9th OCTOBER

• NEXT MEETING - GUEST SPEAKER

• LAUNCH OF "THE WEST: AN INSIDER'S TALES"

• "IGNITE" ART EXHIBITION

• LANEWAY LEARNING CLASS

• "SHINE ON" RECOGNITION

• VICTORIAN MULTI-DISTRICT CONFERENCE & PEACE FORUM

• MEETING REPORT - 2nd OCTOBER

• GALLERY

Robyn Hunter – CEO of Mind Australia Limited

Mind Australia has been delivering community mental health services for 40 years to help people to gain better mental health, and improve the quality of their lives.  Robyn will introduce Mind Australia and describe for the audience its purpose and services touching on the major generational reform that is NDIS and highlighting innovative service delivery that addresses areas of unmet need.

Robyn's career spans senior roles in corporate strategy and planning, operational management, project management and health service management in private health insurance. Robyn has a clinical background as a physiotherapist, working in the hospital and home based rehabilitation settings for 10+ years in Canada and Australia then moving into rehabilitation services management in private hospitals. Since June, Robyn has lead Mind Australia as their newly appointed Chief Executive Officer. Robyn has 25 years’ experience spanning senior roles in corporate strategy and planning, operational management, project management and delivery, and management and purchasing of health care in the private sector. 

On Tuesday 9th October, club members and guests will be invited to support this year’s Lift the Lid on Mental Illness Fundraiser by either paying $5 for wearing your favorite headgear - hats, beanie and fascinators all welcomed!

Should you choose not to cover your head, you’ll be charged $7!

Tony Thomas’s new book will be launched on Wednesday 10th October from 6-8pm at Il Gambero’s Restaurant, 166 Lygon St, Carlton.

He’d love to see Rotary friends and partners there. Key speaker is Bill Kininmonth, a former senior executive of the Bureau of Meteorology, and Perth-raised like Tony. 

After the launch it’s optional to head downstairs for a light dinner.

Tony says,  "When I was reporting for The West Australian in the 1960s pre-boom, I enjoyed doing slice-of-life pieces about unsung people like watch repairers, furniture removers, wood choppers and rubbish dump caretakers. I’d get behind the scenes at events like pop concerts, the speedway, and the theatre. I’d meet colourful characters like anthropologists still travelling the North-West by camel, and the last of the Chinese market gardeners in South Perth. It’s all a colorful miscellany of small city stuff that lived ‘below the radar’. That was my happy-go-lucky era and I hope, fun and curiosity come across in these pages. There’s about 80 of these short pieces.”

To register for the launch, hit this link.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/launch-of-the-west-an-insiders-tales-by-tony-thomas-tickets-50431360557?utm_term=eventname_text

Rotary’s Southern District ‘Shine On’ recognition program is an outstanding annual recognition program acknowledging exceptional service by people with disability to their local and wider community. The Southern Districts covers five districts, which includes 9800.

• Do you club know of somebody with a disability?

• Do they provide outstanding support to others with disability?

• Are they a community leader or involved in a community group?

• Do you have a relationship with a local organisation that supports people with disability who may want to nominate somebody for Shine On?

Well it is time to get to it and reach out to your local community and identify people with a disability, who are worthy of Shine On recognition. Let’s make this year better than ever for the selection panel and give them many outstanding nominees to consider.

RI Southern Districts ‘Shine On’ is a multi-district project covering all of Victoria (and small parts of SA and NSW), and acknowledges exceptional service to others by people with disabilities. Clubs may nominate people who meet the criteria and all nominees will receive recognition with a Certificate of Commendation.

To be eligible, nominees should:

• Demonstrate the active involvement of the nominee in community service for the benefit of others and have demonstrated a significant level of personal achievement whilst managing a specific medical disorder/disability, and

• Be endorsed by a Rotary Club.

Examples of personal achievement may include:

• Leadership and/or mentoring of others with the disability

• Membership and/or leadership in community groups

• Service to the community and/or a history of community achievement

• Other special awards or forms of recognition

Nominations may be made anybody in the community, and are open to people aged over 15 years.

A Rotary club must endorse each Nomination. The nominee must sign a consent form and include a small or passport sized photo, as well as other supporting documentation.

If you know of anyone you feel is worthy of recognition please contact Rebecca John. All relevant details including a nomination form are available on the District 9800 website at the following link: https://www.rotarydistrict9800.org.au/sitepage/community-service/shine-on

Nominations close on 15 December 2018.

The Shine On Recognition ceremony will take place on Sunday 7 May 2019 at the Italian Sports Club of Werribee, hosted by the Rotary Club of Hoppers Crossing.

Chair Suvam Ganguli opened the meeting with a toast to Rotary International.

President Neville Taylor welcomed guests, Julia Fraser (wife of Paul), Maha Sukkar (potential member) and Jasleen Sawhney (potential member – Docklands). Neville reminded that the Social Enterprises that RCM is using has an increasing number of goods available. He encouraged members to purchase tickets for the 3 lucky people to win prizes.

Gerard Hogan - Would I Lie to You?

Encouraged Brett Jones to tell his story, which was far too lengthy to repeat here. Most of the story was true but Brett threw people off the trail when one aspect of it was not, thereby making the story a lie! Most thought it had to be true.

Announcements

• Rebecca John advised the meeting that the "Shine On" Recognition nominations for were now open until 15th December 2018. Please refer to this week’s bulletin, which outlines the background to the recognitions and contains a link to the website where nomination forms are available.

• Peter Duras thanked those involved in running the BBQ last weekend, which raised just over $1,600, an excellent result.

• Frank O’Brien thanked those who attended the Echuca-Moama Rotary’s 70 Anniversary last Tuesday and asked people interested to attend a lunch on Sunday 21st October with members of EM at the Tooborac Hotel.

• Michele Crawford and Suvam donned very colourful ‘hats’ to promote next week’s Lift The Lid on mental health day. Michele asked members to wear a hat ($5 donation) or not ($7 donation) with all funds being donated to Australian Rotary Health, who support research into mental health.

• Tony Thomas reminded members that he has a book launch on the evening of Wednesday 10th October and all are welcome.

• Anne King thanked those who attended last week’s Vocational Visit with a difference evening.

President Neville’s Announcements

• Neville reminded members to start registering for the Paul Harris Breakfast on Wednesday 28th November.

• Neville informed members of the upcoming RC Melbourne event, "Ignite" art exhibition, on Thursday 25th October. Further details are contained in this week's bulletin. 

Guest Speakers: Samantha Pearce & Colleen Hegarty, Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Samantha and Colleen are both part of CBA’s Corporate Financial Services unit and specialize in the Not-for-Profit (NFP) and Education sectors, working with large organisations to understand their strategic priorities and support these with tailored financial solutions, business insights and market leading technology.

Their presentation focused on the Australian Institute of Company Directors 2018 NFP Governance and Performance Study.

They each outlined different aspects of the study relating to reporting, innovation, cyber security, culture and concluded with data pertinent to aged care service providers. Some of the matters identified by the study that they referred to included:

• The evolving nature of NFP governance and the increasing expectations on NFP directors.

• That 42% of Board’s surveyed believe that Board performance monitoring is satisfactory.

• The NFP sector is regarded as the most innovative.

• 44% of NFP Board’s believe the CEO is responsible for recommendations on innovation.

• 39% of Board’s believe they operate at the right level of innovation.

• Cyber crime is an every day issue and is known to the Board, but 33% do not have the issue on their meeting agenda.

• 19% of Boards regards cyber security as an operational issue.

• 40% believe they have been subject to cyber attack.

• 43% of Boards regard organisational culture as ‘difficult’ to control.

• The most popular methods of controlling culture include policy documents, embedded values in job descriptions and publishing of organisational values.

• There are over 2,000 providers of aged care services in Australia, of which half are NFP organisations.

• Total revenue of the sector is $21.5b of which $16.2b (75%) is funded by Federal Government.

• The top priorities for policy reform identified by aged care directors include the speed-up of releasing home care funding, more consultative approach by government and increased funding.

• If additional funding was available the spending would be directed to financial sustainability (45%), new facilities (39%) and improved workforce skills (38%).

A copy of the study can be downloaded from the following website:

https://aicd.companydirectors.com.au/advocacy/research/2018

Samantha and Colleen were thanked for their presentation and collectively drew the raffle.

Before President Neville closed the meeting, he mentioned that Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton and Police Association Secretary Wayne Gatt  started the ‘Head to Head’ walk from opposite sides of the state, aiming to cover a combined 1000km and raise $500,000 for the Retired Peer Support Officer program, with a focus on mental health support. Mr Ashton started his section from Mallacoota and Mr Gatt started from Mildura and are headed to Wangaratta. The walk will pass through Echuca and Rotary clubs along the walk have be involved in supporting the event when it passes through town.

President Neville closed the meeting wishing everyone a good week and reminding us to take whatever opportunity we can to embrace this year’s theme and “Be the Inspiration” to someone.