Executive Officer Report
In the face of huge challenges, Edmund Rice Camps SA Inc can be proud of
its achievements over the last year. Our camps & activities have been
dynamic and effective. Our training and influence on the lives of volunteers
has been commendable. In our long-term development work we have focused our
resources to achieve real and lasting impact on children’s, young people and
volunteer’s lives.
This work is possible thanks to the efforts of many people. Last year, I
supported a number of fundraising ventures run by the Fundraising Team. I was
fortunate enough to work alongside some very skilled volunteers and supporters
of the camps and activities and I pay tribute to their dedication and hard
work.
On the following pages you can read about some of the ways in which we are
aiming to achieve lasting change as well as respite and holidays for children
and young people. A key priority is providing inspiration and support in a
safe, happy and respecting environment.
Making a Difference
For people who believe in every child or young person’s right to the best
possible start in life, Edmund Rice Camps work is of vital importance. In all our work we recognize and support the
key role of children and young people themselves in helping to secure their own
future. Children, young people and volunteers are not just our beneficiaries;
they are also our partners. We listen to what they have to say about the
difficulties they face and the difference Edmund Rice Camps can make.
Change
Edmund Rice Camps SA is proud of its record of working with children, young
people, families and volunteers over the past 14 years, and our aims have
remained steadfast in the sea of changes in the wider society, the Edmund Rice
Network, and in the agency itself.
Looking towards the future we are hoping to continue to expand our services
offered to children, young people, families and volunteers, by continuing to
offer and expand the number of our activity days, introducing a parents and carers group, continuing to develop our furniture match-up
service, offer more training and development (both professional and personal)
opportunities for volunteers.
If there is any certainty in Edmund Rice Camps, as in life itself, it is
that change is inevitable. If we can look with assurance into the future, it is
because we can look back at the foundations built over the past 14 years.
Fundraising
In 2004 we received a record level of grant and fundraising income, in a tough fundraising environment we have
maintained our level of voluntary income. We successfully managed our budget
without cutting our program work. In the current year we plan to further
develop our training and other fee based services together with developing a
new fundraising strategy with a view to increasing our level of annual income.
This will be backed up better with cleared and consistent communication with
schools and other children’s services in SA.
We received a record amount of in-kind support for our programs and
activities this year with a number of individuals, businesses and organisations supplying food, equipment, accommodation,
facilitating activities and sessions which has significantly reduced our
operating costs for the camps and activities.
Best Practice
We continue to strive towards being the best we can in all areas of our
programs. We use evaluations and actively seek to get honest feedback to help
us identify our strengths and opportunities for improvements. We participate in
audits and encourage our key stakeholders to engage in them with us. We
continue to offer quality training, personal and professional opportunities to
our volunteers and staff.
Working Together
We have committed ourselves to being more accountable to children, young
people and our volunteers, our principal stakeholders. Children and volunteers
shape and in some cases lead projects, they have been
increasingly involved in reviewing the impact of our programs and influencing
our future plans. We continue to play a role in developing closer ways of
working with our Edmund Rice Camps Australia partners. Together we plan to take
up the challenges of offering our services to children young people and
families who are experiencing difficulties and are moving towards a unified
Edmund Rice Camps presence in
Thank you
We are proud of our achievements over the past year – in our program work
with children and young people, in our training and supporting of volunteers,
particularly the young people whose lives has been influenced because of our
involvement, and lastly in our fundraising efforts. Our staff, volunteers and supporters have
worked hard to bring about lasting improvements to children’s and families
lives.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed
in the many and various ways to Edmund Rice Camps, the assistance received from community organisations,
volunteers, schools, and individuals. Without the tireless and unsung help our
work would be far less effective Thank you all for your efforts which have made this possible and I look forward to
working with you all in the coming year…
Melanie Tate
Executive Officer