CEO Report

Colony 47 has always been the organisation you can turn to and during the 2009-10 financial year we have worked closely with the Tasmanian community to foster social justice and a sense of belonging for those in need. Meeting the needs and the expectations of our clients has remained critical to Colony 47’s mission.  The changing political and economic climate in Tasmania has meant a significant increase in demand for all Colony 47 services this year with notable increases in housing, mental health and family counselling services.

Colony 47’s current strategic plan has been central to its ability to respond well to the changing policy paradigm for community organisations.  Key themes of excellence, leadership and growth have built capacity and capability in the organisation to deliver innovative solutions to service delivery and diversify income streams. In all service delivery areas Colony 47 aims to excel and be seen as a leading organisation by government, our clients and the Tasmanian community.

Therese Taylor Chief Executive Officer

A long held ambition of Colony 47 has been to deliver our services statewide and in November 2009 we achieved this goal. It was a significant moment for our organisation when we opened our premises at 192 Charles Street in Launceston with the Aboriginal Information and Referral Service program.  We intend to use this base to grow our business in the north and north west of the state and we have already started by expanding our housing programs to deliver services in the north.

Changes in the political environment at the federal and state level can have a significant impact in an organisation like ours, which is so heavily dependent on government funds for service delivery.  We are vulnerable to policy shifts regardless of how well our current services are received by clients.  With the change of Commonwealth Government and a change in policy direction a number of our youth, education and employment programs ended during this financial year, including Youth Pathways, Colony Mentor Services, SCOPE and RICA.  As a consequence, well respected staff moved on and on behalf of the organisation I would like to thank them for their contribution.

Colony 47 was successful in obtaining a number of new programs in our core delivery areas of youth and family, housing and homelessness and employment and education. We also built capacity in a number of areas in anticipation of government reform and partnered well with a number of government agencies, businesses, and other service providers to deliver services that are innovative, timely and very well received by clients.

Colony 47 believes in people and we made significant investments in our staff through the renegotiation of our enterprise bargaining agreement. I believe we lead the state in attracting and retaining committed, professional and compassionate staff, both through the EBA conditions and our progressive professional development opportunities.  I thank the Executive team, Managers and all staff of Colony 47 for their dedicated commitment to our mission during this year.

As we look forward we can be reassured that the strategies outlined in the 2008 Colony 47 Strategic Plan are still relevant.  The Board of Colony 47 plays a vital role in this regard and continues to offer expertise, advice and guidance to lead us.  I thank Tracy Matthews for her professionalism and advice which I value enormously.  I also thank Directors who have left during this period and welcome those joining the Board.  The Board faces a number of challenges as we grow as an organisation while at the same time reinforcing the core mission of Colony 47: to be there for Tasmanians doing it tough.

The achievements of this last year, though significant, are the building blocks we will use to improve service delivery to our clients.  It is now time to reassess what we have achieved and redefine what needs to be done to ensure we are listening and we are responding to the needs of clients and our community.  We will explore innovative partnerships, seek opportunities and continue to advocate on behalf of the marginalised in our community.

Therese Taylor
Chief Executive Officer