crn annual report 2016-2017crn.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/crn-annual-report-2016-2017.pdf ·...

ANNUAL REPORT

2016 – 2017

CONTENTS

WHO WE ARE 3

PRESIDENT’S REPORT 4

MANAGER’S REPORT 6

REPRESENTATION 8

CAPACITY BUILDING 9

CONNECTION 10

INFORMATION & RESOURCES 11

TREASURER’S REPORT 12

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 13

CRN MEMBERS 15

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 16

WHO WE ARE

CRN Annual Report 2016-2017 3

BOARD MEMBERS

President

Kittu Randhawa

Vice President

Rowena Stulajter

Treasurer

Stephen Frost

Secretary & Public Officer

Vikki Hine

Ordinary Members

Bhagya Chettipally

Lisa Gobo

Chris Lamerton

Nila Anirudhan

Jenni Goodwin

Community Resource Network (CRN) Inc is a sub-regional

peak community development organisation for Blacktown,

The Hills and the surrounding local government areas

(LGAs).

Our Vision

Empowered local communities and organisations that are

vibrant, robust and connected.

Our Purpose

The principal purpose of CRN is to work with organisations

that operate in the Western Sydney area to directly

alleviate poverty and distress suffered by economically and

socially disadvantaged communities.

CRN aims to achieve this purpose by:

Building the capacity of service providers to work

together on issues affecting disadvantaged

communities.

Enhancing the level of engagement of vulnerable

and disadvantaged communities.

Strengthening the voices of disadvantaged

communities by representing their views.

Providing information and resources on community

projects, programs and networks assisting

disadvantaged communities and vulnerable groups.

Our Values

Our values are the driving force that underpin all our

actions and form the core of our culture and brand. We:

Embrace diversity

Give voice to inequality

Influence innovation

Empower communities

Collaborate responsively

STAFF

Manager

Margaret Tipper

Project Officer -

Capacity Building

Karen Greenhill (to Oct 2016)

Maia Giordano (from Feb 2017)

Project Officer -

Communications

Anthony Brown

Administration Accounts

Brenda Ransom (to Oct 2016)

PRESIDENT’S REPORT


Kittu Randhawa

Welcome to Community Resource Network’s (CRN) annual

report for 2016-17. It has been a time of change for CRN,

incorporating sector reforms and renewed strategic

directions both of which are outcome focussed.

CRN has a proud history servicing the Hills and Blacktown

area from 1981 (founded as Blacktown City Community

Services Council); with key achievements along the way.

This year our BCI interagency meeting reached the 20 year

milestone, a meeting that is a platform to build networks

for frontline workers and share information in the local

area; it’s fair to say it is a networking success, so thank you

to those who started up the meeting.

The community, the sector and the demographics for the

area; have changed vastly since CRN began. Therefore

CRN is also adapting to emerging and changing needs.

As such, CRN began the year by ratifying a whole new

Strategic Plan with a vision to empower organisations

supporting an increasingly diverse demographic and be

representative for the whole community. A vision and

direction that is to be implemented through a robust three

year Operational Plan by:

• Developing and distributing Information & Resources

• Providing appropriate representation and advocacy at

the right levels for CRN members and the local

community

• Helping build sustainable connections with

contemporary tools to increase participation for

members and community

• Build capacity through effective training, sharing

resources, developing learning circles and more

mentoring opportunities.

CRN’s funding falls under the NSW State Government’s

Family and Community Services (FACS) Community

Builders Program and this program, along with the other 5

programs, under the Targeted Earlier Intervention (TEI)

program are currently in transition to reform.


The reform is being undertaken as it is recognised that we

need to intervene earlier to reduce the numbers of children

reported as, at risk of significant harm, and that more

children and families need support to have more positive

pathways in their lives.

The outcome we look forward to is being an organisation

that lives up to our name. An overall focus on community

as a whole; better and wider access to a cumulative

resource pool and opportunities to build relevant

sustainable networks.

Like most, we have faced our challenges as an organisation;

I therefore would like to thank all the staff who have shown

dedication to the work of CRN. I would particularly like to

welcome Maia Giordano our newest staff member who has

quickly made a great impression so has immediately

become a valuable asset.

I would like to thank all the board members for their time,

perseverance and especially commitment to CRN. The

board, all volunteers; have this year put in a lot of extra

time to address legacy issues, so that CRN can move

directly into the Operation Plan in the coming year.

It goes without saying we could not deliver without the

support of our funding bodies, to whom we extend our

appreciation in recognising the valuable work of CRN.

All of us at CRN thank our members for their continued

membership and welcome our new members. We have

seen an increase in numbers this year, which we are

confident will be a trend that will continue as outcomes

from our new Strategic & Operational Plans demonstrate

increasing value CRN offers.

“An overall focus

on community as

a whole; better and

wider access to a

cumulative

resource pool and

opportunities to

build relevant

sustainable

networks.”

MANAGER’S REPORT


Margaret Tipper

The 2016-17 year, certainly lived up to my last Annual

Report where I commented that the commonalities among

community service organisations were “reform” and

“transition”. This was the case with CRN being involved,

through my representation, as the Co-Chair of the FACS

Targeted Earlier Intervention (TEI) Local Committee and,

therefore, a representative on the FACS TEI District

(Western Sydney) Reference Group.

TEI has taken up a lot of my time throughout the last six

months of the 2016-17 year. This is an exciting time that

will, hopefully, bring about more positive outcomes for

service users and providers. The TEI looks at the current

service provision and service gaps in communities. It has

meant that organisations have had to look at the work that

they do in communities and match them to various

frameworks that FACS have produced, which also aligns

with the NSW Government’s Human Services Outcomes

Framework.

CRN has had ongoing discussions with Blacktown City

Council on service delivery into the North-West Growth

Corridor and how community services will be delivered in

these new areas. Council kindly presented at a Blacktown

Combined Interagency on the growth areas and the data

on these development areas. CRN is also keeping a

watching brief on the redevelopment areas of brownfield

sites in Blacktown and The Hills as medium to high density

takes over from separate dwellings.

To that end, CRN participated in a number of planning

meetings on these areas, including attending a number of

meetings with the Greater Sydney Commission. I was

fortunate to be asked by the Department of Planning to

attend a workshop on BIMBY-Beauty in My Backyard,

where they had brought out an organisation from the UK

and desktop exercised how community can be involved at

the earliest point, before development applications are

submitted.

CRN has developed a trusted role over our 36 years of

operation in providing peer-to-peer mentoring for

organisations when they have issues and ideas that they

need to discuss with an external mentor.


Throughout the 2016-17 year, many of these conversations

took place and is why all CRN staff undertake ‘Accidental

Counsellor’ training to skill us up in these areas.

CRN has been involved in so many areas, that within this

report, I cannot outline them all. Some are: the Agency

Contact List and the Email Distribution Network which

continue to be tools that are in great demand. Our work as

the auspice of the Blacktown Combined Interagency

continues to flourish as a forum for sector and skill

development. We also continue to partner and collaborate

with many organisations, including private, all levels of

government, residents and others.

I would like to thank the CRN Staff - Anthony Brown, Karen

Greenhill (from May 2016 to October 2016), and Maia

Giordano from February 2017 for their contributions to a

great Team. A special thank you to Brenda Ransom who

retired from her work at CRN in October 2016, after

working with us since 2002.

A special thanks to our Funders – NSW Family and

Community Services, Castle Hill RSL (who provides funding

under ClubGRANTS for the Hills Agency Contact List) and

our CRN Members. Special thanks to K&L Gates who

provided legal advice in CRN applying for DGR status,

albeit, unsuccessfully. Also, thank you to the organisations

that continue to use CRN and that we represent and

advocate for in our work.

Finally, special thanks to our CRN Board: Kittu Randhawa

(President), Stephen Frost (Treasurer), Rowena Stulajter

(Deputy President), Vikki Hine (Secretary), Bhagya

Chettipally; our new Board Members – Lisa Gobo, Chris

Lamerton, Nila Anirudhan, Jenni Goodwin; and, Abbas Raza

Alvi who retired from the CRN Board in July 2017.

The Board initiated a review of our Strategic and

Operational Plans, and we are working toward these goals.

I look forward to working with you all throughout 2017-18.

“This is an

exciting time

that will,

hopefully, bring

about more

positive

outcomes for

service users and

providers.”

REPRESENTATION


Advisory Roles

TEI Meetings

ClubGRANTS Committee

Representation

Growth in CRN

Membership

As a sub-regional peak body, CRN represents local

community organisations by acting in advisory roles and

on grant committees, writing submissions to all levels of

government, involvement in advocating on issues, and

providing input at consultations and policy forums.

HIGHLIGHTS

Co-Chair of the FACS Targeted Earlier Intervention

(TEI) Local Working Group.

Member of the FACS TEI District (Western Sydney)

Reference Group.

Represented the NGO sector on both The Hills and

Blacktown ClubGRANTS Committees.

Participant and contributor at the NCOSS Sector

Development Forums.

Submission to The Treasury on the Tax Deductible

Gift Recipient (DGR) Reform Opportunities

Discussion Paper.

Represented local NGOs on the Blacktown

Community Safety Advisory Sub-Committee.

Provided input on the Disaster Plan for Community

Organisations template, a project of ACOSS.

17% increase in CRN Membership.

FEEDBACK

“CRN has a vital role in being a two-way

conduit in the TEI Reform process. Your

work is invaluable to the sector in the

current climate. The sector is rapidly

changing and CRN is a valuable tool to

keep us up-to-date and advocate on

members behalf.”

55

17

17%

2

CAPACITY BUILDING


Total attendees at

BCI Meetings

Organisations Represented

at BCI Meetings

Instances of

Mentoring & Support

Workers received

Leadership Training

In order to strengthen the local community, CRN supports

organisations and individuals in their work by coordinating

relevant training, workshops and presentations, providing

mentoring and support, facilitating planning sessions and

developing research and reports.

HIGHLIGHTS

Coordinated 10 Blacktown Combined Interagency

(BCI) meetings which was attended by 346 people,

representing 106 different organisations,

government agencies and individuals.

Provided a mentoring and support role to

community workers on 103 occasions.

Partnered with The Ariel Group to provide

subsidised training on Leading with Presence:

Storytelling, which was attended by 12 local

community managers and workers.

Supported the successful transition process of a

Member organisation which merged with a larger

organisation to expand and strengthen their

service delivery and long-term sustainability.

Worked with many organisations across Blacktown

and The Hills to address issues of governance,

constitutions, partnerships, mergers, staffing,

communications, and other matters within their

organisations.

FEEDBACK

“A BIG THANK YOU for your support

through this process. Your wisdom and

knowledge has been invaluable to me

personally. I am appreciative there is an

organisation such as yours, that I could

turn to! You made a difference in this

journey!”

346

103

12

106

CONNECTION


Emails Distributed for

Organisations

713 Email Subscribers

Referrals & Advice

Interagency Meetings

Supported

Increase in website visitors

CRN plays an active role in building connection within

communities through ongoing support of local

interagencies, facilitating partnerships, collaborations and

networks, providing an email distribution network, making

referrals and engaging in online communication.

HIGHLIGHTS

Collaborated with Blacktown City Council and

SydWest Multicultural Services to plan and

coordinate the Blacktown Community Services

Conference which was attended by 107 people.

Partnered with 7 organisations to plan and

coordinate the Blacktown Community Services

Expo which was attended by 90 Stallholders and

around 800 members of the public.

Ongoing collaboration with other organisations as

part of the Western Sydney Collective and

Blacktown Emerging Communities Action Plan

(BECAP) team.

Increased engagement through meetings with

local Aboriginal organisations.

613 Emails distributed for Organisations

promoting their programs, events, training,

services, resources and job vacancies.

27% increase in email subscribers to 713.

201 referrals and advice provided to 850 people.

Supported 16 different interagencies through

participation at 51 meetings.

37% increase in website visitors.

42% increase in Facebook followers.

FEEDBACK

“CRN brings like-minded organisations together to assist

collaboration and ensure better outcomes for our

community by facilitating networking and partnership

opportunities within the community sector, government

agencies and the corporate sector.”

613

27% Increase

201

51

37%

INFORMATION & RESOURCES


Agency Contact Lists

Distributed

Organisations,

Government Agencies

& Individuals Received

Agency Contact Lists

Sector News &

Information Shared

Interagency Calendars

Downloaded

CRN develops, distributes and makes available information

and resources that are relevant to community workers such

as updating local agency contact lists, disseminating sector

news and information, developing an interagency database

and providing information referral.

HIGHLIGHTS

Updated the Blacktown and Hills Agency Contact

Lists (ACL) for 2017.

Distributed 3,470 ACLs to around 580

organisations, government agencies and

individuals.

Provided 166 sector development news and

information by email to CRN subscribers and at

interagency meetings.

Updated the Blacktown and Hills Interagency

Calendar and information for 2017 which was

downloaded 519 times.

Updated our database of community service

organisations for The Hills and Blacktown areas

which is used as a resource for information referral

to community workers.

FEEDBACK

“CRN is an absolutely fantastic service for

increasing awareness of local information

and resources.”

“Thank you for the role you are playing, it

is beneficial to a lot of people. I find the

emails to be of great value, as I have been

able to attend training and pass

information to colleagues and volunteers.”

3,470

166 5

19

580

TREASURER’S REPORT


Stephen Frost

The 2016-17 year has seen Community Resource

Network (CRN) have an audited result of no loss, or

surplus, which is zero operating profit.

The Total Equity of CRN remains unchanged since the

2015-16 financial year and stands at a positive balance of

$124,992.26.

I am pleased to advise that all Provisions, employee and

other, are covered for in the Balance Sheet. CRN

undertakes a regular review of all entitlements that

ensures that, if the organisation was to close tomorrow,

our Board responsibilities for payments to CRN staff are

provided for.

CRN received the second year payment under its three

year grant from the Hills ClubGRANT Committee (Castle

Hill RSL) to continue to produce The Hills Agency Contact

List, which is an essential resource for community

members in The Hills. As mentioned, in my previous

reports, this Grant has been expended but please note

that it does not operate under a standard financial year

period.

I would like to thank our CRN staff, Brenda Ransom (until

October 2016), followed by our contracted bookkeeper,

Charles Joseph and Margaret Tipper for their ongoing

operational management of the CRN funds on behalf of

the Board.

CRN has submitted the previous financial year’s Annual

Information Statement (AIS) to the Australian Charities and

Not For Profit Commission in accordance with

requirements and is also about to submit the 2016-17 AIS.

The accounts have been audited by William Tomiczek &

Associates and I would like to recommend them for the

2017-18 financial audit.

The CRN Board reviewed and passed the 2016-17 Audited

Accounts at their Board Meeting through the use of the

electronic procedures of our Constitution by motion on the

9th October 2017. The following pages reflect an abridged

copy of the CRN accounts for 2016-17. Full copies are

available to Members through the CRN Office.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


Profit & Loss – Consolidated (1st July 2016 to 30th June 2017)

INCOME This Year Last Year

Grant - FaCS Grants Received 328,423.09 319,593.40

Membership Fees 2,259.08 1,695.45

Interest Received 3,143.99 2,714.23

Hills Club Grant - ACL 6,266.32 6,895.10

The Hills Shire Council Grant 0.00 4,750.00

The Hills Shire Council Grant 15/16 0.00 279.77

Reimbursement Fees 0.00 34.65

Other Fees and Charges 327.27 974.34

Workers Compensation Policy Refund 511.45 94.29

Other Income 277.13 0.00

Donation 20.00 0.00

Grant Administration Fee 34,941.71 35,495.82

TOTAL INCOME 376,170.04 372,527.05

EXPENDITURE Last Year This Year

Total General & Administration 87,940.81 90,841.25

Total Programme Costs 55,388.62 51,237.52

Total Employment Expenses 232,840.61 230,448.28

TOTAL EXPENDITURE 376,170.04 372,527.05

Operating Profit 0.00 0.00

Other Expenses 0.00 0.00

NET PROFIT/(LOSS) 0.00 0.00

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


Balance Sheet (as at 30th June 2017)

ASSETS This Year Last Year

Current Assets

Cash on Hand

CRN - Chq CBA 8,851.63 20,231.19

CRN - Cash Management CBA 539,688.56 435,284.72

Credit Card Account -495.00 -214.55

Petty Cash - Administration 139.45 95.90

Total Cash on Hand 548,184.64 455,397.26

Total Current Assets 548,184.64 455,397.26

Non Current Assets

Plant & Equipment

Plant & Equipment - at cost 26,859.00 26,859.00

Plant & Equipment - Accumulated Depreciation -26,859.20 -22,731.20

Trade Debtors 221.83 0.00

TOTAL ASSETS 548,406.27 459,525.06

LIABILITIES

Total Current Liabilities 206,710.23 155,744.81

Total Payroll Liabilities 6,924.98 0.89

Total GST Liabilities 7048.93 165.38

Total Leave Provisions 107,907.25 94,907.29

Total Non Current Liabilities 94,214.43 83,714.43

Trade Creditors 608.19 0.00

TOTAL LIABILITIES 423,414.01 334,532.80

NET ASSETS 124,992.26 124,992.26

EQUITY

Retained Earnings 124,992.26 124,992.26

TOTAL EQUITY

124,992.26 124,992.26

CRN MEMBERS (2016-2017)


MEMBER ORGANISATIONS

2realise

Ability Options

Adele House Ltd

Anglicare

Australian Cook Islands Community

Council (NSW)

Australian Foundation for Disability

Australian Multicultural &

Settlement Services

Australian Hearing Services

Bidwill Uniting

Blacktown Area Community Centres Inc.

Blacktown City Council

Blacktown Family Relationship Centre

(Relationships Australia NSW)

Blacktown Meals on Wheels Inc.

Blacktown Women & Girls Health Centre

Bligh Park Community Services

Break Thru People Solutions

BREED Taskforce Inc.

Bridges Inc.

Catholic Care Social Services

ChildrenFirst

Citizen Advocacy Western Sydney Inc.

Communities for Children

(Mission Australia)

Computer Pals Blacktown Inc.

Disability Services Australia

Family Worker Training +

Development Programme

Fusion Western Sydney

Graceades Community Cottage

Hills Community Aid Inc.

Interaction Disability Services Ltd

Interrelate Family Centres

Junaya Family Development Services

Karabi Community &

Development Services Inc.

LikeMind (Parramatta Mission)

MacKillop Family Services

Marrin Weejali

Mission Australia Blacktown

Mission Australia Housing

Mt Druitt Ethnic Communities Agency

Neami National

Nepean Community &

Neighbourhood Services

Our Lady of Consolation Aged Care

Services

Oxley Home Care

Parramatta Holroyd Family Support

Peckys Ltd

Penrith Women’s Health Centre

Redeemed Community Services Inc.

Riverstone Neighbourhood Centre

Rosie’s Place

Settlement Services International

Shalvey Community Centre

St Vincent de Paul

(Caroline Chisholm Centre)

STARTTS NSW

Swinson Cottage Family Centre

SydWest Multicultural Services Inc.

Ted Noffs Foundation (Street University)

The Hills Shire Council

The WASH House

We Australians Are Creative Inc.

WentWest – Primary Health Network

Wesley Family Centre – Quakers Hill

Wesley Family Centre – Riverstone

Wesley Family Centre – The Hills

Wesley Mission ACHA

Western Sydney Community Forum

WESTIR Ltd

Youth Rezolutions

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS MEMBERSHIP GROWTH

Barbara Gapps (Life Member)

Bhagya Chettipally

Brigitte Herrmann

Janet Speers

Kathy van Oeveren

Kittu Randhawa

Lisa Gobo

Rowena Stulajter

Vikki Hine

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

CRN would like to thank all of our members who continue to partner with us in strengthening the

local community sector, as well as the valued contribution of our funders.

We acknowledge that in order for CRN to fulfil our commitment to sector development, we require

the ongoing support of organisations, individuals and all levels of government.

We look forward to working with you throughout the coming year in 2017-18.

Community Resource Network (CRN) Inc.

58 Armitage Dr, Glendenning NSW 2761

PO Box 149 Plumpton NSW 2761

p (02) 9832 4762 | f (02) 9832 4802

e [email protected]

www.crn.org.au

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