CEO’S REPORT

UnitingSA has grown as I get to know our passionate and committed staff and volunteers.

The value of our staff and volunteers has been on clear display as we’ve navigated disruptions and directions associated with COVID-19. The ability of staff to keep our critical services running and to constantly adapt to change has been truly inspirational. I’m sure that this resilience and adaptability will hold us in good stead for the next phase of life with COVID-19. in which innovation and partnerships become our business as usual.

I am committed to enhancing the services we deliver to those experiencing disadvantage or vulnerability to ensure they are able to live their best lives. This commitment includes providing the best possible care to people needing assistance as they age, those with disabilities and needing psychosocial support, people and families needing somewhere safe and affordable to live, and those experiencing financial hardship. well and what we will continue to do as we move forward. There remains a great need in the community that UnitingSA is well placed to serve and I believe that we can do even more to provide assistance.

While UnitingSA’s purpose remains steadfast, change is inevitable. The way we do much of our business is changing. We must continue to adapt to the world of individualised funding, whereby our clients have greater choice and control. Providing services to people in their own homes is becoming the norm. Staff no

It is an honour and a privilege to be appointed UnitingSA’s Chief Executive Officer.

I was attracted to the breadth and depth of service delivery, the values alignment and the proud tradition of making a positive impact in the community. UnitingSA’s history is one of social entrepreneurialism, where the founders saw a community need and responded from the heart, underpinned by faith and compassion. Since commencing in the role, my understanding and respect for I have learned very quickly that UnitingSA has a strong and trusted reputation for high integrity. When I’m visiting services or in the community wearing my lanyard, I encounter many clients and families with good things to say about our work. This is why I enjoy coming to work. At our heart, we are a people-powered organisation.

I hope that my ‘fresh eyes’ are able to not only recognise the value of our current work, but also identify opportunities to grow and improve. Recent innovations and partnerships, particularly in housing and homelessness, as well as significant new aged care service developments, show the way ahead for UnitingSA. My vision for UnitingSA is a dynamic organisation Over the past year, we have seen the expansion of our NDIS and home care services, the establishment of the Homelessness Alliance, significant residential aged care developments and growth in our housing portfolio.

We’ve also seen the consolidation of our mental health services and a continued response to those needing help to get a job, engage with education, or receive emergency or financial assistance.

Across our services, quality continues to be recognised by a range of accreditation bodies and evaluators. This reflects what UnitingSA is good at, what is working longer need to work from an office to be productive. Facilities that were once single-purpose are now multi-purpose. Quality and accreditation systems are evolving. Our services must be the best they can be and staff should be given all the tools and assistance they need to enable them to deliver optimal support for our community. This includes training, enhanced IT capabilities, support for those working remotely and a greater level of business sophistication.

We operate within a dynamic and evolving landscape and it has never been more important to be clear about what is important to us and what we stand for. We are in the final stages of developing our Strategic Plan 2021–2024, which provides the opportunity for us to unite around our key goals of delivering positive impact through service delivery, influencing and advocating for change, building a dynamic contemporary organisation and investing in our people and partnerships.

Ihave great energy to lead UnitingSA on the journey to increase collaboration, transparency and innovation and to continue building a high-trust, high-performance culture.

I also look forward to sharing what UnitingSA has learned with others – and to learn from others. We are a large organisation with expertise to share. As a learning organisation, we must also know when to partner with others in order to improve. Whether it is research, quality improvement initiatives, innovation or systems advocacy, I feel that we have a great deal to offer as a service leader.

Finally, I would like to say that I have been absolutely delighted with the support I have received from the Board in my early days in the role. With this support and that of the Executive Team, I am confident that we can continue to build on UnitingSA’s strong history. In partnership with them and the entire team across UnitingSA, I look forward to bringing our Strategic Plan to life as a catalyst for positive change in the future.

JENNY HALL

Chief Executive Officer