic times.

16 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

The St Vincent de Paul Society’s five soup van services have had a busy year providing a friendly face and food to people in need. The growing need for our services is a sign of harsh economic times. During 2012-2013 our 477 soup van volunteers provided 241,800 meals to 664 people on average every night. The vans operate from Collingwood, Fitzroy, Footscray, Berwick and Moe, and this year we are considering opening another one to service a new area. This is in direct response to the obvious need for the kind of support soup vans provide. Soup vans are popular among volunteers with many ‘Vannies’ continuing their valuable service over many years. We are extremely grateful for their valuable support. Our success would not be possible without generous support from a range of sponsors, donors and suppliers. Many of our suppliers donate food and other products or provide them at heavily discounted prices. School students have volunteered on the vans and often bring gifts including woollen socks and toiletry packs for our friends on the street. This year, EnergyAustralia made a large financial contribution enabling the purchase of two new vans to replace others nearing the end of their working life. The Moe and Fitzroy soup van services gratefully acknowledge this support. Tasty Trucks were once again a constant supporter, donating excess food from their daily services to business. A community network of knitters, Knit One Give One provided beanies and scarves by the bagload, as well as mother/baby packs that included toiletries and blankets for newborns.

Food vans provide an effective way of contacting people who miss out on other important services. In partnership with Street Health, the Fitzroy Soup Van provided a medical caravan staffed by a GP and nurses at the usual Queen Victoria Market and Western Oval soup van stops. They provided bulk billed medical check-ups for visitors while waiting for the soup van. With the help of a group of young professionals on a mission to keep the community warm, we also distributed 1,172 blankets from three fundraising drives this year.

Vinnies CEO Sleepout Once again our soup vans and volunteers were present at the 2013 Vinnies CEO Sleepout, providing soup and basic food to hungry CEOs experiencing what it’s like to sleep rough on a cold Melbourne night. Many thanks to all volunteers who attended.

Soup Van service

Australia Day at Government House Our soup vans services participated in the Australia Day Open Day at Government House where the house and gardens were open to the public. Many people took advantage of the sunny weather and unique chance to tour the Governor’s private residence. Our two soup vans provided sandwiches and drinks to raise funds for the ongoing soup van operations.

College Conference Day This event brought 225 secondary students and staff from 22 schools to Camberwell’s Siena College to share and learn about topics of social justice. Participants received catered lunches from the van. Br Doug Walsh President, Soup Vans Victoria

Nights per week

Meals provided

People assisted per night

Volunteers

Berwick

12,480

Margaret Oats Collingwood

43,680

120

140

Matthew Talbot Fitzroy

127,400

350

175

Matthew Talbot Footscray

50,960

140

Frederic Ozanam Moe

7,280

241,800

664

477 St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 17

Our success owes much to the commitment and dedication of more than 6,500 volunteers who help raise funding for our conference support program.

18 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

Vinnies Shops are dedicated to generating sufficient income to fund the ever increasing assistance demands placed on the Society. Trading conditions in retail generally have been quite challenging over the past year. Retailers have reported very low to negative sales growth and some have been forced to close. New Vinnies Shops were opened at Geelong West in October 2012 and another at Bentleigh in June 2013. Sales rose 3% on the previous year thanks to our volunteers and staff. However, sales and expenses were impacted by the unexpected 25% increase in material aid provided to support asylum seekers. While these efforts provided valuable support to asylum seekers, the assistance reduced stock in our stores and impacted our revenues. Material aid valued at $2,551,000 was provided. This included clothing, furniture and household items.

Our Volunteers Everyday in Vinnies Shops youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find people who care enough about their communities to make a difference. They volunteer their time and talents to ensure that our shops are run to the highest standards. Volunteers are the backbone of our Vinnies Shops and the shops are the public face of the Society. Our success owes much to the commitment and dedication of more than 6,500 volunteers who help raise funding for our conference support program. Every volunteer has a personal reason for being there but many share a common motivation to help their communities. They tell us that as well as forging friendships and learning new skills at the shops, they get real satisfaction and pride from knowing their work benefits people in need. Providing development and training opportunities is integral to managing our Vinnies Shops volunteer program and a key to its success. Throughout the year, volunteers are offered the opportunity to participate in formal and informal training sessions, covering topics such as occupational health and safety, merchandising and customer service.

Training and development opportunities benefit both the Society and volunteers. The Society benefits from an increased base of committed and engaged volunteers while for volunteers they acquire transferable skills and greater confidence and knowledge. The not-for-profit landscape continues to evolve and change the way that people will seek to volunteer. Vinnies Shops must be ready and able to provide volunteers with individual experiences and to offer them the skills and experiences they seek.

Donations Vinnies Shops are dependent on the generosity of our thousands of valued donors. Donations of clothing, furniture and assorted household items are used for material aid support and to sell in shops.

Vinnies shops Financial Overview Total income

$ 29,974,073

Expenses

$ 20,215,720

Funds available for distribution $ 9,758,353

Our Staff In a year of continuous changes to improve processes, our staff has maintained strong leadership and support to volunteers. This has ensured our volunteers are working in a safe and supportive environment, and that each of the Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policies and procedural requirements are met. We thank them all for their fine efforts during the year. Garry McBride General Manager, Vinnies Shops

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 19

Refugees, asylum seekers and migrants are in a more precarious situation than the people conferences usually assist. This is because they are not entitled to social security and have fewer community supports, such as family and friends, to help them when they get into financial trouble. For many, the St Vincent de Paul Society is their only safety net. Over the last 12 months the Society has been challenged to respond to the growing numbers of asylum seekers in our communities. Early last year, the government was releasing many asylum seekers into the community on bridging visas while their claims for asylum were being assessed. These were usually single, male adults. Unaccompanied minors, children with their families, and vulnerable adults were being transferred to community detention where the Immigration Department had an obligation to provide furnished accommodation and healthcare. While in community detention, these people receive a living allowance 70% of the equivalent Centrelink payment to cover food, clothing and

utilities. Asylum seekers on bridging visas receive 89%, but have to cover rent and health costs too.

In the face of such destitution, we respond with the following efforts:

As the political climate changed, so has the treatment of asylum seekers. Any Irregular Maritime Arrivals after 13 August 2012 would be processed offshore under the ‘No Advantage’ principle. No asylum claims were processed for 10 months. Detention centres filled, forcing the Immigration Department to release more asylum seekers into the community with less support.

> Continue to provide material aid, emergency relief and hope.

Conference members have been shocked to find asylum seekers living in crowded, sub-standard housing without any furniture or household goods, including basic bedding or appropriate clothing to combat winter.

At State level, we have sourced more beds and bedding to be able to respond, not only to asylum seekers but all the people we assist. We have entered into agreements with referring agents to provide a more streamlined referral system.

> Defend asylum seekers whenever anyone calls them ‘illegals’.

The UN Convention on Refugees states that it is not illegal to seek asylum.

> Be informed. We have developed workshops and information to help conference members deal with the complex issues many asylum seekers may present with. > Get to know the people we assist. We don’t stop at one visit. We follow up and provide more than a bag of food or the occasional voucher. We also find out what services are accessible in local areas. > Every human has an inalienable right to human dignity. Brenda Hubber Chair, Refugees, Asylum Seekers & Migrants Committee

20 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

The past year has been very challenging for our international conference partners, known as Twins, with unstable weather patterns creating major flooding in Pakistan, India, Fiji and the Philippines. This caused loss of life and destruction of homes. National Council always provides financial support but, just as importantly, conference members unite to provide moral support through prayer and communication. The major highlight for the year was a local visit from two of our Twins from Myanmar, where we have 64 partners. Raymond and Mariano visited all seven central councils, presenting members with detailed insight into the Burmese way of life, and the growth and development of the Society in their country. The most valuable message received by our visitors is that members of the Society in Australia care and demonstrate empathy, solidarity and a willingness to help through the various pathways offered by our Twinning program. Victoria currently has 577 active Twins, while Council to Council Twinning has grown from 16 to 45. There are 275 Adult and 16 Youth Conferences Twinned with our Asia-Pacific neighbours. Apart from the prayer and communication component of Twinning, members provided $182,000 via quarterly transfers to assist our partners in the challenging environment they face in developing countries. Our commitment to projects has been strong with a diverse range of 35 applications received. These included loans for structuring small business, for purchasing cow and goat banks and building toilets for village sanitation. Self-help projects such as training centres for computer skills, medical clinics and soup kitchens have been supported. Our Myanmar visitors inspired members to support a range of their projects valued at $19,500. These involved training beekeepers, providing seed to sow special crops in hilly regions, cow banks and a tailoring shop. India was again supported with 20 projects, valued at $17,688, enabling the purchase of sewing machines, goats and pigs, and interest free loans to promote self-help. Additionally, members raised a further $17,500 to help offset running costs of the Jeevan Jyothi Home for Disabled Children in India.

Our commitment to nurse training at the Centre of Academic Excellence and the Centre of Accelerated Learning in Pakistan, valued at $92,000, was well supported by members.

be a little more generous during these special times. Council to Council grants to assist partners in offsetting operational costs responded well to promotion, reaching an all time high of $27,600.

The appointment of a dedicated person to coordinate the Assist a Student program has already contributed to increased support. A total of $73,924 was received from public donations with a further $25,791 from conferences. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus is to link the program to local Catholic schools. This has been well promoted with 6,800 pamphlets and posters distributed to schools.

We acknowledge the generosity of all who have supported these programs that are enabling us to make a real difference to those whose greatest challenge is to see the next day. John Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien Chair, Overseas Development Committee

Each year the Society raises additional funds through Christmas and Easter grants. This year the Society provided $115,800 to help Twins to

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 21

our conferences represent the society in action by responding to people in need.

22 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

“Go to the poor…Go not with empty hands.” Blessed Frederic Ozanam, Founder Our conferences represent the Society in action by responding to people in need. Frederic Ozanam, our founder, understood that many people he visited needed his friendship more than material or financial assistance.

Hands@work A new website to provide useful resources, information and contacts was launched for members.

The personal nature of our visitation work still makes our Society unique today.

THE Team

Regardless of where these encounters occur they are treated as visits. Vincentians offer friendship and Christ’s compassionate love. Also essential to the Society’s work is advocating for policies to improve living conditions and reduce poverty. This year 5,950 conference and associate members in 302 conferences provided almost $10 million of emergency assistance to 305,691 people in need. We have also had 668 new conference and associate members join the Society.

Education Programs

Asylum Seekers

The Dandenong Homework Tutoring Program supports students from refugee and new migrant families who are at risk of becoming detached from formal education. The program aims to help students to have a positive educational experience in order to remain connected to education, focussing on the educational needs of the students. Of equal value is the social development of our students and development of confidence, self-esteem and social interaction with mentors and peers.

We received an increasing number of requests from asylum seekers released into the community on bridging visas. Conferences in some areas have been assisting asylum seekers for many years, whilst other conferences experienced a sudden increase in calls for assistance. The first visit is almost always to provide emergency material aid to alleviate very poor living circumstances.

Schools In Victoria, 41 primary schools now have Mini Vinnies Conferences and 33 secondary schools have College Conferences. Members are commissioned and work on fundraising and other projects to increase awareness of social justice. Our staff shared the story and mission of the Society with more than 4,000 students and provided ongoing support to coordinating teachers. Our annual College Conference Day for secondary school students, themed “Welcoming the Stranger”, attracted 230 participants and outlined the problems faced by asylum seekers. This year the first Victorian Mini Vinnies Cluster Day themed “Helping Hands” gathered several local Mini Vinnies groups.

Education is a vital step in helping to break the cycle of generational poverty. Two established programs supported by volunteer tutors aim to achieve this through the Dandenong Homework Tutoring Program and the West Heidelberg Reading Club, with plans for an Ashburton book club.

The West Heidelberg Reading Club helps young children read with greater clarity and understanding; gain confidence in the understanding of a variety of texts but most importantly to increase their enjoyment of reading to make reading fun!

Workshops The Member Development Workshops assist members to improve their practical skills in areas such as making effective assessments, understanding mental illness and providing advice to those struggling with living costs. During the year, 72 training workshops were attended by 882 members.

Our team supports Society members at conference, region and central council levels with advice on policy and procedural matters as well as training and recruitment. Youth officers support the growth of Mini Vinnies Conferences and College Conferences in secondary schools. Our administrator provides conferences with administration support and maintenance of the membership databases and records. Our mission integration officer works with State Council to provide members with new opportunities to connect with the mission and values of the Society. The soup van coordinator joined the Membership & Development team this year and works to support and resource this special work. The Box Hill Call Centre services Melbourne metropolitan conferences and regularly receives over 300 calls daily for assistance. The call centre is staffed by volunteers supported by two job share call centre coordinators.

Bicentenary Celebrations The bicentenary of Blessed Frederic Ozanam was celebrated in 2013 with several key events. Among them were the Ozanam Lecture held at the Australian Catholic University and A Call to Serve, a new initiative to honour five long-serving members of the Society and Victoria with integrity and distinction. Other events were hosted by regions throughout Victoria by members and volunteers in honour of our founder. Patricia McCourt Manager, Membership & Development

A new workshop was developed to assist members with the complex issue of visits to asylum seekers. St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 23

this army of pintsized members is making a stand for social justice through activities including visiting the elderly, knitting scarves, parading fashions, raising awareness, collecting food and much more. 24 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

The St Vincent de Paul Society may have been started by 20 year old Frederic Ozanam but I doubt he would have ever envisaged the explosion in primary school aged students involved in Mini Vinnies Conferences. While the Youth Conferences and College Conferences continue to be very active throughout Victoria, there are now 42 Mini Vinnies Conferences (doubling from 2012) with more than 500 students involved. This army of pint-sized members is making a stand for social justice through activities including visiting the elderly, knitting scarves, parading fashions, raising awareness, collecting food and much more. Interest among secondary schools in College Conferences continues to grow with 33 active groups across Victoria. Student members can develop their leadership skills by getting involved in good works - not just at school but in the wider community. An increasing number of College Conferences are holding Vinnies School Sleepouts which are not only a bit of fun but help to promote awareness of homelessness. Youth Conferences remain strong and really take charge of running many of the Society’s children’s activities. Through Roadshow, Kids’ Camps and regular Kids’ Days Outs, parents and carers are given much-needed respite while the children have an incredible time. The Teens Program continues to get stronger as a dedicated group of young Vincentians take 12-16 year olds on regular Teen Days Out and Weekend Camps. With a focus on developing social and life skills, the personal growth in the teens that attend regularly reinforces the program’s value. It’s not just about kids and adolescents though. The young adults continue to run visitation in Port Melbourne and it has been encouraging to see more youth members involved in home visitations with senior conference members.

Bringing Together Vincentian Youth All levels of youth involvement focus on bringing groups of people together to network, share ideas and encourage each other. This year we held the first ever Mini Vinnies School Cluster Day. Themed “Helping Hands”, the day involved students from five primary schools in the outer south east joining a local secondary college for activities including playing the “Poverty Game”, learning the “Go Make A Difference” theme song and finding creative ways to support the Dandenong Homework Tutoring Program.

Vinnies Youth statistics: Central Council

Mini Vinnies conferences

College Conferences

Youth Conferences

Eastern

Northern

Southern

Western

Gippsland

North Eastern

North Western

In April more than 200 senior secondary school students came together for the annual College Conference Day, to focus on asylum seekers and “Welcoming the Stranger”. The day featured experiential activities, workshops and inspiring talks from young members of our community who shared their personal experiences. The content of the day was powerful and gave the students plenty of food for thought to take back to their peers. Young adult members united at the inaugural Victorian Youth Congress in May. Members from 13 conferences experienced outstanding keynote addresses (including the Society’s national CEO,

Dr John Falzon), social justice workshops, experiential activities and panel discussions. There was also time for socialising with a trivia night. Overall, it’s been another wonderful year of good works from the Society’s youth. In particular it has been a year of growth, learning and inspiration to re-energise the Vincentian charism.

Katherine Galea State Youth Representative

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 25

every year compeer provides a number of social activities that support our volunteers and thier companions in their friendships. 26 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

The Compeer program supports friendships between a caring volunteer and a person living with a mental illness. The program in Victoria operates in the eastern region, parts of the Casey Council Region in Melbourne, and also in Bendigo. Compeer has an advisory committee in Melbourne and a reference committee in Bendigo. Compeer recruited new members for both these groups in 2012. Each member brings their skills, experience and interest in the welfare of people with a mental illness, community engagement through volunteering and social inclusion to the support and development of the Compeer Program. All Compeer programs in Australia are special works of the Society. We work within the ethos of the St Vincent de Paul Society but also collaborate with each other on matters of mental health and Compeer program development. In March there was a two day national conference of Compeer programs held in Newcastle, New South Wales. Program staff shared resources, discussed the future of the mental health services sector and the impact this will have on the delivery of our programs.

Social Inclusion Every year Compeer provides a number of social activities that support our volunteers and their companions in their friendships. These activities range from small group gatherings to larger affairs. Over the last 12 months there have been picnics, coffee and cake catch-ups, a mid-year event with a sporting club theme and, of course, Christmas events.

a photographer and others who facilitated games and activities. Our patron Allan Fels also attended with his daughter. Guests were encouraged to take Polaroid photos of themselves and their friend as a lasting keepsake. Our participants thoroughly enjoyed the food and convivial atmosphere as well as the visit from Santa, games and prizes.

Approximately 70 guests in Melbourne and 25 guests in Bendigo attended our 2012 Christmas events. For both groups this was an opportunity to celebrate with others within the support network.

These activities contributed to the 5,364 hours of socialisation delivered by the program in 2012.

The Melbourne event was supported by a group of young professionals, known as 300 Blankets, who have been involved in fundraising for the Society through blanket drives. On the day there were 12 representatives, musicians,

Program Development There are seven team members in Compeer Victoria working from two sites. The team meets to collaborate on the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development,

to address the demands of the National Volunteer Standards, and to ensure the program is maintained at the highest standards, in keeping with the Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture, mission and vision. Staff also share their mental health knowledge and insight into the sector directions. At a time of significant change, the Compeer program needs to keep abreast of how consumer consultation is evolving, implications of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the push for greater partnership with services in this sector. Elizabeth Cromb Manager, Compeer

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 27

Thank you for putting food on the table and keeping us safe.

28 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

This year consolidated fundraising revenue shows that $10,095,128 was contributed to the Society throughout the year by our donors. This is a decrease on last year’s result of $973,303. A large percentage of this income is derived from the following fundraising activities. Fundraising Appeals

Vinnies CEO Sleepout

Bequests

The 2012 Christmas Appeal had a final appeal tally of $722,648, up by more than $47,800 on the previous year’s tally.

The fourth annual Melbourne Vinnies CEO Sleepout was again a success with 162 CEOs sleeping out at Etihad Stadium. $685,335 was raised at this year’s event and increased media attention including a social media campaign has helped to keep this issue on the national agenda.

The bequest program continues to grow with the launch of new marketing materials being used to promote the program. $2.3 million was bequeathed to the Society and bequests income continues to be a major source of revenue.

The 2013 Winter Appeal again broke all previous records with an increase of $36,737 on the previous year’s total. The final Winter Appeal tally was $917,671. The spring and autumn newsletter appeals saw increases as well with the spring newsletter generating $136,537 and the autumn appeal $194,801.

Helping Hands – Regular Giving Program The Helping Hands program continues its steady growth with income now at $242,203 per year, an increase of $31,329 on 2012 income.

School and Community Sleepouts This year we introduced School and Community Sleepouts. This is a new initiative and has been well received by the public. It enables primary and secondary school children and community groups to hold their own sleep out and experience what it would be like to be homeless. Proceeds from these events are redirected back into the local community.

Corporate Supporters We would like to thank all of our corporate supporters who have provided financial and in-kind support throughout the year for the Vinnies CEO Sleepout, appeals and our soup van operations. I would like to acknowledge the dedication and effort of the Fundraising, Marketing & Public Relations team in their contribution this year. The continued growth of revenue against a backdrop of difficult economic circumstances is a good result from the team. We would also like to express our gratitude to our donors and supporters for their loyal and continued support.

Carol Taylor General Manager, Fundraising, Marketing & Public Relations

HOW WE ARE TRACKING $1,000,000 $800,000 $600,000 $400,000 $200,000 $0

2013

Christmas Appeal

Winter Appeal

Society – Spring

Society – Autumn

Helping Hands

Vinnies CEO Sleepout

2012 St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 29

30 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

Melbourne’s fourth Vinnies CEO Sleepout was held at Etihad Stadium on Thursday 20 June 2013 with 162 business and community leaders ready to take up the challenge and sleep rough for a night. In Victoria the event raised $685,335 ($638,000 in 2012) while across Australia the Vinnies CEO Sleepout has raised $5.68 million to assist homeless services. It is pleasing to see CEOs embrace this event and assist the St Vincent de Paul Society to raise awareness regarding the issues of homelessness in our community as well as raising much-needed funds to support our services. In Melbourne, more CEOs participated and income increased by over $47,000. Once again Melbourne’s weather was perfect with an overnight low of 3ºC and with Etihad Stadium leaving the roof open plus its wind tunnels, a chilly night was ensured for all participants. Aegis Media Australia & New Zealand Aesop AGL Energy Limited Analyzer Financial Group Pty Ltd Appscore Arup Askin Performance Panels Association of Australian Convention Bureaux Atlantic Group [v] of Companies Australian Association of Massage Therapists Australian Glass and Glazing Association Australian Institute of Management Australian Multicultural Community Services Australian Training College Banyule City Council Bayside Medicare Local Be Positive Solutions Beilby Consulting Bendigo Property Services Bethany Community Support BMC Software Callout Computer Technicians Cardinia Shire Council Carers Victoria Caroline Chisholm Society Carrera Partners CatchOfTheDay Catholic Church Insurance City of Whittlesea City of Yarra CKI Corporation Pty Ltd Clayton Utz Clicks IT Recruitment Cognizant Technology Solutions Australia Pty Ltd Compu-Stor Confederation of Australian Motor Sport Cool Australia

Finding that ‘perfect’ spot is never easy but our CEOs made the best of the situation and slept on the stadium’s hard concrete causeway with only a beanie, sleeping bag, pillow and cardboard to stave off the winter chill. Our Vinnies soup van volunteers not only provided meals for the evening but also chatted with participants about what they see every night on the streets and how their work on the vans makes a difference.

the CEOs during the formal proceedings. We sincerely thank keynote speaker Simon McKeon, former Australian of the Year and the Chairman of Macquarie Melbourne for his address and MC Jim Middleton for moderating the panel discussion with key spokespeople from the homeless sector. The Society sincerely thanks all CEOs from the following organisations for participating in Melbourne’s 2013 Vinnies CEO Sleepout.

This year we were privileged to have His Excellency, The Honourable Alex Chernov, AC QC, Governor of Victoria participate in the event and welcome

Council to Homeless Persons Creativa Web Videos Cummins Filtration Dental Health Services Victoria DesignFlow Destination Melbourne Dixon Advisory Dog’s Bar Pty Ltd, St Kilda Arts & Events Co Pty Ltd Doquile Perrett Meade Doran Printing Dorevitch Pathology Dynamiq Eaton Corp Effective Measure EJM Financial Services ELISAkit.com EnergyAustralia Entity Solutions eps Extend (Australia) Pty Ltd Federal Government Fowles Auctions + Sales Fraynework Multimedia Garratt Publishing Growthpoint Properties Australia GSK group of companies Guide Dogs Victoria Harness Racing Australia Hay Group Health Purchasing Victoria Holding Redlich Holmwood Group of Companies Honeywell Infront Sports Consulting and Devlin Alliance Institute of Legal Executives (Victoria) IPA Personnel Pty Ltd IPC Global IQ Group Jardine Lloyd Thompson Australia Pty Ltd Keyhole Neurosurgery

Kloud Koala and Tree Kockums Bulk Systems Koustas & Co L&H Group Law Architects Pty Ltd Loan Market m.a.d.woman - making a difference m+k lawyers Macquarie Group Maddocks Lawyers Mahercorp Pty Ltd Make A Difference Office Supplies & Machines Marble Group Melbourne Aces Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Meridian Energy Australia Mitcham Private Hospital Mother of God Catholic Primary School Ivanhoe East MTU Detroit Diesel Australia MWH Global Nine Network Normark Landscapes NZX Limited OptimumSolar Optimus Health Group Our Lady of the Assumption School P2 Group Pactera Technology Quest on William Real Life Framing Pty Ltd Red Design Group Robert Bosch (Australia) Pty Ltd RSPCA (Victoria) RXP Services Sisters of St Joseph Health Care Victoria Southern Cross Austereo SRO St Gregory The Great Conference

St Gregory the Great School St John Bosco’s Parish - Niddrie St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc. State Trustees Stellar Asia Pacific Stockland Superannuation Complaints Tribunal Sussan Corp (Australia) Sustainability Victoria Sweet Cupcakes Pty Ltd TAC Thomas Duryea Consulting TLC Aged Care Trust for Nature UFS Dispensaries Ltd UXC Consulting Valenza Engineering Pty Ltd Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation Vietnamese Community in Australia – Victorian Chapter VincentCare Victoria VLGA Wacker Neuson Waverley Private Hospital Web Marketing Experts Willis Australasia Woolworths Home Division Workplace Training Advisory Australia WorkSafe Victoria WPC Group Youth Projects Zoos Victoria

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 31

8 32 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

In 2012-2013 Vinnies was active in Christmas Gift Appeal 2 HMAS Cerberus 3 Gracefest 4 Vinnies Gift Appeal 5 Geelong Blanket Appeal 6 2013 Ozanam Lecture 7 Myanmar visit 8 Garden Party at Government House 9 National Op Shop Week 10 EnergyAustralia supporting Vinnies soup vans 11 Anti-Poverty Week events supported by Soup Vans 12 South Sea Roller Derby 13 Aquinas Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tinnies for Vinnies 1

4 St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 33

As part of its risk management framework, the St Vincent de Paul Society maintains a Risk Register. The register is regularly monitored, reviewed and reported to State Council, the Audit Risk & Compliance Committee and senior management team. The Society’s overall risk management framework and process is based on the Australia and New Zealand ISO 31000: 2009 Risk Management – Principles and Guidelines. In accordance with these guidelines, the Society’s risk management framework integrates the risk management process into the organisation’s overall governance, strategy and planning, management, reporting processes, policies, values and culture. The key benefits of implementing an effective risk management framework are to: > Increase the likelihood of achieving objectives > Encourage proactive management > Raise awareness and the need to identify and treat risk throughout the organisation > Improve the identification of opportunities and threats > Comply with relevant legal and regulatory requirements and international standards > Improve financial reporting > Improve governance > Improve stakeholder confidence and trust > Establish a reliable basis for decision making and planning

In the coming year, the Society will upgrade the system to provide better opportunities to manage operational risks across the organisation. The Society will also commence a project to integrate its Risk Register within the system.

> Improve controls > Effectively allocate and use resources for risk treatment > Improve operational effectiveness and efficiency > Enhance health and safety performance as well as environmental protection > Improve loss prevention and incident management > Minimise losses > Improve organisational learning and resilience

Risk Register As well as forming the basis of risk reporting, the Risk Register is used to monitor management’s performance in implementing further strategies to mitigate residual risk. The Riskman System now operates across the organisation to record and manage OHS incidents, hazards and complaints. 34 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

Audit Risk & Compliance Committee This committee provides advice to State Council and the senior management team on the effective management of risk in all areas for which it has governance responsibility. According to the committee’s Terms of Reference, it carries out the following responsibilities: > Review of the Society’s risk profile to ensure that material business risks to the Society are dealt with appropriately. This includes: - Financial risk - Legal and compliance risk - Operational and other risks - Fraud prevention and detection activities - Internal controls over financial reporting - Insurance risk including clinical risk

> Ensuring there is regular reviews and updates of the Society’s risk profile > Ensuring material business risks have been dealt with in a timely manner to mitigate exposures for the Society > Ensuring an effective internal audit process is in place The Audit Risk & Compliance Committee and the Finance Committee share responsibility for providing advice to State Council on the Society’s consolidated accounts. The internal audit plan is developed from the risk management process, then reviewed and recommended to State Council for approval by the Audit Risk & Compliance Committee.

Garry Webb Manager, Internal Audit & Risk Manager

The Human Resources team delivers a full suite of employment services across the St Vincent de Paul Society. We work to ensure the Society’s workplace culture is aligned with our values, supports our people to be the best they can be and enhances our ability to meet strategic and operational goals. As at 30 June 2013, our organisation comprised 240 employees working in metropolitan and regional Victoria.

Diploma of Management in our retail arm, sessions on retail law, computer training and a variety of OHS programs. These included sessions covering OHS systems, fire and emergency, incident investigation and reporting, contact officer training and use of a defibrillator. Relevant conferences and seminars are also supported as an effective method of professional development.

Employee Orientation The year saw a complete revamp of our employee induction/orientation process. A cross-organisational team worked on this project and developed an orientation program with a clearer, stronger focus on our mission, vision and values. This is a program which integrates new and existing employees, enabling all staff to develop and strengthen their alignment to the organisation and its ethos.

Communication Each quarter we held meetings for all staff at central office including a CEO briefing, updates on current issues and presentations on a variety of topics suggested by employees. We also produced a new staff newsletter containing information from all areas of the Society, distributed quarterly and published on our intranet.

The program also covers the works of all areas of the organisation and provides compliance training in key areas such as Occupational Health & Safety (OHS), Workplace Bullying, Discrimination and Harassment.

Occupational Health & Safety

By end June, 65 employees had participated in the new program, which was very positively received.

This remains a high priority for the organisation. We have reviewed our OHS management structure and implemented a new OHS Steering Committee. This group is responsible for managing the safety culture across the organisation and informing the activities of two sub-committees – one covering our retail arm, the other covering conferences.

Learning and Development A mixture of on-the-job and formal training occurred throughout the year, addressing key organisational and individual priorities. This included running a

EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYMENT STATUS 175

OHS plans ensure that key priorities are addressed and to provide a workplace where our people can work without risk to their health and safety.

Policy All Human Resources’ policies were reviewed in line with our policy review framework and updated where required to ensure legislative compliance. This is an ongoing process to keep policies current, compliant and relevant.

Employee Wellbeing We offer a range of initiatives aimed at enhancing employee wellbeing including: > Family friendly, flexible work practices such as part-time work arrangements, job-share, time-in-lieu options and a Purchased Annual Leave Scheme (50/52) > Influenza vaccinations > An Employee Assistance Program for times when employees need extra support to manage some of the challenges they face. Ann Timoney Manager, Human Resources

TOTAL EMPLOYEES

163

140 105 77

35 11 0

Full time Female

Male

Part time

2 Casual

58.8% 41.2%

Females – 141 Males – 99

Total St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 35

The 2012-2013 financial year was yet another where the Policy & Research unit has actively highlighted changes to the cost of living and impacts on low income and disadvantaged households. A key highlight was analysis of energy concessions in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. This report was part funded by the Consumer Advocacy Panel and allowed us to employ May Mauseth from Alviss Consulting. These reports cover not only the current relative value of gas and electricity concessions but also value changes over time. They helped us achieve extensive national media coverage and are available at www.vinnies.org.au/energy The tariff tracking tool was also updated and expanded using analysis of energy prices across four states and documents changes in energy pricing and the nature of energy contracts by area, providing a detailed analysis of impacts on households. These reports also won national and local media coverage thanks to May Mauseth. The reports were summarised in a paper entitled “The National Energy Market – in a bit of a state” which also received national media coverage and resulted in facilitated meetings with State and Federal ministerial advisors.

The unit also accepted a student intern Jolene Aik who reported on international students’ experience of poverty. Jolene’s report received a High Distinction and is available at http://bit.ly/147iTRu Significant work was undertaken to update the Relative Price Index with help from Ian Macmillan. This report tracks multiple changes in cost of living, plotting impacts against income groups and household types. The unit maintained involvement with the Advanced Metering Infrastructure Ministerial Advisory Committee. This committee provides independent advice to the Victorian Government on the roll out of smart meters and associated energy pricing. The unit has also been involved with a number of working groups on smart meters. There were also a number of speaking engagements including: a keynote at a forum in South Australia regarding the effectiveness and value of energy concessions, the Power of

Pricing Conference in Sydney and the Credit and Collections Conference in Melbourne. A submission was made on behalf of National Council on the establishment of a national energy consumer body. A presentation was made to the Society’s Social Justice Forum in New South Wales – the inaugural forum to establish the Social Justice Committee for that State. Further presentations were delivered at Victorian functions including the Gippsland Central Council’s Social Justice Day and the Wangaratta Regional Festival Mass on topics including cost of living and energy market changes. On a number of occasions presentations were also given at the Social Justice in the City forums regarding the cost of living and energy prices. Meetings were held with energy ministers and senior public servants in three States regarding findings within the energy concession and tariff tracking reports. Meetings regarding issues such as the general cost of living were also held with other relevant ministers and shadow ministers. The Policy & Research unit has also been involved in ongoing committee meetings with senior government and business representatives. These provide direct access to key decision makers, allowing us to raise issues on poverty and inequality as well as propose solutions. The Consumer Affairs Working Together Forum focused on issues impacting Victorian households, housing, homelessness and essential service costs. We continue to be actively involved with the Australian Energy Regulator, Yarra Valley Water and customer committees with electricity companies including Jemena, AGL, United Energy and CitiPower and Powercor. The Policy & Research unit continues its aim to advocate on behalf of all low income and disadvantaged households. Gavin Dufty Manager, Policy & Research

36 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

“In my life I want to become better and do a little good.” Blessed Frederic Ozanam, Founder Social justice is a core principle of the St Vincent de Paul Society and as such the purpose of the Social Justice Committee is to engender in members the recognition, understanding and appreciation of social justice issues as they arise in their service with individuals and local communities. Members are in a unique and privileged position. They witness firsthand the circumstances and injustices suffered by the people they visit. Equipped with this knowledge, the Social Justice Committee identifies and develops practical strategies to assist members with particular social justice issues, while also working with external agencies and government bodies to improve or develop policies that deliver greater fairness for those we serve. The committee has focused on several core issues, including cost of living pressures, homelessness, housing affordability and rooming, and boarding houses. During the year the committee identified the following priorities: > Health and wellbeing – National Disability Insurance Scheme and Mental Health Support services > Cost of living – energy

A planning meeting was held in September 2012 to build cohesive Terms of Reference, objectives and a 12 month operational plan to clarify the Social Justice Committee’s future direction.

> Affordable housing

The meeting focused on three main areas for the committee:

> Homelessness

> Its role in the Society

> Increasing the New Start Allowance in line with the work of the Society’s National Office

> Conference support

> Monitoring and advocating on the impact of the Income Support Program through Centrelink

Subsequently the committee has endeavoured to produce and provide relevant information on homelessness.

> Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers > Placing and supporting Prison Ministry within the Social Justice Committee

> Focus for the next 12 months

This information was gathered in a series of facilitated workshops and a conference on the issue as part of Anti-Poverty Week.

The launch of Hands@work in March 2013 has provided another avenue for the dissemination of social justice materials and information. Hands@work supports members by providing interesting, useful and relevant information in ‘real time’. Consequently, the Social Justice section will be regularly reviewed to ensure the most up-todate materials are available to members. The Social Justice Committee will continue to provide information and workshops on relevant issues making an impact in our communities. Tony Proctor Chair, Social Justice Committee

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 37

to create opportunities and lasting change for the most marginalised.

38 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

Mission, Vision & Values

Services Overview

Mandate

In 2003 the St Vincent de Paul Society in Victoria established VincentCare Victoria to provide a range of professional accommodation and support services to people that are facing disadvantage and those that are ageing throughout metropolitan and regional Victoria.

VincentCare Victoria was established to extend the Christian mission of the St Vincent de Paul Society to support and advocate on behalf of the most disadvantaged Victorians. “Yours must be a work of love, of kindness; you must give your time, your talents, yourselves. The disadvantaged person is a unique person of God’s fashioning with an inalienable right to respect. You must not be content with tiding him or her over the crisis; you must study their condition and the injustices which brought about their condition, with the aim of a long-term improvement.” Blessed Frederic Ozanam (1813-1853)

Aspiration To be the leader in providing care, hope and advocacy for those facing disadvantage.

Purpose To create opportunities and lasting change for the most marginalised.

Values VincentCare is committed to expressing Christian love by embedding the following values in its culture: > Courage > Leadership > Accountability > Compassion > Excellence > Dignity

Motto People, Place... Purpose

VincentCare’s primary focus is to: > Provide quality services for the homeless, the aged, people with a disability, and men and women struggling with complex needs including substance abuse and mental health issues > Advocate for vulnerable and disadvantaged people, respect their dignity and rights and understand their needs so as to provide them with support and encouragement and enable greater independence In early 2012, VincentCare’s Board approved a new strategic direction and service delivery model for VincentCare Victoria. This new organising model ensures that we fulfil our mission to provide a range of tailored, adaptable, flexible and quality support services across the service continuum for the most socially disadvantaged adults and older people in our community. This is achieved by placing those experiencing disadvantage at the centre of all our operations. Hubs are the face of VincentCare – each hub comprises a different mix of accommodation, support and health services driven by the needs of the catchment population.

Seniors’ Living Community Hub comprises: > Seven residential aged care facilities across inner and metropolitan Melbourne and rural Victoria, providing a total of 350 beds and services for the aged.

Glenroy Community Hub comprises: > VincentCare Community Housing Services: transitional and long-term housing in Hume and Moreland and Independent Living Units across the State. > HomeConnect: VincentCare Victoria, in partnership with other service providers operates an early intervention/homelessness prevention project for people who have experienced, or are at risk of, homelessness.

> Case Management Services: a range of case management services for families and single people in crisis and/or with health needs. > Access Point Services: serves as the initial point of contact for people seeking housing and homelessness services in the Hume/Moreland area of Melbourne. > Youth Outreach Support Services: intensive case management support delivered through a range of services/programs including housing assessment, employment planning and private rental programs.

Inner Melbourne Community Hub comprises: > Ozanam House: a supported crisis accommodation service for homeless men. > Homelessness Drug Dependency Program: intensive drug and alcohol case management support to residents referred from Ozanam House. > Ozanam Community Centre: provides a range of support, health, housing and recreational opportunities for homeless people or those at risk of homelessness. > Quin House: an abstinence-based residential service supporting men with substance abuse issues through the delivery of a range of therapeutic and support programs. > Reconstructing Life After Dependency Program: assists clients once they leave Quin House to maintain a stable housing and substance-free lifestyle by addressing a range of psycho-social needs including education, employment and housing. > Adult Outreach Support Services: intensive case management support through adult outreach services and support programs.

Social Enterprises Hub comprises: > Ozanam Enterprises, an Australian Disability Enterprise providing employment to over 80 people through a social firm model. Ozanam Enterprises provides a range of supported employment and training opportunities to people with disabilities or facing other forms of disadvantage. John Blewonski Chief Executive Officer, VincentCare Victoria

> Family Violence Services: two women’s crisis services operate in Melbourne and rural Victoria.

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 39

for the St Vincent de Paul Society and its controlled entities

STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2013

2013 $

2012 $

CONTINUING OPERATIONS REVENUE Fundraising activities

10,095,128

11,068,431

Government grants

29,263,814

26,048,715

Sale of goods

31,029,547

29,859,250

Other revenue

12,427,749

11,433,251

Net gain on sale of property, plant and equipment

TOTAL REVENUE

83,230,224

413,986

78,883,148

473,501

Cost of sales

(22,032,935 )

(19,689,394 )

GROSS SURPLUS

61,197,289

59,193,754

Fundraising/public relations

(1,424,135 )

(1,330,834 )

Administration

(3,633,243 )

(2,910,875 )

Impairment expenses

(1,855,000 )

(2,500,256 )

People in need services

(10,354,184 )

(9,137,944 )

Residential aged care services

(23,502,887 )

(20,702,776 )

Accommodation and support services

(14,903,314 )

(12,949,363 )

Other support services

(3,326,861 )

(3,035,893 )

SURPLUS FOR YEAR FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS

2,197,665

6,625,813

812,346

(151,804 )

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME Changes in fair value of financial assets designated as at fair value through Statement of Comprehensive Income

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR

812,346

(151,804 )

TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE SURPLUS FOR YEAR

3,010,011

6,474,009

2,197,665

6,625,813

3,010,011

6,474,009

Surplus for the year attributable to: Owners of the organisation Total comprehensive surplus attributable to: Owners of the organisation

Statement by State Council In the opinion of the State Council the financial report as set out in the fully audited Financial Statements: 1. Presents a true and fair view of the financial position of the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc. as at 30 June 2013 and its performance for the year ended on that date in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Reduced Disclosure Requirements and the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012. 2. At the date of this statement, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc. will be able to pay its debts as and when they become due and payable. This statement is made in accordance with a resolution of the State Council, and is signed for and on behalf of the State Council by:

Anthony Tome State President

40 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

John Hayes Treasurer

Dated this 27th day of September 2013 Fully audited Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2013 are available upon request. Auditor: Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Banker: Commonwealth Bank of Australia

for the St Vincent de Paul Society and its controlled entities

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 30 JUNE 2013

2013 $

2012 $

CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents

Trade and other receivables

43,007,825 45,535,484

Inventories

Financial assets

5,425,519 2,943,523

Other assets

TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS

2,496,127 1,659,679 126,333

226,893

890,399 992,000 51,946,203

51,357,579

NON-CURRENT ASSETS Financial assets

Property, plant & equipment

4,382,507 2,368,638

Intangible assets

TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS

78,810,872

78,827,428

TOTAL ASSETS

130,757,075

130,185,007

65,697,781 65,812,020 8,730,584 10,646,770

CURRENT LIABILITIES Trade and other payables

2,862,035 3,663,377

Provisions

5,386,955 5,118,559

Other liabilities

14,988,668 17,045,895

TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES

23,237,658

25,827,831

NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES Provisions

958,683 806,453

TOTAL NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES

958,683

806,453

TOTAL LIABILITIES

24,196,341

26,634,284

NET ASSETS

106,560,734

103,550,723

EQUITY Reserves

36,394,049 34,847,484

Retained earnings TOTAL EQUITY

70,166,685 68,703,239

106,560,734

103,550,723

St Vincent de Paul Society Victora Inc. 41

Thank you to all the individuals, churches, community groups, corporations, trusts and volunteers who support the St Vincent de Paul Society each year. Your support is invaluable and makes a significant difference to the people we assist. The St Vincent de Paul Society relies heavily on the generosity of the wider community to support vital programs and services for people in need. Thank you to all the thousands of individual donors who have given generously over the past 12 months.

The Society recognises that people give in a variety of ways: some give their time, their skills, their prayers or gifts in-kind, whilst others give financially. We are very grateful to all who support the Society.

Trusts & Foundations

Business & Government

Bell Charitable Fund Brasher Family Foundation Carter Family Trust F & J Ryan Foundation Ivy H & Arthur A Thomas Trust Lord Mayor’s Charitable Fund Macquarie Group Foundation Melbourne Archbishop’s Charitable Fund Minter Ellison Charitable Gifts Committee Newman’s Own Foundation P A & S M Hardy Family Trust School’s Canteen Education Foundation of Australia The Bernard & Mary Euhus Charitable Trust The Gray Family Charitable Trust The Honda Foundation The Leonard & Michael Harris Foundation The LR Cazaly Trust Fund The Marian & E H Flack Trust The Michael & Andrew Buxton Foundation The Noel & Carmel O’Brien Family Foundation

A C Partners for A Plus Other Pty Ltd A E D Nominees Pty Ltd Allens Linklaters Antiquarian Bookseller Pty Ltd ANZ ANZGSO Baker & McKenzie BHP Billiton Matched Giving Program Blueprint Financial Casamento Photography Cistercian Monks City of Casey Clare Industries Pty Ltd Clarke Legal Compu-Stor Conundrum Holdings Pty Ltd Delron Investment Pty Ltd Dixie Cummings Enterprises Doran Printing Egans Equipment Pty Ltd EnergyAustralia Fairfax Media Limited Ford Motor Company of Australia Ltd Gargan Chiropractic Centre Geotechnical Engineering Hack, Anderson & Thomas HMAS Cerberus Hotondo Homes

Hydro Flow Pty Ltd IGA Community Chest Johnson Controls Australia Pty Ltd Ladro Gertrude Latrobe City Council Law 554 Leader Community Newspapers Local Government Professionals Inc Magistrates’ Court of Victoria Malvest Pty Ltd Moores Legal Mulnot Pty Ltd OrganizerSoft Pty Ltd P & M Harbig (Holdings) Pty Ltd Pescatore Constructions Providence Pty Ltd Raffindale Nominees Pty Ltd Richmill Pty Ltd Rockit Advertising Ryan Bros Bus Service South Seas Roller Derby State Government of Victoria Sun Health Foods Pty Ltd Tasty Trucks Telstra Corporation Ltd The Herald & Weekly Times Ltd Victorian Mortgage Management Group YCW Co-operative Society

Schools & Community Groups 300 Blankets Aquinas College (Ringwood) Ave Maria College Brunswick Secondary College Catholic College Bendigo Emmaus College Jesuit Community of Newman College John Paul College Knit One Give One Kolbe Catholic College Kostka Hall Mothers Association Lions Club of Footscray Loreto Convent Nazareth College Redemptorist Community Sisters of Mercy St Patrick’s School (Mentone) St Vincent Liem’s Centre Sts Hoan-Thien Catholic Community Whitefriars Catholic College Xavier Social Justice Network

Media

Bequests

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to all Victorian media outlets (newspapers, radio stations, online and television stations) for promoting the Society’s appeal advertisements free of charge.

The St Vincent de Paul Society has been most grateful to receive a number of generous bequests in the last 12 months. This thoughtful provision for the future needs of the Society and those we serve is much appreciated.

Design:

Photography: Casamento Photography 03 9347 9156 Printing:

42 Do something about it 2012-2013 Annual Report

Campbell Design Group 03 9597 0137

Doran Printing 03 9587 4333

The inspiration and foresight of three people have been instrumental in the establishment and work of the St Vincent de Paul Society. In Victoria, the Society is over 158 years old and provides assistance to people through the work of over 12,000 members and volunteers. We pay tribute to our patron and founders and continue to be inspired by their teachings and the example of their lives. St Vincent de Paul

Bl Frederic Ozanam

Fr Gerald Ward

Patron

Founder

Australian Founder

Vincent de Paul was born in the small southern French town of Pouy (later renamed St Vincent de Paul in his honour) on 24 April 1581 and ordained as a priest in 1600 at the age of 19. As a young man he ministered to the wealthy and powerful. However an appointment as chaplain to a poor parish, and to galley prisoners, inspired him to a vocation of working with those most marginalised and powerless. Vincent urged his followers to bring God’s justice and love to people who were unable to live a full human life: “Deal with the most urgent needs. Organise charity so that it is more efficient… teach reading and writing, educate with the aim of giving each the means of self-support. Intervene with authorities to obtain reforms in structure… there is no charity without justice.” Vincent de Paul died in Paris on 27 September 1660 at the age of 79. He was canonised on 16 June 1737 and, in 1883, the Church designated him as the special patron of all charitable associations. The Society was named after St Vincent de Paul and follows his teachings and compassion for people in need. St Vincent de Paul is the international patron of the Society.

Frederic Ozanam was born in French occupied Milan on 23 April 1813. He was the fifth of fourteen children. In Paris at the age of just 20, Frederic established the St Vincent de Paul Society. At this time, the people of France were experiencing tremendous political and social upheaval: changes of government, the Industrial Revolution and unjust employment practices. Ozanam gathered some colleagues and began to respond in practical ways to the poverty and hardship he saw in the lives of people around him. They visited people in their homes and offered friendship and support. This practice, known today as ‘home visitation’, remains a core activity for St Vincent de Paul Society members and volunteers. The group formed by Ozanam and his friends later became known as the first ‘conference’ of the St Vincent de Paul Society. They met together regularly as a group for prayer and mutual support, to learn and to share ideas about how they could best assist others. Frederic Ozanam died on 8 September 1853 at the age of 40. He was beatified in Paris by Pope John Paul II on 22 August 1997.

Gerald Ward was born in London 1806 and arrived in Australia on 7 September 1850 after being recruited to work in the Melbourne mission by the pioneer priest Fr Patrick Geoghegan. The first conference of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia met in Melbourne at St Francis’ Church on 5 March 1854. The first president was Fr Gerald Ward. With the discovery of gold in 1851 and the rush to the goldfields of central Victoria, the population doubled and homeless, deserted children roamed the streets. Fr Ward and the new St Vincent de Paul conference responded to this acute problem by establishing the St Vincent de Paul orphanage in South Melbourne. The foundation stone was laid in 1855 and the first children were accepted in 1857. In 1855, in a submission to the government of the day, Fr Ward stated that the new conference aimed at “the relief of the destitute, in a manner as much as possible permanently beneficial and the visitation of poor families.” Gerald Ward died on 14 January 1858 aged 52. A newspaper noted that “he was one in whom many a widow and orphan had found a good friend.” His enduring legacy is founded in such friendship.

You can help the St Vincent de Paul Society help others by: Making a financial donation

Credit card donations can be made by visiting our website or calling the donation hotline. All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.

Online www.vinnies.org.au or call 13 18 12

Making regular financial donations

Regular donations to assist the work of the Society can be made by credit card or direct debit from your bank account. Donating this way reduces Society expenses and can be arranged by visiting our website or calling the office. All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.

Online www.vinnies.org.au or call 03 9895 5800

Making a Bequest

Consider remembering the St Vincent de Paul Society in your will. The Society is able to assist thousands of people because of the generosity of those who have remembered us in their will. For an information booklet or to speak to our Bequest Coordinator.

Call 03 9895 5800

Volunteering your time

If you are interested in becoming a member of a conference or volunteering your time to assist people in your community through any of the Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services.

Call 1300 305 330

Donating goods

Donations of quality clothing, furniture and household goods can be made to any Vinnies Shops.

Call 1800 621 349

VICTORIA

St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc. Locked Bag 4800, Box Hill Vic 3128 43 Prospect Street, Box Hill Vic 3128 Phone: 03 9895 5800 Fax: 03 9895 5850 Email: info@svdp-vic.org.au