Serving Tasmanians for 40 years
2022-23
ANNUAL
REPORT
Board Chair Stephen Carnaby (left) and CEO Chris Jones, pictured outside Anglicare’s head office in Hobart.
Our Board Chair, Stephen Carnaby
Anglicare’s Christian mission explains that as part of the Anglican Church, “our shared story is about loving and serving the Tasmanian community in the name of Christ.”
I would like to pay tribute to all of the staff who have contributed to Anglicare’s work across the decades. This includes Chris Jones, who this year marked 25 years as Chief Executive Officer. We are grateful for his leadership and dedication to social justice.
This year we farewelled long term board members Craig Barling and Ekaterina Skalidis, who have completed nine years of voluntary service. We also thanked Al Dickins and Emily Isham for their time on the Board. We welcomed Linda Stitz, Kaela Krushka, Tim Rutherford and Denise Bowden as new Board members.
During 2022-23, the Board made the difficult decision to reduce our involvement in the delivery of some services funded by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). We appreciate the efforts made to ensure a smooth transition for the clients and staff affected by this change.
Anglicare remains Tasmania’s most experienced provider of supports to people with acquired injuries. In 2022-23, we were again selected by the MAIB to deliver their residential and attendant care services statewide.
Another highlight this year was the Government’s announcement that it will introduce a pre-commitment system for electronic gaming machines. For many years, Anglicare has been a strong advocate for reducing the harms caused by poker machine use in our communities.
Our CEO, Chris Jones
In the early 1980s, a Church committee chose to act in response to unmet needs in the Tasmanian community.
This small group of people was concerned that unemployment and high mortgage rates were putting tremendous stresses on families. Their determination led to the beginnings of Anglicare.
I trust they’d be pleased to see that 40 years later, we remain committed to offering life-changing supports. We have professional team members and strong systems and processes
Financial counselling and housing were core services from the beginning. Today they are as important as ever. Everyone needs a stable home. The cost of living crisis is real, and many people are hurting.
Anglicare also supports older Tasmanians to remain living independently at home, and people with an acquired injury.
Through our Social Action and Research Centre, we encourage decision-makers to adopt an evidence-based approach to legislative reform.
Across 40 years, the work of Anglicare has demonstrated to all Tasmanians that they are part of a caring community that will not turn away, but reach out to serve.
Everyone needs a stable home. The cost of living crisis is real, and many people are hurting.
Chris Jones
Our supporters
In 2022-23 Anglicare received funding from ABC Giving Tree, Allport Bequest, Attorney-General’s Department, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Colin Bisdee Trust, Burnet Institute, Catholic Care Tasmania, Colony 47, Department for Education, Children and Young People, Department of Health (Commonwealth), Department of Health (Tasmania), Department of Premier and Cabinet (Tasmania), Department of Social Services (Commonwealth), Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Farrell Foundation, Homes Tasmania, icare, Launch Housing, Mental Health Council of Tasmania, Motor Accidents Insurance Board, National Disability Insurance Agency, National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland, Primary Health Tasmania and The Salvation Army.
Thank you to the many individuals, businesses, schools, parish partners and other organisations who generously donated time, money, food or other gifts this year.
Chris Jones
Around 20 years ago, a group of ladies from the Clarence South parish in Howrah started baking for the young men who live at Anglicare’s Youthcare shelter in the northern suburbs of Hobart. Today those same ladies are in their 70s and coordinator Margaret Kelly still does a weekly delivery. She said: “We feel it’s important that these boys know that someone cares.” Dawn, pictured above, features in a video that explains our mission and the links we have with Anglican parishes.
Anglicare is a long-term sponsor of the community care and health category of the Tasmanian Volunteering Awards. This year we congratulated Sweta Sharma for winning the award. Sweta volunteers at the Migrant Resource Centre.
Financial performance
We worked more than 1.1 million hours to deliver close to $83.2 million of services to Tasmanians, an increase of $0.7 million from the previous year.
Revenue exceeded $83.6 million, which was up $2.3 million from the previous year. Overall, Anglicare achieved a surplus of $0.4 million.
Anglicare’s client-centred services require ongoing investment in our people and our systems.
Source of revenue
Expenditure
Expenditure by service area
A strong economic contribution
During the year Anglicare’s workforce numbered 1,140 people. By the end of the year and due to the transition of employees from Disability Services, this had reduced to 726. However, Anglicare remains one of the State’s largest employers, spending more than $59 million on wages and salaries in Tasmania.
We are committed to buying local goods and services where possible. This year we spent more than $18 million in Tasmania.
We work for justice
The Young, in love and in danger project called for teenagers’ voices to be given priority in policy-making and implementing solutions to teen domestic violence and abuse in Tasmania.
Anglicare’s Social Action and Research Centre (SARC) has shone a light on poverty and disadvantage in Tasmania since 1998.
We fund and share research that offers solutions to systemic problems that are hurting Tasmanians.
Released during Gamble Aware Week in September 2022, the What’s the real cost? report found that gambling harms more than 57,000 Tasmanians, many of them children, every year. We welcomed the Tasmanian government’s announcement that by December 2024, the State would move to cashless poker machine gaming that incorporates mandatory pre-commitment.
The Young, in love and in danger report, released in November 2022, revealed disturbing insights into the prevalence and severity of domestic violence and abuse in teen relationships.
The research called for new ‘respectful relationships’ resources; trauma-informed, specialist services and training for workers; better protection from danger via formal mechanisms including legislation; better support for parents; and access to safe housing.
They are children, and they should never have to make these kind of decisions.
A member of Anglicare’s Housing and Community Services team
I thought … that’s what life is like. I thought other people just coped with it better and I just wasn’t trying hard enough.
(Hazel, interviewed for the Young, in love and in danger report)
The Buy Now Struggle Later? report was released in March 2023. It advocated for stronger regulation of Buy Now Pay Later products and more financial support for Tasmanians living on low and fixed incomes.
Anglicare’s Rental Affordability Snapshot (April 2023) revealed a widening gap between rental prices and what people can afford to pay. Anglicare recommended the State Government establish a transparent investment framework that responds to market conditions to ensure an ongoing supply of affordable housing.
In June 2023 we called for the personal possession and use of illicit drugs to be decriminalised. We want all Tasmanians who use illicit drugs to have access to useful services, support and treatment. This means taking an approach that is health-focused and based on evidence. Briefings were offered to all Tasmanian parliamentarians.
The private rental market is failing people living with disabilities. Leanne is in her mid 50s and lives with her cat in Launceston. Her family lives interstate. She has significant mobility issues arising from a back injury 10 years ago. The home she’s rented for 20 years is being sold. The Rental Affordability Snapshot found that Leanne could only afford a sharehouse in Launceston on her disability support pension. A one-bedroom unit in Launceston would cost over 40% of her income.
We are respectful
We will only improve our services if we work in partnership with the people we support.
Anglicare’s Participant Advisory Council (PAC) comprises current and former clients and their family members. Meeting regularly with the CEO, they provide their views on matters including program offerings, child safety and governance.
Quality of life
This year 530 clients of our housing and aged care services responded to a survey that was part of our Quality of Life project. It asked them whether their needs were being met in key areas that included control over daily life, personal safety, social participation and food and drink. The data indicated an improvement on last year’s overall score. It is reviewed quarterly by Anglicare’s Care Governance Committee and used to improve programs.
Active support
Anglicare successfully retained the tender to deliver services to Tasmanians on behalf of the Motor Accidents Insurance Board (MAIB). It was a testament to the expertise and experience of our Acquired Injury Support Services team.
Prior to a car accident that almost took his life, Mathew Woodberry represented Tasmania in cycling. This year Anglicare supported him to ride his track bike and give back to his community. He is a regular presenter at Rotary Youth Driver Awareness Program sessions for high school students, where he shows them photos of the head injuries he sustained.
They ask me, how can you still be alive? I show them the reality. I live in hope that I am making a difference to the world.
Mathew Woodberry
We hosted the Anglicare Australia national conference in September 2022. Tasmanian Aboriginal Elder Uncle Doug Mansell (above) welcomed delegates to nipaluna/Hobart.
Aboriginal advisory group yarnin’ up generously provides their expertise to Anglicare Tasmania through regular conversations about appropriate and effective services, employment, cultural skills, local collaborations and social justice.
Kevin and Debbie Purton spent the year living at Lomandra in Ulverstone while they recovered from a motorcycle accident. Kevin said he couldn’t imagine the journey without Anglicare’s support: “The reality is that there will be a new normal, and we are still working out how to settle for it and be happy with it.”
Long-term Neena resident Verdun loves growing tomatoes. When he’s not in the garden he’s out in the community performing and making art. “One of Verdun’s favourite things is to make sculptures,” says Disability Support Worker Georgie Booker. “He has full creative control.”
We are compassionate
Nikki is a member of Anglicare’s Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) team in Burnie. People can collect clean equipment and free supplies of the overdose reversal drug naloxone from their nearest NSP and a number of community organisations and pharmacies.
There have been 92 reported overdose reversals in Tasmania since naloxone was made available for free through NSPs in July 2020.
Our team of professionals offer services that are welcoming and inclusive.
Our financial counselling service has a statewide team of 20 trained financial counsellors. It also operates the National Debt Helpline for Tasmanian callers and a prison outreach service.
Most clients in the early days reached out for counselling because they were facing legal action. Their choices were narrow and there was little empathy from the banking industry or the community. Today, the biggest challenge for our clients is their ease of access to unregulated credit in the form of Buy Now Pay Later products.
Financial Resilience and Wellbeing Program Manager Lynne Watson says: “I’ve worked with some amazing clients who’ve shown such courage and resilience in the face of sometimes overwhelming odds. They’ve been able to get up and keep going and find a way to move forward. It’s been such a privilege.”
I’ve worked with some amazing clients who’ve shown such courage and resilience in the face of sometimes overwhelming odds.
Lynne Watson
Strong mental health
Social connection provides an important building block for strong mental health. During Mental Health Week in October 2022 we encouraged people to develop connections within their local communities.
When it’s difficult for people to access their community, we bring the community to them. The people who choose to live at the Rocherlea Recovery and Rehabilitation Service are offered therapeutic supports including painting, physical exercise, gardening and cooking.
Anglicare also provided counselling to people in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and we delivered The Way Back Support Service to people who had attempted suicide.
Quality of life
Supporting all Tasmanians
Anglicare operates services around the State that provide non-judgmental support to people who gamble, or use alcohol or other drugs. These include the Alcohol and Other Drugs service, Needle and Syringe Program outlets (NSPs) and Gamblers Help.
Anglicare received a grant from the Tasmanian Department of Health to trial the distribution of free fentanyl testing strips at its NSPs. The trial was very successful and we hope it will be extended. We also ran an awareness program about blood-borne viruses. We hosted a community day in Glenorchy to mark Gamble Aware Week in September 2022. A former client generously shared his story of recovering from a gambling addiction.
We are hopeful
Brian and Judy Cullen, of Sandy Bay, have been supported by Anglicare’s aged care service since January 2021. Brian cares for his wife Judy, who has dementia, and our service provides him with respite.
In always seeking the best for others, we support them to lead fulfilling lives.
Anglicare has provided in-home, community-based aged care for 20 years. This year we supported more than 1600 older Tasmanians to live safely and independently in their homes.
The service is growing in response to increased demand. Our specialist nursing team doubled during the year. Team members located across the regions provided support to clients with home care packages.
We supported six Home Care Cleaners to achieve the qualifications they needed to move into Home Care Worker roles. Another five are currently studying. This will help us to keep building our team of dedicated support workers.
Home Care Cleaner Wendy Rattray participated in a recruitment video. She said: “Being let into somebody’s life; we work as a team together, and I think that’s absolutely beautiful.”
Wendy is studying so that she can transition into a Home Care Worker role.
Being let into somebody’s life; we work as a team together, and I think that’s absolutely beautiful.
Wendy Rattray
Housing provides hope
In the early 1980s, Anglicare operated one youth shelter in inner Hobart. Today a broad range of frontline housing services assist people to maintain their tenancies and avoid homelessness.
We responded to more than 8,700 people and families in search of safe and secure housing this year. We also managed a variety of facilities that provided wrap-around supports as well as safe, long-term accommodation. Anglicare’s housing services are supported by Homes Tasmania.
This year the Youth2Independence program (Y2I) supported 151 young people who had been homeless or at risk of homelessness (up from 129 in the previous year.) We welcomed the expansion at Thyne House in Launceston from 20 to 50 places. The Y2I program is based on the Education First Youth Foyer model with support from the Foyer Foundation.
We congratulated Louise Adams of Hobart when she was announced as the recipient of the University of Tasmania’s Anglicare Scholarship in Social Work. The $5,000 scholarship is helping Louise to balance study, work and parenting.
As the inaugural Student Ambassador at Eveline House in Devonport, former student Rowena will act as a mentor to current students. “To be able to help an organisation that helped me when I needed it most, it feels good,” she said.