SDN Children's Services Inc. Annual Report 2010

Corporate partners and government funders
In order to meet our mission, we are committed to the highest standards of operation with the resources we receive. We work with a range of partners in
various ways who all help strengthen our organisation to ensure we are able to reach more children, families and communities in the future
Innovative solutions to support our services
Link in & Learn
SDN received funding of $30 000 from the Department of
Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
to pilot innovative learning practices in the early childhood
education sector. This funding was used to explore learning
initiatives that utilise technology to overcome the particular
challenge faced by early childhood employees of being able to
be released from the workplace to participate in learning and
development. The six-month project involved 66 employees
and six subject areas, including e-learning, Aboriginal Yarn-Up,
Green & Healthy Environments, Social Inclusion, Supporting
New Graduates, and Research and Evaluation.
Our corporate and community funding partners
IBM very generously contributed $30 000 towards an upgrade
of the outdoor space at SDN Northern Suburbs to create a
natural and sustainable environment for children.
The Commonwealth Bank awarded SDN a $10 000
Staff Community Grant which was used to deliver a fiveweek
‘Cooking on a Budget’ course in Redfern through our
Partnerships with Parents program.
The NSW Government (Community Services) through the
Community Childcare Co-operative, awarded SDN a grant
of $48 000 towards a building upgrade at our Crookwell
Children’s Education and Care Centre.
We received $37 500 from the NSW Department of
Environment, Climate Change and Water for our Saving the
Community Water project at SDN Northern Suburbs.
The City of Sydney awarded SDN a $15 000 grant towards
a Women’s Work-Oral History project and our Redfern
Aboriginal playgroup project.
38 SDN Annual Report 2010
Our government funding partners
SDN receives funding from the Australian and NSW
Governments to deliver a range of child and family support
programs through the following departments:
• The Department of Human Services NSW and agencies
within the Department, including Community Services
and Ageing, Disability and Home Care. Total funding of
$8 651 096 in 2009–10.
• The NSW Department of Education and Training. Total
funding of $87 730 in 2009–10.
• Families NSW (an early intervention strategy
incorporating several NSW Government departments).
Total funding of $689 636 in 2009–10.
• The Australian Government Department of Education,
Employment and Workplace Relations. Total funding of
$2 776 393 in 2009–10.
• The Australian Government Department of Families,
Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
Total funding of $776 820 in 2009–10.
Cooking on a Budget
SDN ran a series of Cooking on a Budget courses funded
through a $10 000 grant from the Commonwealth Bank.
Our aim was to show people how to cook nutritious and
affordable family meals. The courses offered advice on healthy
cooking, budgeting, meal preparation, diabetes prevention
and nutrition. More than half of the 31 participants were
Aboriginal, 11 were young parents, eight had mental health
issues, others were homeless and some had partners in jail.
‘
Your organisation’s efforts to support disadvantaged children by
strengthening families and building parenting skills are admirable.
The hon Tanya Plibersek mp, Minister for human services, minister for social
inclusion and Federal Member for Sydney (SDN has seven centres and runs
nine family support programs in the Sydney electorate)
‘
The children of participants were an integral part of the cooking
course. We provided educational activities for the children while
their parents learnt to cook. We taught the parents about good
nutrition, so that their family diet improves, and we guided
parents in managing children’s behaviour if needed. All this
supports the children’s development, and their health, and
lessens stress in families.
‘
Sally Waterford, Coordinator, Partnerships with Parents Project
Professional advisors
SDN seeks advice from the following companies:
Legal: Bartier Perry. Financial Auditing: PKF Chartered
Accountants & Business Advisers. Banking and Investment
Advice: Commonwealth Bank.
‘