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CAPE YORK INSTITUTE FOR POLICY AND LEADERSHIP 2009 ANNUAL REPORT
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Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership TheC Cape Institute was established in July 2004in as an The ape York York Institute was established independent organisation to champion reform in Indigenous July 2004 as an independent organisation to economic and social policy and to support the development champion reform in Indigenous economic and of current and future Cape York leaders. social policy and to support the development of The current future Cisape York leaders. The Directorand of the Institute Noel Pearson. Its guiding Director f tthe he Cape Institute is Noel Pearson. Its frameworkois York Agenda, which aims to ensure guiding is the Cape York genda, that Capeframework York people have the capabilities to A choose a life which aims o ensure that Cape York people that they havetreason to value. have the capabilities to choose a life that they Though the Institute focuses on issues in Cape York, it aims have reason to value. to have a national influence.
Though the Institute focuses on issues in Cape The Institute was developed in partnership with the people York, it aims to have a national influence. of Cape York and Griffith University, with financial support The was dand eveloped partnership fromInstitute the Queensland Australianin Governments. with the people of Cape York and Griffith University, ith financial support rom the Its work falls w into three broad areas: policy fand research, Queensland and ustralian Governments. dissemination of newAideas in Indigenous policy, and leadership development.
Its work falls into three broad areas: policy and research, dissemination of new ideas in Indigenous policy, and leadership development. The Higher Expectations Program – Secondary (HEP Secondary) is one of the Cape York Institute’s leadership programs.
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Contents Letter from the Director
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Policy
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Leadership Programs
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Media and Public Debate
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2009 Financial Statement
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Sponsors
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You know it’s lonely sometimes being a leader, having to smile all the time, feeling deadly and still have all the problems going on in your life. It’s good to attend the Academy workshops, to share and listen to everyone’s experiences and to see how everyone is growing”. James Fa’Aoso, Academy member and Steering Committee member.
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Letter from the Director The year 2009 has been a successful year for the Cape York Institute’s leadership programs. The Leadership Academy has almost doubled the number of participants since the previous year. The Academy’s members successfully build their capabilities to take on important leadership roles, including membership of the Institute’s Board. For policy development, 2009 has been a transitional year. In previous years the Institute produced a large body of policy and theory that now informs the Welfare Reform trials. In 2009 a reduced number of policy staff have been working on policies for home ownership, employment, preventative health, and have conducted a feasibility study for a major infrastructure project, a walking track along the east coast of Cape York Peninsula. In December 2009 Stephen Iles commenced work as Deputy Director of the Institute. We have a new Chairman of the Board, Danny Gilbert and several other new Board members. I am confident that Stephen and the Board will be of great assistance to me in the work to identify the major pieces of policy work that are needed for the Cape York reform process. Finally I would like to thank former Board members and employees for their efforts, and I welcome those who join us in 2010.
Noel Pearson Director
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Policy At the start of 2009 three areas were identified as priorities in the area of policy development: Home ownership, Indigenous employment and Preventative health measures. However, as the year progressed the policy work of the Institute started to build upon existing projects, became more directly supportive of the Welfare Reform implementation Streams, and focused on the initiation and completion of a detailed proposal for feasibility funding for a major infrastructure project.
Home Ownership The Institute’s work on home ownership was in two parts. First, we continued to work with the Australian and Queensland Government in establishing a policy framework for viable home ownership in Indigenous lands; and second, we worked on establishing a practical model for the construction of low-costhouses on a home ownership basis.
In regards to the policy framework, we continued to refine our position and incorporate government decisions as they were made. We developed a draft “integrated framework” for housing on indigenous lands which covers the rental “market”, the sale of existing houses, and the construction of new houses on a home ownership basis. The Australian Government and the Queensland Government responded to the Institute’s work, acknowledging the significant contribution to understanding house construction costs and providing a real possibility for moving home ownership ahead. The Australian Programme of World Vision Australia (WVA) initiated home ownership work with the Mapoon community on Cape York. WVA staff drew on the Institute’s home ownership policy work as the basis of their project. The Institute is collaborating and is supportive of the WVA project.
An Australian Employment Covenant Act The Australian Employment Covenant (the AEC) is a national industry-led initiative. It represents a major commitment to providing the majority of Indigenous Australians who are capable of work, with a real opportunity to achieve their full potential as productive members of Australian society. The Institute’s Director, Noel Pearson, is co-Chair of the AEC Steering Committee. It has an ambition of creating 50,000 jobs. The Institute has substantially progressed work on proposals to complement the Australian Employment Covenant (AEC). This work is being done at the request of federal Ministers’ Macklin and O’Connor. The proposals will potentially form the basis of a new national framework for Indigenous employment. Our AEC policy work builds from the proposed CDEP reforms.
The Institute’s current ideas have three elements: -An AEC training framework outlining the commitment of each AEC partner; - An Opportunity Package to allow AEC participants to opt-in to welfare reform; and - An Orbiting Package to allow people to move for work but retain a connection with community.
Preventative health measures Our aim in 2009 was to start addressing some of the primary behaviours that contribute to poor health, particularly smoking, nutrition and alcohol. The Institute had done some initial thinking in regards to smoking and submitted a research proposal to the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health (CRCAH). The CRCAH provided some funding to write up a more detailed proposal which would involve an action-research trial in the four welfare reform communities. The conceptual work for an Anti-Smoking Strategy was finalised and CYI commenced negotiations with the Australian Department of Health and Ageing for funding for the implementation of the Strategy. The Strategy is based on an innovative program for teenagers including financial incentives not to smoke, and has been positively received by key stakeholders. CYI continued to work within CYP’s Social Responsibility Stream on developing a nutrition strategy in the welfare reform communities. The policy team researched the breakdown in social norms around nutrition and how these norms could be rebuilt through a holistic strategy that targets the main demand and supply factors acting upon individual decision-making. A development in Hope Vale regarding the Outback Stores running of the Hope Vale community store indicated very positive responses for an improvement
in the price and quality of store items and potential store support for a nutrition strategy. Research was also conducted around gambling and the link between gambling and related social problems. Visits by policy staff to Mossman Gorge and Hope Vale were valuable in assisting with understanding the particular challenges facing these communities with regards to gambling. The Institute examined how potential policy proposals aimed at rebuilding positive social norms could best fit within the existing welfare reform structure, and to this end worked in close consultation with related welfare reform projects such as Family Income Management (FIM) and the Family Responsibilities Commission (FRC). CYI also commenced work on a strategy for early intervention and family reunification of children in foster care. The strategy focus was on the four Welfare Reform communities, and would build on other initiatives such as the Families Responsibilities Commission and parenting programs
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In addition to these three new priority areas, work continued in existing policy areas, particularly: •
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The Great Cape York Walk
The Institute has developed a detailed proposal seeking funding to do a feasibility study for a major The land and environment work relating to: infrastructure project on Cape York Peninsula. The concept is the development of a 2000 kilometre - maintaining our commitment to supporting the Land Council in areas where environmental walking trail starting at the Daintree and winding its policies have a significant impact on land rights. way up the eastern coast of the peninsula to the tip of Cape York. The Infrastructure will include trails, camp sites, cabins, bridges, board walks and lookouts. The - tangible projects implemented off the back of the carbon and biodiversity research conducted project has the potential to create significant number of jobs in construction and maintenance as well as in 2008 including ongoing involvement with form an anchor industry from which enterprise and Balkanu and Carbon Planet to establish two contracting opportunities can develop. pilot projects – a forest thickening venture near Wujal Wujal and a detailed scoping and Our initial assessment showed that there is a business plan for opportunities for the Lama strong prima facie case that the concept would be Lama on silver plains to Lakefield National economically feasible. Our plan would be to conduct Park. A KPMG secondee completed work a detailed feasibility study (in concert with a respected on ‘Productive Indigenous Participation engineering consultancy firm) over a 7 month period in Biodiversity Markets’. The result of the this year. research is a framework, which identifies a set of prioritised opportunities in Carbon and Biodiversity markets for Indigenous Language transmission communities in Cape York. The methodology is comprehensive and could be used in the CYI’s Director is being supported in investigating the assessment of broader economic opportunities. prospects of a program for language revitalisation in Cape York. It was discussed within the Institute - policy frameworks that can balance the that a program might be started within Welfare environmental and development aspirations of Reform that took as its starting point community traditional owners. members’ aspiration to take responsibility for cultural transmission. To fully realise the Institute’s vision that Continued support to Djarragun College through Cape York people be free to choose lives they have the implementation of the Foster Care proposal. reason to value, the opportunity to choose to retain The proposal, which is to create a facility in languages and elements of ancestral culture needs to an Indigenous environment (a school) which is a combination of traditional family-based care and be strengthened. current residential care. The proposed purpose built facility at Djarragun College will accommodate 40-50 Cape York children aged 9 to 12. This facility would act in a manner similar to a primary boarding school but with more intensive support provided. Responsibility for the care of each child would be shared between the school and a family based environment provided by permanently assigned respite parents.
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Leadership Programs The reputation and credibility of our Leadership Programs speak for themselves and continue to attract current and potential leaders of all ages from Cape York communities. 2008 - 2009 saw the completion of an independent review of the Leadership Academy and evaluations of the Higher Expectations Program (HEP) both Secondary and Tertiary. The reports have highlighted our achievements and have contributed to the refining of the programs to better cater for the needs and aspirations of our participants. We have also started to streamline the transition process between programs allowing for appropriate education and training opportunities for current and future participants. This has proved to be successful as we start to see a trend of members of various generations of one family, engaged in our leadership programs. The success of these programs is due to a number of factors including the initial selection of participants, intensive and on-going case management, selection of appropriate tutors, mentors and support officers, standard of and supportive educational and training
Leadership Academy institutions, development of strong relationships with stakeholders, extra curricular leadership activities, and committed staff. Our focus for 2010 will be to consolidate and ensure the sustainability of the programs, and further develop the capabilities of staff. The initial attention given to the Leadership Programs’ engagement in CYI’s policy work will be clearly articulated and strengthened in the coming years. We have also started developing partnerships with organisations which will give our students the opportunity to develop leadership skills and gain experience by assisting with activities as part of their ‘give back’ to community. The Cape York Institute’s research shows that Cape York Indigenous students are performing significantly more poorly than non-Indigenous students and more poorly than the state-wide Indigenous averages. In every year level, Indigenous students are between two and four years behind the non-Indigenous average. The Leadership Programs are on every measure addressing this education crisis in Cape York.
The Cape York Leadership Academy offers a model of leadership development that is innovative, radically more comprehensive than current alternatives available, by essentially focusing on individual rather then collective professional development. The Academy’s objectives include: • To develop a flexible and responsive framework through which Cape York leaders, both formally recognised and ‘small I’ leaders, can develop their leadership skills at a personal and professional level. • To provide appropriate and relevant training through some individualised training plans and issue specific practical group work. • To facilitate Academy member’s involvement in the work of the Cape York Institute. • To build leadership capacity in Cape York to assist with the implementation of the Welfare Reform Agenda. • To facilitate the interaction and networking among members and other organisations, public, private and community, in Cape York and around Australia.
members comply with the conditions of membership including attendance at workshops. In 2009 we received 136 applications for membership. The final year attendance record excluding members who did not adhere to the conditions of their Academy agreement, indicated that 62% of members were actively involved in Academy activities over the year. The table below indicates the number of registered members and the final number of those that actively participated in Academy activities. The Academy members hold a range of positions including Mayor, Indigenous Sport and Recreation Officers, Councillors, Health and Justice workers, staff of Indigenous organisations and members of Men’s and Women’s groups.
Several members have gone on to tertiary study both at University and TAFE and two members have been employed by their mentors in senior positions. Rick Phineasa trained in New Zealand as a facilitator for the international Arbinger Institute, Fiona Jose is now on the Cape York Welfare Reform Evaluation The independent review of the Academy conducted Committee and Teddy Bernard was selected by Oxfam in 2008 by the Indigenous Lead Centre stated that to attend the United Nations Indigenous Youth Forum ‘Against a number of key performance indicators, in New York. Desmond Tayley the Mayor of Wujal the Leadership Academy rates as one of the Wujal has increased his knowledge and skills through most successful Indigenous training initiatives in his professional placement with and mentoring by Queensland and potentially in Australia’. Most Bob Abbott, the Mayor of Noosa. Others are achieving Academy members interviewed highlight the personal milestones by undertaking education and ‘invaluable opportunities’ the Academy provides them. training some for the first time since leaving primary school. Since its commencement in 2007 over 160 current and potential leaders from 16 Cape York communities The Steering Committee who provides advice to have attended workshops on various topics related the Academy Manager, and who makes decisions to their personal and professional development. on behalf of the membership is now composed of Membership to the Academy is a serious commitment Academy members. Committee members include and is monitored on a regular basis to ensure that James Fa’Aoso from Bamaga who after two years of
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2009
Registered members
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136
Discontinued/withdrawn
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52
Participating members
47
84
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mentoring is now employed by his mentor as the Zonal Manager for Safe Places for Children, Eileen Deemal-Hall from Hopevale is the State Manager of the PCYC Indigenous Community Sport and Recreation Officers Program, and Fiona Jose the Community Relations Manager for Skytrans who has family connections to Wujal Wujal. In 2010 for the first time we aim to have Academy members represented on the CYI Board. Members of the Academy are emerging as a strong, cohesive group of leaders in Cape York with a range of backgrounds and skills. To support their development the Academy has focused its work on building capacity through the acquisition of knowledge, skills, experience and enquiry. The Leadership Academy is sponsored by Ian and Di McCauley and family, and Skytrans.
Higher Expectations Program – Secondary The aim of the Higher Expectations Program (HEP) Secondary is to identify and support academically talented Indigenous students from throughout the Cape, Palm Island and Yarrabah communities, to complete secondary education and progress to tertiary studies. The partnership between the Macquarie
Goals
Group Foundation (MGF), the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) through its Indigenous Youth Leadership Program (IYLP), and the Cape York Institute, enables students from Grade 8 through to Grade 12 to attend Queensland’s leading boarding schools and assists them through an often difficult social and educational transition process. The support strategy includes use of tutors, mentors, role models, weekend home stay families and counsellors. Now in its fifth year, Higher Expectations has proven to be a successful program with good outcomes. With the program’s support nine students have graduated and all nine have found employment or are currently studying in areas such as health, law, social work, engineering and education. In 2010 we expect 7 students to graduate and go on to tertiary studies. This is an achievement, given that as few as six per cent of students from Cape York complete high school. Thirty eight students were enrolled in 2009 and two graduated at the end of the year. Both students did well academically, receiving achievement awards, and both have applied to study at James Cook University in Cairns. During the year students attended a Leadership Workshop and the World Indigenous People’s Conference on Education hosted by Australia in Melbourne. While most students achieved academic
Measures Key
Successfully graduated all
Students completing
HEP students from Year 12
Senior Certificate
Retain more than 60& of
Retention numbers
HEP, year-on-year
Performance
Outcomes
Indicators (KPI’s)
2009
100% graduation rate
90%
- 100% retention HEP
90%
students after 1st year - 60% retention rate overall
HEP Participats are on par academically with mainstream students within 18-24 months of starting
Term report and grades
On par within 18-24 months of starting with HEP
100%
milestones despite personal challenges, some student achievements in other areas were also outstanding.
completion rate for the program observed over the past four years.
Tanay Ropeyarn from Injinoo has excelled at sports having represented Cathedral College in competitions in England, Ireland and Scotland, and was a school Prefect and Boarders Captain. Kym Kepple who attends Cathedral College in Townsville had her school assignment book review published in the local ‘Townsville Bulletin’, and Issac Rockeby who attends Marist College Ashgrove is the third fastest sprinter in Queensland over 100 and 200 meters. He was also offered a place in the National Trails. Jimilla Dix from Weipa was featured in Brisbane’s ‘Courier Mail’ newspaper and interviewed on local radio about her achievement in fashion design. Jimilla was also selected as the Boarders Girls Captain of Saint Peters Lutheran College.
The following relating to some of the three year goals, key performance indicators and measures indicates the outcomes based on the Review conducted by Social Ventures Australia in 2008. Although HEP was not able to implement all of the recommendations in the review, due to organisational and staff changes these recommendations have not been crucial to the function and progress of the program to date and we plan to implement them in 2010. This will enhance our ability to manage the expected increase in student numbers in accordance with the funding agreement with IYLP.
The success of the program is its holistic approach focusing on the relationships we have with students, While family related issues clearly dominate student their families, communities, schools, sponsors and withdrawals, in particular a lack of family support other stakeholders, and the well being of our students causing a disruptive influence over a child’s schooling, through individual case management of both their this is consistent with an average of 20 percent non academic and personal needs.
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Higher Expectations Program – Tertiary The Higher Expectations Program – Tertiary (HEP T) targets talented Cape York Indigenous people with the highest achievement and leadership potential, and provides them with long-term support to undertake a successful tertiary career. The program aims to maximise the participants’ opportunities for educational achievement, career development and effective leadership within their communities. There is no age limit to participate in the program subject to a case-by-case assessment of applicants. HEP T not only offers practical material assistance through scholarships, but it also strengthens students’ academic, social and emotional capacities. The program builds individual capabilities for leadership, problem-solving and collaborative networking. Participants receive a combination of holistic case management, leadership training and professional mentoring. The program places strong family support and community identity at its core, and upholds each participants return contribution to their homeland of Cape York at the heart of its operations. The Review conducted by Social Ventures Australia in 2008 stated that, ‘The program’s unique valueadd in comparison to other general Indigenous scholarship programs is that it focuses on leadership development as part of its program activities. It also provides greater flexibility due to the no age limit and TAFE eligibility, which results in a more diverse set of participants’.
reduction in students withdrawals linked mainly to family and personal issues. The table below indicates the number of students between 2006 and 2009 across a number of categories. The Review noted that HEP T’s current Apparent Retention Rate of >90% is a phenomenal result compared to the national average of 64.4% for Indigenous students enrolled in higher education as stated in the 2005 National Report to Parliament on Indigenous Education and Training produced by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. The 30 students from 11 communities registered in 2009 were studying at campuses in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Sydney and Melbourne. Four students have graduated in the area of Fine Arts, Film production, Nutrition and Massage Therapy, and Education. Many of the students were also actively engaged in community projects, and a range of career development and volunteer activities including environmental conservation, human rights campaigns, art and cultural activities, Well-being programs, and sport and recreation.
Marijke Bassani from Coen who graduated from the HEP Secondary program in 2007 is now studying for a Bachelor of Law and Arts at Griffith University. In 2008 she was recruited as a cadet with Gadens The program had a period of instability after it was first Lawyers in Brisbane and participated in the Model launched in 2005 but since then has had a significant United Nations Embracing Global Citizenship
Intake
Commenced
Year
Students
Excited/Defferred
Continuing
completing courses
2006
8
0
7
1
2007
12
0
7
6
2008
16
0
1
21
2009
12
4
2/1
30
Total
48
4
18
-
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Conference. Teho Ropeyarn who is studying for a Degree in Fine Arts has started to build a profile in the Arts industry with among others, an exhibition with prominent indigenous artists Bronwyn Bancroft and Richard Campbell. Julie Williams has just completed her studies in Nutrition and Massage Therapy, and is actively involved in her community of Mossman Gorge. Ian Ludwick from Hopevale studied Film Production and has since written and directed a short film, a documentary about students leaving remote communities for study, and a television commercial for a restaurant in Brisbane.
HEP T is considered an investment in the future of Cape York communities as the educational opportunity provided our students will have a significant impact on their future and on the development of their communities. The Higher Expectations Program - Tertiary is funded by the Rio Tinto Aboriginal Fund, St. Vincent de Paul Society QLD, The Christensen Fund and ER & AL Hayles Charitable Fund (managed by Perpetual).
Media and Public Debate In March 2009 Noel Pearson’s Up from the Mission: Selected Writings was published. This 400-page collection of the best of the Director’s writings from 1986 to 2008 has done more to explain the origin and purpose of the Cape York Institute’s work than any previous publication. The headings of the sections of the book – Fighting Old Enemies, Challenging Old Friends and The Quest for a Radical Centre – encapsulate Pearson’s intellectual and political trajectory that led to the establishment of the Institute.
10 August ING Australia presentation – Sydney 12 August UDIA Cairns Branch Lunch presentation 9 September Brisbane Writers Festival Opening Address 19 October Australian Pipeline Industry Association key note address
The policy area where Noel Pearson’s advocacy had the greatest impact in 2009 is probably education. In Quarterly Essay 35: Radical Hope Person made the case for radically improved primary school teaching in 29 October Cape York Peninsula based on the effective instruction Westpac CEO & other CEO’s dinner method Direct Instruction. The most innovative part Sydney of Pearson’s education theory is the clear separation of “Class”, “Club” and “Culture” domains where students learn academic skills to mastery, extracurricular activities currently unavailable to remote students, and their language and culture. Noel Pearson’s public performances in 2009 include: 15 April St George Band Asgard Conference 20 April AMMA Conference – Adelaide panel discussion 6 May SACOME speaking engagement – Adelaide
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I have experienced many memorable moments being on HEP such as student gatherings down in Brisbane and also the Melbourne trip to the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education. These camps and events are where all the students get to experience life outside their community and learn about other cultures around the world but during these trips they even get to know each other and establish lifelong friendships”. Keithean Bowen, HEPS Student
6 May Presentation at Annesley College – Adelaide 27 June PRA Conference – Rockhampton 9 July NAIDOC week presentation – Sydney
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2009 Financial Statements
CAPE YORK INSTITUTE FOR POLICY AND LEADERSHIP 2009 Income Queensland Government Funding Commonwealth Government Funding Other Projects/Programs Sundry Income Total Income
450,000 300,000 1,817,182 872,588 3,439,770
Salaries Advertising & promotion Appointment expenses Consultancy Consumables Equipment & furniture External grants & 3rd party payments Hospitality Long term lease & utilities Maintenance Motor vehicle expenses Other expenses Post & telecom Printing and publication design Staff development Student expenses Excursions & field trips Scholarships and Books Subscriptions and reference materials Travel Staff Non staff Refurbishment costs Total Expenditure
1,298,993 1 0,298 2 ,479 5 05,489 8 ,479 1 4,026 55,882 3 6,092 4 3,283 6 9,848 2 3,828 3 ,135 4 4,062 3 ,581 8 0,247
Note 1
I also certify that ll funding received was expended for the purpose of the project and in accordance with the contractual requirements; salaries and allowances paid to persons involved in the activity are in accordance with the applicable award.
Expenditure
Annual Surplus/(Deficit) Accumulated Surplus/(Deficit)
R.V. Srinivasan Director, Finance & Business Services Griffith University Note 1: Largely for Higher Expecations which included Cwlth funding for IYLP students Note 2: Cash balance made up of: - $151,916 with respect to the Core Funding Agreement - $939,577 with respect to Higher Expectations (Secondary). - $64,366 with respect to the Higher Expectations (Tertiary) initiative. - $115,602 with respect to Leadership Academy.
7,147 5 47,936 4 ,191 95,838 275,316 3,130,150 $ 309,620 $ 1,291,832
I have prepared the above Statement of Receipts and Expenditure in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practices in Australia and certify that it accurately reflects all the income and expenditure related to the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership.
Note 2 & 3
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Sponsors, Donors & Supporters Ian and Di McCauley and Family St. Vincent de Paul Society QLD The Christensen Fund ER & AL Hayles Charitable Fund (managed by Perpetual) Reg Saunders Memorial Scholarship Fund (managed by the RSL)
We would like to thank all of our sponsors for their committment to the journey of providing opportunities to our future leaders.
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phone. +61 (07) 4046 0600 email. info@cyi.org.au web. www.cyi.org.au