TADNSW continues to deliver a unique and valuable service for people with disabilities and their carers. We are an exciting and dynamic organisation: our goal of providing innovative technical solutions stays constant, but the means by which this can best be achieved is ever-changing.
Our activities are constantly impacted by changes in technology, the products available on the commercial market, new legislation, fluctuations in fundraising and government support, and sociodemographic influences on the availability of volunteers with the skills and equipment required.
Charting our course through these changes is complex and demanding. The Board, management team and volunteers are constantly engaged in vigorous debate about the most appropriate path to take, all with the shared goal of delivering good service to our clients.
We are fortunate to have the strong leadership and wise counsel of Bill Phippen (President), Malcolm Lye (Deputy President), Grant Cockburn (TAD Foundation Chairperson) and other Board members in steering TADNSW toward our goal.
We depend quite heavily on the TAD Foundation for financial support. The Foundation conducted the TADHouse:Reaching New Heights capital campaign and has purchased new premises at
Northmead on our behalf, as well as making a generous annual contribution to our operating budget.
The Royal Rehabilitation Centre Sydney has provided us with significant support in the form of low-cost accommodation for many years. Work is under way to ensure that our close relationship with the centre is sustained after the move to Northmead in early 2008.
Highlights
Highlights of 2006-07 include:
Purchase of TADHouse, our new premises at Northmead;
Development of the FREEDOM WHEELS™ modified bike service, with the support of Amway and the One by One Foundation;
Achievement of reasonable activity levels in our services, despite a complex year; and
Very successful fundraising, achieving a 30% increase for the third consecutive year and resulting in a small surplus in the profit and loss account.
We have also established stronger links with TADAustralia, following meetings held in September 2006. The outcomes include plans to establish a national office with the capacity to provide support to state TAD organisations, including TADNSW.
These achievements were made possible by the effort and commitment of staff, our large teams of volunteers and our other dedicated supporters. Thank you to everyone involved for making a difference in the lives of our clients.
Looking ahead
Charting a wise course for TADNSW will continue to be a challenge in 2007-08. The consensus is that we should progressively increase our output, which will require intensive activity in our services and a well-managed move to TADHouse.
Effective service in 2007-08 and beyond also depends on continued government funding and the financial support of our donors. TADNSW has established a good reputation with our donors for delivering tangible and enduring services, and our Development team will strive to sustain their successes of recent years.
We will also continue to negotiate with government to maintain current levels of funding. The uncertainties surrounding our funding from the Department of Family, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, reported last year, have not been fully resolved, and funding beyond July 2008 is still to be negotiated.
TADNSW’s future must be based on strong teamwork, drawing together the best efforts of the Board, branches, staff, volunteers and donors. Together, we can produce a strong and effective service for people with disabilities and their carers.
