Executive View
Page 4
Notes from the Chair
Library and information services are among the most valued by Foundation members.
On 26 February an excellent turnout of gifted and committed narrators, avid talking book readers and staff gathered at Awhina House, Auckland, to celebrate 40 years of recording talking books on the Parnell site, and to mark the HumanWare Narrator of the Year Award for 2006. The first book to be narrated locally was recorded in 1966.
Minister Judith Tizard presented the HumanWare Narrator of the Year Award, as chosen by readers, to Wendy Karstens. Wendy has been reading talking books for 13 years and has recorded over 100 titles.
In March, the Cost of Blindness research profiled in the Autumn issue of Outlook was presented to the Minister For Disability Issues, Hon Ruth Dyson and senior officials in the Ministry of Social Development by a joint delegation from the Foundation and the ABC NZ. The research attracted significant media interest. The Foundation will continue to work on a benefit reform strategy designed to assist RNZFB members.
In recent times and with an eye on resources, consumer organisations have been in discussions with the Foundation regarding the nature of their relationship with the Foundation, and the funding provided by the RNZFB. All round, the traditional separation between provider and consumer roles may be less relevant than collaboration based on sustainability, shared perspectives and lived experience.
The joy of free, unbridled physical activity and fair competition against peers is something often denied blind, deafblind and low vision students. The Foundation's commitment to sport and recreation as an inalienable right for young members is reflected in coverage of April's Southern Cross Games (on page 27). 150 students, including seven from Samoa and 42 from Australia, competed in athletics, swimming, goalball and soccer. Thanks go to the staff and 100 volunteers that made the Games a success.
Business planning for the 2006-2007 year is near completion and members have contributed to the coming year's direction. Careful evaluation, analysis and innovation will characterise 2006 - 2007 Foundation activities.
Page 5
Chief Executive's View
Difficult challenges require unity and reasonable expectations.
Planning for the third year of our Strategic Plan is proving to be the most challenging yet.
Securing $15.4 million in donations this year is an enormous task, to say the least. Oh, how I wish that we did not have to rely so heavily on the public giving to provide essential habilitation and rehabilitation services to our 11,500 members!
Government funding accounts for about one-third of our $21m annual operating budget. Most of our Government funding comes from the Ministry of Health for habilitation and rehabilitation services. Funding levels for these core services have not increased for three years, even though demand has skyrocketed and Government lobbying has increased in intensity. In meeting this increasing member demand, without additional Government funding, the Foundation has been "supplementing" core services year after year. In the two and a half years to December we supplemented Ministry of Health funding to the tune of almost $2m! Despite the best intentions in the world, this simply is not sustainable over the long-term. We face not only increased member demands, but also ever-increasing costs to recruit and retain professional staff; as they can increase their pay significantly by "walking across the street" to DHBs and other employers in the health sector.
The Foundation has faced many challenges in the past, and will meet many challenges in the future. But the level of difficulty will increase, perhaps exponentially.
We remain positive about the future. But make no mistake - there has never been a more important time to pull together; staff, volunteers, members, and our myriad of stakeholders.
We must set our priorities, be reasonable in our expectations, and work as one. We can keep going forward as long as we work together. Ensuring that we all have realistic expectations is critical - our magic wands are out of stock, I am afraid.
As I write this we have just completed our Regional Forums throughout New Zealand. It was a wonderful opportunity to once again meet with so many members and volunteers. These meetings/forums provide us with such valuable feedback about local issues and guide our future direction.