Family Empowerment Report - April to June 2013

Family EmpowermentQuarterly Report, April to June 2013

‘Opportunity Products: a way out of welfare’

©2013 Not to be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of Cape York Partnerships. Cape York Partnerships takes all care to ensure the accuracy and quality of the information in this report. Cape York Partnerships cannot guarantee complete accuracy and all materials are provided without warranty.

The greatest thing is knowing I can overcome anything life throws at me.

Terrence Creek’s dream is to work as a teacher at Coen State School. ‘I’m currently doing a Bachelor of Education (Primary) at Deakin University. After I’m done with my degree I plan to come back to Coen and teach these kids.’ In the meantime, Terrence works as a Teacher’s Aide at the Coen campus of the Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy.

For Terrence, CYP’s Opportunity Products have helped to make this dream achievable. Using funds from the Student Education Trust his parents set up when he was younger, Terrence bought the laptop he needed to study remotely. Through distance education, Terrence can complete his studies and at the same time gain practical experience working in the classrooms in Coen.

The early support Terrence received from his parents and Student Education Trust has been key to his success: ‘When I told my family I was going to uni, they couldn’t have been happier. I am so thankful to them for the support they’ve given me over the years.’

Terrence believes that challenge is something to be embraced: ‘This experience is exciting and scary all at the same time. If I can get through this, I know anything can be achieved if I put my mind to it.’

It is this willingness to embrace change and challenge that Terrence shares with the students in Coen: ‘To all high school students thinking of going to university after you graduate, please do, because the feeling of heading into a bigger, better and brighter future is exciting.’

These photos show Terrence Creek working as a Teacher’s Aide in the Direct Instruction program at the Coen campus of the Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy.

April to June 2013 3

Contents

Foreword ..........................................................................................................................4

Operations Manager’s report ...........................................................................................6

Our family empowerment agenda ....................................................................................7

Our Opportunity Products ................................................................................................8

Across the Cape ............................................................................................................. 10

Aurukun Opportunity Hub ............................................................................................. 12

MPower ............................................................................................................................13

Student Education Trust ...................................................................................................16

Wise Buys .........................................................................................................................18

It takes a village to raise a child .......................................................................................19

Pride of Place ...................................................................................................................22

Coen Opportunity Hub ................................................................................................... 23

MPower ............................................................................................................................24


Wise Buys .........................................................................................................................29

It takes a village to raise a child ........................................................................................30

Pride of Place ...................................................................................................................32

Hope Vale Opportunity Hub ........................................................................................... 33

MPower ............................................................................................................................34


Wise Buys .........................................................................................................................38


Pride of Place ...................................................................................................................42

Mossman Gorge Opportunity Hub ................................................................................. 44

MPower ............................................................................................................................45


Wise Buys .........................................................................................................................50


Pride of Place ...................................................................................................................54

Co-Design Studio update ............................................................................................... 56

Glossary ......................................................................................................................... 57

Cape York Partnerships4

Foreword

By definition, socially disadvantaged people do not have networks of opportunity. While they interact with government service providers, they do not have networks in the private and professional sectors. The networks of opportunity advantaged people use every day and that they take for granted are not available to disadvantaged people. They live in a different, closed world dominated by government and charitable services. Their access to information about where and how to pursue opportunities, or where a job, training or enterprise opportunity may be, is limited.

This is what makes CYP’s Opportunity Products so critical. In re-framing our work as Opportunity Products we make crystal clear that we are not aiming to provide ‘services’ and address ‘needs’ and ‘problems’—we are instead aiming to seize opportunities and take advantage of chance.

To do this we first must focus on creating opportunities, not just addressing needs. One of the great problems with the anti-poverty agenda of the Australian Welfare State’s interaction with Aboriginal society, and with the thinking that underpinned Aboriginal community development over the past three decades—was that all they could see were our material needs. They conflated our material poverty with social poverty. They then embarked on a comprehensive program to ‘address’ our material ‘needs’ whilst crushing our social strengths and capacities and compounding a sense of spiritual poverty. That this is still the prevailing policy in Aboriginal affairs is clear.

The point is that our task is two-fold: to resolve problems and to seize opportunities. Indeed, we should reverse the order to emphasise that, in relation to many of our aspirations we in fact can resolve problems by seizing opportunities. Often (but not all the time) the resolution of problems can be a by-product of taking up positive opportunities. I say ‘not all the time’ because some problems—like our grog and drug addictions—have to be confronted as problems in themselves; they won’t

just disappear as a by-product of positive opportunities being made available.

When we understand that we must identify and seize opportunities—we then understand that we are looking to positive things, not just our problems.

We must seek out and invest in the spark, initiative and passion of individuals who are members of families and communities and who ultimately comprise the community. When people are exposed to ideas—they adopt and adapt them, they develop their own ideas, they go searching for new ideas. These people and the ideas and opportunities they share and develop are the seeds of community development. People who are good at generating ideas link up with people who are good at putting ideas into practice.


People from disadvantaged communities know, in ways that advantaged people do not, that many doors do not open from the outside. I do not know of any Indigenous Australian on the board of a top 500 company. Even government appointments to boards other than those of specifically indigenous organisations exclude Indigenous Australians. While there are increasing examples of Indigenous people in the upper echelons of government, academe and the private sector, they are still scarce. Three per cent of the population comes nowhere near three per cent representation in any of the sectors of power and opportunity.

That is what much of our focus has been for Opportunity Products: moving aspirations from ‘down there’ to ‘up here.’

This is why the story of Terrence Creek is so exciting. His aspirations and willingness to embrace challenge—with all its excitement, uncertainty and unpredictability—comes at the very heart of our work in Cape York. This, as well as other stories and figures described in this report make it clear that in this area we are making strong progress.

Noel PearsonExecutive Chairman

This is what our Opportunity Products do. By offering new ideas and the opportunity to do and achieve something new—like saving for home ownership or going to university—they entice individuals and families to look towards positive things and seize opportunities. They also provide the information about where and how to pursue opportunities that is so limited.

But we must also acknowledge that ‘thinking big’ and knowing how to pursue opportunity is also a skill to be learned.

An extract from an address by the Reverend Andrew Mawson to the Brisbane Institute on 11 April 2000 gives us an excellent example of what this means:

‘I remember sitting down in the early days with a youth worker and she is saying to the East End kids, “What do you want to do?” and they said, “Well miss, we want to go to Walton-on-the-Neys, horse riding and ice skating.” So I went with them. We all went and did this, and then we sat down again and she said, “What do you want to do?” They said, “Well we want to go to Walton-on-the Neys, horse-riding and ice skating”, I am saying, “Jean, Jean, you are a graduate. You have actually travelled all over the world. You have been to Australia. You are really fortunate. You have had lots of choices. Why don’t you suggest you will take these kids off to the Sinai Desert in six months?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, you can’t do that. And anyway this is asking the people what they want.” I said, “This is a load of nonsense. These kids have never known what the choices are.”

It is really interesting that we actually have taken these kids now off to the Sinai Desert. We have actually taken 600 kids from all over Britain across the Sinai Desert and it is really interesting. When you sit down and talk to those kids and say, “What do you want?”, Darren, a local East Ender never mentions Walton-on-the-Neys. He’s just gone to America. He has been on TFI Friday, a major television program, etcetera, etcetera. His aspirations are up here, not down here.’


Operations Manager’s report

Behaviour change lies at the heart of Cape York Partnerships’ family development agenda.

Research shows* the key to changing behaviour lies in changing how decisions are made—that thinking about the future, dreaming of a better life and linking today’s behaviour to tomorrow’s dreams are the key to building motivation and sustaining change.

This is why Cape York Partnerships designs Opportunity Products the way we do. Each one of our Opportunity Products integrates four components, designed to support families through the process of creating and achieving their vision for the future. These are:

• Real incentives like a beautiful home, a chance at home ownership, or children getting a high quality education

• Capability building through the transfer of knowledge and skills

• Strategic Conversations that empower individuals to imagine brighter futures and commit to the steps needed to get there

• Quid pro quo (give and take) commitments where families contribute money, labour and/or time in exchange for incentives and support.

This quarter we have seen exciting developments in all four areas.

Since the launch of Home Pride, our newest ‘add on’ to It takes a village to raise a child, families across the Cape have responded with enthusiasm to the incentive of a beautiful home. In just three months, thirty individuals have committed to building happier and healthier homes by signing up to Home Pride. In return, these families learn the practical skills they need to run a household and beautify their homes.

Families have broadened their money management and parenting capabilities. The data shows that nearly three-quarters of surveyed MPower members now find it easier to manage their money; nearly one-third of iBank users are more independent and one-quarter of It takes a village to raise a child members have gained competencies in Triple P positive parenting strategies. Our Positive Parenting Consultants also attended Teen Triple P training in May, building capabilities to deliver the Triple P program to meet an even broader range of needs.

In the realm of Strategic Conversations, our teams reached a significant milestone this quarter: more than twenty per cent of the adult population† have now begun Strategic Conversations through MPower, Pride of Place and It takes a village to raise a child. Such an extensive reach, achieved in just two years, is an impressive achievement for our teams across the Cape. Cape York Partnerships also began its own internal Strategic Conversations, articulating within our team our vision for the future of co-design and It takes a village to raise a child, reflecting and reinforcing our belief that Strategic Conversations are an effective framework for continuous improvement.

We also saw a record number of families commit time, labour and money as part of quid pro quo contributions. This quarter seven times more partners attended MPower Coaching in Aurukun (compared to the previous quarter);

parents in Mossman Gorge attended twice as many parenting sessions; and donors across the Cape purchased nearly 500 educational items for children using their Student Education Trust accounts. It is this commitment that supports ongoing behaviour change.

* For example: Bannerjee, A. and Duflo, E. (2011) Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty and Simmerman, M. (1990) ‘Toward a Theory of Learned Hopefulness: A Structural Model Analysis of Participation and Empowerment’ Journal of Research in Personality 24(1): 71-86.

† Across the four welfare reform communities.


reform. A small contingent from the Vincent Fairfax Foundation also visited Hope Vale and Aurukun in May to experience our welfare reform work, spending time meeting with staff and partners.

We thank all our supporters, including government, corporate and philanthropic partners, for their contribution and commitment to our work. I also extend my thanks to all our teams both across the Cape and in Cairns. Our sustained successes throughout this second quarter are the result of your hard work and dedication.

As the quarter comes to a close we have:

• Eighty-two per cent of the adult population in Aurukun signed up to at least one Opportunity Product and thirty-seven per cent of children have a Student Education Trust.

• More than 100† per cent of the adult population in Coen signed up to at least one Opportunity Product and more than 100† per cent of children have a Student Education Trust.

• Seventy-three per cent of the adult population in Hope Vale signed up to at least one Opportunity Product and thirty-four per cent of children have a Student Education Trust.

• More than 100‡ per cent of the adult population in Mossman Gorge signed up to at least one Opportunity Product and more than 100‡ per cent of children have a Student Education Trust.

From this strong position, we will continue to consolidate our work on family empowerment across Cape York as we head into the second half of 2013.

Regards

Mark DennertOperations Manager

Beyond this, we delivered four more achievements this quarter.

First was the introduction of a Leadership Pathway Program for Hub Leaders and emerging leaders from each Village Opportunity Hub. Delivered as part of our commitment to building the team’s leadership capabilities, participants attended monthly workshops on key management concepts such as the difference between management and leadership and how to deal with difficult behaviour in the workplace.

Our second achievement was the completion of a staff survey on organisational engagement levels, following up on an earlier survey in 2011. Led by consultancy firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG), results show significant improvements in several key areas. Particularly encouraging is the fact that eighty per cent of our staff are proud to work at Cape York Partnerships. BCG advise that such rapid improvements are rare; we believe our commitment to continuous improvement over the past twelve months is one major reason for this improved performance. Also contributing to this achievement has been the introduction of Quarterly Action Planning across the organisation and the development of Village Opportunity Hub and staff targets to improve and promote enhanced operations.

The other two initiatives were an internal performance management system, developed to support our teams to assess their own performance, identify areas for improvement and overcome challenges. And a series of rapid feedback surveys, designed to gather real-time feedback from our partners, which feed into our continuous improvement cycle. The first of their kind at Cape York Partnerships, the surveys received 164 responses, nearly ten per cent of the adult population.* The results—described in more detail in the next section—provide greater insight into the areas where we are achieving our goals and where there is room for improvement.

Along with these achievements we also hosted a visit from Jawun executives to Hope Vale and Aurukun in April, showcasing our Village Opportunity Hubs and Parenting Hubs. The executives acknowledged and expressed their delight at seeing the successes underway through welfare

* Across the four welfare reform communities. † It is possible to have more than 100 per cent signed up because of limitations in the 2011 Census data. ‡ It is possible to have more than 100 per cent signed up as some individuals from Mossman town participate in our Opportunity Products.


Since we began in 2000, the core work of Cape York Partnerships has focused on developing social innovations that empower families to take charge of their lives.

From the beginning we argued that past social policy had been wrongly focused on the fraught concept of community. We felt the focus of innovation needed to be on family development and empowerment rather than ‘community development’. Individuals and families had to be given the opportunity to take charge of their lives and build their futures. This is because individuals and families are real actors and communities are amorphous.

Cape York Partnerships focused on the four areas that are central to every family and household:

• Income• Education• Health• Home

But the difficult question was: how do we support individuals and families in ways that enable them to take control of their lives? In other words to become empowered. And not follow past failed social programs that delivered ‘passive’ services to families, and created further dependency? We became convinced that the major challenge was to intervene without taking responsibility away from families.

We were convinced that traditional ways of family support created or perpetuated dependency, and in any case were not effective. All of the social programs offered in the past, the fact of failure, spoke for itself.

Our first innovation was to stop thinking in terms of conventional social programs but rather talk about opportunities. Our innovation was the concept of ‘Opportunity Products’, creating a suite of opportunities that support families in relation to their four basic requirements. These opportunities needed to encourage self-reliance and responsibility, rather than being passive services that compounded dependency.

Our Opportunity Products are customised to support families as they embark on their journey out of poverty and disadvantage. Embedded in each product are some standard features like:

• Real incentives like a job, the chance at home ownership, or children getting a high-quality high-expectations education

• Capability building through the transfer of knowledge and skills, and embedded responsibilities

• Strategic Conversations that empower individuals and families to imagine brighter futures and the tools that enable them to take control of their journey and support them to get there

• Quid pro quo commitments on individuals and families to contribute their money, labour or time. Such commitments may be maintaining regular financial contributions, or providing ‘sweat equity’ to enhance their homes, or making regular payments into their children’s education trust.

Ten years on we now have a suite of Opportunity Products on offer in the communities. These Opportunity Products are regularly reviewed and continually refined or have additional features added on. We also have a number of other product innovations that are under development.

Cape York Partnerships’ second breakthrough innovation is the concept of the Village Opportunity Hub, the conduit for providing Opportunity Products to community members. Village Opportunity Hubs replace traditional welfare service centres with purpose-built ‘opportunity’ centres. Our Opportunity Hubs are busy places where families come with a sense of purpose and to sign up to and participate in Opportunity Products. The high rates of sign-up to these products, which you will see throughout this report, is an indicator of the way in which families are embracing the opportunities.

Responsibility. Opportunity. Choice. This is what underpins our Family Empowerment agenda.

Our family empowerment agenda


MPowerSupports individuals and families to manage money for basic material needs; builds capabilities through financial literacy and behaviour change; and builds assets through saving and disciplined money management. Launched: April 2011 | Membership: 1409

Wise BuysA retail internet portal that increases consumer knowledge and access to household goods and services at value-for-money prices. Launched: June 2012 | Membership: 122*

Student Education TrustStudent Education Trust supports parents to meet their child’s education and development needs from birth to graduation. Regular contributions ensure parents can meet educational expenses.Launched: 2007 | Donors: 891 | Students: 781

Pride of PlaceA backyard renovation project. Participants receive financial contributions towards improvements, and make their own financial and ‘sweat equity’ contribution. Launched: October 2010 | Membership: 285

Bush Owner BuilderDesigned to allow individuals and families to build environmentally, socially and culturally sustainable dwellings through the use of local natural resources and their own ‘sweat equity’ or labour. Trial: Hope Vale 2011, with two houses.

It takes a village to raise a childThere are five parts to this program: Baby College, Positive Kids, Strong Families, Handicraft and Home Pride. Each part provides customised services to support children’s physical, emotional, social and intellectual development from infancy to adulthood.

Baby CollegeExpectant parents socialise and learn together while they travel on the journey to parenthood, supported by experienced aunties, uncles, grandparents and parenting professionals. Launched: April 2012 | Membership: 36

Positive KidsDelivered through the Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy, we work with parents to encourage positive behaviour, optimise learning and prepare students for success in secondary school. Launched: February 2012 | Membership: 16

Strong FamiliesHelps parents to develop Positive Parenting skills and engages at-risk families so that everything is done to ensure families stay together and stay strong. Launched: February 2012 | Membership: 151

HandicraftHandicraft is a comfortable and informal space for people to make art and craft. Handicraft creates an environment where parents share stories and support each other whilst making art and craft they can use in their home.Launch date: January 2013 | Attendance: 72

Home PrideAn interior decorating do-it-yourself product with support for families to run a household, strengthen family relationships, cook healthy meals and maintain their home.Launch date: April 2013 | Membership: 37

Our Opportunity Products

* This number is lower than the figure reported in an earlier report due to errors in recording Wise Buys membership in Coen. These errors have been corrected.

These Opportunity Products are being designed as they are delivered and are continuously improved so they are ready for a wider roll-out.


To further a system that supports rapid feedback and continuous improvement, we introduced short feedback surveys* for each Opportunity Product this quarter. Along with our Family Empowerment Database which tracks operational indicators, these surveys allow us to report on more data than ever before.

Survey results show we are progressing towards several long term objectives. Among those surveyed:

• Families are prioritising basic needs, in particular food, when they spend money. While one-quarter of respondents† say their money ‘always’ lasts from payday to payday, fifty per cent say they ‘always’ have enough money for food.

• MPower has helped reduce stress around money with nearly seventy per cent of respondents find it easier to manage their money since starting MPower.

• Those who commit to saving have a relatively high success rate with sixty per cent of those with a savings plan have achieved at least one savings goal.

• Parents are internalising educational needs as a priority investment with nearly three-quarters of Student Education Trust (SET) respondents** include education as one of the three top priorities on which to spend money.

• Parents are more confident in knowing how to support their children’s material educational needs with nearly seventy per cent of SET respondents say they now know more about what their children need to support their education.

• Parents who commit to attending It takes a village to raise a child sessions build confidence in their

Across the Cape

parenting skills§ with nearly two-thirds of Strong Families respondents feel confident in managing their children’s behaviour. This is up from just seventeen per cent who felt confident when they first began the program.

• Parents report improvements in their children’s behaviour with nearly eighty-five per cent of respondents say their children’s behaviour has improved since they began the program.

• Parents are using the skills they learn with 100 per cent of parents said they had used what they learned during parenting sessions at home.

• Through Pride of Place (POP), families’ pride in their homes has increased‡ with seventy-five per cent of POP respondents report being ‘very proud’ of their backyards. Less than forty per cent were ‘very proud’ at the time of signing up to POP.

• More families now grow fruit and vegetables with nearly eighty per cent of POP respondents now grow fruit and vegetables, compared with the thirty-eight per cent who grew fruit and vegetables prior to signing up.

• POP families report a growing knowledge and passion for gardening with nearly three-quarters of POP respondents say they know more about gardening than when Pop-up Visits began. Sixty-five per cent say they love gardening, a twenty-one percentage point increase since Pop-up Visits began commenced in March 2013.

• POP families spend more time in their yards with nearly two-thirds of POP respondents say they now spend more time in their backyards, either doing gardening, relaxing or spending time with family.

* Respondents were selected using purposive sampling. All members visiting the Village Opportunity Hubs over a two week period were asked to complete the surveys.† For the MPower feedback survey, n=78. ‡ For the Pride of Place feedback survey, n=23.§ For the Strong Families feedback survey, n=6. These surveys only targeted those participants ready to graduate. ** For the Student Education Trust feedback survey, n=49.


Nevertheless our survey results show there is also room for improvement. Two areas identified as opportunities for improvement over the coming months are:

• Encouraging individuals to do, and then stick to, a budget. Only thirty-four per cent of MPower respondents report having a budget and, of these, only forty per cent say they follow it. Our Village Opportunity Hubs will focus on expanding the number of people with individual or household budgets and then monitoring its use in coming months.

• Building capabilities around budgeting. Twenty-two per cent of respondents feel they can do a budget by themselves (without help from anyone else). Given the central importance of budgeting for our work at Cape York Partnerships, building capabilities in this area is another key area for us to improve upon in the coming months.

As well as providing feedback on progress towards our big picture goals, survey results also represent a baseline against which we can compare our work in the coming months and years.

There is scope for a much larger number of individuals and families to undertake these surveys. We aim to build upon this over time, broadening both participation in the surveys and the types of data collected. Our next key goal over the coming months is to supplement these surveys with additional data collection methods that do not rely on participants’ self-reports. This will allow us to triangulate data and build greater confidence in the accuracy of our analyses.

Children’s behaviour‘Has your children’s behaviour changed at all?’

17%

83%

0%

Harder

No change

Easier

20% 40% 60%

Money management‘Is it easier or harder to sort out your money

since you started MPower?’

3%

29%

80%

68%

Level of pride‘How do you feel about your backyard?’

Not proud

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%A bit proud Very proud

After POPBefore POP

26% 26%57%

17%

74%

No changeGot better

Got worse


From time to time we’ve all had problems that are hard to solve. Families in Aurukun are no different. Encouragingly, this quarter saw Aurukun families starting to think outside the box, finding innovative solutions to their own problems. This is exciting on two fronts—firstly because the problems they are addressing are complex and entrenched, and secondly because new ideas are being applied to resolve old problems.

Research from around the world* shows people are more likely to maintain behaviour change when they identify solutions themselves. Our experience this quarter is certainly a testament to this. Not only have our partners identified solutions, they have put their ideas into practice and stuck with them. One woman placed a padlock on her fridge to prevent visitors helping themselves to food. Another now requires all visitors agree on a ‘condition of entry’ to her home, including a promise not to graffiti. It was through Strategic Conversations that these ideas arose and families were supported to make a connection between long term goals and short term behaviours.

Beyond this, our team had two goals for the quarter.

The first was to build our profile among families. With five new team members in Aurukun, our goal was to get out of the office, meet more families and learn about their lives. Our efforts resulted in nearly 700 engagement activities, speaking with families about the benefits of participating in Opportunity Products.

Aurukun Opportunity Hub

Demographic Population†

Overall 1192Adult (15+) 813Children (0-14) 379Households 176Youth (SET reporting purposes) 671Early childhood 126Primary school 203Secondary school 113Tertiary / further education 157Completed school 72

* See, for example Collins, J. M. (September 2010). A Review of Financial Advice Models and the Take-Up of Financial Advice, Working Paper WP 10-5: Center for Financial Security, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Collins, J. M., & Murrell, K. (July 2010). Using a Financial Coaching Approach to Help Low-Income Families Achieve Economic Success: Challenges and Opportunities for the Field, available at http://www.cfs.wisc.edu/briefs/CollinsMurrell2010_FinancialCoachingBrief.pdf: Wisconsin-Madison & PolicyLab Consulting Group.

† Population data taken from the ABS 2011 Census.

Aurukun Opportunity Hub local Indigenous employment

Non-local staff

Local Indigenous staff

11%

89%

This focus on engagement with families led to success in our second goal: greater participation in MPower Coaching. Despite strong participation in internet banking in Aurukun in recent quarters, not all families had taken up the full complement of MPower opportunities. While internet banking, budgeting and financial literacy are all essential for financial empowerment, it is through targeted MPower Coaching that families are most likely to embrace behaviour change. Knowing this, our goal was to increase coaching numbers throughout the quarter. And that we did: in just three months we worked with seven times as many partners in MPower Coaching. What’s more, these partners have shown increased financial capabilities. Since April 2013 twelve of these partners (twenty per cent) have progressed along the Money Management Map, our internal assessment piece that measures financial capabilities. This is what we are most proud of this quarter: a marked and sustained growth in MPower Coaching that has directly supported families to build financial capabilities.

As the quarter comes to a close we have 675 individuals signed up to one Opportunity Product, of which 151 are signed up to more than one. This is a clear sign we are continuing to expand our reach and participation among families in Aurukun.


MPower

MembershipThis was an outstanding quarter for MPower in Aurukun. We had more people doing MPower Coaching, more partners attending Money Management Support and more partners seeking help with ‘little a’ financial problems than in any other quarter since MPower began. While this reflects families growing optimism and confidence that lives can change, it is also the result of having a nearly full team on board and our greater emphasis on engagement.

Overall membership remained steady at 644 individuals (seventy-nine per cent of the adult population) with fourteen new members joining during the quarter.* Voluntary participation also remains high, with seventy per cent of members being ‘self-referred’, the remainder joining after a referral from the Family Responsibilities Commission.

iBank Activities Participation in iBank remained strong with 325 partners (over half our Aurukun membership) using internet and telephone banking throughout the quarter. Partners accessed iBank 2775 times—an average of nine times per member, or once every two weeks. This reflects a sustained frequency of use that supports sound financial

* This number is lower than was reported in previous quarters due to the removal of duplicate records from the Family Empowerment Database.† Including active, inactive and deceased.‡ Number of different users, not a cumulative total.§ Refer to glossary for explanation of ‘little a’ sessions.

Now I’m saving money.

Janice Yunkaporta was having trouble saving money for things she needed. ‘My sister told me to join [MPower] to learn how to save, and now I’m saving money! And because I have more money, I can do more things for my family.’ Through MPower Coaching Janice set goals for her future and identified the steps she needed to take to get her there. With an MPower Coach, Janice identified that gambling and humbugging were limiting her ability to save for the things she needed. ‘I used to gamble but I don’t do that anymore, and now I say no to people who want money from me. I am saving up to buy things I need for the house.’ Janice’s house is currently undergoing a renovation. When it’s completed she wants to make an even better home for her family so she has signed up to Wise Buys and is currently saving for a lounge suite, beds for herself and her children, drawers, bedside tables and a dining set. Janice has been an MPower member for almost two years and is also a donor to her daughter’s Student Education Trust. Janice’s story highlights how MPower is achieving its objectives of reducing the amount of money spent on addictions and increasing the amount of money spent on household needs so each family member’s basic needs are met. By addressing the issues of humbugging and addiction, Janice has been able to limit the amount of money she gives to family and spends on gambling, instead focusing on her family’s needs.

MPower membership

Potential membersMPower members

21%

79%

MPower referrals

FRC referredFamily and self-referred

30%

70%

MPower membership Apr May Jun This quarter

Last quarter

Members† 644 647

New members 1 7 6 14 21

Participants‡

iBank 233 248 244 325‡ 331

‘Little a’§ 40 27 23 75‡ 28

MPower Journey 24 29 22 56‡ 4

Money Management Support 4 10 4 16‡ 2


management practices. Assisted sessions—where Village Opportunity Hub staff support partners to use internet or telephone banking through verbal prompts or physical help—accounted for nearly seventy per cent of all iBank sessions. This is a slight increase on last quarter, and expected to continue as our staff work with partners to incrementally increase the complexity of their internet banking transactions.

Ten partners attended internet and telephone banking support this quarter, up from just two last quarter.

MPower is increasingly viewed as a product that can support families through financial challenges.

Achievements‘Little a’ problems are small financial problems that partners need help to resolve. While they are an integral component of the MPower model they are not its end goal. One of our team’s key achievements this quarter has been to move more partners from ‘little a’ sessions to participation in the broader MPower Journey. Twenty-eight partners moved from ‘little a’ problems to the MPower Journey, up from zero last quarter. Current research on financial capabilities suggests participation in ongoing coaching is most likely to support ongoing change.† This movement shows our partners are taking steps in the right direction.

Recent MPower surveys also provide feedback on our achievements to date.‡ Among those surveyed:

• Nearly thirty per cent of respondents have a budget• Eighty per cent ‘sometimes’ have trouble sticking to

their budget • Twenty per cent ‘never’ have trouble sticking to

their budget• Twenty per cent are confident they can do a budget by

themselves (without needing help from anyone else).

MPower Journey Activities Fifty-six MPower members attended an impressive 106 MPower Coaching sessions this quarter, 102 more than last quarter. This dramatic increase comes from having

iBank sessions requiring assistance

Apr

660650640630620610600

648633 621May Jun

iBank Apr May Jun This quarter

Last quarter

Total 974 896 905 2775 2767

Assisted 648 633 621 1902 1816

Unassisted 326 263 284 873 951

Computer 843 775 773 2391 2250

Telephone 131 121 132 384 517

Training 2 8 0 10 2

Level of assistance* Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Level 5

Users—Apr to Jun 26 35 93 72 44

Achievements As this quarter comes to a close we have more evidence to suggest participation (in internet and telephone banking training) builds families’ capabilities. By comparing partners’ pre-training independence scores (the frequency with which they use internet or telephone banking without assistance) to their post-training scores, we can assess change. Results show that almost half of those who completed training demonstrate increased independence, compared with one-third of non-trained users. This tells us ongoing iBank use supports capability building across the board, but participation in iBank training has greater success. This presents an opportunity for our team to promote iBank and telephone training in the coming months.

‘Little a’ sessionsActivitiesSeventy-five partners visited the Aurukun Opportunity Hub with 110 ‘little a’ problems this quarter. This is more than twice as many partners and three times as many sessions as in the last quarter. During these sessions MPower members put together forty budgets, also an increase on the previous quarter. This reflects growing trust in our Village Opportunity Hub and the fact that

* Refer to glossary for explanation of each level.† See, for example Collins, J. M. (September 2010). A Review of Financial Advice Models and the Take-Up of Financial Advice, Working Paper WP 10-5: Center for

Financial Security, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Collins, J. M., & Murrell, K. (July 2010). Using a Financial Coaching Approach to Help Low-Income Families Achieve Economic Success: Challenges and Opportunities for the Field, available at http://www.cfs.wisc.edu/briefs/CollinsMurrell2010_FinancialCoachingBrief.pdf: Wisconsin-Madison & PolicyLab Consulting Group.

‡ N=34. Online survey administered through www.surveymonkey.com using purposive sampling as partners visited the Aurukun Opportunity Hub.

‘Little a’ sessions Apr May Jun This quarter

Last quarter

‘Little a’ sessions 49 35 26 110 34

Members who reach three ‘little a’ sessions 6 4 5 15 4

Members who move from ‘little a’ to MPower Journey 12 11 5 28 0

Budgets completed 19 16 5 40 26


two new MPower Coaches join our team at the end of March. With this extra manpower and the promise of a constant coaching presence we have been able to consistently promote MPower Coaching and encourage more partners to participate. Our strong performance this quarter brings the total number of MPower Coaching participants since MPower began to 177, approximately fifteen per cent of the adult population.

Coaching retention (when partners complete D space and progress to ongoing coaching) sits at thirteen per cent. This is an area for us to improve upon in the coming months. It is in the D space that partners commit to action, and in ongoing coaching that they are held to account for following through on those commitments. These steps are essential. D space actions might be as simple as joining up to a Student Education Trust, or as complex as applying for employment; efforts to hold partners to account also move from being simple (e.g. a gentle reminder) to more complex (e.g. an ‘honest’ conversation about why the task was important in the first place). Both these components—commitment and accountability—are indispensible if genuine change is to occur. None of our coaching sessions this quarter were family (group) sessions as we have found many partners prefer one-on-one sessions during the early stages of coaching. In these initial sessions partners can focus on figuring out where they are and where they want to be before moving onto a collective goal.

MPower Journey sessions

Apr

50

40

30

20

10

0

28 40 38

May Jun

30%

70%

Survey: partners would recommend MPower‘Would you recommend MPower to your family or friends?’

MaybeYes

No

MPower Journey Apr May Jun This quarter

Last quarter

Sessions 28 40 38 106 4

Write visions (B space) 0 4 8 12 0

Action plans (D space) 0 0 4 4 0

Family (group) 0 0 0 0 0

Money Map progress - - - 12 0

Retention rates A Space

B Space

C Space

D Space Ongoing

Percentage progressing from previous session 61% 68% 77% 82% 42%

Overall retention 61% 42% 34% 29% 13%

I feel great keeping my money aside.

Having been referred to MPower by the Family Responsibilities Commission, Edgar Ornyengaia has been an MPower member for just over six months.

‘FRC sent me [to join MPower] but I do want to change by saving some money.’

Over the past six months, Edgar has begun MPower Coaching and has completed Money Management Support in both debt reduction and budgeting support.

‘I’ve already started saving for my son and daughter so I can help if they need money to go to school. It feels good that I’m saving money.’

Building capabilities and taking the stress out of money management through increased financial literacy is one of the key objectives of MPower. Edgar’s story illustrates how our partners are progressing through MPower Coaching and developing financial literacy skills with Money Management Support.

Achievements Of the fifty-six MPower members attending coaching sessions this quarter, twelve progressed along the Money Management Map, our internal assessment tool that evaluates partners’ money management capabilities. This reflects growing capabilities with respect to money management and financial management behaviours.

Money Management Support Activities Money Management Support is another area that has seen greater participation this quarter—sixteen partners attended eighteen Money Management Support sessions, up from just two last quarter. This growth is another result of our emphasis on encouraging partners to move beyond participation in ‘little a’ support.


Achievements Recent surveys show strong performance on debt reduction in Aurukun. Results suggest approximately one-third of respondents had debt when they joined MPower: of these, more than eighty per cent have started paying off their debt and nearly ninety per cent of those believe they

Student Education TrustMembershipStudent Education Trust (SET) in Aurukun remained steady this quarter with one new education trust over the period. This brings our total reach to 246 students, nearly forty per cent of Aurukun’s under eighteen population. Take up is particularly strong among primary school-aged children, with nearly three-quarters of those students having an educational trust. Looking at other demographic groups, we also have:

• Sixteen early childhood educational trusts (thirteen per cent of the early childhood population)

• Sixty-four secondary school educational trusts (fifty-seven per cent of the secondary school population).

ActivitiesThe current trust balance for Aurukun is a healthy $379,757.

Donors made twenty-three purchases this quarter, thirty-four less than in the last quarter. This drop is due to delays at customs that are holding up the delivery of school uniforms to Aurukun. Despite this, Aurukun donors were actively involved in their children’s SET accounts, visiting the Aurukun Opportunity Hub fifty-three times— more than double visits that took place last quarter. Partners spoke with Village Opportunity Hub staff about their children’s educational needs, potential purchases, options for using their funds and ways to catch up on late payments. A number of parents wanted to purchase uniforms but could not do so because of the delays in receiving school uniforms. Uniforms are expected to be received in early July.

* This number is lower than reported in previous quarters due to the removal of duplicate records from the Family Empowerment Database.

Survey: managing money is now...

Harder

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%6%

18%

66%

No change Easier

Money Management Support Apr May Jun This

quarterLast

quarter

Group sessions 0 0 0 0 0Support sessions 4 10 4 18 2

Banking 0 0 0 0 0Debt Reduction 0 0 2 2 0Budget 2 4 1 7 0Wealth Creation 0 0 1 1 0Internet and Telephone Banking 2 6 0 8 2

Payment 0 0 0 0 0Competency rate 50% 50% 25% 42% 0%

The number of purchases is also expected to increase over the next quarter as our team holds a ‘Get SET for School Fair’—originally scheduled for June but postponed due to the delayed arrival of school uniforms. Next quarter our team will also launch a ‘Kids love books’ Wise Buys campaign that will build families’ awareness of and access to high quality children’s books.

Student Education Trust Apr May Jun This

quarterLast

quarter

Number of donors* 252 252 252 252 254New trusts 1 0 0 1 1Total trusts 246 246 246 246 245Active trusts

Early childhood 4 4 4 4 11Primary school 81 81 81 81 65Secondary school 26 26 26 26 16Tertiary/further education 0 0 0 0 0

Completed school 1 1 1 1 0Non-active and closed trusts


Completed school 19 19 19 19 5

are on track to paying it off. This strong success rate reflects positively on our team’s work in building capabilities through Money Management Support and our partners’ commitment to getting their finances under control.


Funds Category Apr May Jun This quarter Last quarter

Student Education Trust funds balance (end of month)

Early childhood $11,878.12 $11,878.12 $11,878.12 $11,878.12 $36,143.83

Primary school $164,096.92 $164,096.92 $164,096.92 $164,096.92 $138,639.48

Secondary school $64,274.88 $64,274.88 $64,274.88 $64,274.88 $52,961.66

Further education $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Finished school $5,729.79 $5,729.79 $5,729.79 $5,729.79 $0.00

Non-active $133,776.92 $133,776.92 $133,776.92 $133,776.92 $133,100.12

Number of educational purchases using Student Education Trust

Early childhood 0 0 0 0 0

Primary school 4 0 8 12 43

Secondary school 6 5 0 11 14

Further education 0 0 0 0 0


Total purchases 10 5 8 23 57

Percentage of purchases against total purchases

Early childhood 0% 0% 0% 0% 0 %

Primary school 40% 0% 100% 52% 75%

Secondary school 60% 100% 0% 48% 25%

Further education 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Sessions Sign-up

General support Purchase Change

details Total

Apr to Jun 2 37 8 6 53

AchievementsIt is exciting to see data on SET outcomes emerging from the recent feedback surveys. These surveys highlight a number of achievements in Aurukun. The data suggests:

• Respondents have internalised education costs as a priority: nearly three-quarters identified children’s education costs as one of the top three things to spend money on

• Respondents are building capabilities: compared with before they started SET, nearly two-thirds say they now know more about what to buy to support their children’s educational development

• SET is highly valued among those who responded. More than eighty per cent of respondents said they would recommend SET to their family or friends.

I want to give my son a better life.

Student Education Trust continues to attract new donors looking to prioritise their children’s education. Darryl Mason Yunkaporta recently signed up as a donor to his son, Denzel’s, Student Education Trust. ‘Now I know Denzel’s education and future are provided for. I feel good inside—and it makes me feel special as a Dad.’Denzel goes to secondary school in Cairns and was recently selected to play representative AFL. The funds in his SET account will not only go towards ongoing educational costs (such as stationery and uniforms) but will also pay for sporting expenses, helping Denzel to follow his dreams. Having signed up to MPower two years ago, Darryl has completed budget support and payment support training, frequently uses iBank, and is currently updating his simple budget. ‘I want to give myself and Denzel a better life. I am learning how to save and I will teach Denzel how to save too.’A key objective for Student Education Trust is for parents to internalise the importance of spending money on their children’s education which includes ensuring they can participate in extra-curricular activities. Darryl’s story exemplifies how Student Education Trust is supporting families to achieve this goal.

Student Education Trust funds balance

Earlychildhood

$200,000

$150,000

$100,000

$50,000

$0Primary school

Secondary school

Further education

Finished school

Non-active


Wise BuysMembershipWise Buys continues from strength to strength in Aurukun with another thirteen individuals joining up this quarter—almost tripling our membership which now stands at twenty-three. The growing popularity of Wise Buys indicates our partners recognise that we offer something more than simply a way to buy new things. We offer a comprehensive set of supports that allow them to research, plan and purchase high quality items at a low price.

ActivitiesOur Wise Buys members were busy this quarter, with sixteen members attending a total of thirty-two Wise Buys sessions.

Almost two-thirds of these sessions were used to research prospective purchases including clothing and household items. Research sessions are an integral component of Wise Buys, our team working with partners to build skills and understanding around consumer advocacy, selecting reasonably priced goods and working out the best way to purchase and pay for them.

The extended wet season continued to hamper road transport into Aurukun, the associated delays discouraging

The combination of these results highlights an Opportunity Product that is making progress towards its broader objectives.

Another key achievement this quarter has been a rise in the number of donors paying their committed SET contributions in full. Over the quarter the proportion of committed contributors—donors who always pay

I buy things I can’t get at the store.

Through Wise Buys, Vicki Yunkaporta has found a cost effective alternative to buying groceries and sourcing items not readily available in Aurukun.

‘I shop online and buy things I can’t get in the store—there’s more variety of foods to choose from, like yoghurt and juices that the kids love. I’m buying clothes online as well.’

By purchasing groceries online from Weipa Woolworths, Vicki is not only saving money but planning her family’s grocery needs ahead of time. ‘It’s cheaper [online] so I get more for my money. I make the order on pay week and the food arrives on the off pay week, so we have plenty of food to eat all the time.’

Now that Vicki has mastered the art of online shopping, she’s spreading the word. ‘I’ve told my family about buying online and they think it’s a good idea. My cousin is going to do it too.’

One of MPower’s primary goals is for families to effectively budget their finances. Vicki’s story exemplifies how families are developing budgeting capabilities that ensure basic needs, such as food, are consistently available in the home.

Wise Buys membership Apr May Jun This

quarterLast

quarter

Members 23 10


their committed SET contribution—rose five percentage points to twenty-four per cent of donors. This is a result of our team’s efforts to re-engage donors who had fallen behind in their contributions. Through focused engagement our team was able to increase the contribution rate, an achievement we will continue to build upon in the coming months.

Active Student Education Trust accounts by category

72%

Primary schoolEarly childhood23%

Completed schoolSecondary school

4%1%

17%

82%

School readiness

Uniform, no shoesUniform and shoes

No uniform, no shoes

1%


* Total participants include all those who have registered. † Attendance is measured by distinct partners and is not a cumulative total.

Wise Buys sessions

16%

59%

PaymentConsult

13%

PurchaseResearch12%

Payment types NILS Lay by Cash Direct Debit

Direct Deposit

Apr to Jun 0 0 2 0 0

Sessions Consult Payment Research Purchase Total

Apr to Jun 5 4 19 4 32

our partners from ordering goods until the dry season as the alternate (sea freight) is cost prohibitive.

While no purchases were made this quarter (or last quarter), we expect to see an increase in the number of purchases in the coming months, in the lead up to Christmas and now that the roads into Aurukun are open.

AchievementsOur partners’ ability to research and purchase new items in cash tells a story beyond simply the purchase of new things. While they are no doubt valuable, the fact that people in Aurukun are beginning to sign up to Wise Buys demonstrates that they have their spending and budgets

under control. With the combined support of MPower, our partners are in a position where they are able to identify their needs to make their homes comfortable, set about planning and saving, and ultimately purchasing items they need or want.

It takes a village to raise a child Baby CollegeNo partners attended Baby College sessions this quarter, our work continuing to be challenged by the fact that our Positive Parenting Consultant was not accredited to deliver Baby Triple P. Baby Triple P training is offered by Triple P once a year and is scheduled to take place in early July. We expect to see greater participation in Baby College in coming months once this training is complete.

Positive KidsPositive Kids registrations increased by two this quarter, bringing total registrations to five. Two of those partners attended Positive Kids sessions, a result we expect to improve upon in the coming months. Two internal initiatives are underway to increase participation in Positive Kids: an internal Strategic Conversation on It takes a village to raise a child and the development of a new engagement strategy (and associated tools). Through these processes we expect to identify new opportunities for growing family participation in Positive Kids.

Strong FamiliesMembershipStrong Families continues to grow in Aurukun, with two new members joining this quarter. This brings to fifty-four the total number of parents, grandparents and family members who have registered since its launch in early 2012. Both of these new members joined voluntarily, an indication our Opportunity Product continues to appeal to parents in Aurukun.

Positive Kids Apr May Jun This quarter

Last quarter

Total participants* 5 3

Attendance† 2 0 0 2 3

Graduates 0 0 0 0 0

Sign-ups 2 0 0 2 0

Sessions held 1 0 0 1 2


rules. Although anecdotal, this feedback is promising and suggests the Triple P strategies are a valuable resource for parents in Aurukun.

Engagement Our Positive Parenting Consultant was out and about in the first two months of this quarter, holding sixty-nine engagement activities in April and May—talking with families at their home, at information sessions, even outside the Aurukun community store. These engagement sessions are designed to re-engage and re-inspire families with our Opportunity Products, thereby increasing participation. This quarter engagement activities in Aurukun had mixed results, with ‘conversion rates’ (the proportion of those engaged who visit the Village Opportunity Hub within three days) ranging from thirty per cent in April to eleven per cent in May. Hub Leaders will meet in early July to develop a new engagement strategy and to develop tools that will enhance engagement and further boost participation in Opportunity Products.

HandicraftAurukun glittered this quarter when four mothers worked on homemade cards for their own mothers as part of a Mother’s Day themed Handicraft activity in May. Partners contemplated the joys and challenges of family life as they discussed what to make and how to word personalised cards for their loved ones. Two partners signed up to Home Pride as a result, just one example of the potential that comes from ongoing engagement as a tool for building participation in Opportunity Products.

Engagement Apr May Jun This quarter

Last quarter

Sessions 40 29 1 70 108

Sign-ups 2 0 0 2 7

Engagement type

Home visit 18 19 0 37 56

Community event 1 0 0 1 6

Information sessions 1 0 0 1 10

Workshop 0 0 0 0 1

Informal discussion 20 10 1 31 35

Apr May Jun

ActivitiesEleven partners attended thirty-two sessions over the quarter, a moderate decrease on the previous quarter’s fifty-seven. This is due to our Positive Parenting Consultant’s departure in mid-May. A new Positive Parenting Consultant was recruited shortly thereafter and will resume session delivery after completing her Triple P training in early July.

AchievementsTwo Aurukun parents approaching graduation from Strong Families recently spoke with our Positive Parenting Co-ordinator about their experiences with the program. Anecdotal feedback suggests both partners gained valuable knowledge through participation in Strong Families. Extremely encouraging is that both partners have taken on board the positive behavioural Triple P strategies and both describe ‘praise’ as one of the most helpful Triple P strategies. Both have also seen improvements in their children’s behaviour, describing their children as ‘happier’ and more willing to follow

Strong Families referrals

FRC or Child Safety referredSelf-referred37%

63%

Engagement sessions50

40

30

20

10

0

4029

1

Strong Families Apr May Jun This quarter

Last quarter


Attendance† 11 5 0 11 -

Graduates 0 0 0 0 0

Sign-ups 2 0 0 2 7




Home Pride MembershipHome Pride has had a promising start in Aurukun with seven partners signing up in its first quarter. House Blitz—the Home Pride component that involves internal DIY work—proved especially popular, with six of the seven new members electing to do the House Blitz. This shows partners are responding to the incentive of a beautiful home and are willing to take responsibility for its creation.

Even more encouraging is that all seven of our partners are already signed up to other Opportunity Products: all are MPower members and four are signed up to at least two more Opportunity Products. Such synergies between our Opportunity Products are where partners achieve the greatest support for holistic change. These multiple sign-ups are also a strong indication that families recognise the value of participating in our Opportunity Products.

ActivitiesHome Crew led thirty Home Pride visits throughout the quarter, describing the potential benefits of participation in Home Pride. Feedback on these sessions is that many partners aspire to create a more organised home where all its occupants are happy and healthy. One new member began their Strategic Conversation, beginning to articulate where they are at with their home, where they want to be and how they will get there. This same partner completed their Strategic Conversation committing to a set of specific tasks that will help them to achieve their dream of a happier, healthier home.

AchievementsTo support our efforts at monitoring change we have begun to collect baseline data on all new Home Pride members. Findings from these initial responses show that none of the participating Aurukun households have a household schedule in place. Half of the new members described their current level of satisfaction with their home and its decoration as ‘a bit’. Of the remainder, one-third say they are ‘happy’ with their home and the balance describe themselves as ‘not happy’ . This starting point offers great opportunity for growth and change, one we look forward to tackling over the second quarter of the Home Pride roll out.

Handicrafts Apr May Jun This quarter

Last quarter

Sessions 0 1 0 1 0

Attendance 0 4 0 4 0

Strategic Conversations Apr May Jun This

quarterLast

quarter

Started 0 0 1 1 0

Finished 0 0 0 0 0

I want to keep adding plants to my yard.

Pride of Place is helping Maureen Karyuka to add even more plants to her garden. During May, Aurukun Garden Club members learnt easy propagation techniques so they can grow their own plants at home.

‘I like growing plants. Since I started putting more plants in my yard other people are saying that it looks really good!’

Despite already having a well-established, beautiful garden—winning Aurukun’s Best Garden in the Village Awards last year—Maureen is dedicated to keeping it up. ‘It’s great that I’m making my garden look good but I still have a long way to go. I think in the future my garden will look really good.’

A key objective of POP is for families to regularly care for and maintain their gardens. Maureen’s story clearly shows how we are making progress towards this goal. Pride of Place is an Opportunity Product designed to build families’ pride in their homes. This pride—and the responsibility to care for the home that comes with it—are the first step in a family’s journey towards home ownership.


Pride of Place MembershipPride of Place (POP) is hitting its stride in Aurukun, with twelve new members signing up this quarter. This brings total membership to seventy-eight individuals, representing seventy-four (or forty-two per cent) of Aurukun’s estimated 176 households. This indicates that Aurukun families are responding to the incentive of a beautiful backyard and have committed to achieving a backyard of which they can be proud.

ActivitiesGrowth in POP membership can be credited, in part, to the recent introduction of Garden Club events in Aurukun. Throughout the quarter POP Enablers led two Garden Club events, building partners’ knowledge and skills in new gardening practices. Families attending the two events received practical advice on how to grow their own vegetables and propagate plants.

POP Enablers also undertook forty-three Pop-up Visits this quarter, visiting thirty-four members to speak with families about their backyards. During these visits, POP Enablers spoke with partners about their goals, such as building a new vegetable garden or buying a lawnmower and also discussed what they would need to do to achieve this.

Pop-up Visits Apr May Jun This quarter

Last quarter

Visits 25 18 0 43 22

Households visited 12 16 0 28 20

Members visited 20 14 0 34 22

Households visited

Apr

20

15

10

5

0

1216

NA*

May Jun

Household membership

Potential membersPOP membership

58%42%

Garden Club Apr May Jun This quarter

Last quarter

Events 1 1 0 2 1


Pride of Place membership This quarter Last quarter

Members 78 53

New members 12 9

Households 74 49

Achievements Anecdotal reports suggest two exciting developments this quarter: ongoing garden maintenance among POP families and signs that families are making progress towards their goals. Records from our POP Enablers show they have observed improvements in garden tidiness, and that families are following through with their commitments, by undertaking garden maintenance such as installation of a shade cloth or measurements for a new garden. It is everyday activities like this that lead to sustained progress towards longer term goals.

* Due to the POP Enabler being on leave in June, no Pop-up Visits were undertaken.



Overall 264

Adult (15+) 176

Children (0-14) 88

Households 47

Youth (SET reporting purposes) 165

Early childhood 40

Primary school 33

Secondary school 30

Tertiary / further education 39

Completed school 23

Behaviour change is a tricky business. Not only does it take time, but requires a vision, commitment to a goal, and the ability to make short term sacrifices in pursuit of that better life.

This quarter we have seen positive signs that behaviour change is underway in Coen. This is evident in the data emerging from our recent round of feedback surveys. One standout achievement is the proportion of families on track to paying off accumulated debt. One hundred per cent of those surveyed*, who had started MPower with debt, reported being ‘on track’ in paying it off. Despite not all MPower participants being surveyed, this result is nonetheless encouraging: debt reduction is one of the most challenging financial issues to resolve as it requires ongoing, long term adherence to budgeting and strong financial management. That this is occurring—even among a small sample—is a positive sign of change.

Of the challenges we continue to face in Coen, our greatest concern is the inconsistency with which families attend sessions at the Coen Opportunity Hub, despite our team making and following up on appointments.

Acknowledging this, our team focussed on two areas this quarter. The first was to re-engage families in It takes a village to raise a child. After low participation earlier in the year due to the absence of a Positive Parenting Consultant, our focus this quarter was to get out of the Coen Opportunity Hub, to talk with families about how the parenting program can help make their lives a little easier. In this we had some success. After building our

profile by holding Handicraft activities and participating in community events such as morning teas, a local sewing group and the Coen women’s group camp, eight parents attended sessions this quarter (an increase from just two last quarter). This is an achievement we will continue to build upon in the coming months.

Our second goal was to re-engage families in the broader MPower Journey, both through participation in Money Management Support sessions as well as MPower Coaching. As with It takes a village to raise a child, our team headed out into the community to talk with families about ways of making money management easier. In doing so we discovered that our best ‘hook’ in Coen—the Opportunity Product most likely to bring families into the Coen Opportunity Hub—is Wise Buys. Time and again we found families wanting to know how they could purchase items that would help make their homes more comfortable. With twenty-five individuals attending nearly forty-five Wise Buys sessions throughout the quarter, our challenge now is to turn this interest into regular participation in other MPower opportunities. Watch this space next quarter.

We finish this quarter with 234 individuals signed up to one Opportunity Product, with 124 of those signed up to more than one. This gives us a strong base upon which to focus our efforts over the next six months.

Coen Opportunity Hub

* N=7.† Population data taken from the ABS 2011 Census.

Coen Opportunity Hub local Indigenous employment

100%Non-local staff



MPowerMembership MPower membership continues to expand in Coen, despite our already extensive reach. Fifteen new members joined this quarter, bringing total membership* to 186 individuals, more than 100 per cent of the adult population. This statistic stems from population flows into and out of Coen and potential inaccuracies in the ABS census statistics, but the simple fact is we have most of the adult population signed up to MPower.

The vast majority of our members (ninety-one per cent) are self-referred, having signed up voluntarily. The remaining nine per cent have been referred to MPower by the Family Responsibilities Commission.

iBankActivitiesOne-quarter of our MPower members visited the Village Opportunity Hub for iBank this quarter. These forty-nine members accessed internet and telephone banking 234 times. Eighty per cent of these were for internet rather than telephone banking—a positive sign considering internet banking carries the greatest potential for independent use.

Nearly two-thirds of iBank sessions this quarter were ‘unassisted,’ meaning partners were able to use iBank by themselves, without any form of help from MPower staff. This is slightly lower than last last quarter, but suggests

partners are attempting more complex transactions, such as activating keycards. This in turn provides an opportunity for our staff to help build partners’ capabilities by demonstrating how these transactions are done. A number of our new partners also registered for internet banking for the first time this quarter; during these early stages they require more assistance.

AchievementsData continues to show our partners are gaining independence when it comes to internet banking. As in Aurukun, partners who complete training are more likely to increase their independence levels than those who do not, although ongoing iBank use brings benefits regardless.

A quarter of those who have done internet and telephone banking training show increased independence, compared with only fifteen per cent of non-trained iBank users.

‘Little a’ sessionsActivitiesTwenty-two individuals attended twenty-eight ‘little a’ sessions throughout the quarter, a decrease of twenty on the first quarter of 2013. This means fewer family


Last quarter

Total 81 79 74 234 296

Assisted 19 32 34 85 82

Unassisted 62 47 40 149 214

Computer 63 64 61 188 234

Telephone 18 15 13 46 62

Training 1 2 0 3 4

Level of assistance§ Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Level 5


AssistedUnassisted

64%

36%

MPower referrals


9%

91%

iBank assistance

of the adult population are MPower members

105%**

* Including active, inactive and deceased. This figure does not total 163 (157+7) due to differences in the way members are counted in the Family Empowerment Database.

† Number of different users, not a cumulative total.


Last quarter

Members* 186* 156*


Participants†

iBank 32 31 25 49† 56

‘Little a’‡ 15 10 3 22† 25

MPower Journey 1 2 0 3† 5

Money Management Support 4 5 2 8† 14

‡ Refer to glossary for explanation of ‘little a’ sessions.§ Refer to glossary for explanation of each level.** It is possible to have more than 100 per cent signed up because of limitations

in the 2011 Census data.


members require support from the Coen Opportunity Hub to resolve their financial problems. This is encouraging because those partners who did seek help did not require as much help. Partners visiting the Village Opportunity Hub for ‘little a’ support last quarter attended an average of 1.7 times; this reduced to 1.3 times in the second quarter of 2013. Considering our long term goal is to build capabilities so partners no longer require ‘little a’ support, this is a step in the right direction.

Throughout the quarter our team also worked with five of these partners to create budgets that will assist families in managing their finances.

Achievements The recent MPower surveys provide some data on our achievements from ‘little a’ sessions in Coen. Despite a low response rate* these surveys nonetheless provide some feedback on how partners are progressing towards greater financial capabilities. Among survey respondents:

• Eighty-five per cent find it easier to sort out their money since they started MPower

• Sixty per cent say they always have enough money for food in off-pay week

• Thirty per cent report having a budget • Thirty per cent are either ‘a bit’ confident or confident

they can do a budget by themselves.

These figures show that while MPower has made managing money easier and many respondents are prioritising food in their spending, there is still room

25%

75%


MaybeYes

No

MPower showed me how to pay all my bills.

With an overdue Telstra bill looming over her head, Davina Lakefield sought help from her local MPower Consultant. ‘I owed Telstra a lot of money and didn’t know where to start.’

Davina received ‘little a’ support to get her bills on the right track. ‘MPower taught me how to bring my bills up to date and pay bills on time. I kept making payments and now I’m in credit with Telstra and aim to keep my account in credit from now on.’

As well as getting her bills sorted out, Davina has developed her money management skills with banking support and budgeting training. She has also started MPower Coaching.

‘Now I know that I can meet my payment responsibilities and repay any money that I owe. I don’t have to worry about how to pay my bills and I keep them up to date. Now I would like to start saving money for my future.’

One of MPower’s primary goals is to support families to resolve financial problems. Davina’s story illustrates how ongoing support from MPower allows partners to first get their finances in order to meet their basic needs, and then continue along the MPower journey to further develop their financial capabilities.

* N=7.


Last quarter





to improve on budgeting and budgeting capabilities. Encouraging greater participation in the budgeting Money Management Tool is one way to respond to this in the coming months.


MPower JourneyActivities This was a slow quarter for MPower Coaching. Three partners attended three MPower Coaching sessions. What is concerning is that twenty-six Coaching appointments were made and twenty-three not attended. It is these ‘missed appointments’ which have been and will continue to be the focus of our MPower Coach. Reasons cited by partners include forgetting appointments (this is despite appointment cards being given at the time the appointment is made) and other issues arising and taking priority over the appointment.

Achievements Although not high, the coaching sessions attended this quarter show promising signs for ongoing progress as they were all A space sessions: the start of a new MPower Journey. It is during this stage that partners discuss their current situation: their strengths, weaknesses and financial position. These three new coaching participants are an encouraging sign that partners are acknowledging their situation and taking steps to change by beginning the MPower Journey.

Money Management SupportActivitiesEight partners attended fourteen Money Management Support sessions this quarter, a slight decrease on the seventeen attended last quarter. Given the first quarter of 2013 was one of our busiest Money Management Support periods ever, this sustained level of participation is encouraging.


Last quarter

Sessions 1 2 0 3 7


B Space

C Space

D Space Ongoing



Now I can save money for the things I need.

Over the two years that Harry Liddy has been an MPower member he has worked towards increasing his money management and financial literacy skills. ‘I signed up so that I could pay all my bills and learn to save up for the things I need.’

Having completed internet and banking support training, Harry is now learning to use the iBank facilities to manage his finances online.

‘I use the computer to see my account details and to do my Centrelink payments.’

iBank facilities in the Coen Opportunity Hub also help Harry to manage his money more effectively. ‘I am really happy that I’m learning to use the computer on my own. Now I can see I have money in my savings and pay my electricity bills.’

Harry is currently saving to purchase needs for his home. ‘Now I want to save to buy a freezer, and I will get my niece to come in [to the Coen Opportunity Hub] and buy cheap food [online]. Other people say that MPower has helped them too and taught them to buy the right things.’

One of MPower’s primary goals is to increase financial access. Harry’s story illustrates he can now do this through iBank. MPower also empowers families to manage money for their basic needs. This story also highlights how families are acknowledging the importance of coming together to meet their needs and the role that MPower plays in facilitating such change.

Harder

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

14%

86%

No change Easier0%

Survey: money management‘Is it easier or harder to sort out your money

since you started MPower?’


Banking, budgeting and internet and telephone banking proved most popular, signalling a move away from payment support (which had been the most popular in previous months). This is a positive sign considering the potential for growth on budgeting and is a trend we hope will continue in the next quarter.

* This finding is tentative given the survey’s low response rate.† It is possible to have more than 100 per cent signed up because of limitations in the 2011 Census data.


quarterLast

quarter

Group sessions 0 0 0 0 0

Support sessions 4 8 2 14 17

Banking 1 3 2 6 2

Debt Reduction 0 1 0 1 0

Budget 1 2 0 3 3

Wealth Creation 1 0 0 1 0

Internet and Telephone Banking 1 2 0 3 4

Payment 0 0 0 0 8

Competency rate 75% 88% 100% 88% 68%

Achievements MPower surveys provide data on our partners’ savings behaviours that are valuable when assessing our Money Management Support sessions: fourteen per cent of respondents have a savings plan in place; of those 100 per cent had achieved at least one savings goal. While illustrating that we have room to improve in the uptake of saving as a financial behaviour, it is nevertheless a strong success rate among those who have committed to save.*

Beyond this, more than eighty-five per cent of partners who participated in Money Management Support sessions this quarter were assessed as ‘competent’, meaning they gained the necessary knowledge and skills covered in support sessions. While not the end goal, this first stage—increased knowledge—is an essential step towards partners achieving their goals for the future.


quarterLast

quarter

Number of donors 269 269 269 269 294

New trusts 0 0 0 0 5

Total trusts 190 190 190 190 189

Active trusts



Secondary school 24 24 24 24 18Tertiary/further education 1 1 1 1 0


Non-active and closed trusts





Student Education TrustMembershipCoen’s support for Student Education Trust (SET) remains strong, with 269 donors committing to 190 educational trusts. Although there were no new sign-ups this quarter, population data suggests we are close to reaching saturation within our target group. Breaking this down we have:

• More than 100 per cent† of the adult population contributing to at least one education trust

• Forty-seven early childhood education trusts (more than 100 per cent of the early childhood population)

• Sixty-two primary school education trusts (more than 100 per cent of the primary school population)

• Thirty-five secondary school education trusts (more than 100 per cent of the secondary school population).

• Four tertiary education trusts (ten per cent of the tertiary student population).

27%

68%

School readiness



5% Active Student Education Trust accounts by category

25%Primary schoolEarly childhood45%

Tertiary/further educationSecondary school

1%3%

Completed school26%


will continue to follow up with partners over the coming months and expect to see continued improvement in the next quarter.

Two more achievements are evident from the recent SET feedback surveys. First, results suggest strong understanding among SET families around what it means for children to be ‘school ready every day’: among those who responded, 100 per cent identified books and eighty-five per cent identified school uniforms as the two most important items for their children’s education. Considering our focus is on material school readiness, this result is encouraging. Second, the data suggests parents have seen a growth in their own capabilities: seventy per cent of respondents say they now know more about what to buy their children than when they first signed up to SET. It is this capability building that is central to our Opportunity Products and which we hope to continue building upon over the remainder of this year.

ActivitiesThe current trust balance is a healthy $253,843.

Donors made 168 purchases this quarter, similar to the 174 purchases made last quarter. What is particularly exciting about these purchases is the range of goods and services purchased. Through SET this quarter, Coen students now have boarding school fees covered, new shoes for after school football, kindergarten fees paid, school uniforms bought, and university textbooks paid for. It is this regular access to SET funds that allows families to plan for a child’s education as well as cover unexpected costs as they arise.

The number of purchases is expected to rise even further over the coming quarter as Coen holds its next ‘Get SET for School Fair.’ These fairs are designed to ensure families have easy access to high quality educational goods on a regular basis. Our longer term goal is to hold one fair at the beginning of each school term (i.e. four each year) so families have regular access to these materials.

AchievementsThe idea that parents are responsible for covering the costs of their children’s education underpins SET. This responsibility, this quid pro quo, is the reason parents commit and contribute to their children’s educational trusts. With this in mind, a primary focus for our team this quarter was to raise the proportion of ‘committed contributors’—the number of donors who are up to date with their SET contributions. In this we saw strong results. By targeting partners who had fallen behind and holding honest conversations—reminding partners why they joined SET in the first place; reinspiring dreams for their children’s future; and building resolve to follow through on contributions—we saw this proportion rise ten percentage points from nine to nineteen per cent. We



Early childhood $24,645.07 $24,645.07 $24,645.07 $24,645.07 $26,857.89

Primary school $102,718.32 $102,718.32 $102,718.32 $102,718.32 $127,991.65

Secondary school $49,197.54 $49,197.54 $49,197.54 $49,197.54 $59,097.93

Further education $1,000.82 $1,000.82 $1,000.82 $1,000.82 $2,848.47

Finished school $983.10 $983.10 $983.10 $983.10 $22,453.94

Non-active $75,298.24 $75,298.24 $75,298.24 $75,298.24 $26,141.19




Secondary school 6 15 8 29 58

Further education 0 4 1 5 0


Total purchases 37 99 32 168 174


Early childhood 5% 17% 19% 15% 18%

Primary school 78% 64% 53% 65% 49%

Secondary school 16% 15% 25% 17% 33%

Further education 0% 4% 3% 3% 0%

Sessions Sign-up


details Total

Apr to Jun 1 36 40 11 88


Earlychildhood

$120,000

$100,000

$80,000

$60,000

$40,000

$20,000

$0Primary school

Secondary school

Further education

Finished school

Non-active


Wise BuysMembershipWise Buys membership increased by eleven (or forty per cent) this quarter bringing total membership to thirty-two. This represents almost twenty per cent of the adult population in Coen, a sign that word of the Opportunity Product is beginning to spread.

ActivitiesOur Wise Buys members were busy this quarter, with twenty-five members attending a total of forty-three Wise Buys sessions.

Just over half of these sessions were used to research prospective purchases including linen, electrical goods, furniture and a vehicle. Research sessions are an integral component, our team working with partners to build skills and understanding around consumer advocacy, selecting reasonably priced goods and working out the best way to purchase and pay for them.

Four partners purchased five items between them, using a variety of payment methods. One partner completed their purchase unassisted, with the remaining three partners operating at ‘Level 3’. This demonstrates increased skill levels in computer literacy and consumer awareness.

We expect to see an increase in the number of purchases made next quarter, in the lead up to Christmas and before the commencement of the wet season during which transportation of goods is restricted and cost prohibitive.

* The new members brings the total membership to 32 rather than 34 due to duplications identified in a recent data audit.† Refer to glossary for explanation of each level.


Direct Deposit



quarterLast

quarter

Members* 32 23


Purchases Apr May Jun This quarter Last quarterPurchases 3 1 1 5 3

Partners making purchases 2 1 1 4 3

Amount spent $864.95 $595.00 $699.00 $2,158.95 $2,621.00

Purchases categorised as ‘needs’ 3 1 1 5 3

Purchases categorised as ‘wants’ $864.95 $595.00 $699.00 $2,158.95 $2,621.00

Amount spent on ‘needs’ 0 0 0 0 0

Amount spent on ‘wants’ $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Unassisted purchases 1 0 0 1 0

Assisted purchases 2 1 1 4 0

Level of assistance† Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4 Unassisted



Apr to Jun 12 1 25 5 43

Wise Buys membership

Apr

40

30

20

10

0

2130 32

May Jun

Total Wise Buys purchases

Apr

$1,000

$800

$600

$400

$200

0

$865$595 $699

May Jun

AchievementsAll goods purchased this quarter—two refrigerators, a clothes dryer, a washing machine and an air conditioner—were categorised as ‘needs’ rather than ‘wants’; a clear sign our partners acknowledge the value of covering important household needs such as white goods instead of other less essential items.

The multiple payment options used for these purchases (Direct Debit, pre-paid Credit Card and Lay by) shows that, through Wise Buys, families are able to manage money to progress towards their personal aspirations, such as having a functional home.


It takes a village to raise a childBaby CollegeBaby College registrations held steady this quarter, with fourteen parents (approximately eight per cent of the adult population) registered. Despite this commitment from families in Coen, our team has experienced difficulties in encouraging regular attendance at sessions. No partners attended Baby College this quarter. Discussions around how to promote regular participation have been incorporated into our internal Strategic Conversation on It takes a village to raise a child and new strategies for engaging families, such as the use of more visual materials, are expected in the second half of this year.

Positive KidsMembershipNo partners attended Positive Kids sessions this quarter. We continue to work with CYAAA to determine how to increase attendance in these activities. Discussions around Positive Kids attendance have also been held with Hub Leaders as part of our internal Strategic Conversation on It takes a village to raise a child.

Strong FamiliesMembershipFive more parents joined Strong Families this quarter, a bump that brings total registrations to twenty-two (or thirteen per cent of the Coen population). This indicates a solid foundation of support for Strong Families and also offers opportunity for growth in the coming quarters. It is encouraging that so many parents have committed to building skills and knowledge in positive parenting. Our next challenge is to encourage regular attendance at parenting sessions.

ActivitiesPartners attended nine Strong Families sessions this quarter, up from one last quarter. This rise is due to the transitioning of one of our local Indigenous MPower staff members to the role of Positive Parenting Consultant and we expect to see a continuation in the uptake of activity in the coming months as she re-establishes relationships with our parenting participants.

It’s great that I’m doing this myself.

With a large family, Seppi Bassani’s budget wasn’t stretching far enough to meet the needs of her family. Seppi has made small changes to her budget, resulting in huge savings for her and her family. ‘MPower teaches you how to save so you have more money. My budget really does work—now I have more money!’

Whilst working on Seppi’s budget, our MPower Coach noticed that her food costs were very high. Together Seppi and the MPower Coach compared the price of items at the local store against those online. Seppi quickly realised that she could easily save her family a lot of money by shopping online using Wise Buys

‘I joined Wise Buys so that I could shop online for cheaper food, clothes and toys. This especially helps when you have a big family.’

Now Seppi buys food and toys from Coles online, meat packages from Byrnes Meats in Cairns, and cakes for birthdays and special events from Plaza Cakes.

By spending wisely, Seppi is now getting much more bang for her buck. ‘Lots of things are so much cheaper online. I also buy more in bulk.’

One objective of Wise Buys is to increase consumer awareness and purchasing knowledge. Seppi’s story illustrates how Wise Buys promotes price comparisons across multiple retail sources to help families make more cost effective purchasing decisions.


Last quarter


Attendance† 5 4 0 8 -

Graduates 0 0 0 0 0

Sign-ups 4 1 0 5 0




to adapt Handicraft activities to match participants’ interests has seen painting emerge as a frequent and popular activity in Coen. Particularly impressive is the length of time women spend at Handicraft sessions. Some partners have spent up to four hours working on their painting and craft activities, a sign they feel comfortable being in the Village Opportunity Hub and view it as a positive place to spend their time. This is a key goal for Handicraft and a good indication we are making progress towards our goal.

Home PrideDespite interest across the community, Home Pride has not formally commenced in Coen due to the absence of a Home Crew member to lead our Home Pride activities. Home Crew recruitment is currently underway and we expect to capitalise on growing community interest over the next quarter.

AchievementsWhat is promising about these figures is that many partners attended multiple sessions across the quarter; a sign they are beginning to commit more time and energy to building capabilities in positive parenting.

EngagementFamily engagement was strong with our team leading nearly 100 engagement activities over the quarter. These activities included informal discussions with families about opportunities to use positive parenting strategies in overcoming challenges they are experiencing in the home, as well as home visits and participation in community events such as the Coen women’s group. These activities had varying levels of success in promoting attendance at parenting sessions, with a monthly conversion rate (the per cent who return to the Opportunity Hub) ranging from zero to eight per cent. Opportunities to improve upon our family engagement activities will be discussed at an upcoming Hub Leader workshop on family engagement, to be held in early July.

HandicraftA group of Coen women got very crafty this quarter, with five ladies attending five handicraft activities. A recent decision to encourage Positive Parenting Consultants


Last quarter

Sessions 4 0 1 5 0



Last quarter

Sessions 27 42 30 99 18

Sign-ups 1 0 0 1 0

Engagement type

Home visit 4 1 3 8 14



Workshop 0 0 0 0 0


Engagement sessions

Apr

50

40

30

20

10

0

2742

30

May Jun

25%

75%


FRC or Child Safety referredSelf-referred


Pride of Place

MembershipPride of Place (POP) maintained its popularity this quarter with membership holding steady at thirty-eight members, almost a quarter of the adult population. Even more encouraging is that these individuals represent nearly two-thirds of households in Coen.

ActivitiesCoen’s gardeners got thrifty this quarter with six partners attending a Garden Club event on pruning. These budding gardeners learned how to maximise their gardening resources by using cuttings to grow new plants. This is part of a growing effort in Coen to avoid waste, particularly as we head into the wet season. During these months it is especially difficult to purchase new seeds and plants so knowing how to prune and propagate plants is a skill that will allow Coen gardeners to make the most of their backyards.

Coen’s backyards are also a little safer after our POP Enabler held twenty-three Pop-up Visits this quarter, working with families on ongoing backyard maintenance. Over the quarter, the POP Enabler supported families to complete key maintenance activities, including fixing pergolas and replacing bolts on outdoor furniture. It is


Members 38 38New members 0 14Households 30 30

* N=2.† These photographs reflect Garden Club activities from 2012 and not events held this quarter.


Potential membersPOP membership36%

64%

of POP respondents in Coen grow fruit and vegetables.

100%*

through ongoing maintenance like this that families can ensure their backyards are a safe and relaxing place for all members of the family.

AchievementsDriving around Coen, it’s pleasing to see the number of families working and playing in their backyards. With POP membership expanding across two-thirds of households in Coen, it is clear that families have embraced transforming and maintaining their backyards to be attractive, safe and healthy spaces; their hard work breeding pride and confidence.

† †


Last quarter

Visits 0 0 23 23 34




Last quarter

Events 0 0 1 1 1



So much of what we do at Cape York Partnerships is about building capabilities. Our achievements in this area were highlighted this quarter as we completed our first round of surveys, collecting partners’ thoughts on our Opportunity Products. Results show that our partners are building the capabilities they need to have lives they have reason to value. For example: nearly three-quarters of Hope Vale’s MPower respondents now find it easier to manage their money; nearly three-quarters of SET respondents know more about supporting their children’s educational needs; just under half the MPower respondents had a savings plan in place; and of those, eighty per cent have achieved at least one savings goal.

Another long term goal for Cape York Partnerships has been to have families share their knowledge with others in the village. This quarter we saw the beginnings of this in action. Through Pride of Place (POP), two Cooktown gardeners hosted a Garden Club event to build community-wide understanding of permaculture. Our Cooktown hosts led POP members around their farm, demonstrating how to compost, the benefits of companion planting, and using native plants in healthy cooking. It is through events like this that POP builds families’ knowledge of gardening, in turn building pride and maximising opportunities for people to use their backyards to support family health and wellbeing.

Particularly exciting this quarter has been the large number of families expressing interest in Home Pride, our newest add on to It takes a village to raise a child. Of all our Village Opportunity Hubs, Hope Vale had the highest participation

Hope Vale Opportunity Hub


Overall 932

Adult (15+) 636

Children (0-14) 296

Households 187


Early childhood 92

Primary school 142

Secondary school 109


Completed school 103

* See, for example Habschick, M., Seidl, B., & Evers, J. (November 2006). Survey of Financial Literacy Schemes in the EU27. Hamburg: Evers Jung Financial Services Research and Consulting.

† Population data taken from the ABS 2011 Census.

Hope Vale Opportunity Hub local Indigenous employment

Non-local staff


25%

75%

rate with twenty-three individuals signing up to Home Pride in just one-quarter. This is an encouraging sign that Hope Vale families want to take pride in their homes.

The Hope Vale team was also able to share its knowledge in a different way this quarter, with Hub Leader Audrey Deemal travelling to The Wunan Foundation in Western Australia to share her experiences in family development and with welfare reform. Conversely, Audrey was able to learn from the successes of The Wunan Foundation to feed back into our work at Cape York Partnerships.

Another recent innovation has been our ‘adoption’ of two classes at the CYAAA Hope Vale campus. A representative from our Village Opportunity Hub team regularly attends classes, presenting awards and sitting in. It also presents a novel opportunity for us to talk to students about money management. This capitalises on recent research that shows building financial capabilities is most effective when individuals are targeted at a young age.* Innovations like this grow from what we learn in continually reflecting upon our work, identifying areas for improvement and finding creative ways to respond.

To date we have 463 individuals signed up to at least one Opportunity Product. Of these, 136 (or thirty per cent) are signed up to more than one, a number we aim to build upon in the coming months.


MPower

Membership Hope Vale’s MPower membership continues to grow as individuals share their stories of success with family and friends. Sixteen new members joined throughout the quarter, bringing total membership to 447,† or seventy per cent of the adult population. Voluntary participation in Hope Vale is exceptionally high, with eighty-three per cent of all partners joining as ‘self-referrals’, the remaining seventeen per cent coming through referral from the Family Responsibilities Commission.

iBank ActivitiesParticipation in internet and telephone banking is on the rise as the consistency and reliability of our internet access has returned to normal service levels. Nearly thirty per cent of MPower partners used internet and telephone banking 765 times this quarter. This is a five per cent increase on the previous quarter and represents an average of six visits per partner (or one every fortnight).

This suggests a core group of dedicated users who are embracing internet and telephone banking to support regular financial management practices.

Achievements As in our other sites, the Family Empowerment Database provides longitudinal data on partners’ internet and telephone banking use. With this information it is possible to generate baseline data—an ‘independence rating’ for each user—against which we can measure progress. The results show that, through regular use and support, approximately one-third of internet banking users have increased in their independence, while just under half of telephone banking users demonstrate increased capabilities.

‘Little a’ sessionsActivitiesFifty-two partners attended eighty-eight ‘little a’ sessions, seeking assistance in the resolution of small financial problems. During these sessions staff worked with thirteen partners to create simple budgets—a key step towards building financial capabilities. It is through this initial budget that partners can cover essential household costs such as food, rent or children’s educational costs, whilst also paying off any existing debt. Once this debt is paid off, partners can begin to use their finances to build the life they want.

30%

70%

MPower membership

Potential membersMPower members

MPower referrals


83%

17%

29%

71%

iBank assistance

UnassistedAssisted


Last quarter

Total 300 287 178 765 729

Assisted 76 80 64 220 246

Unassisted 224 207 114 545 483

Computer 195 189 121 505 524

Telephone 105 98 57 260 205

Training 8 1 2 11 17

Level of assistance** Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Level 5


* Including active, inactive and deceased.† This figure does not total 456 (440=16) due to the removal of duplicate

records from the Family Empowerment Database.‡ Number of different users, not a cumulative total.

§ Refer to glossary for explanation of ‘little a’ sessions.** Refer to glossary for explanation of each level.†† N=27.


Last quarter

Members* 447† 440


Participants‡

iBank 92 90 65 137‡ 128

‘Little a’§ 26 27 11 52‡ 65

MPower Journey 11 5 1 16‡ 37

Money Management Support 11 9 2 21‡ 25


Achievements Data from the MPower feedback survey provides a 2013 baseline†† of our partners’ capabilities in key money management components. This data identifies areas of strength as well as opportunities for further growth. One key achievement is that nearly seventy per cent of survey respondents find it easier to sort out their money since starting MPower. At the same time, budgeting reflects an area for further growth in future quarters:

• Just over a third of respondents have a budget in place

• Thirty per cent ‘always’ follow their budgets

• Thirty per cent are also confident they can do a budget without help from anyone else.

Through ongoing promotion of ‘little a’ support, coupled with Money Management Support sessions and MPower Coaching, we will work to improve further in these areas in the coming months.

MPower Journey ActivitiesSixteen partners attended twenty MPower Coaching sessions this quarter. This is largely due to the fact that we are training up a new MPower Coach while our existing coach is on an internship at the United Nations in New


Last quarter

Sessions 14 5 1 20 96




Money Map progress 0 0 0 0 1

York. Given the complexities of working with families on behaviour change it takes some time to build familiarity with our partners and the process.

Achievements One key achievement for MPower has been the take up of family (group) coaching in Hope Vale. Although incremental, this is a practice we hope to build upon and extend within Hope Vale and across our other Village Opportunity Hubs. Three coaching sessions were attended by family groups this quarter. Group participation allows family members to identify a shared vision for the future—for example a beautiful home, a well managed household, or home they own—as well as a shared understanding of what each person must do to achieve that goal. This in turn helps make sure family members are working together in pursuit of their collective goal.

Money Management Support ActivitiesAttendance at Money Management Support sessions remained steady this quarter with twenty-one partners attending twenty-seven sessions. Banking support was most popular, with slight movement away from internet and telephone banking—the most popular support session in previous quarters. This is promising as it reflects a shift in our partners’ primary interests: away from purely technical skills (how to use internet and telephone banking) towards a more advanced understanding of the banking system.

30%

70%


MaybeYes

No


Harder

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

30%

70%

No change Easier0%


B Space

C Space

D Space Ongoing




Last quarter







quarterLast

quarterGroup sessions 0 0 0 0 0Support sessions 15 9 3 27 31

Banking 5 6 0 11 8Debt Reduction 1 0 0 1 0Budget 3 0 0 3 3Wealth Creation 0 0 0 0 0Internet and Telephone Banking 5 1 2 8 17

Payment 1 2 1 4 3Competency rate 6% 0% 0% 2% 27%

Banking products and services Apr May Jun This

quarterLast

quarterReferrals 6 1 2 9 0

Achievements Results from Hope Vale’s MPower feedback surveys show strong signs that families are building capabilities in saving and debt reduction. This is a promising result for our team and its work with the debt reduction and budgeting.

Among respondents: • Sixty per cent of those with debt have started paying

off their debt; • Among those with debt, forty per cent believe they

are ‘on track’ to paying off that debt.

In addition: • Fifty per cent of Hope Vale respondents have a

savings plan • Seventy per cent of these have achieved at least one

savings goal.

These latter results demonstrate solid evidence of behaviour change among those who commit to a savings plan. Encouraging other individuals and families to begin a savings plan will be a focus for our team in the coming months. Despite low participation in these particular

Student Education TrustMembershipHope Vale’s commitment to Student Education Trust (SET) remained high this quarter, with parents opening another six SET accounts. This brings the total number of trusts to 208, or thirty-five per cent of the under eighteen population.

Children in primary school have the greatest uptake of SET in Hope Vale, with nearly eighty per cent of primary school aged children having an education trust. This extensive reach is a strong result for SET and one we hope to replicate across other age groups. As June comes to a close, nearly forty per cent of children under five have an education trust, as do fifty per cent of secondary school students.


Hope Vale parents helped their children get ready for school with a ‘Get SET for School Fair’ held by our Opportunity Hub in late June. In just one day, parents purchased 156 items, spending more than $1,100 on high quality educational goods such as award winning children’s books, educational toys, games and school stationery.


quarterLast

quarter

Number of donors 216 217 218 218 215New trusts 4 1 1 6 10Total trusts 206 207 208 208 202Active trusts


Completed school 0 0 0 0 1Non-active and closed trusts




Earlychildhood

$60,000

$50,000

$40,000

$30,000

$20,000

$10,000

$0Primary school

Secondary school

Further education

Finished school

Non-active

Sessions Sign-up


details Closed Total

Apr to Jun 6 24 61 14 1 106

Money Management Tools this quarter, these results flow from our work with families on debt reduction and budgeting over the past two years.


* N=23.† Simmerman, M. (1990) ‘Toward a Theory of Learned Hopefulness: A Structural Model Analysis of Participation and Empowerment’ Journal of Research in

Personality 24(1): 71-86.



Early childhood $18,676.57 $18,721.61 $18,721.16 $18,721.16 $19,768.94Primary school $57,345.05 $57,345.05 $57,345.05 $57,345.05 $46,797.96Secondary school $20,620.10 $20,620.10 $20,620.10 $20,620.10 $10,067.18Further education $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00Finished school $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00Non-active $28,195.86 $28,195.86 $28,195.86 $28,195.86 $41,817.40


Early childhood 3 1 0 4 14Primary school 35 41 46 122 192Secondary school 12 10 16 38 48Further education 0 0 0 0 0Completed school 0 0 0 0 0Total purchases 50 52 62 164 254


Early childhood 6% 2% 0% 2% 6%Primary school 70% 79% 74% 74% 76%Secondary school 24% 19% 26% 23% 19%Further education 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Not counting the SET Fair purchases, donors made an additional 164 purchases over the quarter. Donors used funds to pay boarding school fees, buy new football boots, cover the cost of school photos and get new school uniforms. With these purchases, students in Hope Vale are able to participate in a much broader range of educational activities than was previously possible.

As in other Village Opportunity Hubs, our team focused on increasing the number of donors who are ‘committed contributors,’ meaning they are up to date in their SET contributions. By following up with donors who had not paid their contributions in full and holding ‘honest’ conversations—to remind, reinspire and build resolve around making SET contributions—we were able to lift this group from just thirteen per cent of donors last quarter to twenty-four per cent. This is a strong achievement we will continue to focus on in the coming months.

As a quick temperature check on school readiness the Hope Vale team did an observation of students at Hope Vale School this quarter. Staff from the Hope Vale Parenting Hub attended school assembly unannounced and counted the number of children wearing school uniform and shoes. This observation showed approximately sixteen per cent


18%Primary schoolEarly childhood22%


Completed school60%

44%

40%

School readiness



16%

of children were fully school ready (in uniform and shoes), while another forty per cent were partially ready (in uniform with no shoes).

AchievementsAnother outstanding achievement for our Hope Vale team is evident in results from the SET feedback survey: ninety-two per cent of respondents* say they would recommend SET to their family or friends. While this is not our end goal—which is instead for students to be materially school ready every day—this result is certainly encouraging as it shows an exceptionally high level of satisfaction and suggests this group of members view the SET offer as extremely valuable.

Among this same group, SET is helping parents feel more comfortable about covering the costs of their children’s education: nearly ninety per cent of Hope Vale respondents said they now feel their children’s educational costs are ‘all under control’. This is up from just forty per cent who said their situation was ‘all under control’ when they first signed up to SET. It is building this sense of control—the belief that one is in control of their own life—that researchers say is key to overcoming ‘learned helplessness,’ a by-product of passive welfare.†


fully understood and eventuate in the item costing much more than if the item had been purchased (although not immediately delivered) using alternative means. This is an issue which our team will continue to focus upon in the coming months.

AchievementsThe one purchase made this quarter was a child’s bed. The purchase was categorised as ‘needs’ rather than ‘wants’ meaning our partner internalised the value of covering basic needs before purchasing other non-essential items. What is exciting about this purchase is the fact that the partner took time to research online, discovering the wide range and variety of beds that were available. Her child is now both comfortable and very excited.

This one person’s experience is reflected among a broader group of Wise Buys members. One hundred per cent of partners responding to the Wise Buys feedback survey* said Wise Buys had made buying household items easier for them. Analyses of qualitative responses show that knowing where to look to compare prices before buying; increased choice and better prices are all benefits experienced by our Wise Buys partners in Hope Vale.

Wise Buys

MembershipWise Buys membership has remained steady, with only one new sign-up this quarter. This brings total membership to thirteen.

The last two quarters have seen a slow but gradual expansion of Wise Buys in Hope Vale, a positive sign that word of the Opportunity Product is beginning to spread.

ActivitiesDespite the relatively small membership base, our Wise Buys members were busy this quarter, each and every member having attended at least one Wise Buys session.

Ninety-three per cent of these sessions were used to research prospective purchases, including larger and more expensive items such as sheds and ride-on lawn mowers. During these research sessions, our team work with partners to select the item that best suits their needs, and to work out the best way to purchase and pay for them.

One purchase was made this quarter—a new bed for a child. The partner budgeted and had saved enough money to purchase this item using BPay, the payment itself requiring a moderate level of assistance from our team.

A challenge faced in Hope Vale is the presence of high interest rent-to-buy traders. Partners are tempted (and do) sign up to finance lease arrangements as goods are available for immediate delivery. It is often the case that the high interest rates applied in these contracts are not

of survey respondents say buying household items is now easier.

100%

Wise Buys sessions

93%

PaymentConsult

PurchaseResearch

7%


Direct Deposit



quarterLast

quarter

Members 13 12New members 0 1 0 1 4

Level of assistance Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4 Unassisted



Apr to Jun 0 0 13 1 14

Purchases Apr May Jun This quarter Last quarter*

Purchases 1 0 0 1 11Partners making purchases 1 0 0 1 3Amount spent $535.00 $0.00 $0.00 $535.00 $1,950.00Purchases categorised as ‘needs’ 1 0 0 1 11Purchases categorised as ‘wants’ $535.00 $0.00 $0.00 $535.00 $1,780.00Amount spent on ‘needs’ 0 0 0 0 1Amount spent on ‘wants’ $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $170.00Unassisted purchases 0 0 0 0 0Assisted purchases 1 0 0 1 11

* N=9


Jaccan Hart is not only an MPower and Wise Buys member, but also an MPower Graduate at the Hope Vale Opportunity Hub. During the seven months she has worked at CYP, Jaccan has made multiple Wise Buys purchases and completed an MPower Journey with an MPower Coach.

After completing coaching, Jaccan began saving towards big goals for her future. ‘I set up a budget and started saving to buy assets. It was difficult at first—the hardest part was putting money away at the beginning and not using it for other things.’

‘I signed up to Wise Buys because I wanted to purchase items online—it’s such a convenient way of shopping in remote communities.’ Through Wise Buys, Jaccan has purchased a motor scooter and a washing machine.

Jaccan wanted to buy a scooter to easily get around the village. Jaccan researched online and found a scooter from a dealer in Cairns. After making a trip to Cairns to look at the scooter, she put it on lay-by and paid a deposit. When it was fully paid for, a relative collected it and brought it to Hope Vale.

‘Now I have a scooter to get me to and from work every day. I really like it—I think it’s really cool. My

family and friends think it’s great, and my mum has even given it a go.’

‘I’ve also bought a washing machine through Wise Buys. Our old washing machine was about eight years old and wouldn’t spin anymore, so I bought a new one for my mum as a Mother’s Day gift.’

One Wise Buys objective is for families to use the internet to research and purchase goods and services. Jaccan’s story highlights how access to internet facilities supports partners to purchase good quality, affordable items that are not currently available in the welfare reform communities.

Now I own a registered scooter.

It takes a village to raise a child Baby CollegeMembershipBaby College registrations held steady this quarter with no new sign-ups. Total Baby College participation remains strong at fourteen participants.

ActivitiesThree individuals attended six Baby College sessions over the quarter, a slight decrease on the previous quarter’s nineteen. Over the coming months we will

Baby College Apr May Jun This quarter

Last quarter



Graduates 0 0 0 0 0

Sign-ups 0 0 0 0 0


work to improve upon attendance and our reach by actively identifying eligible families, with a particular focus on those who are first time parents. Through this we will undertake targeted engagement activities to boost attendance and participation.

AchievementsOne outstanding achievement for our Parenting team was that two of our three Baby College participants partook in both Baby College and Strong Families this quarter. Through this, these participants are building capabilities to support children of all age groups. This is a commendable achievement and an indication of Hope Vale parents’ commitment to their families.



As June came to a close four of our partners (approximately seven per cent) were working towards reunification with their children, while another eight (fourteen per cent) are at risk of having their children removed. These families are working with our Positive Parenting Consultants to build positive parenting capabilities to ensure they can meet the needs of their children and ultimately keep their children in their care. It is these families—those at risk of having children removed—who are a particular focus for Strong Families. Their participation in our Opportunity Product is evidence we have had success in attracting our target audience.

AchievementsAt least three partners are close to graduation and, as in Aurukun, recently spoke with our Positive Parenting Coordinator about their experiences with the program. This anecdotal feedback suggests some promising results. Particularly encouraging is that participants have adopted the Triple P strategies at home; even more encouraging is that they have found the positive behavioural strategies—such as praise and spending quality time with children—most helpful. Some partners requested further assistance in applying certain strategies at home; they also requested visual materials to take home to help in remembering the new techniques. Both these points have been taken on board and have been fed back into our internal Strategic Conversation on It takes a village to raise a child.

Positive KidsPositive Kids registration rose slightly with one new sign-up this quarter. One partner attended one session, working with our Positive Parenting Consultant through the Triple P positive parenting strategies. Through our internal Strategic Conversation we are continuing to explore new methods for enhancing session delivery and consistency so that more partners are motivated to attend.

Strong FamiliesMembershipStrong Families hit its stride in Hope Vale, with seven new sign-ups across the quarter. This brings total registration to fifty-eight, nearly ten per cent of Hope Vale’s adult population. This is a solid foundation for Strong Families in Hope Vale and indicates families see value in adopting positive parenting strategies.

ActivitiesThirty-two partners attended sixty-three sessions, seven more than last quarter. More than half of all Strong Families members attended sessions throughout the quarter, with an average attendance rate of three sessions per partner. This is a sound achievement considering the difficulties associated with attendance at parenting programs throughout the world.

5%

95%


FRC or Child Safety referredSelf-referred

Strong Families participation

Apr

3025201510

50

22 2414

May Jun

Positive Kids Apr May Jun This quarter

Last quarter



Graduates 0 0 0 0 0

Sign-ups 1 0 0 1 0



Last quarter


Attendance† 22 24 14 32 51

Graduates 0 0 0 0 0

Sign-ups 4 3 0 7 10




Engagement Our parenting team was out and about this quarter, continuing to build our profile and encourage families to participate in Opportunity Products. The parenting team led 145 engagement activities over the quarter, holding community information sessions, workshops, home visits and informal conversations with families around town. These activities have had varying degrees of success with monthly conversion rates (the proportion of those engaged who return to the Village Opportunity Hub within three days) ranging from eight to thirty per cent.

HandicraftThe Hope Vale parenting team got creative this quarter, holding a wide variety of Handicraft activities, from rock painting to sewing and paper mache, even making driftwood mobiles. The parenting team held thirty-eight Handicraft activities over the quarter, selecting activities based on local participants’ interests.

It is exciting to see such a wide variety of Handicraft activities taking place. This is expected to expand over the coming months as Handicraft is linked with Home Pride, supporting our partners to create beautiful craft for their homes.


Last quarter

Sessions 6 21 11 38 6



Last quarter

Sessions 39 52 54 145 91

Sign-ups 0 0 1 1 0

Engagement type

Home visit 10 25 23 58 38



Workshop 0 0 0 0 3


Engagement sessions

Apr

605040302010

0

39 52 54

May Jun

I want my house to be as good on the inside as it is on the outside.

Susan Baru was one of the first to sign up to Home Pride following its launch in April. As an existing member already signed up to a wide range of CYP Opportunity Products including MPower, Pride of Place and Student Education Trust, Susan is looking to build on her capabilities through Home Maker and House Blitz.

‘Through Pride of Place, my garden looks really beautiful but when I go inside I get really depressed. I want to change the inside of the house to look as nice as the outside.’

Susan’s story highlights how families across the Cape are taking advantage of the full suite of opportunities on offer to them, to work towards a life they have reason to value. In her work with our team, Susan has consistently demonstrated dedication towards a holistic vision for her family’s future. Her participation in multiple Opportunity Products illustrates an ongoing commitment to quid pro quo and interest in the incentives provided through our programs.


ActivitiesPOP in Hope Vale saw a flurry of activity this quarter with our POP Enabler visiting seventy-one partners during sixty-four Pop-up Visits. Nearly three-quarters of our POP members partook in these visits, an impressive attendance rate and an indication that families are taking the care of their backyards seriously.

During these Pop-up Visits our POP Enabler spoke with partners about their backyards, identifying opportunities for improvement as well as new gardening techniques. Particularly impressive is that one partner is now

One of the key goals of Handicraft is to create an environment where parents feel comfortable sharing stories about their families, in turn contributing to broader community support for the practice of positive parenting and increasing participation in It takes a village to raise a child. In this we saw promising results, with two of the seven new Strong Families members signing up as a result of attending Handicraft. Although early days, this is a tentative sign our approach is working to boost participation and support.

Home Pride MembershipHome Pride is off and racing in Hope Vale, with twenty-three partners signing up this quarter—three of them even before its official launch in May. This is a clear indication that Home Pride resonates with families in Hope Vale and that they have responded to the incentive of a beautiful home and are willing to commit the money, time and labour to achieving that goal.

ActivitiesWhat is most exciting about the Hope Vale sign-ups is our conversion rate: Hope Crew undertook twenty-two home visits to promote Home Pride across Hope Vale. From these visits, we achieved twenty-three sign-ups. This level of support at such an early stage is a positive sign for Home Pride in Hope Vale.

AchievementsAs in Aurukun, our baseline data provides an opportunity to understand where our partners are at with their homes and to target our offer to their individual aspirations and needs. In Hope Vale, partners’ current satisfaction levels with their homes are fairly evenly spread, with one-third each describing their level of satisfaction as ‘not happy,’ ‘a bit happy’ and ‘happy.’ Most families (seventy-eight per cent) did not have a household schedule in place, while half said they regularly ate healthy foods and another sixty-five per cent said they know where to look to find healthy recipes. With this data we can more closely respond to our partners’ particular needs, and also observe change over time.

Home Pride membership Apr May Jun This

quarterLast

quarter

Members 24 0New members 3 19 2 24 0House visits 0 15 17 32 0


quarterLast

quarter

Started 0 7 0 7 0

Finished 0 5 0 5 0

Pride of Place MembershipHope Vale’s support for Pride of Place (POP) continues to climb with twenty-nine new members this quarter, a forty-two per cent growth. This brings total membership to 122 members, or 107 households, which is almost half the estimated number of households in Hope Vale.



57%43%

New Pride of Place members

Apr

20

5

10

5

0

1910

NAMay Jun


Members 122 86

New members 29 28

Households 107 80


Survey: level of pride‘How do you feel about your backyard?’

Not proud

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%A bit proud Very proud

After POPBefore POP

33% 27%60%

7%

73%

0%


Last quarter

Visits 36 17 11 64 6




Last quarter

Events 1 0 0 1 0


contemplating signing up to Wise Buys after identifying the need to purchase new gardening equipment during a Pop-up Visit. This is illustrative of the fact that our Opportunity Products work best in synergy: that success in one area (e.g. money management) allows partners to take on new and exciting challenges in other areas.

Twelve members also attended Garden Club in April, visiting a Cooktown farm for a tour of their permaculture farm. Knowledge of permaculture—self-sustaining systems implemented in the home and the backyard—helps our POP members to renew and recycle resources like food scraps in their homes. It is through events like this that Garden Club builds families’ capabilities.

AchievementsA recent survey of POP members* in Hope Vale provides tentative evidence of four key outcomes among those who responded:

• Increased pride: seventy-three per cent of respondents describe themselves as ‘very proud’ of their backyards, an impressive jump from the seven per cent who said they were very proud before signing up to POP.

• Improved community aesthetics: more than eighty-five per cent of respondents say their community looks better than it did five years ago.

• Increased knowledge of gardening: eighty per cent of respondents say they now know more about gardening after participating in Pop-up Visits and Garden Club.

• Greater passion for gardening: through Backyard Blitzes and Pop-up Visits, POP is building a passion for gardening, with nearly two-thirds saying they now ‘love’ gardening. This is compared to the one-third who said they loved gardening before Pop-up Visits began. This enthusiasm for gardening is key: those who are passionate and enthusiastic about their backyards are more likely to take care of, and take responsibility for, their yards and encourage others in the family to do so.

These results, although based on a small number of people, show that POP is making impressive inroads towards its overall objectives of growing families’ pride in their homes.* N=15.


Mossman Gorge Opportunity Hub

Quid pro quo was the catchcry in Mossman Gorge this quarter, with family members committing to—or being challenged to commit—work, time and/or finances as part of their participation in Opportunity Products.

One impressive example is It takes a village to raise a child. This quarter Mossman Gorge parents committed their time and energy to building positive parenting skills, attending a record number of It takes a village to raise a child sessions. Thirteen parents attended sixty-five sessions—twice as many as last quarter and more than the total number of sessions attended in 2012.

It is through this kind of commitment that families build capabilities and change behaviours. This was also evident in the data from our Strong Families feedback surveys. Of those participants ready to graduate, eighty per cent are now more confident managing their children’s behaviour, eighty per cent report improvements in children’s behaviour and 100 per cent use the Triple P strategies at home.

Similar achievements were seen among those who participate in MPower: just over half of the respondents now find it easier to manage their money; just over half have a savings plan in place; and 100 per cent of those with a savings plan have achieved at least one of their savings goals.

We saw an equally impressive commitment from families participating in Student Education Trust this quarter.

Demographic Population*

Overall 119

Adult (15+) 95

Children (0-14) 24

Households 28


Early childhood 3

Primary school 15

Secondary school 12


Completed school 6

* Population data taken from the ABS 2011 Census.

Rather than a commitment of time, families contributed money to cover the educational needs of students. At our two-day ‘Get SET for School Fair’ held at the Mossman Gorge Opportunity Hub in June, families made seventy-eight purchases, spending nearly $700 on books, educational toys and uniforms so their children are school ready and have everything they need to succeed.

Our MPower team in Mossman Gorge has also capitalised on the recent opening of the Mossman Gorge Gateway Centre to build their trainees’ capabilities in financial literacy. Throughout the quarter the MPower team led sessions on budgeting with incoming trainees undertaking the Certificate 3 in Hospitality—an approach that not only builds our profile with individuals from as far away as Bundaberg and Thursday Island but also helps strengthen their knowledge of core money management skills as they begin their careers in hospitality.

At the end of June we have 179 individuals signed up to one Opportunity Product, with eighty (or forty-five per cent) of those signed up to more than one. This means a large proportion of the households in Mossman Gorge are participating in the opportunities on offer, an indication we are maintaining our reach and increasing participation in Mossman Gorge.

Mossman Gorge Opportunity Hub local Indigenous employment

Non-local staff


25%

75%


MPowerMembershipMPower membership continues to grow with six new members joining this quarter. This brings total membership to 132, more than 100 per cent of the adult population. It is possible to have more than the total population signed up as families from Mossman town have joined up to MPower after hearing about its results from family and friends.

These new sign-ups are promising because five of the six new members joined voluntarily: three as ‘self-referrals’ and the other two having been referred by family or friends. This brings our voluntary participation rate to ninety-three per cent, a clear signal that MPower is seen as a valuable opportunity by Mossman Gorge (and Mossman town) residents. Even more exciting is that at least half of this quarter’s new sign-ups are under thirty-five, a sign the MPower offer is appealing to Mossman Gorge’s younger residents.

iBank ActivitiesiBank participation remained steady with fifty-six members (approximately forty per cent) accessing internet or telephone banking 395 times. This is consistent with iBank use in the previous quarter and, considering it was one of our busiest iBank periods since MPower began, is an exceptional achievement.

Over one-third of these sessions were unassisted, meaning partners were able to use iBank without any need for help from Village Opportunity Hub staff. This is a strong result, continuing to build on the thirty per cent that were unassisted last quarter. Independent use of internet banking is a key component of financial literacy; it facilitates families’ access to online banking products, services and opportunities. This is why independent iBank use is one of the key foundational supports for MPower.

AchievementsAs in other Village Opportunity Hubs, data extracted from the Family Empowerment Database allows us to compare partners’ progress towards financial empowerment.**

Results show that approximately forty per cent of iBank users have increased their internet banking capabilities. This figure is higher—and sits at fifty per cent—among those users who complete internet and telephone banking training. This suggests that, while ongoing use of internet and telephone banking can support partners to build capabilities, there is greater potential for growth when partners attend the associated training. This in turn identifies a focus for the coming quarter: to promote participation in internet and telephone banking training among our members.

of the Mossman Gorge population is signed up to MPower.

139%††

iBank assistance

UnassistedAssisted

32%

68%

MPower referrals


93%

7%


Last quarter

Members* 132 127


Participants†

iBank 31 45 36 56† 51

‘Little a’‡ 3 5 4 12† 19

MPower Journey 15 10 9 23† 24

Money Management Support 1 1 1 3† 5


Last quarter

Total 145 135 115 395 394

Assisted 91 91 86 268 270

Unassisted 54 44 29 127 124

Computer 78 87 76 241 264

Telephone 67 48 39 154 130

Training 0 1 1 2 7

Level of assistance§ Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Level 5


* Including active, inactive and deceased.† Number of different users, not a cumulative total.‡ Refer to glossary for explanation of ‘little a’ sessions.§ Refer to glossary for explanation of each level.

** By comparing partners’ baseline independence levels with current iBank use we can use operational data to measure change.

†† It is possible to have more than 100 per cent signed up because of limitations in ABS Census statistics and because residents from Mossman town participate in Opportunity Products.


‘Little a’ support ActivitiesThere is room for cautious optimism in Mossman Gorge this quarter. By the end of June we had fewer partners visiting the Village Opportunity Hub for fewer ‘little a’ support sessions than any quarter in the past year and a half.

Twelve partners visited the Village Opportunity Hub for assistance with twelve ‘little a’ financial problems. This tells us partners are requiring less and less support to manage their finances. Anecdotal reports from our staff also suggest the types of problems that arise are less complex than in the past. Rather than requiring assistance with ongoing financial issues (such as long term debt), families are coming in for assistance with single overdue bills. This suggests partners are more aware of the need to address financial issues quickly so they don’t snowball into larger problems.

AchievementsThe recent MPower feedback surveys provide data on a small sample* of MPower participants in Mossman Gorge. Although tentative, these offer positive feedback on MPower’s results. Among those who responded:

• Nearly eighty per cent say they are confident or ‘a bit’ confident they can do a budget by themselves (without help from someone else)

• More than half find it easier to manage their money since beginning MPower

• Fifty-five per cent report having a budget.

These results suggest that through MPower, families are building the confidence and capabilities they need to resolve financial problems and independently manage their finances.

MPower Journey ActivitiesTwenty-three partners attended MPower Coaching sessions, on par with the twenty-four who attended in the previous quarter. This result is encouraging as it shows thirty per cent of all MPower members—almost one-quarter of the Mossman Gorge population—attended coaching sessions this quarter. This brings to forty-seven (fifty per cent of the population) the total number of partners who have begun an MPower Strategic Conversation.

AchievementsCoaching retention remains an area for improvement with retention rates sitting at twenty-four per cent for Mossman Gorge. This tells us that while many families are enthusiastic about beginning the Strategic Conversation, maintaining motivation for following through is an ongoing challenge. Increasing retention rates will be addressed in the coming months by focusing engagement efforts on those families who have begun—but not yet completed—their MPower Strategic Conversation.

One partner progressed along the Money Management Map this quarter, moving closer towards strong money management. This map is an internal tool our MPower Coaches use to assess partners’ financial management capabilities.

Money Management Support ActivitiesParticipation in Money Management Support sessions decreased slightly this quarter. Over the period three partners attended nine Money Management Support sessions. Although low, this nevertheless demonstrates that each partner attended multiple sessions, providing greater potential for partners to gain a more holistic understanding of money management.

Participation was spread fairly equally across the six Money Management Tools, with two participants attending the payment support, wealth creation and internet and

* N=9.


Last quarter

Sessions 25 14 12 51 85




Money Map progress 0 0 1 1 8


B Space

C Space

D Space Ongoing




Last quarter

‘Little a’ sessions 3 5 4 12 32Members who reach three ‘little a’ sessions 0 0 1 1 3



33%

67%


MaybeYes

No


telephone banking sessions, and one partner attending the banking, debt reduction and budgeting sessions.

Participants achieved a seventy-five per cent competency rate for the quarter, meaning three-quarters of Money Management Support participants gained the requisite skills and knowledge to be assessed as competent in the relevant sessions. Competency is measured through a brief assessment at the end of each session, and usually incorporates a number of key multiple choice questions or a skills test.

AchievementsDebt reduction and savings are standout achievements for our MPower team in Mossman Gorge. Results from the recent feedback survey demonstrate clear signals that our members are adopting financial management practices that allow them to reduce debt and meet savings goals.

Of respondents who reported having debt when signing up to MPower, all have started to pay off that debt and—even more impressive—are on track to paying off that debt. Similarly, 100 per cent of those with a savings plan have achieved at least one savings goal. While there is certainly room to increase the proportion of those partners with a savings plan (currently fifty-five per cent of respondents), this is still an encouraging sign for our team working on Money Management Support.

I own it now—it’s mine.

MPower has taught Rosie Denman to save for the things she needs and wants. ‘I needed new furniture so I went to MPower and they helped me to save.’

Rosie has prioritised her needs over her wants, and through Wise Buys has bought a chest freezer, a fridge, and a bedroom ensemble including a bed, mattress, tallboy, and bedside tables.

‘Everyone wonders how I could afford so much new furniture because I’ve always bought it second-hand. I feel good because I saved up the money myself and could pay cash for everything.’

Rosie is actively saving to buy more things for her home. ‘In a couple of months I am going to buy a new dining room table and couch once my savings grow again.’

Enabling families to realise their aspirations through saving is one of MPower’s key objectives. Rosie’s story illustrates how MPower helps families prioritise needs and achieve their savings goals with disciplined money management.


quarterLast

quarter

Group sessions 0 0 0 0 0

Support sessions 2 3 4 9 24

Banking 0 0 1 1 3

Debt Reduction 0 0 1 1 1

Budget 0 0 1 1 2

Wealth Creation 1 1 0 2 1

Internet and Telephone Banking 0 1 1 2 1

Payment 1 1 0 2 1

Competency rate 50% 100% 75% 75% 78%

Banking products and services Apr May Jun This

quarterLast

quarter

Referrals 0 1 0 1 0


Harder

60%

40%

20%

0%0%

44% 56%

No change Easier


Student Education TrustMembershipDonors from Mossman Gorge signed up four more children to Student Education Trust (SET) this quarter. This brings the total number of education trusts to 137, more than 100 per cent* of the under eighteen population. The extensive uptake and sustained popularity of SET in Mossman Gorge indicates our partners recognise the value of saving for their children’s education and have taken responsibility for doing so.


Students in Mossman Gorge are now better prepared for school after a two-day ‘Get SET for School Fair’ held in June. Over two days donors spent nearly $700 on seventy-eight high quality educational items including puzzles, games and school stationery. Particularly exciting is that many of these purchases were for children in the early childhood age group. This age group has been under-represented in SET purchases over previous quarters; growth in this area indicates donors are building knowledge of how to support their children’s early childhood development.

Outside of the SET Fair, donors made another 141 purchases, using SET funds to pay for school excursions, school uniforms, after school dance classes, school fees and bus fares. Through these purchases Mossman Gorge parents ensure their children have access to the materials and opportunities they need to develop to their fullest potential.

AchievementsOne of the long term goals for SET is for all children to be school ready every day. In a remarkable display of such school readiness, an unannounced visit to Mossman State School at the end of this quarter showed 100 per cent of Mossman


Earlychildhood

$60,000

$50,000

$40,000

$30,000

$20,000

$10,000

$0Primary school

Secondary school

Further education

Finished school

Non-active


quarterLast

quarter

Number of donors 152 152 151

New trusts 1 0 3 4 5

Total trusts 134 134 137 137 133

Active trusts





Non-active and closed trusts







Early childhood $3,714.35 $3,714.35 $3,714.35 $3,714.35 $3,055.46Primary school $58,619.70 $58,619.70 $58,619.70 $58,619.70 $33,428.53Secondary school $16,575.85 $16,575.85 $16,575.85 $16,575.85 $10,712.31Further education $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00Finished school $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00Non-active $16,844.63 $16,844.63 $16,844.63 $16,844.63 $45,706.54


Early childhood 0 7 0 7 10Primary school 21 36 41 98 179Secondary school 17 12 7 36 68Further education 0 0 0 0 0Completed school 0 0 0 0 0Total purchases 38 55 48 141 257


Early childhood 0% 13% 0% 5% 4%Primary school 55% 65% 85% 70% 70%Secondary school 45% 22% 15% 26% 26%Further education 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Sessions Sign-up


details Transfer Total

Apr to Jun 5 40 61 4 1 111

* It is possible to have more than 100 per cent signed up because of limitations in ABS Census statistics and because residents from Mossman town participate in Opportunity Products.


Gorge students wearing their school uniforms. Although just under half were not wearing shoes, this is nevertheless an outstanding achievement. It is also of note that shoes are not mandatory at Mossman State School.

The Mossman Gorge team’s efforts to increase the number of donors who are up to date with SET contributions have also seen early signs of success. Following targeted engagement activities designed to reinspire donors about what contributions mean for their children, the proportion of ‘committed contributors’ rose very slightly from nineteen to twenty per cent. This was accompanied by a similar rise in the proportion of ‘partial contributors’ (those who have paid some but not all of their contributions), up from eleven to fourteen per cent. Pleasingly, there was an associated decrease in the number of donors who had made no contribution.

The kids can’t wait to go to school.

Tellisa Temple signed up to Student Education Trust two years ago so she could start planning for her daughter’s future. ‘Most people in Mossman Gorge have SET, which is why I joined. They say it’s really good to pay for uniforms, excursions and the lunch program at school. They say that without a SET they wouldn’t be able to afford these things. I wanted to make sure that Shante has everything she needs when she starts school.’Tellisa has three other children in her care including son, Caleb, and relatives Ciara and Rene. While Ciara and Rene have SET accounts, they had been inactive (no contributions made) for a number of years. ‘Ciara and Rena had no money in their SET. They’re in my care now so I contribute. I want to make sure I have money for their uniforms and books.’ ‘It’s good to have a SET so you can put money aside. With a SET, you know the money is there—it’s better than promising the kids you’ll buy them something or they’ll get to go on a school excursion, and then not being able to do it.’

Tellisa is also planning to start a SET for Caleb in the near future.Tellisa recently purchased books and educational posters for Shante using her SET during the Mossman Gorge ‘Get SET for School Fair’. ‘I bought her a numbers chart which she’s been using every day and an alphabet book that the older kids are reading with her.’ Ciara and Rene recently celebrated their birthdays through Student Case Management’s Birthday Club at Mossman State School. Tellisa’s story illustrates how Student Education Trust is achieving one of its key objectives—establishing social norms. With a SET, it has become the norm for parents to effectively cover the costs of their children’s education.

As in other Village Opportunity Hubs, results from recent feedback survey show strong results for SET in Mossman Gorge. Among those who responded:

• SET has helped parents feel more in control. One hundred per cent of Mossman Gorge respondents say they now feel ‘in control’ when it comes to covering their children’s education costs. This is up from just one-quarter who felt ‘in control’ when they signed up to SET.

• SET is highly valued. One hundred per cent of SET respondents would recommend SET to their friends and family. This level of support demonstrates the opportunities on offer with SET are highly relevant for families in Mossman Gorge.

45% 55%

School readiness




14% Primary schoolEarly childhood

20%


Completed school66%


Wise BuysMembershipWise Buys continues to flourish in Mossman Gorge with twelve new sign-ups this quarter. This brings total membership to fifty-four, or seventy per cent of the population.

Despite its close proximity to Mossman town, the ever increasing popularity of Wise Buys in Mossman Gorge demonstrates that our partners recognise and embrace that this Opportunity Product offers more than simply a way to buy new things—it offers a comprehensive set of supports which build capabilities to research, plan and purchase high quality items at competitive prices.

ActivitiesOur members attended an impressive sixty-seven sessions this quarter. Almost half of these sessions were used to research prospective purchases, including washing machines, televisions, lounge suites and lawnmowers. During these sessions our staff work with partners to build skills and understanding on consumer advocacy, to select reasonably priced goods, and work out the best way to purchase and pay for them.

Nineteen partners made an impressive twenty-eight Wise Buys purchases this quarter, including essential household items such as beds and mattresses; items that help households function, such as lounge chairs and dining sets; and items that support personal growth and development such as a personal computer. Of the purchases made, twenty-one (or seventy-five per cent) were classed as needs rather than wants—an indication that our partners are prioritising purchases that directly support their families to have comfortable, functional and adequately equipped households.

Amount spent on needs versus wants

17%Needs

Wants

83%

* N=6.

Survey: knowledge of payment options‘How could you pay for new household items?’

One payment option

60%

40%

20%

0% 0%40% 60%

Two payment options

Three payment options

Survey: buying household items‘Has Wise Buys made buying household items easier or

harder for you?’

Harder

60%

40%

20%

0% 0%40% 60%

No change Easier


Direct Deposit

Apr to Jun 7 1 5 4 11


quarterLast

quarter

Members* 54 43


Level of assistance Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4 Unassisted



Apr to Jun 16 5 31 15 67

Of the twenty-eight purchases made, eleven (or forty per cent) were by direct deposit—online transfer of funds from a savings account. This is a clear sign our partners are managing their money and progressing towards their personal aspirations, such as having a home that is filled with furniture.

AchievementsOur partners’ ability to purchase new items, using a variety of payment methods, tells a story beyond simply the ability to purchase new things. That so many people in Mossman Gorge are signed up to Wise Buys and making so many purchases each and every quarter shows they have budgets in place and their spending under control. The synergy between MPower and Wise Buys builds capabilities to identify what is needed to make homes comfortable, plan and save, and ultimately purchase what is required and at the most competitive price.

This is backed up by results from the Wise Buys feedback survey: among those who responded,* sixty per cent could identify at least three different payment methods, a sign that consumer awareness of the various payment methods available is strong.


It takes a village to raise a child Baby CollegeMembershipBaby College membership remained steady this quarter, with one new member signing up. This brings to three the total number of parents who have participated in Baby College. Although low at first glance, this total reach is understandable considering the small size of Mossman Gorge and the limited target audience for Baby College. Mossman Gorge has a limited number of expectant parents and many have other children; for these parents, Strong Families is often a more appropriate choice.

ActivitiesOne partner attended one Baby College session this quarter.

AchievementsOur one active Baby College participant has recently given birth to a baby girl and is committed to completing the Baby College program. After taking some time off following the arrival of her child she will re-start her sessions in the coming weeks and is expected to graduate next quarter.

Positive KidsNo partners attended Positive Kids sessions this quarter. Together with CYAAA we are holding an internal Strategic Conversation to identify opportunities for increasing attendance and participation in Positive Kids activities.

Strong FamiliesMembershipStrong Families had a remarkable quarter in Mossman Gorge. With four new sign-ups we now have nearly one-fifth of Mossman Gorge adults signed up to Strong Families. This is the highest take up rate for Strong Families across all four communities, and an impressive achievement following the first year of It takes a village to raise a child. Particularly encouraging is that three of the four new members are self-referrals, a positive sign that word of Strong Families continues to spread. One of these new members is also a ‘natural leader’—a respected uncle, aunty or grandparent who is influential within the village. Their participation is a key component of building broad support for It takes a village to raise a child.

ActivitiesFamilies attended fifty-six Strong Families sessions, more than double the number of sessions last quarter. This significant rise indicates that families support the idea of Positive Parenting and are willing to commit time and energy to building Positive Parenting capabilities. Twelve partners attended sessions this quarter–all of who are yet to graduate. One graduate also returned to sit in on a session and share her stories of success with others. Such sustained attendance is rarely seen in parenting programs and is reflective of our Positive Parenting Consultant’s dedication and our partners’ commitment to their families.

Purchases Apr May Jun This quarter Last quarter

Purchases 16 11 1 28 26

Partners making purchases 10 8 1 19 12

Amount spent $7,693.85 $5,467.95 $699.00 $13,860.80 $13,618.00

Purchases categorised as ‘needs’ 12 8 1 21 19

Purchases categorised as ‘wants’ $6,743.90 $4,112.95 $699.00 $11,555.85 $10,482.00

Amount spent on ‘needs’ 4 3 1 8 7

Amount spent on ‘wants’ $949.95 $1,355.00 $0.00 $2,304.95 $3,136.00

Unassisted purchases 3 0 0 3 1

Assisted purchases 13 11 1 25 11


Last quarter



Graduates 0 0 0 0 0

Sign-ups 3 0 1 4 4


Baby College Apr May Jun This quarter

Last quarter



Graduates 0 0 0 0 0

Sign-ups 0 0 1 1 0




It’s good to know there’s support for family issues.

After attending a sushi making class in May, Trixie Kerr has eagerly continued her It takes a village to raise a child engagement sessions.

‘I will keep coming to Parenting workshops. I thought it was really great. My granddaughter and I even made sushi for her birthday party!’

Held in conjunction with a Strong Families group session, these workshops highlight the importance of Triple P’s strategy of teaching new skills to your children. Trixie is now using her new found sushi-rolling skills to teach her granddaughter how to make healthy snacks at home. A long time participant across a range of Opportunity Products, Trixie is an MPower member, Wise Buys member, donates to Student Education Trust, and has completed a POP Backyard Blitz. Trixie has also previously undertaken the It takes a village to raise a child Positive Kids program, delivered by Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy Student Case Managers. ‘I now have more understanding and have a better relationship with my grandkids.’

Trixie’s story highlights how It takes a village to raise a child provides parents with new skills to parent in a safe environment and engage with their children.

AchievementsAs with other Opportunity Products, recent feedback surveys provide data on the impact of Strong Families. Findings suggest positive results among those who attend, particularly for parental capabilities and children’s behaviour. One hundred per cent of respondents* say their children’s behaviour has improved since beginning the program. One hundred per cent also say they have used the Triple P strategies at home. Almost two-thirds describe themselves as ‘confident’ when it comes to managing their children’s behaviour, and nearly half say they are more confident than when they began the program.

EngagementOne reason for our success in It takes a village to raise a child this quarter is our parenting team’s active engagement with families in Mossman Gorge. Throughout the quarter the team held 165 engagement activities, talking with families at home, at community events like the ‘Get SET for School Fair’, through information sessions at the Mossman Gorge Centre and by talking with people on the street. It is this constant presence that has allowed us to build a strong profile and maintain ongoing relationships with families across Mossman Gorge.

HandicraftHandicraft has also seen growth this quarter, with eight participants attending Handicraft activities, almost doubling the number who attended last quarter. This jump is the result of two factors: the growing profile of our Handicraft activities and a recent decision to adjust activities to respond to particular community interests. Painting was particularly popular in Mossman Gorge, with four of the seven events dedicated to painting.

Handicraft activities are designed to provide a space where parents can share their parenting experiences and, in turn, grow participation. This has certainly taken place in Mossman Gorge, with many of those attending Handicraft activities going on to participate in It takes a village to raise a child.


Last quarter

Sessions 0 5 2 7 3



Last quarter

Sessions 55 65 45 165 115Sign-ups 2 0 1 3 0Engagement type

Home visit 16 44 24 84 45Community event 0 1 2 3 1


Workshop 0 2 0 2 8


* N=5, 30% of all participants.


a more beautiful home. One of our new members began their Home Pride Strategic Conversation this quarter, and another finishing the conversation and committing to follow-up action.

AchievementsThe success of our Home Pride Design Ideas book in Mossman Gorge was remarkable. An extensive document, the Design Ideas book illustrates examples of successful DIY designs and has been a key reason for the strong support we have seen in. Described as ‘beautiful to look at’ by Mossman Gorge staff, the book offers practical achievable designs that have really resonated with families across Mossman Gorge.


FRC or Child Safety referredSelf-referred55%45%

Strong Families participation

Apr

1210

86420

9 10 8

May Jun

Engagement sessions

Apr

70605040302010

0

55 6545

May Jun

Home Pride MembershipConsidering Mossman Gorge is the ‘home’ of Home Pride it is no surprise there has been strong support during its first two months of operation. Incentivised by the possibility of a beautiful home, three individuals from three households signed up to Home Pride this quarter. This represents ten per cent of the households in Mossman Gorge, a respectable achievement for its first quarter.

ActivitiesHome Pride’s profile is well and truly established in Mossman Gorge after Home Crew led fifty-two home visits to promote the launch of this newest add-on to It takes a village to raise a child. By visiting more than half the adult population, our team has well and truly spread the word. Also contributing to Home Pride’s visible public presence was a Home Pride display at the ‘Get SET for School Fair’, held in late June.

Our next step is to build upon these initial displays of interest with conversations around Home Pride’s quid pro quo and capability components—the DIY workshops and household management components that will support families to create a well managed household as well as

Home Pride membership Apr May Jun This

quarterLast

quarter

Members 3 0


House visits 0 50 2 52 0


quarterLast

quarter

Started 0 0 1 1 0

Finished 0 0 1 1 0


Pride of Place

MembershipMore Mossman Gorge families have committed to improving their backyards this quarter, with eight new members signing up to Pride of Place (POP). This brings total membership to thirty-one individuals from twenty-three households, more than eighty per cent of the estimated number of households in Mossman Gorge. This extensive support is indicative of a village that takes its backyards very seriously and one that is committed to improving the community’s appearance.

ActivitiesFamilies’ expressions of commitment have also translated into action with POP families partaking in sixty-nine Pop-up Visits this quarter. This is forty-one more than in the previous quarter—evidence that families are becoming more and more willing to work with POP Enablers to gain new gardening skills and improve their backyards. POP Enablers worked with families, giving advice on regular backyard maintenance such as fixing barbeques and planning new garden beds.

Families also attended two Garden Club events, gaining new skills in establishing vegetable gardens and propagating plants.

Propagating plants is great.

Roseanne Bloomfield is using the skills she learnt at Garden Club to continue working on her garden.

‘This was my first time learning how to propagate plants. It was great! I’m going to start growing my own plants, using the plants I already have to make even more.’

Roseanne is exceptionally proud of her garden and continues to improve upon the backyard improvements she added during her Backyard Blitz. Roseanne’s green thumbs helped her win the Best Garden in the Village Award in Mossman Gorge during last year’s gardening competition. Roseanne is also a long term MPower member and It takes a village to raise a child participant.

Garden Club has become a popular event in Mossman Gorge, and is consistently well attended both by loyal and new members. This quarter Mossman Gorge Garden Club members learnt new propagation techniques and made their own colourful hanging baskets for plants.

One of POP’s key objectives is for families to have a growing passion for gardening. Roseanne’s story illustrates how POP is achieving this goal. Not only does Roseanne now have a garden that she is proud of and keeps improving on, she also has a passion to continue learning new gardening techniques through Garden Club workshops.


Members 31 23

New members 8 0

Households 23 17


Last quarter

Visits 8 20 41 69 28




Last quarter

Events 0 1 1 2 1


Members visited

Apr

20

15

10

5

08

16 19

May Jun




18%

82%

AchievementsFamilies have responded to the support received during Pop-up Visits, following through on their commitments to plant vegetable seeds, remove unwanted plants and clean up their gardens. It is this follow through that allows families to celebrate the small victories, building self confidence and encouraging them to take on bigger and bigger challenges.

Now I spend time in my garden.

It only took one Pop-up Visit to spark Bryan Toby’s interest in gardening.

Following their launch in March, it was during a Pop-up Visit that our POP Enabler talked to Bryan about small improvements he could make to his backyard and handed out free seeds to get him started.

‘It’s given me the chance to do something different with my time. Now I plan to put a garden patch at the back of my house and start growing my own vegetables. It’ll be great to have fresh vegetables and save money.’

Bryan has also worked with money management for many years—first with Financial Income Management and now with MPower. In learning how to manage his money, Bryan has also been able to purchase a range of household items through Wise Buys (including a fridge and dryer) and pay for trips to the doctor in Cairns and for medication.

One of the goals of Pride of Place is for families to build skills and better utilise their garden for healthy food production, resulting in improvements to wellbeing. Bryan is currently undergoing dialysis treatment in Cairns. By spending more time gardening and eating his own fresh vegetables, Bryan is taking small, positive steps to improving his health all round.

Pop-up Visits

Apr

50

40

30

20

10

0

8 2041

May Jun


Access your SET account and buy or order good-quality, educational resources.

• Uniforms• School packs

• Books• Stationery

• Toys• Games

Get

School SET

for

FAIRDATE AND TIME:

LOCATION:

2pm, 18 JuneCoen School Hall

Access your SET account and buy or order good-quality, educational resources.

• Uniforms• School packs

• Books• Stationery

• Toys• Games

Get

School SET

for

FAIRDATE AND TIME:

LOCATION:

2pm, 18 JuneCoen School Hall

Co-Design Studio update

CYP’s Co-Design Studio designs and reviews Opportunity Products in partnership with Village Opportunity Hubs, families, funders and professional partners. Under this model CYP leadership provides the strategic intent, families provide the voice of experience and our team brings design methodology to the table.

The second quarter of 2013 saw Co-Design deliver their first Opportunity Product training, Home Pride, to the Home Crew team. This training allowed the Co-Design staff to directly transfer Home Pride design intent and knowledge to the team and is key to the developing co-design model. Co-Design also undertook a Strategic Conversation of our model to find improvements in the way we work to benefit our families and partners. We anticipate that the action items identified in our ‘D space’ will commence next quarter.

Additional focuses for our team this quarter include the design and continuous improvement of the following Opportunity Products:

MPower• Created training manuals, tools and guides to enhance

partners’ experience with the MPower Journey in response to the internal MPower review (2012).

• Continued development work on the Money Management Tools to enhance their interactivity and relevance for our partners. This design work included short surveys with partners and MPower staff.

• Research paper commenced on the comparative outcomes of money management programs in Australia and internationally.

• New Wise Buys marketing campaigns, ‘Kids love books’ and ‘It’s tax time’ were designed, produced and implemented in the Village Opportunity Hubs.

Student Education Trust• Established ‘Get SET for School Fair’ processes and

arrangements with suppliers and transitioned these to Village Opportunity Hubs. ‘Get SET for School Fairs’ successfully held in Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge.

It takes a village to raise a child• Home Pride rolled out in Aurukun, Hope Vale and

Mossman Gorge after three days of training in Cairns. This Home Pride training was delivered by an external trainer in partnership with the Co-Design team. It focused on methods for engaging partners and explaining the benefits of Home Pride to our partners. The Co-Design team also travelled to these Village Opportunity Hubs to provide further on-the-ground training and to support the Home Crew and Parenting staff in implementing the new Opportunity Product.

• Held ongoing Home Pride feedback sessions alongside continuous tool and process development with Parenting and MPower staff. Also this quarter we trialled the involvement of MPower Coaches in leading Home Pride Strategic Conversations. This will be reviewed during a Home Pride strategy session in July.

• The Parenting Opportunity Product also underwent a Strategic Conversation to find out how to better engage and support our partners.

Pride of Place• Support for Pop-up Visits and Garden Club continued

for our POP Enablers.

Bayan • Research into different home ownership models

completed by architect, Kevin O’Brien.

Family Empowerment Database • Commenced development and testing of a SET

component of the Family Empowerment Database. This is expected to be rolled out across the Village Opportunity Hubs throughout the next quarter.


Glossary

A space: In relation to Strategic Conversations, the A space is the conversation component that focuses on building a partner’s understanding of their present situation.

Australian Institute for Direct Instruction (AIDI): Is an organisation committed to promoting Direct Instruction and supporting quality education in Australian schools.

Backyard improvement element: In relation to Pride of Place, backyard improvement elements refer to an individual element within a backyard improvement, e.g. a brick barbeque or a swing set.

Backyard improvements: In relation to Pride of Place, backyard improvements encompass all elements in the Concept Design that are being delivered by the Pride of Place team. Previously referred to as design elements, or improvement elements.

B space: In relation to Strategic Conversations, the B space is the conversation component that focuses on finding a purpose or vision for the future.

Bayan: Is a Guugu Yimidhirr word meaning ‘house or shelter’. The Bayan project is a three-stage financial case management platform. Bayan supports families to develop the skills and behaviours to launch their home ownership ambitions and transition from renting to home ownership. This may be converting public housing into a home, or building a new home.

Coaching: Is one-on-one guidance provided to the Family Leader to address any concerns or issues with the progress of their nominated program. Focuses on capability and skills development. In relation to MPower, Coaching is also known as an ‘MPower Journey Session’.

Co-Design Studio: Is a core business unit of Cape York Partnerships that works collaboratively with Principal Partners to design projects and programs.

C space: In relation to Strategic Conversations, the C space is the conversation component that focuses on inventing, designing and describing a pathway from the A space to the B space.

Direct Instruction (DI): Is the teaching method based on forty years of scientific research. Direct Instruction is an explicit instruction method in which teachers lead classes grouped by ability through a structured sequence of lessons, focussing on literacy and numeracy.

D-space: In relation to Strategic Conversations, the D space is the conversation component that focuses on developing a program of actions to deliver how the vision will be achieved.

Family Empowerment Database: Is an in-house, web-based customer relationship management system used to collect and analyse data and track the performance of CYP Opportunity Products.

Green Box/Red Box: A CYP project currently under development. The project will aim to ensure families have access to high-quality, affordable and healthy food options. It will develop market solutions for fresh fruit and vegetables that will stimulate local production and also work to improve household food storage, preparation, eating facilities and equipment.

Handicrafts: In relation to It takes a village to raise a child, Handicrafts are activities driven by parent interests, e.g. sewing, wood-work. People undertake activities that are enjoyable, build their capabilities and confidence, and produce an item for use in their home.

Home Crew: Are employees of Cape York Partnerships that deliver the Home Pride component of the It takes a village to raise a child parenting program. They work with families in their home, share their experiences of being a parent and running a household and promote the benefits of doing a Home Pride project.

Home Pride: Is an interior decorating do-it-yourself product delivered under the banner of It takes a village to raise a child parenting program which supports families to run a household, strengthen family relationships, cook healthy meals and maintain their home. It is delivered by Home Crew.

Honest conversation: In relation to Cape York Partnerships projects, refers to providing a partner with realistic advice about the choices available to them; the degree of self-discipline involved; and the short-term sacrifices they may have to make in to order achieve major life-changing goals. An Honest Conversation occurs during the project planning process and ongoing coaching sessions.

iBank: Is a customised self-service facility located in an Opportunity Hub. It offers independent or assisted access to telephone and internet banking and online shopping facilities.

iBank levels: Refers to the level of assistance that MPower staff provide to MPower members during iBank sessions. This ranges intensive forms of assistance (Level 5, physical assistance) down to less intensive assistance (Level 2, or minimal verbal prompting) or assistance with advanced iBank features (Level 1).


‘Little a’ problem: Refers to a small problem that motivates a client to visit the Opportunity Hub for assistance, e.g. a utility bill that is several months overdue and the service is about to be terminated.

Maintenance Kit: In relation to Pride of Place, refers to the goods that can be purchased out of the family contribution to support the ongoing maintenance of the backyard, e.g. lawn mower, whipper snipper.

Money Management Tools: In relation to MPower, are basic tools/services that develop skills and knowledge to address financial literacy. They support individuals and families in managing their daily finances, and in accessing and making the most of the Opportunity Products.

Opportunity Product: A Welfare Reform product tailored to bring about changes in behaviour, e.g. Student Education Trust, Pride of Place, MPower, Bayan and Work Opportunity Network.

Parenting Hub: Is a community facility where the parenting program It takes a village to raise a child is implemented. Parenting Hubs are aimed to be welcoming, intimate and safe places where social norms are re-built, relationships are strengthened, and support networks established.

Positive Parenting Consultants: Are responsible for delivering Baby College and Strong Families. They undertake the Strategic Conversation and assist parents to create and implement their Action Plans. They also liaise with the Family Responsibilities Commission to support parents if applicable.

Principal Partner: Used in place of the words client or customer, is an Aboriginal person who engages with Cape York Partnerships to take up an Opportunity Product or service.

Student Case Manager: A Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy employee who monitors the attendance and school readiness of students.

Sweat Equity: Refers to the physical work undertaken by participants to complete projects that require manual labour as part of the family or individuals commitment.

Triple P Parenting: Is included in the delivery of It takes a village to raise a child. Triple P is a parenting education approach that aims to enhance the knowledge, skills and confidence of parents in order to prevent behavioural, emotional and developmental problems in children. Triple P was chosen because of the universally strong evidence supporting its effectiveness.

Village Opportunity Hubs: Are an interface that allows partners to access opportunities in the real economy in education, financial management, health and housing. The Opportunity Hub is a one-stop-shop for Indigenous people to access opportunities to improve their lives; a place where families can work together to plan their futures; an interface for families and individuals to access MPower.



Cairns Head Office Level 3, 139 Grafton Street, Cairns, QLD 4870 Phone 07 4042 7200

Aurukun Opportunity Hub Kang Kang Road, Aurukun, QLD 4892 Phone 07 4083 4505

Coen Opportunity Hub Taylor Street, Coen, QLD 4892 Phone 07 4083 5001

Hope Vale Opportunity Hub Muni Street, Hope Vale, QLD 4895 Phone 07 4083 8800

Mossman Gorge Opportunity Hub Kankarr Street, Mossman Gorge, QLD 4873 Phone 07 4084 4400

Documents

Family Empowerment Report - April to June 2013