Executive View
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Don McKenzie, Chair
Autumn is often a season for reflection and this year we have much to look back on, as well as look forward to. This year began with an approved strategic plan and a permanent CEO. The board interviewed eight candidates and chose acting chief executive, Paula Daye. Paula's past executive experience makes her well-placed to consolidate the changes brought about by governance reform and she has demonstrated she is responsive to member needs. The board is confident that Paula's sound professional and business ethic will continue to lead the Foundation forward as one of New Zealand's foremost social enterprises.
The strategic plan was finalised at the same board meeting on 18 December. A big thank you to everyone who contributed ideas and opinions to the Foundation's direction for the coming three years. As a result, some amendments were made to the wording of the final plan. The Foundation now has a new vision, mission, set of values, goals and objectives to guide our services until 2007. Our vision is for blind and vision-impaired people to have the same opportunities and choices as other citizens to participate fully in society. In that, we are accountable to all members of the Foundation.
A great deal of useful operational information was also received during the consultation process. Whilst not included in the plan itself, this information has been compiled for the senior management team and will influence the way the Foundation operates.
The Government's new Charities Commission will also measure our transparency and accountability. To maintain our tax-exempt status, the Foundation needs to register with the commission later this year. The commission will ensure charities operate for the purposes for which they were established. It will also help the government to target financial assistance where it is most required, a move we support. Frank Claridge, who served us so ably for over 20 years, is a member of the commission's establishment group. Frank also set up the Bledisloe Estate Trust. The trust has received a rarely awarded certificate of merit from the New Zealand Historic Places Trust for its work preserving our heritage buildings.
Congratulations to all the estate trustees. Congratulations also to member Moya Badham of Hamilton, who received a QSM for public service in this year's New Year's Honours list.
The April board meeting is in Auckland and we welcome observers.
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Paula Daye, Chief Executive
Far and away the best Christmas present I received this past year was the offer of a permanent role as chief executive of the Foundation. I was delighted to begin the new year by taking up the challenge to implement the broad visions contained in the new strategic plan.
For governing members, your copy of the plan accompanies this issue of Outlook. While the consultative process is complete, the real work now begins. We have started to look closely and creatively at ways to bring your priorities for this organisation into being. This covers everything from large, ongoing projects, such as digital audio books, to one-off actions, like moving Mana Kapo and Pacific Services to South Auckland so that they can better serve their communities. The plan is continuous and evolving. If social or economic conditions change in the coming months or years, we will respond appropriately to those changes. And the visions contained in the five goals will extend out beyond 2007.
I intend to spend as much time as I possibly can in the community with members, donors and stakeholders in our regional forums and community committees, listening and communicating. I will also be working hard to raise the profile of the Foundation amongst the general public, in a climate where the charity dollar is being constantly squeezed. In January I spent a stimulating week with Dr Phil Hatlen, who is the superintendent of the Texas School for the Blind. Dr Hatlen has a wealth of experience in the situation we face in New Zealand with special education, where the role of schools for the blind is evolving in an era of inclusive education. He is an advocate for establishing centres of excellence for blind children, which support blind children's education in state schools. There is much potential for growing beyond the either/or experience of children to date, for them to be educated among their peers and within their families in their local communities, but also to receive the extra and expert help they need to achieve at school. We had stimulating meetings with the VEA board, some of the Homai board and senior staff. We also met with the Associate Minister of Education, Lianne Dalziel, and the Minister for Disability Issues, Ruth Dyson, along with senior Ministry of Education staff.
Both ministers were pleased to have the opportunity to hear about the evolution of the Texas School for the Blind into the centre of excellence it is today, providing access to the expanded core curriculum for 150 children each year.