Harry Randhawa, Chief Executive, Director
The year was one characterised by collaboration with other service delivery organisations, the recruitment of directors with commercial skills, promoting inclusion, advocating for change, and expansion of services to better support our mission of caring for country people. This occurred amid a backdrop of high cost of living, an absence of housing supply, and an increase in gendered violence across the broader community.
Collaboration and service expansion
UCSA partnered with Mind Australia to successfully tender for mental health services in our region. The service is being established, including significant recruitment, and represents an expansion of our current mental health services which have been delivered under the Country Wellness Connections program.
We strengthened our close connection with CentaCare Country Catholic SA and KWY Aboriginal Corporation to submit a tender for services which better support young men in Port Augusta. We also finalised a formal partnership agreement with KWY Aboriginal Corporation and now share our facilitating partner role in the delivery of the Communities for Children funding, meaning that all decisions on who will be funded will be subject to joint decisions between our respective organisations.
We partnered with Port Pirie Regional Council to deliver on the Woodward Park project which saw the creation of a play space, walking track and basketball court in Port Pirie.
Governance
We were very pleased to be able to recruit two new directors to our Boards – Dan van Holst Pellekaan and Marcus Perry who were both approached to bring their commercial acumen to the organisations and assist the Boards to enhance fee-for-service income. We acknowledge Fiona Duffield who retired from the Boards in December 2023 after membership of five years. Fiona contributed in a variety of areas, and particularly to reviewing management practices within Uniting Country Housing.
We also said a heartfelt thanks to Lachlan McAuliffe who resigned from the Boards during the year. We wish him the very best for the future and congratulate Lachlan on receiving the inaugural Regional Lawyer of the Year award from the Law Society of South Australia.
Peter Hollister, Chair
The Boards developed an investment policy to guide investment decisions in terms of delivering commercial returns and investing through organisations which share our values.
The Board retreat was also a highlight for us where we were able to hear from Dale Agius, the Commissioner for the SA Voice to Parliament, and also where we underwent an external review, which again has showed that the Boards operate at a high level when benchmarked with other organisations.
Promoting Inclusion
We have embedded the diversity and inclusion officer role within the organisation. This will assist to ensure that people from a range of communities (Rainbow, people living with a disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) have the support to flourish within the workplace.
Advocating for change
The CE serves as a director on the Child and Family Focus SA Board, the peak body for child and family services providers, where he and the other directors work with relevant government departments to facilitate systems changes.
The CE also serves as a member of the leadership coalition for child protection whose goals include decreasing the number of children coming into care and developing a child and family support system whose focus centres on transferring the service focus to early intervention.
Funding Bodies
Thanks to our funding bodies across the commonwealth and state landscape which support the important work we do and for which we are grateful.
Housing
The purchase of two parcels of land in Kadina occurred so that we can continue our development of affordable housing outcomes in the coming year to assist with the housing shortage.
A big thank you to our staff, whether at Board or operational levels, who have all performed in their respective areas to allow UCSA and UCH to continue to care for country people.
Current Directors
New Directors
Retired Directors
