Creating Pathways as
AN N U AL R EP OR T 2020
SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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DEFINING
BRAIN INJURY As Australia’s brain injury peak body, we’re here for anyone who has experienced an incident, illness or disorder that resulted in impairment to the brain and its functions. We use the term brain injury to refer to any type of brain disorder or neurological disruption which is acquired rather than developmental. The causes of this often ‘hidden disability’ are many and varied, and the effects differ for each person. Brain injury can impact cognitive, physical, emotional, behavioural, and psychosocial functioning, and may lead to increased aggression and poor impulse control, impairments with memory, attention, learning, language, perception and social cognition. A raft of consequences that can make it challenging to navigate daily life. Whatever the cause and whatever the impact, Synapse is here to support people after brain injury.
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Functional Areas of the Brain
PARIETAL LOBE
OCCIPITAL LOBE FRONTAL LOBE
TEMPORAL LOBE
CEREBELLUM
BRAIN STEM
STROKE/ANEURYSM Blocked blood vessels; bleeding in the brain DEGENERATIVE DISEASES AND AGEING Dementia; Alzheimer’s; Parkinson’s; Multiple Sclerosis TRAUMA Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is caused by external force and/or acceleration/ deceleration injuries, e.g. car accidents; falls; sporting accidents; repeated knocks to the head or concussions; assaults; domestic violence
HYPOXIC/ANOXIC INJURIES Lack of oxygen to the brain from stroke, near drowning, heart attack, drug overdose, strangulation, severe asthma, accidents involving anaesthesia, carbon monoxide inhalation and poisoning INFECTIONS & DISEASES Meningitis; Encephalitis; brain tumours; brain cancer FOETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME (FASD) An umbrella term for a range of impairments acquired in utero through alcohol and/or drug use during pregnancy
EPILEPSY Epilepsy can cause neural damage and is a risk factor for a traumatic brain injury through a fall or violent convulsion. Epilepsy can also result from a brain injury ALCOHOL AND/OR DRUG MISUSE People who misuse alcohol and drugs are at risk of brain injury due to their intake as well as high-risk behaviours. Long term abuse of alcohol, drugs and other substances can result in brain injury, often affecting cognition, memory and perception. Damage can be temporary or permanent
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CONTENTS Synapse Overview
Specialist Services
Message from Our CEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Our Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Our Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Advocacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Our Executive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Our Mission / Our Vision / Our Values. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
Community Living Initiative, Cairns (aka ‘Warner Street’) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Strategic Direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 National Reach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Our People, Synapse Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Our Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Brain Injury Information and Referral Building Capacity Across Australia with Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Providing Information & Referrals Directly . . . . . . . . . . 16 ILC National Information Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Local Engagement and Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Growing a National Brain Injury Service Directory . . . . 18 Brain Injury Information Hub. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-20
Training, Consulting and Advisory Services . . . . . . . 37
Creating Change Come Home Come Heal Come Rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 The Guddi Way Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Social Enterprise – Guddi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Assessing the Disability Needs of Indigenous Prisoners Project (ADNIP). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Our Researchers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Continuing our Strong Partnership with The Hopkins Centre, Griffith University. . . . . . . . . . . 44 Academic Publications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Yarn Up Employment Project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Key Happenings
Publications & Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23
Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic. . . . . . . . . . . 45
Community and Shared Experience
Partnering with Health Direct to Deliver Brain Injury Information Nationally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Reconnections: Peer Support Program . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Brain Drain Market Day 2019. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 SynapseCarers: Carers Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Online Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Support for Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
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Partnerships/ Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Financials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48-51
SYNAPSE OVERVIEW MESSAGE FROM THE CEO The events of the past year could never have been predicted. While COVID-19 wreaked havoc across the globe, I am so proud to say that the Synapse family remained anchored and true to ourselves - holding steady those around us. When it got rough, we stuck together. We have adapted and evolved to maintain our strategic focus and continued to deliver critical support to people impacted by brain injury. It’s been a testing time, but we have not been found wanting. The challenges of a pandemic have been an eye-opener. It strikes me that the isolation, social distance and disconnection from the ‘norms’ of life - which have left so many of us feeling anxious and vulnerable - are the very same experiences that tend to come with brain injury. While our lockdown will eventually end, we know impacts of brain injury are far longer lasting. During this year we have seen continued growth in both revenue and scope of service. We have expanded our online presence to reach more Australians living with brain injury, but we also know that, for many people, face-to-face is not only preferable, but essential. To ensure that our support is available to anyone and everyone, wherever you live across Australia, we’ve expanded our national information and referral service and are continuing to work towards our goal of having teams in every state and territory. We have progressed our Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander-focused services and programs of work, prioritising culture not just because it’s the right thing to do for our Indigenous brothers and sisters, but because it’s part of Synapse’s DNA. With the support of our university partners, we have significantly grown our research services, at both local and national level. And we have remained active at Commonwealth and State levels, sharing our knowledge and advocating for change in areas such as domestic and family violence, industrial relations, younger people in nursing homes, and children in youth services. We also sit on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Independent Advisory Council and YPIRAC (Young People in Aged Residential Care) Stakeholder Reference Group.
This year has been a period of consolidation - bedding down systems and infrastructure which will enable us to have greater reach, both online and on the ground, in different parts of Australia. This will be our third year of consolidation ahead of a year of rapid growth. It is an incredibly exciting time for the organisation. We are an ambitious organisation but determined never to lose the heart of who we are. No matter how much we grow, we will never stop listening to people living with brain injury about what it is that you want and what you need – as individuals, as communities, as Australians. And we never stop learning. On a trip this year to Geraldton, WA, we drove nine hours from Perth so we could understand the country we were entering, and it was appreciated. We heard stories of grief and sadness and of incredible resilience. We carry those with us. And it’s those experiences that have shown us again and again that relationships and understanding aren’t built on PowerPoints and brochures, but through human connection. The time spent and the willingness to listen more than you talk. I thank the Board for their commitment and counsel throughout the last 12 months, and also the Synapse family, for their steadfastness and devotion to the work that we do; our academic partners - Griffith University and James Cook University - and the funders whose support and belief make our work possible. Most of all, I thank people with brain injury and your communities for your support and guidance in how we helped shape services across Australia over the last 12 months. There has been a bucketload of change, and you have been with us throughout it all. Jennifer Cullen, Synapse CEO
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OUR BOARD Paul Watson NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Paul Watson is a Director of Berrill & Watson Lawyers and is an expert in superannuation and life insurance. Paul has run seminars and workshops for disability support groups, financial counsellors and the consumer movement to improve the lives of people with a disability, injury or chronic illness for over a decade. Paul is a current member of the Consumer Law Committee of the Law Council of Australia and was awarded an Honorary Life membership with Palliative Care Queensland as a result of the support he provided to that organisation.
Siena Perry NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR For close to 20 years Siena has worked in Australia and internationally in the strategic communication, fundraising, public affairs, digital communication, change management and engagement space, with a focus on not-for-profit organisations. She currently works for an Asia Pacific internet governance and development organisation, and in the past has advised on strategic communication for The University of Queensland, Jeans for Genes Day and Surf Life Saving Foundation. A family member of Siena’s suffered a severe brain injury and she serves in his memory.
Hannah Hiscox NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Hannah is a chartered accountant and registered company auditor with over 20-years professional experience. She is currently a Partner in the Audit and Assurances team at Grant Thornton Australia and audits a portfolio of charities registered with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission (ACNC). Hannah holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) and a Graduate Certificate in Business (Philanthropy and Non-profit Studies).
Paul Raciborski NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Paul experienced a severe brain injury as the result of a fall in 2003. Since his injury, he has strived to make a difference for others who have been through similar experiences. Paul now works with people who have mental health conditions, and intellectual and physical disabilities, as a Disability Support Worker. In his previous career he worked in corporate project management, manufacturing and supply chains.
Robyn Grote NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Robyn Grote CF BSc, GradDipPhty, MBiomedE, PhD spent half of her 41-year full-time career working in Public Hospitals where she held roles such as Director and Principal Research Fellow. She also worked as a University Lecturer and then proceeded to Head of Physiotherapy School (Otago), and more recently was an Honorary Professor at QUT. Robyn is a Committee Member of the Churchill Fellows Association of Queensland, Spinal Life Australia (Qld) and Board Member of Polio Australia.
Justin Kenardy NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Professor Justin Kenardy is a clinical psychologist and Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Queensland. Over 30 years of his academic career, he has focused on the translation of applied psychology, more specifically clinical psychology, into novel cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary areas. Justin served on the Executive Board of Directors of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and is the Past President of the Australian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. 6
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OUR EXECUTIVE
L-R Faye Lawrence, Adam Schickerling, Jennifer Cullen, Judith Hunt
Jennifer Cullen Adjunct Associate Professor CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jennifer Cullen is an Adjunct Associate Professor and CEO of Synapse. Jennifer was awarded honorary doctor of the university in 2019 with Griffith University. Jennifer has over 27 years’ experience in disability and aged care services and was appointed in 2013 to the NDIS Independent Advisory Council as the Queensland Member and was appointed in 2016 to the National Disability and Carers Advisory Council as a Member. She leads a range of research and projects that focus on supporting Indigenous Australians with complex neurocognitive disabilities, including FASD. Jennifer is a descendant of the Bidjara and Wakka Wakka people.
Adam Schickerling Adjunct Research Fellow
NATIONAL DIRECTOR - STRATEGY & ENGAGEMENT Adam Schickerling is an Adjunct Research fellow at Griffith University, Menzies Health Institute and has 20 years’ experience in government and community sectors in a variety of nationally oriented general management and executive management roles, with qualifications in Applied Science, Disability, Management and Training. Adam has expertise in leading national service development, expansion and growth strategies. Adam has led the design and scaling of innovation initiatives and pilot programs recognised as exemplars in their respective fields across the areas of Disability, Housing, Indigenous, Community Development, Youth & Family services and Aged Care. Adam’s experience is strongly grounded in community capacity building and supporting community responses to realise health and social outcomes.
Judith Hunt NATIONAL DIRECTOR - BUSINESS SYSTEMS Judith is a qualified Accountant (Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and a member of CPA). Judith has worked for companies and not-for-profit organisations in Great Britain and Australia. Judith’s role within Synapse includes the management of Synapse financial services team, and the management and implementation of general business systems. Judith holds positions of Chair, Treasurer and Secretary on 2 Body Corporate Committees and is a former Board Director for Communify Queensland.
Faye Lawrence NATIONAL MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Faye has 20 years’ experience in marketing, communications & corporate affairs, across the private sector, government and not-forprofit space. Her experience in disability spans a number of management roles with service providers, and as a senior consultant for a leading NDIS consultancy. She holds psychology qualifications and founded a not-for-profit, Untoxicated, an alcohol-free social tribe, with around 8,000 members across Australia, with events regularly held in QLD, NSW and VIC, as well as online peer support. SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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Our Mission Ensure the rights of people impacted by brain injury by connecting knowledge, policy, services and systems.
Our Vision Rethink Brain Injury. Change Society.
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Our Values We hold each other steady. We build relationships. We are problem solvers. We remain curious, always. We are courageous.
Synapse respectfully acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands, sea and waterways upon which Synapse provides its services. We pay our respects to the Elders, past, present and future, and commit to working side by side.
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SYNAPSE STRATEGIC DIRECTION 2017-2020 Our annual repor t provides an oppor tunit y to not only show our impact, but to give an insight into our future direction and ambitions for the brain injur y communit y across Australia. Our overall wellbeing, as humans, is affected by a multitude of factors, including the social and economic opportunities available to us, the resources and supports available in our homes and communities, the nature of our social interactions and relationships, and our home environment – right down to the food we eat. When you experience a brain injury, every single one of those elements can be adversely affected. It’s our goal to help rebalance the scales.
Synapse Way
Co-design with
commitment to
– our values,
the people and
social justice and
behaviour and
communities
human rights
practice
we support.
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SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020
m e nt
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We do this by using by embedding our model of support across all our work, which combines:
S
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We take a holistic view of people impacted by brain injury, ensuring our advocacy, research, development and delivery of services addresses all levels of the social model of health
BRAIN INJURY INFORMATION AND REFERRAL As the saying goes, ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’. When it comes to the effects of brain injury the endless unknowns can be overwhelming. We’ve created a growing repository of information and specialist networks for people at every stage of their brain injury journey; whether your injury happened today or a decade ago, our experienced teams have the skills and knowledge to help. Built on learnings from people with lived experience and designed to meet the evolving needs of individuals and families affected, our information and referral services are a much needed and welcomed resource. Through the sharing of knowledge and connections, we build strong and enduring relationships with the people we support.
COMMUNITY AND SHARED EXPERIENCE Isolation and exclusion are huge issues, not just for people who experience brain injury, but also for their families and carers. People told us they wanted a safe space to share their experiences and to seek support, and they invited us to create that space with them and for them. That community is now somewhere to build social connections with people who get what it means to live with brain injury; as someone shared with us, it means not having to ‘constantly explain ourselves to people who don’t understand’. It’s also critical for us, as an organisation, to live our values. That’s why many of our team aren’t just people who understand brain injury, they’re people whose lives have been touched by it.
SPECIALIST SERVICES Our ever-growing understanding of the issues affecting people with brain injury means that we are uniquely positioned to develop tailored services and advocate for better. Brain injury is widely misunderstood – not just within the general population, but when it comes to service delivery by mainstream providers. We’re working hard to change that. We’re dedicating resources to delivering training so that service providers of every kind – from disability support to healthcare and government agencies – are better equipped to meet the needs of people affected by brain injury. Simultaneously, we’re delivering direct services that enable people to get the best possible outcomes from the NDIS and across every sphere of life. Be that by helping people with housing, NDIS planning or support coordination, right through to our NDIS appeals service, for when things don’t go to plan.
CREATING CHANGE The pursuit of change means connecting knowledge with policy, with services and with systems to ensure opportunity for people impacted by brain injury to live the life they choose, connected to the people, places and activities important to them. Our teams are dedicated to understanding how and why things work currently, exploring opportunities to do things differently, and driving necessary change. By developing and evaluating innovative models, tools and programs, and focusing on the needs of marginalised groups, creating new pathways and possibilities to live well, connected to what’s important to each person. Brain injury can affect anyone at any age, and its impact can be insidious and far-reaching. It can be a product and a predictor of inequality and disadvantage, of poverty, alcohol and drug addiction, mental health challenges and homelessness, familial breakdown and contact with the justice system. That’s a cycle we must break, and a challenge we as an organisation are not afraid to face.
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S YN AP SE O V ER V IE W
SYNAPSE NATIONAL REACH CAIRNS
SUNSHINE COAST BRISBANE
GOSFORD PERTH
Services Providing information and support services to people with a brain injury, their carers and people who work to support them.
Working with Communities Connecting with people impacted by brain injury and their communities to provide support and engage about their needs at a local and personal level.
Systemic & Individual Advocacy Working across Australian society and service systems to consolidate and embed change at all levels.
PARRAMATTA
Working with Agencies & Organisations Engaging and partnering with government agencies and organisations to build capacity and knowledge about brain injury and how to respond. Agencies & Organisations include: • Disability service providers • Health • Mental Health • Child Safety • Corrections • Youth Justice • Domestic & Family Violence • Alcohol & Other Drugs • Employment • Housing & Homelessness • Insurance Schemes • Peak Bodies and advocates.
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Locations Queensland Brisbane Cairns Sunshine Coast New South Wales Parramatta Gosford Western Australia Perth
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OUR PEOPLE THE SYNAPSE FAMILY In 2019/2020, we have continued to bring a diverse range of skilled, compassionate people together, who are invested in understanding brain injury, improving related systems and meeting the needs of the people and communities it impacts. With significant growth across Australia and with a wide range of agerepresentation, the Synapse team are committed to equity and inclusivity.
Who are our staff? Staff Age
We are expanding each year, with new offices across Australia.
GENDER BREAKDOWN
18 - 25 yrs
46 - 50 yrs
TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
26 - 30 yrs
51 – 55 yrs
132
31 – 35 yrs
56 - 60 yrs
36 - 40 yrs
61 – 65 yrs
41 – 45 yrs
66 – 99 yrs
Gender Breakdown Male
Female
Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander Peoples Representation Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander peoples
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OUR AUDIENCE Who are we helping? Across our many services, we have a large and diverse audience. Here is a little about them...
People with a brain injury 32% WHO WE HELP
Carers and Family 25% Health & Support Providers 23% Supporters & Partners 11% Government Departments 5%
70,000
Over Australians engaged with us for information, services and support throughout the year.
Medical Professionals 3%
Advocacy 25.12% Housing 3.41% Information & Referral 43.08% SERVICES WE PROVIDE
GENDER
NDIS Appeals 5% Other 5.18% Peer Support Services 1%
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Reconnections 2.17%
Female 40%
Support Coordination 15.12%
Male 60%
BRAIN INJURY INFORMATION AND REFERRAL Building Capacity Across Australia We aim to improve outcomes for people impacted by brain injury through the provision of targeted information and resources, and by connecting them to specialist supports and services, for every stage of their journey. We develop our information and referral offering in step with our growing understanding of needs, informed by research, service mapping and community engagement. Our work targets three priority areas:
1. Refining and tailoring information to key stages of life with brain injury
The brain injury community has shared with us the key moments of their experience, and the information and support that was most valuable at each. Everything from building understanding of what brain injury is and is not, to the spectrum of systems and services with which people may choose, or need, to engage. That extends to understanding the most useful and accessible formats and platforms for information sharing, for everyone involved - be they individuals with a brain injury, carers or service providers.
2. Expand and grow connections with
experienced and trusted service providers
We’re expanding our referral expertise nationally by connecting and partnering with more service providers and organisations who truly understand brain injury. As we grow these relationships, we aim to make it easier for people to access our referral services by putting more staff on the ground in local communities and making it easier for people to get in contact with us in the ways they prefer.
3. Identify and address knowledge gaps in services
Engagement with service providers tells us there are significant opportunities to improve knowledge of brain injury across delivery models and expectations around outcomes. We’re developing more specialist education around brain injury with the understanding that when service providers and systems are appropriately informed, the experience of people with a brain injury, and those who support them, are vastly improved.
We’ve been able to develop a more focused and dedicated Information & Referral team, allowing us to offer more targeted assistance linking people from first point of contact through to services and relevant resources – be they provided by us or a third party. Jo Stevens, Queensland State Lead
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BR AIN INJUR Y INF OR M AT ION AND R E FER R AL
SYNAPSE INFORMATION AND REFERRALS TEAM Providing Information & Referrals Directly The Synapse Information and Referrals team are the first port of call for people impacted by brain injury and those who support them. They provide specialist information and referral advice to help people manage life impacted by brain injury and better navigate the systems of care and support.
People like to feel that someone understands and listens to them. With brain injury it’s different to other disabilities and requires someone who gets it – when others (service providers included) might assume everything’s fine. There’s a lot often going on behind the scenes for people and we offer understanding of that. Robyn Ellis, Information Consultant
What kind of support are people seeking when they contact Synapse?
People with brain injury
Carers
Providers
• Supports and services for themselves
• Advocating on behalf of the person with brain injury to get access to services and supports
• Want to understand more about brain injury and its effects, as well as appropriate support practices
• Social connection.
• Support to deal with their own emotions and their caring role
• Need training and resources.
• Resources to help them better understand what’s happening to their loved one.
After calling around to various organisations, I didn’t feel as comfortable as I did when speaking to you. Your willingness to help us and the care and compassion that you shared has created a level of trust, which in turn has encouraged us to access Support Coordination through Synapse. Susan
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How do people get in contact with us? Phone 55% Website 35% Direct Email 6% Referral 4%
Enabling the team with improved systems The rollout of new systems throughout the year has greatly improved the capacity of the Information and Referrals team. Improved internal systems are helping us better meet the needs of the people who contact us. By collecting and analysing better information we’ve become clearer on what our priorities are and how we can further tailor and improve our services.
ILC National Information Program In late 2019 Synapse was awarded a three-year, $1.8 million Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) grant from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to deliver a National Information Program focused on expanding brain injury information services. This grant will enable us to take a three-pronged approach to improving outcomes for people affected by brain injury: Greater access to tailored information and resources Over the years we’ve successfully delivered brain information across a range of publications and, in 2019, launched our online brain injury information hub ‘Understanding Brain Injury’. Through our National Information Program, we’ll be creating even more information and resources in collaboration with communities across the country.
mediums that best suit our community including: • Expanded phone services
There will also be specific emphasis on creating and adapting information services to better support Indigenous Australians, with our team engaging directly with community leaders and groups to ensure resources and tools are culturally relevant.
• Online forums and chat
The Program will improve methods of access to information and supports that people impacted by brain injury require to help inform their choices and decision making. Through engagement and codesign, new resources will be delivered through channels and
• Webinars
• Video content • Podcasts • Digital stories • Local workshops • Publications and resources • Service directories.
We understand how brain injury impacts people at different stages of life and the role that carers, family and service providers can play in providing support. We’ll be developing resources collaboratively with local communities to address the key aspects of life with a brain injury, ensuring people are well equipped to navigate the challenges. Christine Culnane, NSW State Lead
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BR AIN INJUR Y INF ORM AT ION AND RE FERR AL
Local engagement and support We are making the information services previously provided in Queensland and New South Wales available nation-wide, by rolling out a local engagement model and making Synapse representatives available to connect with individuals, families and service providers in key metropolitan and regional locations across Australia. Connecting and partnering with more service providers and organisations locally, with a focus on addressing brain injury, will also further strengthen our referral services. As our engagement team grows nationally, they will be developing: • Direct connection with people impacted by brain injury and their families • Local peer support activities • Industry network events • Brain Injury training, education and consulting • Localised online forums and support.
Having people in each state and territory is a really important part of establishing relationships and facilitating co-design input and feedback on the services and resources we develop. Adam Schickerling, National Director Strategy and Engagement
Growing a National Brain Injury Service Directory Continuing work funded by NSW Health and as part of the Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) backed SynapseConnect Project and National Information Program, an improved National Service Directory was launched in November 2019 as part of the new Synapse website. As Synapse expands its reach nationally and connects with more service providers at a local level, the Service Directory will give more people impacted by brain injury access to information about service providers across Australia. Synapse’ curation of the Service Directory continues beyond 2020 and will aim to ensure that listed providers have appropriate experience working with people with a brain injury, and in specific regions, are also able to deliver culturally appropriate services to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. This work is tied directly to our efforts in mapping services and identifying knowledge gaps across the country. In addition to finding skilled and experienced providers, there are also opportunities to address knowledge gaps and work more closely with service providers to build their capacity.
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Meeting the same high accessibility standards as the rest of the website, the Service Directory offers people the ability to both filter results by service category and search by key term. As the directory grows, development will be undertaken to further improve its features and usability.
Brain Injury Information Hub Following extensive community engagement, co-design and information mapping the Synapse website and Info Hub ‘Understanding Brain Injury’ was launched in late November 2019. The Info Hub has since become the flagship online resource for Synapse, providing accessible information for individuals with a brain injury, their carers and family members as well as brain injury professional and practitioners. ‘Understanding Brain Injury’ contains over 120 fact sheets across eight categories, that address the most important stages of brain injury across the lifespan. Featuring a range of readability, accessibility and language tools as
People from across Australia and the world get in contact with us directly to discuss their situation after accessing the Info Hub. It’s also become a valuable resource for our team, allowing us to direct people back to important information once we’ve spoken with them.
well as an online reading list and print-ready fact sheets, the Info Hub builds on Synapse’ history of providing information, making content accessible and available to more people than ever before. Following the launch of the Info Hub, user feedback and on-site surveys communicated a resoundingly positive reception to the hub, with most people found the relevant and accurate information they were looking for.
The website fact sheets are a fabulous resource to many people with ABI who have had insufficient information given to them during their period in hospital and initial rehabilitation. Neil
Robyn Ellis, Information Consultant
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BR AIN INJUR Y INF ORM AT ION AND RE FERR AL
Brain Injury Info Hub Performance
Over
Over
7,500
93,000
average monthly users
120
Used by more than
Over fact sheets across 8 categories
70% of
page views
website visitors
Info Hub Categories Popularity % Page views Effects of Brain Injury 41.7% Recovery & Rehab 21.3% Living with Brain Injury 10.3%
Survey Feedback Figures
Brain Injury Basics 9.3% Causes of Brain Injury 6.9% Family & Carers 5.4% In the Hospital 3.9%
90%
95%
90% of users surveyed said
95% of users surveyed said
they found the information they were looking for
the information they found was relevant and helpful
Legal and Advocacy 2.9%
Popular Info Hub Fact Sheets
Challenging & Complex Behaviours Perseveration & Repetition Support Needs of Carers
Coma & Brain Injury Motivation & Initiation
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Memory Problems
Anoxic & Hypoxic Brain Injury Managing Fatigue
Attention & Concentration Problems
Nutrition & Brain Injury
Yarn Up Employment Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people can experience challenges when interacting with and engaging services that have been developed without connection to local culture and community. Throughout 2020 we worked with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities and Disability Employment Service providers in Western Australia to develop new, culturally informed resources to support the delivery of employment services. Through codesign and collaborative development with both service providers and communities, the Yarn Up Employment resources aim to facilitate more meaningful, culturally appropriate conversations around employment support services. This will ensure the preferences and interests of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people with a disability are understood with consideration of culture and the local context. While social distancing and the travel limitations of COVID-19 impacted planned engagement with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities, the early months of 2020 saw work get underway with employment service providers, mapping the entire participant journey and developing a detailed understanding of employment provider processes. • Joblink Midwest • MEEDAC (Midwest Employment and Economic Development Aboriginal Corporation)
Design and development of the resources has been aligned closely with specific program delivery needs ensuring that the end product offers significant value and improved outcomes to both provider organisations and participants. Insight gained through consultation with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities will inform the development of contextually relevant language, image libraries and visual themes for the final resources.
We know that this project is really needed and wanted. There’s an appetite out there for better tools to get job outcomes for people with a disability. Particularly, employment providers have expressed a desire for better outcomes in post-placement and relationship management with employers. As such, our intention with this project is to help employers and employees better understand and communicate the impacts of disability on employment within the context of local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander culture. Zane D’Mello, Transition Management
• APM • Forrest Personnel • Real Futures.
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BR AIN INJUR Y INF ORM AT ION AND RE FERR AL
Publications and Resources Practical resources and publications equip people with the information and tools necessary to better understand their situation, the systems of support they interact with and how they can make progress through recovery, rehabilitation and beyond into daily life. Primarily focused toward people with a brain injury and their carers and family, our progress with new publications and resources has been led by what our audience tell us are the key areas of need. With these insights and a greater emphasis on quality visual design, the year saw us working on items that will be of great value for years to come.
Acquired Brain Injury: The Facts 2020 Revision
Recovering from a Brain Injury
Our publication ‘Acquired Brain Injury: The Facts’ is a hugely valuable resource for people impacted by brain injury and those that work to support them.
The early days in hospital following a brain injury can be extremely frightening and overwhelming for close family and friends. Often there are no warning signs or time to prepare for the experience of a loved one being treated in hospital.
It helps people across all stages of the experience to understand the effects of their injury during recovery and rehabilitation and their options for support as they return to daily life. For many people, it is the first time they hear of Synapse and the ways that we are able to support them further. The 2020 revision of ABI: The Facts will mark the publication’s sixth edition, adding a significant amount of new content informed by the needs of our community, updated information and language, plus an all-new design and layout to match Synapse’ new brand and visual style.
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Developed thanks to funding from Synapse supporter Les Clarence, ‘Recovering from a Brain Injury’ offers concise, introductory information about brain injury and what family and friends can expect over the coming days and weeks of recovery. With this publication and through direct contact with families, we can offer guidance and support during the difficult early stages of recovery.
My Weekly Schedule
Daily Activity Journal Throughout recovery after brain injury, it’s important for people to keep track of critical information about their treatment and the medical and support team working with them. With memory and organisation skills commonly impacted by brain injury, people also tell us that tools that assist in planning and organising appointments and keeping track of activities are greatly beneficial. Our Daily Activity Journal was designed to address these needs, offering people a place to record contacts, appointments and track daily activities and achievements. Across the weeks and months of recovery, the journal allows people to form a clear picture of their experience, enabling them to apply for funding with greater detail and celebrate the progress made over time.
As people return to daily life with a brain injury, simple tools to aid memory and assist with planning appointments and tasks become extremely useful. Our ‘My Weekly Schedule’ is a simple week planner fridge magnet whiteboard supplied with an erasable marker that uses a clear visual design to display each day of the week in ‘Morning’, ‘Afternoon’ and ‘Evening’ segments. This tool allows people to keep track of meaningful hobbies and activities, log important appointments, and in turn, reduce anxiety around memory problems.
Monthly Email Newsletter for People Impacted by Brain Injury For many years Synapse produced the quarterly publication ‘Bridge Magazine’ as a resource for people impacted by brain injury. In order to reach people more frequently, with greater efficiency, 2019 saw the launch of the monthly Synapse email newsletter. Aimed at people with a brain injury and their carers and family members, the email newsletter presents personal stories from the community, articles and resources to assist in living with brain injury, updates on important issues around support systems and NDIS, and general news about Synapse.
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COMMUNITY AND SHARED EXPERIENCE Brain injury can be an isolating experience, for the person injured as well as their families and carers. Connecting with people who have walked a similar path can be an invaluable means of gaining support, problem solving, and widening social networks. By fostering connection within individual lives, as well as across the professional space, we’re working towards a broadened and deepened understanding of brain injury, and a more inclusive, empowering society.
Reconnections: Peer Support Program The Reconnections program aims to connect people with brain injury to another person with similar lived experience in a peer-to-peer or mentor-mentee relationship. Participants can speak on the phone, video call, email, write or meet face-to-face. While monthly meet-ups were originally held near Parramatta, Gosford, Taree and Port Macquarie, these then moved online with the onset of COVID-19, widening access beyond the groups’ original geographical boundaries. There are also twice weekly Zoom ‘coffee’ catch-ups with Peer Family Liaison Officers who have lived experience of brain injury.
This journey of ours can seem so lonely at times. Having the feeling that no one knows what we are going through… It’s a burden we all have to learn to live with, but it’s so important to know that you are never alone in this journey. Tim
Damien Mowle Family Liaison Officer Since my accident, rehab, recovery and retraining, all I have wanted is somehow to be involved supporting people and families on a similar path to my own. Just as we completed the local area service introductions, COVID restrictions began, and Synapse and our role had
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to change dramatically and quickly.
rewarding when you have that moment with a client.
To the credit of all those involved, Synapse evolved the role to online via zoom and phone calls, expanding the reach of the program tenfold.
Having clients’ age range from 21 to 67, male and female, I have been fortunate enough to connect with all. Lived experience breaks down the barriers and gives the client much-needed validation to their journey.
Building rapport and trust has been challenging using these media options but equally
Job seeking after brain injury While the Reconnections group focuses on peer support, it’s also a great place to access expert information and advice. We invited Alexa Locke from GreenLight Human Capital to share her insights on navigating the world of job-seeking and employment after brain injury. Topics included barriers to returning to work, supports available, injury disclosure, strategies for managing impairment, volunteering as pathway to employment, managing fatigue and the legal issues that may be encountered.
Jayden Alexanderson Family Liaison Officer I am constantly thinking of new ideas and ways to help my clients. It has also helped with my own recovery [from brain injury] trying to think outside the box, thinking about solutions for clients. I started a ‘Question time’ live on Facebook, answering
questions about how I dealt with everyday challenges, for example, working, rehab, recovery, friends, relationship etc. Members would also privately message me about topics that they would like to hear.
‘coffee with Jay’ zoom group for our Facebook members and Synapse clients. This is a place where they can catch up with other members and have a friendly morning chat and if there is anything on their mind, they can ask the group.
I have also been doing a
Believe me when I say that I understand, I have been there︎ and, yes, I cry with joy knowing we care about each other and that I am able to share my story with you. Julie
Brain Drain Market Day 2019 For many within the brain injury community, peer support is as much – if not more – about giving as it is about taking. One such example is that of Shelby Ouston, who was inspired to start her clothing brand, Brain Drain Co., after recovering from brain injury caused by NMDA receptor encephalitis in 2017. Shelby decided to create a Market Day
in December 2019, to raise awareness of Synapse. Held in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, the event saw local bands, creatives, producers and collectors fill a music venue to perform and sell their wares in support of the work that Synapse does for people impacted by brain injury.
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C OMMUNI T Y AND SH ARED E XP ERIENCE
SynapseCarers: Carers Program SynapseCarers was designed to provide support for those who care for someone with a brain injury, recognising both their own needs and the pivotal role they play. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, Family Liaison Officers have provided individualised support to families in the Mid-North Coast and Western NSW regions, helping them navigate the transition from acute care to community care. They also delivered a total of 11 in-person information and support sessions, which were recorded for YouTube. Topics included navigating systems such as the NDIS and Centrelink, as well as housing options and Guardianship, supporting a loved one’s behaviour, fatigue, memory and motivation, and building resilience in families after brain injury. In addition, the team delivered informal online sessions, in response to COVID-19 restrictions, moderated Facebook groups and provided brain injury information to schools, community allied health professionals and service providers.
Robyn Howard Family Liaison Officer Brain injury can herald a completely new way of life, not just for the person injured, but for partners and family members who have become carers. I’ve been there, providing support, as people’s lives have been turned upside down. For some it’s not just a case of needing to take on a caring role, they may also have to take over the responsibilities usually assumed by their injured partner. I provide support however it’s needed – a phone call, a visit, practical information on things like applying for a disability parking permit or wheelchair accessible transport, and even linking with our advocacy team.
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And referrals aren’t just for people who have just been injured – we’re being contacted about people with brain injury and their carers who have been recovering for many years, without this type of support. But it’s here now. While COVID restrictions ended our face-to-face contact, our carer groups evolved to Zoom groups. Although the new technology didn’t work for some, we persisted and gained regular members from the likes of Wagga, Orange, Bathurst, Sydney, Brisbane and beyond. As well as our regular group meetings, we provide expert-led sessions on topics such as managing challenging behaviour and even guided relaxation.
I call all the carers monthly, fortnightly or sometime every few days to check in on how they are getting on. It’s not just about advice or help – sometimes it’s just about listening. We cannot fix all the trials the carer or the person with a brain injury go through, but we can empathise, encourage and be their cheer squad. My passion has been to support the carer to support themselves, as they may not realise they can easily burn out. My calls drop off as the carer becomes more independent, but they know we are here for support and an ear to listen whenever they need us.
Online support Given the limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, online support has never been more important. Our peer-support channels were created to help people with
brain injury, and their families and carers, share their experiences in a safe space, exchange information, build connections and a sense of belonging.
Facebook Groups
Synapse Forum
Synapse Reconnections for people living with a brain injury Synapse Reconnections (Carers) for carers and family members of those impacted by brain injury Our Facebook groups are moderated by Synapse staff with either lived experience or a wealth of knowledge about brain injury. In addition to social discussion, there are regular live interviews on a range of topics and sharing of tips and resources. The Facebook groups are ‘closed’ to ensure the privacy of participants.
Launched in November 2019, and hosted on the Synapse website, the Forum offers an opportunity to start and engage in specific conversations relevant to your circumstances. With the ability to post anonymously, the space allows users to receive and/or give support to others impacted by brain injury. Designed as a place to talk about the ‘tough stuff’, the forum is moderated by experienced Synapse staff and doesn’t require users to be signed up to a social media account.
Support for professionals The Brain Injury Network exists to link government and non-government organisations, allied health and medical professionals, researchers and other professionals working in the field of brain injury, because the right connections are crucial to ensuring comprehensive care and support for people with brain injury.
November’s conference provided another opportunity for professionals to share information and grow connections. Themes for this event included speech pathology, assistive technology and the NDIS, and social workers’ perspectives on responding to the psychosocial need in the community neuro rehabilitation setting.
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SPECIALIST SERVICES Brain injury often affects every aspect of a person’s life. We use our understanding and experience coupled with deep listening to tailor services to meet the specific needs of the person, to go into bat for people with brain injury when their needs are not being met, and to educate other service providers – of any kind – on how best to accommodate diverse needs. Breakdown of Synapse Services
Advocacy 25.12% Housing 3.41% Information & Referral 43.08%
SERVICES WE PROVIDE
NDIS Appeals 5% Other 5.18% Peer Support Services 1% Reconnections 2.17% Support Coordination 15.12%
Our Services Synapse delivers specialist advice, support and services to help people with brain injury navigate, and get the most from, the National Disability Insurance Scheme. NDIS Pre-Planning Guiding Participants through preparation for their NDIS meeting, to explore support needs and establish goals and outcomes. Support Coordination Assisting with decisions by providing tailored advice and connecting Participants with the right supports for their specific needs. With the COVID-19 crisis, support coordination was more important than ever due to a familiarity with the NDIS and knowing how to creatively use the funds provided.
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My Synapse support person was an angel. When we spoke, it was like a light had been turned on.
Meredith Lade’s daughter Ari was diagnosed with a germinoma brain tumour when she was 17. Within three days, Ari was being operated on with a very uncertain prognosis. The first six months was a blur of surgery, chemo, and radiotherapy and Ari was in hospital for about four and a half months. She finally came home not long after her 18th birthday. Then, in late December 2015, she went to Royal Ryde Rehab as an outpatient; [they] referred us to Synapse. It was the beginning of the NDIS in Northern Sydney and no one knew much about it at all – it was quite chaotic but over time, it has become a life-saver.
During the 2019/2020 financial year, NDIA recognised the need for support coordination and allowed NDIS participants to access it using their core funds. This has continued beyond October 2020. Specialist Support Coordination Specially funded, and delivered by Support Coordinators with Allied Health, Psychology or Social Work qualifications, for people who have more complex, high needs, are in a crisis situation or have come into contact with the criminal justice system. NDIS Appeals (NSW) Providing advice and support for people with a disability in NSW who have received an unsatisfactory or inappropriate NDIS plan outcome or have been denied access altogether.
My Synapse support person was an angel. When we spoke, it was like a light had been turned on. She gave me a fresh perspective and provided a framework for the first planned meeting with the NDIS. It was such a relief to have that support and not have to carry everything on my own. From that first connection, we felt like we weren’t alone. “It has been wonderful to have Synapse to continue to support us in the NDIS process as it continues to be challenging in many different ways. Michael Hampton and our very helpful Support Coordinators from Synapse continue to be staunch advocates in our plan reviews. The Synapse team has become family and I feel like I can call them at any time; they’re such an anchor for us.
Housing Options Supporting Participants to connect with and coordinate NDIS funded housing activities, ensuring life with a brain injury is lived as independently as possible. Direct Support Specialised brain injury personal support across all aspects of daily life, building autonomy and enabling people with a brain injury to participate in meaningful community, vocational and educational opportunities. Indigenous Services We offer culturally appropriate services for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, including Specialist Disability Accommodation, Support Coordination and NDIS planning tools, to help overcome barriers accessing the NDIS and the right supports. SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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Advocacy Over the past year, the Synapse advocacy team supported over 300 people with a range of issues, including education and employment, Government payments and everything from access to the NDIS to the implementation of NDIS plans. Despite the challenges of Covid-19, we continued to provide individual advocacy services for people with brain injury, their families and carers via email, phone and online meetings. These services are across all of NSW for people with brain injury and their families/carers.
Current Advocacy issues we address Legal/access to justice 18% Housing/homelessness 13% ISSUES WE ADDRESS
Finances 7% NDIS 38% Vulnerable/isolated 6% Health/mental health 6% Other 12%
Emerging Advocacy Issues Identified NDIS: Support Implementing Plan / Accessing Services, Access & Planning, Internal Review 51% Housing / Homelessness 16% ISSUES IDENTIFIED
Vulnerable / Isolated 12% Health / Mental Health 7% Equipment / Aids 6% Finances 3%
We also offer advocacy services for people in NSW requiring assistance with the NDIS, both in terms of decisions around access and the scheme’s internal review process, as well as iCare (formerly Lifetime Care and Support) appeals.
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CASE STUDY Synapse was approached to support a person with brain injury who wished to recover monies from a family relationship. With support, they were able to gain legal assistance and resolved the matter - recovering a greater sum than expected. During this process it became clear that the client was in fact missing out on other subsidies available to them for housing. The advocate assisted them in securing a rental subsidy.
Further, Michael suggested I approach Housing NSW for a rent subsidy. I currently receive a subsidy of $215 p/w for my $395 p/w rent and on a disability support pension I am now able to save $500 per fortnight.
We got a fantastic result due in no small part to Malcolm’s expert guidance - Malcolm was professional, technical and at times a life mentor to both myself and my son’s mother- the mentor side showing clearly his extensive experience in making sure the right messages are portrayed - which is essential to settling a case in the best light possible.
I am incredibly thankful to Michael for his calm, patient and clear guidance.
I had attempted to secure Legal Aid’s assistance in a family law dispute on two occasions both of which were rejected. Michael asked if I mind if he attempted the same to which I agreed. He was successful and after a relatively short period of time I have been successful in recovering $150,000 from my marriage breakdown.
On the Central Coast of NSW, we deliver individual Advocacy for people with any type of disability. This service can help with a broad range of matters, including: • Asking for more suitable services • Navigating services and systems • Supporting a person at important meetings • Helping you to make a complaint • Representing your needs to government agencies, service providers, hospitals etc.
Thank you to your organisation for helping people like us/my son navigate an NDIS case - and for providing us access to someone as highly skilled at his ‘game’ as Malcolm. SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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CASE STUDY
Ollie’s story
Leanne Hall’s son Ollie is 12 - a “beautifully natured, smart young man” who has autism, ADHD and the rare genetic disability Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia. The family have been trying for years to access the NDIS, but after their paperwork was repeatedly ‘lost’ they gave up. “I just didn’t have the mental capacity to deal with it. It had been going on for years and I was exhausted. “Eventually another Mum told me she’d had some trouble with the system too. That’s how I ended up speaking to Rachel at Synapse to ask for her help in advocating for Ollie. “The first thing she said to me was, ‘I’m on your side and it won’t cost you a thing. I know you’ve struggled and I’m here to support you’. “I felt heard, which is really important, but I also felt that I was able to share the burden with someone and we now had a ‘Team Ollie’. “Rachel was just brilliant. She even walked to NDIA’s offices to talk to them face to face, and within seven days I got a letter saying access request has been approved. A few weeks after that I was speaking with a Local Area Coordinator (LAC) to get Ollie’s NDIS plan. Rachel was on the Zoom call with me just to ‘hold my hand’. It was reassuring to have someone that knew the system to guide me and support me through this next step. “Funding helps us to help Ollie. He’s coping better with mainstream schooling now because of the support funding provides, and he continues to hold his own academically. Oliver will be starting psychology with a young, male psychologist who I think will be great for him entering his teenage years. I’ve arranged occupational therapy to
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I felt heard, which is really important, but I also felt that I was able to share the burden with someone and we now had a ‘Team Ollie’.
improve his fine motor skills. And I’ve just appointed a plan manager to help manage the financial side. “We are working on increased independence with him and teaching him to make his own sandwiches. I try and encourage him to do it himself first. He goes to Scouts too, which has been helping him with this independence. “He’s decided he wants to be an ‘Engersmith’ when he grows up. It’s a job he has invented – a combination between a blacksmith and an engineer. He has so much potential. “My aspirations for Ollie are for him to be safe, to feel that life is worth living, to feel loved, to be happy and to have good friendships. If we can achieve that, I will feel that we have got him to a good place. “I want him to be able to achieve his dreams. Having this funding, and access to the right supports for him, is a big step towards helping us achieve that. It’s been life changing.”
Housing Synapse supports people across South-East Queensland and Far North Queensland to live in their own homes and communities including through provision of Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), private rental arrangements, public housing and alternative housing arrangements. Whether a person receives funded support via the NDIS, an injury insurance scheme or by other means, we know the importance of people having the support needed to live well in their own homes and communities. Home looks and feels different for each of us but can be impacted in so many ways after injury. For some it’s about support to remain living with family and to be able to continue caring for their children, or enjoying later years with a spouse after a lifetime of work and raising a family. For others it’s about taking that first step as a young adult to move out of the family home or it could be more important for the person to be close to services, people and networks that are important to them.
A little support can make all the difference to being able to keep control over these decisions that we often take for granted; the ability to choose who we live with, how we live and where we live. After acquiring an injury, it can be very difficult to adjust to new ways of doing things. Things we once found easy or didn’t think about at all, now can be difficult and frustrating. Whether a small amount of support or a lot is needed, the right support is critical to recovery and central to keeping connected to the things important to us. Where we live influences the people we connect with, the services we choose to access, the interests we can pursue, the employment opportunities available to us, how easily we can get around or the choices we make about when we spend time with others or the time we choose to spend alone. Access to the right housing and support can be the difference between having these choices or not.
We continue to reimagine the way that housing is provided to people impacted by brain injury and the unique ways that brain injury can impact how well a person lives and the type of support they may need. Jo Stevens, Queensland State Lead
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SP ECI ALIS T SER V ICE S CASE STUDY
Chris’s story Against a backdrop of childhood trauma and abuse - his siblings removed at a young age – Chris* has struggled with the impact of brain injury across every sphere of his life. Disconnected from his brothers – themselves in prison or experiencing mental health issues and drug addiction – Chris desperately craves his mother’s love and affection. But now, with a DVO in place preventing contact, he has fallen foul of the law repeatedly as he pursues that relationship. His acquired brain injury prevents any real understanding of the consequences of his actions or indeed the prospect of ever connecting with his mother in the way he hopes. This is a pattern that has played out throughout Chris’s life. From a young age he wandered the streets, wanting friends and family to call his own but not knowing how to establish and maintain relationships. In turn, that led him to forming unhealthy attachments – hanging out with the wrong crowd to feed his need for belonging and connection. Drug and alcohol abuse followed. He found himself in problematic situations, without any real understanding of what he’d got himself into. Until, one day, he witnessed a murder. Now Chris experiences the added challenges of PTSD. Currently incarcerated, he is vulnerable and often targeted – susceptible to continued physical and emotional abuse. The alternative? Being placed in a secure unit, compounding his loneliness and sense of isolation.
Chris desperately wants to start afresh – to break the cycle. But, once again, his brain injury has added layers of complication. Working collectively with prison staff, community mental health teams and the Office of the Public Guardian, the Synapse team is committed to helping Chris build a better future. Jo Stevens, Queensland State Lead, says that Chris now recognises that he needs help, but doesn’t know how to go about articulating that or accessing the right types of support. “We’ve been collaborating with a range of individuals and agencies to try to support Chris’s release from prison, including securing him housing and round the clock supports enabling him to meet his parole conditions. As is so common with brain injury, the basic assumptions that, upon release, he would join teleconferences with allied health supports and meet his reporting obligations just aren’t realistic. “Chris doesn’t own a phone – when he does he loses it. He doesn’t have a laptop or any tech skills and he struggles to remember appointment times. So, supports then tend to drop off over time, and Chris is labelled non-compliant or unwilling to engage. “It’s a very typical and deeply harmful misunderstanding of what it means to have a brain injury.
for his care because of the level of support required. And it has meant his desperate quest for human connection has been misunderstood and exploited.” This year his application for bail was denied, devastating his wider family circle. “I have so many emotions at the moment,” his aunt said. “I am extremely sad for Chris that he can’t be released to get the support he so desperately needs with his extremely poor mental health and disability. With no rehabilitation in the prison this is catastrophic.” For Jo and the team at Synapse, Chris’s predicament is all too familiar. “Chris needs people to work proactively, and collectively, to understand him and provide him with support. But we also need our systems to adapt to the needs of people who have experienced head injury”.
Chris isn’t unusual – he’s just one of so many people who, through no fault of their own, have been caught up in a multigenerational cycle of disadvantage. A cycle we’re working hard to break.
“Chris’s injury has left him unable to sustain meaningful employment, unless he – and his employer - get the right supports. It has meant that the wider family circle has been unable to take responsibility *Names have been changed to protect privacy
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Community Living Initiative, Cairns (aka ‘Warner Street’) In 2017 Synapse built Australia’s first and only purposebuilt, culturally responsive housing for Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander peoples impacted by brain injury and complex disability. Over 9+ years, Synapse listened and respected the wisdom of community that was, and remains the heart of Warner Street. We know that Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples experience much higher rates of disability and homelessness and are more likely to live in inappropriate and restrictive settings, including residential aged care, hospital or mental health facilities. We also know Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples with a disability experience ongoing distress without access to culturally appropriate supports to deal with significant issues including, trauma, grief and loss, physical and emotional abuse, cultural disconnection, family violence and suicide. There is a risk if services do not respond to these issues in a culturally informed way, well-meaning service providers frequently do more harm than good. What makes Warner Street different? The Warner Street Community was designed and constructed by a consortium of Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners, architects, designers and landscapers and under the guidance of the Traditional Owners of the land and community. At its heart, Warner street aims to strengthen connection to culture. Warner Street acknowledges the centrality of culture, in the way space is used to connect with others, with landscape and in the way that truly culturally informed services are delivered. With cultural knowledge at its core, Warner Street continues to provide a space of healing and connection. This extends beyond the physical design and landscape, however these are critical to providing an environment within which culturally informed support just happens.
In fact, the essence of Warner Street is the relationships, the family, the identity - the culture. A strong Indigenous team brings the cultural knowledge and life experiences that reflect the deep understanding of what this connection means, ensuring culture and identity are respected, not merely understood. The richness of knowledge and wisdom rests in the relationships between and with tenants, family, community and culture. This is culturally informed in its intent and its impact. Warner Street provides tenants with a sense of autonomy, greater choice, and connects them to the things that are important to their identity and which hold meaning for them—creating a place of belonging and healing, as it does for the many families and team members it comprises. For many Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, the impact of disability means dislocation from country and community due to poor access to services or medical supports to keep strong on country. Warner Street is a community that makes it possible for tenants to create and live in their own home; a home and community that is spiritually, socially and emotionally safe.
When we look at the alternatives such as nursing homes etc, more often than not our mob go backwards because their sense of belonging is so very far away from what their spirits need. We have seen it in every single tenant that has moved in, the changes that a place such as Warner makes to make their spirit safe and able to start to heal. Janine Taylor, Community Living Manager, Warner Street SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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CASE STUDY
Peter’s story Peter is 54 years old and is from the community of Yarrabah. Yarrabah is a coastal town located around 60km east of Cairns, and its population consists mainly of Indigenous people. Yarrabah is home to Queensland’s largest Indigenous community, with a population of around 2500 people. The connection to the land and water is strong for the people of Yarrabah, and no less for Peter. In fact, it seems that his yearning for his community and to be in his place is stronger than ever, now that he doesn’t live there. Peter spent a year and a half in aged care. It was a difficult time for Peter. He couldn’t connect with his family and his community, and these are the things that help Peter feel most like himself. His sense of self, of place, of family and community are tied up with Yarrabah in ways many would not understand. These elements are the essence of Peter’s identity, and they have been deeply disrupted. Peter was in a locked dementia ward and describes his time in aged care as ‘boring and isolating’. His experience reflects the wider experience of other young people stuck in aged care. He just felt like he was in the wrong place. Peter loves to go fishing and loves the NRL. These are things he couldn’t experience while living in aged care.
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Peter was referred to Synapse as his placement in aged care did not provide any opportunities to keep connected with his community. There was no connection to his culture, including the absence of any Indigenous staff in the nursing home. Since moving out of the nursing home, Peter is now living in his own home, within Australia’s first Indigenous specific supported housing community, delivered by Synapse Australia. Peter has complete control over who comes in to his home, including male staff that he feels comfortable with. The people that he lives with provide an opportunity to recreate a sense of community. Peter used to do a lot of sport in Yarrabah, and was very close with his best friend, and his brother. Now, every second Sunday, Peter spends time in Yarrabah. He is able to see his family and be part of community events. He still feels a strong pull to Yarrabah, but at least now he can connect with his community. These regular visits help reduce his feelings of homesickness.
CASE STUDY
Allan’s story Allan is from Innisfail and his mob are from Upper Murray Johnstone – the Girramay people. He is a person with an appetite for learning and passionately engages in any opportunity to learn something new. When it comes to telling his story, Allan finds it difficult. It is clear he needs to be heard, but the complexities of his experience mean that it is hard for him to talk about what happened in his past. Allan lived in a secure mental health facility for around two years before he came to live in his current home. He speaks of the many voices that were in his head before he ended up in the secure unit, and the distress he experiences when reflecting on this time. There are parts of Allan’s past that seem too traumatic to articulate, and he is unable to describe his feelings as he reflects on this time.
He remains focused on who he is now; a learner, and a performer. He does courses and is supported in his insatiable thirst for new knowledge and new skills. Those supporting Allan encourage him to attend a local service that offer mentorship and specialise in pre-employment training and life skills. He particularly loves dancing and performing and proudly identifies as an actor. Allan enthusiastically shared details of his role in the movie ‘Reckless Kelly’, a box office hit which starred Yahoo Serious and Hugo Weaving. Allan has a brother and five sisters. Allan is able to visit his sisters back home in Innisfail regularly, he’s supported to do this whenever he can. Maintaining his connection to his family is very important to him.
Training, consulting and advisory services Through the work of our local teams, we’ll map the needs of different service providers and businesses Australia-wide, to identify opportunities for Synapse to improve outcomes for people impacted by brain injury. Training and consulting resources will be developed to give organisations a sound understanding and awareness of Brain Injury and how to more appropriately design and deliver services and support in their field. To reach the widest audience, a mix of delivery models including eLearning, Webinars and in-person workshops will be utilised and tailored to each organisation’s specific needs.
Supporting and enabling real choice for people living with a brain Injury is essential. By better equipping service providers with the right knowledge and strategies, we can ensure more appropriate and inclusive services and support. Adam Schickerling, National Director Strategy and Engagement
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CREATING CHANGE We’re continuing to tackle the complex issues that contribute to the prevalence and impact of brain injur y and perpetuate cycles of disadvantage and marginalisation for many individuals and their communities. Our growing understanding and evidence around the impacts of brain injur y support our drive for change and the development of initiatives that deliver real outcomes across systemic issues. Given the continuing under-representation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples in the NDIS, and over-representation in the criminal justice, homelessness and out of home care systems, these areas remain a focus for our work. We are able to enact change through a combination of our academic learnings in many different systems, our deep
Housing
Corrections – youth and adult
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people inequities
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listening to the communities we serve and our fearless advocacy for change through the relationships we hold across the country. Areas that we focus on for our systemic advocacy work are those where people brain injury is often more highly prevalent.
Out of home care
Alcohol and other drugs
Unemployment
Domestic and Family Violence
The Come Home Come Heal Come Rest project has emerged from our steadfast commitment to raising the profile of the barriers faced by Australia’s First Peoples, particularly those that are further compounded by experience of disability. We know that the impact of discriminatory practices across all systems will persist for as long as systems of community and governance remain challenged by deep acknowledgement of culture as central to social and emotional wellbeing, and healing. Following many years of being invited to talk with communities, the Come Home, Come Heal, Come Rest initiative has taken a great leap forward, securing a continuation in support for a further five year period. This commitment ensures that Synapse continues to respect the stories and experiences of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people as we work to create lasting change for people impacted by brain injury and disability across Australia. Come Home, Come Heal, Come Rest is an initiative focussed on working to increase participation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples in the NDIS as well as the many systems and services that impact
Historical D ete rm in
In language of Kuku Yanalji people of the rainforest regions of Far North Qld, ‘Guddi’ means Come Home, Come Heal, Come Rest.’
Connection to spirit, spirituality & ancestors
Connection to country
Po lit i
nts rmina ete lD ca
Come Home Come Heal Come Rest
ts an
Connection to body
Self
Connection to mind & emotions
Connection to family & kinship
Connection to culture Connection to community
S oc
i a l D e te r m i n a n
ts
the support, connections and opportunity available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people with disability. We know that failure to sustain lasting change in these systems contributes to vulnerability to ever increasing social and economic disadvantage. Application of the Guddi Way Screen, coupled with information and education, continues to expand across the country. Our engagement reaches diverse sectors, communities and systems that we know play an active role in improving responses to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait islander people impacted by disability. The initiative extends across all states and Territories and has three core pillars of engagement
Pillar 1:
Pillar 2:
Pillar 3:
WORKING WITH AGENCIES through targeted engagement with community organisations, agencies and government departments supporting or working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals impacted by brain injury - across criminal and juvenile justice, mental health, child safety, youth and family services, aged care, education, housing and homelessness services nationally.
WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES in a place-based ‘proper way’ following the guidance, local wisdom and lore about issues identified and the ways of understanding, expressing or responding to the impacts of disability. ‘Proper way’ can be difficult to define in conventional terms, as in addition to observable ways of working and connecting, it encompasses an intangible, spiritual aspect. Such understanding and guidance is only achieved through community leadership, knowledge and wisdom. Better understanding of disability and its impacts in a community and cultural context will enable community to make decisions about what is then needed.
SYSTEMIC ADVOCACY is critical to increasing participation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in the NDIS by informing and shaping the wider environment in which services and education are provided. Systemic advocacy activities are designed to achieve policy and practice change to achieve improved access of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders to the NDIS within a service system and community context that preferences cultural understanding and responses.
This Strategy will directly focus on increasing agency capacity to understand the nature and implications of brain injury, enabling whole-ofperson understanding and improved practice. This will be achieved through training in Guddi application, and support to develop culturally safe programs and strategies, and associated guidance/training.
The convergence of local and global events and issues, such as COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, Measuring the Justice Gap and new National Agreement on Closing the Gap, has marked an observable shift in community awareness and attitude toward barriers and discrimination; a call to action that cannot be ignored. SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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CR E AT ING CH ANGE COME HOME COME HEAL COME REST STAKEHOLDERS COMMUNITY MENTAL LEGAL & MEDICAL & STATE & SOCIAL EDUCATION HEALTH HOUSING ADVOCACY RESEARCH ALLIED HEALTH SERVICES HEALTH
VIC
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
TAS
✔
✔
✔
✔
QLD
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
NSW
✔ ✔ ✔
NT
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
WA
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔ ✔
SA
✔ ✔
ACT
✔ ✔
CONTACTS BY STATE
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔ ✔
Victoria 19%
Northern Territory 2%
Tasmania 12%
Western Australia 30%
Queensland 15%
South Australia 2%
New South Wales 17%
Australian Capital Territory 3%
FOCUS AREAS FREQUENCY Community & Social Services Education Health Housing Justice Legal & Advocacy Medical & Allied Health Mental Health Research
0
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SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020
10
20
30
40
50
The Guddi Way Screen 2019/20 saw development of the Guddi Way Screen finalised – a culturally appropriate screening process to identify brain injury and complex disability, including co-occurring social and emotional wellbeing issues, trauma, alcohol and drug misuse, hearing loss and social disadvantage in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. In collaboration with community and elders, the screen has been strengthened in recent years to specifically align with NDIS processes, to understand and describe potential functional impairments which clearly link to recognised practical support needs. Guddi demonstrates it is possible to increase NDIS participation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people by respecting culturally safe methodologies, underpinned by ‘yarning’. Yarning puts trust and relationship at the centre, connecting in a way the acknowledges and respects culture and identity. Guddi enables greater understanding of a person’s story and experience of disability and functional impairment, including for people who have never before been identified as having a brain injury.
Murri Court
Validation of the cognitive screen is underway, and we will be undertaking further validation work as the pilot programs progress. A large focus for this year was building key relationships with community health organisations, Traditional Owners, Indigenous Elders and community members to gain permission and trust for the work we do within Indigenous communities and on country.
Since completing the Murri Court pilot project in 2019 we have continued our association with Murri Courts in Brisbane and Richlands. We acknowledge and extend our deep thanks to the Brisbane Murri Elder Community Justice Group who have generously shared their knowledge and guidance in the refinement of the Guddi Way screen throughout the pilot and beyond.
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CR E AT ING CH ANGE
Introducing Kylie-Lee Bradford Social Enterprise Lead – Guddi Kylie-Lee is a proud Murrumburr woman from Kakadu, who grew up in the small Aboriginal community of Patonga. Charged with developing a sustainable social enterprise through delivering services, information and advice, KylieLee describes this as a ‘passion role’. “In creating a culturally sensitive screening tool we’re taking a huge step forward in how we make mainstream systems and supports more equitable and accessible for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. That really means so much to me.” Kylie-Lee remains deeply connected with the land and her cultural beliefs; her mother, Sheril Cahill, is a senior traditional owner of Kakadu National Park. “Within my own community I have seen the impact of undiagnosed brain injury – an injury that has been missed, but which has lifelong consequences. “I’m really excited by the difference this tool can make, particularly within the criminal justice system. The identification of brain injury could be life-changing, giving people an opportunity to break vicious cycles and stop ending up back in the system time and time again. “If a brain injury is identified it could be the first step towards a very different future – support with managing behaviour, meeting bail or parole conditions, getting the kids to school, improving quality of life and addressing social and financial vulnerabilities”.
It’s an exciting opportunity for me – to be helping generate change within systems, to create more positive outcomes for Indigenous people.
Kylie-Lee brings significant entrepreneurial experience to the role, as the founder of Kakadu Tiny Tots (children’s clothing), Kakadu Foods (native food products) and Kakadu Organic (skin care range). She is a Graduate of Murra Indigenous Leadership at Melbourne Business School, has been recognised by Femeconomy as an Indigenous female leader, was a speaker and panellist for the Women in Tech Global Virtual Conference 2020, and is a mentor and consultant to Indigenous businesses across Australia.
Needs assessment tool Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples define social and emotional wellbeing in ways that are centred on their connection to culture, to land, to community. On that basis, mainstream assessment tools don’t make sense to many Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples; other tools are needed to be able to adequately understand the person, what is important to them and their needs.
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Synapse has commenced work on a needs assessment tool, primarily for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, but which can also be used outside these populations. Designed to be used in conjunction with Guddi, the tool will establish the care and support needs of the individual. It will take a culturally relevant and holistic approach, and will incorporate more social determinants of health across the person’s life.
Assessing the Disability Needs of Indigenous Prisoners project (ADNIP) Synapse continues to work with Griffith University on the Assessing the Disability Needs of Indigenous Prisoners project (ADNIP). The project examines how disability is identified and assessed in adult (over 18 years) Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander prisoners and people who have exited the prison system. The focus is on people with conditions that often remain unidentified such as hearing loss, cognitive impairments (Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder or brain injury) and related disabilities. It also examines ways to improve access to rehabilitation, treatment and employment opportunities. The national project includes interviews with corrections staff in participating jurisdictions to understand the ways disabilities are identified and managed, and consultation
with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities to understand community solutions and preferred practices. The final component will involve stakeholder feedback to develop recommendations. The community consultations include advocates and community members who support people after prison, as well as people with experience of incarceration. One participant who had spent time in prison commented that he felt valued through the process - “you don’t often get to meet the people who work in organisations and when you are in custody you think people don’t care”. Travel restrictions and social distancing requirements associated with COVID-19 affected data collection, however with some adjustments the project continued to progress.
Team Spotlight Our learned and experienced team works diligently with our research partners and local communities to understand, measure and evidence the impacts of brain injury on people across Australia to drive change and develop initiatives that deliver real outcomes across systems.
Dr. India Bohanna
Dr. Michelle McIntyre
Senior Impact & Evaluation Fellow
Senior Research Fellow
Dr Bohanna leads our Impact & Evaluation team, working across both research and development to drive change. Dr Bohanna’s PhD examined markers of cognitive and motor impairment in individuals with Huntington’s disease, and she has worked with the World Health Organisation Western Pacific Regional Office on strategy development in the mental health area. She has worked with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities on projects related to substance misuse, mental health, and brain injury since 2011. In addition to her work with Synapse, she is an Associate Research Fellow in the APHCRI Centre for Research Excellence in the Prevention of Chronic Conditions in Rural and Remote High-Risk Populations (James Cook University).
Dr McIntyre is an experienced PhD researcher with a wealth of experience investigating the long-term experiences of families following Traumatic Brain Injury. Her current focus is on working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations through our Guddi and ADNIP projects to improve the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples with cognitive and other disabilities.
Uncle Adrian Padmore Community Engagement Officer (ADNIP Project) Uncle Adrian is an Elder of the Yidinji Rainforest people of Yungaburra. He recently retired from working for the Queensland government in a variety of roles for the last 52 years in which he worked with the local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Communities, sharing his expertise and knowledge when required. SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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CR E AT ING CH ANGE
Continuing our strong partnership with The Hopkins Centre, Griffith University For many years Synapse has had a strong research partnership with The Hopkins Centre at Griffith University. Throughout the year we continued work on key projects such as ADNIP in partnership with The Hopkins Centre team, furthering our shared goals of addressing the lifelong impacts of brain injury on individuals, their families and support services. At the foundation of Synapse is a solid base of ongoing learnings and research. Our academic partnerships and rigour ensure we remain at the leading edge of both contemporary research and practice. Our work is evidence informed, from which we build improved responses and partnerships as well as seek to build evidence where important gaps in the research base/literature remain. All of our research work is undertaken with a view to replicating findings across the multiple systems that interact with brain injury, and that are often associated with poor outcomes for the people impacted.
Academic Publications The validity of the evidence base we build is reinforced by our team’s achievements in preparing and successfully publishing in peer reviewed academic journals. Across various research projects and in partnership with key institutions, the quality of our work gives a strong foundation to the initiatives we develop to drive real change.
Journal Articles Published (2019 – 2020) Manuscripts Submitted Manuscripts in Preparation Journal Articles Recently Published (2017 – 2019) Reports and Abstracts
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1
2
3
4
5
2020 KEY HAPPENINGS Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic Changes to Our Services While some of our services were impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions, we were able to continue offering them online and by telephone. Our teams responded quickly and worked tirelessly to adapt to the situation and continue providing support to our community. Support Coordination, Information and Referral, Advocacy and other services continued to be delivered by telephone and online across platforms such as Zoom and Facebook. We also kept our clients and broader community up to date with key COVID-19 developments through email newsletters and a dedicated COVID-19 Information page on the Synapse website.
Ensuring the Safety of our Frontline Staff and Community Our team of Lifestyle Support Workers provide daily living support to people who were among the most vulnerable to the COVID-19 Coronavirus. As COVID-19 concerns grew through March and April, we were quick to respond to ensure both the safety of our staff and the clients and tenants they work with. Management navigated the many challenges of the situation to ensure staff were equipped with accurate information, safety measures and equipment to continue performing their duties. Through the challenges, a spirit of determination was demonstrated by our frontline team, who remained committed to supporting the people they work with despite potential risks to their own wellbeing. We were truly proud of our frontline staff and managers, who worked amazingly to find new solutions and to ensure we could continue our work directly supporting people with brain injury.
Learning from our Staff
Office Staff shift to Working from Home As with many workplaces across Australia and the globe, the Synapse office team made a swift transition to working from home in mid-March. This move required a significant shift in systems to online, cloud-based services – many of which had already been in use across the organisation. Staff were provided the appropriate technology and equipment to set themselves up at home, ensuring safe and productive work continued. With this move came many considerations for staff well-being across financial support, mental health and domestic safety, all of which became highly important.
Following the first three months of the COVID-19 situation and its many challenges, we wanted to get a sense of how our team were holding up – in terms of their work and personal health and wellbeing. Our Impact & Evaluation team designed a staff survey to gain a better understanding of people’s feelings and experiences, allowing us to incorporate feedback into continuous improvement of Synapse as a place to work. Staff were surveyed about how working from home impacted their home life and their regular work responsibilities - with many stating improvements in productivity and work/life balance. Social interaction with colleagues was dearly missed by many, with social isolation a risk for some. COVID-19 proved somewhat stressful with disruption of routine, increased workload and isolation impacting somewhat on a general sense of wellbeing.
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2020 K E Y H AP P ENING S
CEO Jennifer Cullen achieves further recognition After nearly 30 years’ work in the disability sector, Synapse CEO Jennifer Cullen’s work was recognised at multiple levels throughout the year.
Awarded Degree of Doctor of the University In December 2019, Jennifer was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of the University by Griffith University for her service to Australians with disability, in particular her work with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. Professor Elizabeth Kendall, Program Director of Disability and Rehabilitation at the Hopkins Centre, Griffith University said “Jennifer’s long association with Griffith has provided our researchers and students with many great opportunities. She played a crucial role in mentoring researchers and educating disability managers and it is this ongoing commitment to workforce capability and development that sets her leadership apart.”
Reappointed to NDIA Independent Advisory Council
Reflecting on her achievements at the time, Jennifer said: “Throughout my 30-years there have been so many highlights and so many complex situations, but for me, the one thing that will always hold a place in my heart and head will be the Community Living Initiative project in Far North Queensland.”
Jennifer said she was honored to be appointed again to continue the important work of providing advice to the Board of the National Disability Insurance Agency on issues affecting participants, carers and families.
In mid 2020 the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Stuart Robert announced that Jennifer had been reappointed to the Independent Advisory Council (IAC) for another term. This marked Jennifer’s third appointment since 2013, when the IAC was formed to represent the voice of participants in the NDIS.
Partnering with Health Direct to Deliver Brain Injury Information Nationally In 2020 we finalised a partnership with the governmentfunded initiative Healthdirect to provide quality brain injury information and advice to people across Australia. Their website – which receives about 5 million hits a month - offers a symptoms checker, national health service directory and a comprehensive library of health resources, to which we contributed brain injury specific information. CEO Jennifer Cullen said, “We are delighted that Healthdirect Australia asked us to be an information partner. This means we can provide their audience with high quality information on brain injury.” We know how important it is to provide the information people need when they’ve been impacted by brain injury and believe that many more Australians will benefit from accessing this through Healthdirect.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS We couldn’t do what we do without the people who believe in and us and support us through funding or partnering with us to help further our work. You are integral to our success, thank you. Funding bodies: • Department of Social Services, Australian Government • Department of Health (My Aged Care), Australian Government • NSW Health, NSW Government • Family and Community Services, NSW Government • Department of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors, Queensland Government • National Disability Insurance Agency
BEANS 4 BRAINS FUN RUN 2019
• Insurance and Care NSW (iCare), NSW Government • Our Come Heal Come Home Come Rest funders.
Special thanks:
Pro Bono Lawyers:
• David and Nicki Boulter who organise the annual Beans 4 Brains fun run event
• Clayton Utz
• Dave and Laurene Best, Music for the Brain
Service Partners:
• Heidi Caddies
• Ausmar Assist
Major Research Partners:
• Coast 2 Bay Housing
• The John Hopkins Centre, Griffith University, Queensland
• Access Housing
Major Donors:
• James Cook University, Queensland
• Les Clarence and family
Information Partner:
• Helen Stevenson
Healthdirect, Australian Government: www.healthdirect.gov.au
• Newscorp staff donation fund
If you are interested in working with us or supporting what we do at Synapse – either as a donor, a partner organisation or in community fundraising – we would love to hear from you! Please contact us at enquiries@synapse.org.au
SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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FINANCIAL SUMMARY 2020
Income For the year ended 30 June 2020 10,000 9,000
2020
8,000
2019
7,000
2018
6,000
SOURCES OF INCOME 2020
5,000 4,000 3,000 10,000 2,000 9,000
Recurrent Grants
1,000 8,000
Non Recurrent Grants
Client Income
0 7,000
C’wealth Govt Grants
6,000
State Govt Grants
5,000 10,000 4,000 9,000 3,000 8,000 2,000 7,000 1,000 6,000 0 For year 30 5,000the C’wealth Govtended State Govt
Service Income
COVID 19 Stimulus Income
Donations & Partnerships
Tenant Income
Other Income
Donations & Partnerships
Tenant Income
Other Income
Rental Income
Donations & Partnerships
NDIS Income
COVID 19 Stimulus Income
Other Income
Expenditure 4,000
Grants
Grants
June Service2020 COVID 19 Income
Stimulus Income
3,000 10,000
2020
2,000 9,000
2019
1,000 8,000 0 7,000 6,000
2018 Employee Expenses
Interest Payable
Client Support Services
IT Expenditure
Consultancy Fees
Property Expenses
Other Income
SOURCES OF EXPENDITURE 2020
5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000
Employee Expenses
1,000 0
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Interest Paid Employee Expenses
Interest Payable
Client Support Services
SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020
IT Expenditure
Consultancy Fees
Property Expenses
Other Income
IT Expenditure Depreciation
Property
Client Support Services Consultants Other Expenditure
FINANCIAL SUMMARY 2020
Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income For the year ended 30 June 2020 Operating Revenue
30 June 2020 $
30 June 2019 $
13,639,765
11,050,42
Accountancy and Auditor’s Remuneration
(23,858)
(38,478)
Advertising and Promotions
(87,856)
(86,647)
Client Support Services
(630,475)
(465,958)
Computer Expenses
(323,128)
(301,319)
Consultancy Fees
(671,080)
(443,978)
Depreciation and Amortisation Expense
(534,060)
(338,665)
Employee Benefits Expense
(9,252,412)
(8,299,203)
Finance Costs and Charges
(113,534)
(160,416)
Insurance
(85,813) (85,038)
Legal Expenses
(25,638)
(17,930)
Office Expenses
(228,499)
(192,994)
(54,368)
(65,960)
Other Expenses
(216,895)
(216,114)
Property Expenses
(343,188)
(432,955)
(736)
0
1,048,225
(95,227)
0
955,642
1,048,225
860,415
Motor Vehicle Expenses
Gain/(Loss) on Disposal of Assets Operating Surplus / (Deficit) for the year Non-Operating Activities Surplus / (Deficit) for the Year
Other Comprehensive Income Revaluation of Land and Buildings
0
1,163,616
Total Other Comprehensive Income
0
1,163,616
1,048,225
2,024,031
Total Comprehensive Income for the Year
SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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FINANCIAL SUMMARY 2020
Statement of Financial Position For the year ended 30 June 2020
30 June 2020
30 June 2019
$ $ CURRENT ASSETS Cash and Cash Equivalents
7,517,237
5,316,237
Trade and Other Receivables
1,347,064
931,424
128,412
87,597
8,992,713
6,335,258
Other Current Assets Total Current Assets
NON-CURRENT ASSETS Property, Plant and Equipment
12,313,130
12,624,865
1,478,176
0
0
246,670
Total Non-Current Assets
13,791,306
12,871,535
Total Assets
22,784,019
19,206,793
Right-of-use Assets Other Non-Current Assets
CURRENT LIABILITIES Trade and Other Payables
1,832,667
1,422,254
Contract Liabilities
2,870,556
2,197,392
Employee Provisions
538,632
402,724
Lease Liabilities
129,901
0
5,371,756
4,022,370
Total Current Liabilities
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES Borrowings Employee Provisions
4,018,088 4,018,088 196,544
130,389
Lease Liabilities
1,113,459
0
Total Non-Current Liabilities
5,328,091
4,148,477
Total Liabilities
10,699,847
8,170,847
Net Assets
12,084,172
11,035,946
EQUITY Accumulated Surplus Property Revaluation Reserve Total Equity
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SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020
10,448,599
9,400,373
1,635,573
1,635,573
12,084,172
11,035,946
FINANCIAL SUMMARY 2020
Statement of Cash Flows For the year ended 30 June 2020
30 June 2020
30 June 2019
$ $ CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Receipts from Donations, Grants and Client Related Activities Payments to Suppliers and Employees Interest Received Finance Costs Net Cash Generated from Operating Activities
13,893,100
11,061,690
(11,412,280)
(10,214,297)
4,189
21,187
(87,183)
(160,416)
2,397,826
708,164
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant & Equipment Purchase of Property, Plant and Equipment Cash assumed from business combination Total Non-Current Assets
0
0
(64,785)
(62,771)
0
273,497
(64,785)
210,726
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES Repayment of Lease Liabilities
(132,041)
0
Net cash used in financing activities
(132,041)
0
Net (Decrease)/Increase in Cash Held
2,201,000
918,890
Cash and Cash Equivalents at the beginning of Financial Year
5,316,237
4,397,347
Cash and Cash Equivalents at the end of Financial Year
7,517,237
5,316,237
SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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FOLLOW US
Freecall: 1800 673 074 Email: info@synapse.org.au synapse.org.au
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SYN AP SE ANNUAL REPORT 2020