Annual Report2016 - 17
Contacting Solve Disability Solutions
Solve Disability Solutions Inc.C/o Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre
1 Yarra BoulevardKew VIC 3101
ABN 16 294 381 734
Telephone: 03 9853 8655or 1300 663 243
Contents
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About Solve
President’s Report
Our service - a snapshot of 2016/17
Thank you
Meet our Board
Volunteers & Friends of Solve
Front Cover: Shirley uses her mobile phone as a safety device. Solve added a charger and socket to her power wheelchair so she can charge her phone when she is out and about. According to Shirley, “it fits into the side of my wheelchair pocket, which is an added bonus.“
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Our valuesService: we work together to enable people with disabilities to achieve their goals.
Outcomes: we provide innovative, quality outcomes.
Listening: we respect people and take time to listen and respond to their needs.
Volunteerism: we value time and skills freely given.
Ethics: we plan and manage our resources responsibly and ethically.
About Solve Disability SolutionsSolve Disability Solutions provides a unique, quality assistive technology service for people with disabilities living in Victoria. We also provide specialist technical advice and information, and design and modify equipment that is otherwise commercially unavailable.
Our project work is overseen by health professionals and we utilise skilled technical volunteers who work in a team with the client to ensure their goals are met.
Solve Disability Solutions’ core competency is in meeting the specialist life-style equipment needs of people with disabilities, and in its capacity to manage
the application of technical and engineering design and production skills from a broad base of suitably qualified volunteers, in concert with occupational therapists and other health professional advice.
Solve Disability Solutions is a unique service for people with disabilities that gives them the chance to do things they once may not have thought possible. In providing this service we seek in a practical way to increase independence, to improve the quality of life
for both the clients and their carers, to facilitate the integration of children into mainstream schools and to assist adults to engage in productive work and recreational activities.
Our VisionA community where there are no limits to participation.
Our PurposeTo solve equipment related problems faced by people of all ages with disability, through the design, construction or modification of equipment where the need cannot be met commercially.
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President’s Report: Felicity Kotsiaris
Felicity KotsiarisPresident
A s this year recedes and we contemplate its events and achievements it is hard to
overestimate the changes that we’ve seen.
The departure of some long-time staff made us feel uncertain, but the arrival of new staff and board members has brought fresh ideas to the task of strengthening Solve to better align with the NDIS juggernaut. The team – you, the volunteers and staff – have demonstrated resilience and commitment during this turbulent time and for that I commend you and thank you.
Our clients continue to reach out to us to help them in ways that aren’t otherwise available to them. We are working hard to make this as easy as possible by promoting our services so that more people know about us, and by devising ways of mediating the quoting process through the NDIS. These are works-in-progress, but show promise of expanding our availability to clients and easing the process through the NDIS.
We welcomed our new CEO, Alyson Miller, who brings with her extensive experience in NDIS, governance and leadership of national and state organisations. In the year ahead Alyson will be consolidating the initiatives devised during this year and normalising our new operational methods. We should also start to see the results of marketing activities. While it will continue to be a time of change for Solve, we are anticipating that the work we have done so far will be a foundation for further, perhaps less painful, adjustment.
We have recently witnessed a wonderful example of Solve’s volunteers, staff and board working
together to address a need. Convened by Treasurer Mark Howlett, a working group of volunteers and staff considered the problem of how
to quote our services for the NDIS. The resultant solution continues to evolve, but the example I draw here is about the collaboration that was demonstrated. If we continue to pull together in this way, Solve will have the greatest possible chance of thriving into the future.
Finally, and with gratitude, I thank you, the volunteers, staff and my colleagues on the Board, for the time, care and expertise that you all bring to your work with Solve to improve our clients’ lives.
The team have demonstrated
resilience and commitment
during this turbulent time and
for that I commend you and
thank you.
“ “
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Another step towards independenceEight year old Grace has low vision, cerebral palsy and epilepsy. She loves playing on her trampoline but mum, Jessica, was finding it increasingly difficult to lift Grace onto the mat. Our Sunraysia branch built Grace a set of steps to help her climb up independently.
Our service - a snapshot of 2016/17
173Active
volunteers
97Freedom
Wheels Cycling solutions
349Customised
aids made or modified
498requests
for assistance
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Thank you
GovernmentState: Department of Health & Human Services (Main Operational Grant) Federal: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA)
Our service is dependent on the funding of state and federal governments
and the generosity of our corporate partners, private donors, foundations
and trusts. Thank you for your invaluable support!
Trusts
Chain Reaction Challenge FoundationCollier FoundationDanks TrustGive Where You Live - GeelongMarian & EH Flack TrustThe HV McKay Charitable TrustThe Sentinel FoundationThe Springwaters Foundation
Workplace Giving
Deutsche Bank EmployeesJB Were & NAB EmployeesKarma Currency programsTelstra Employees
Corporate
Allens MelbourneBrenald Pty LtdDeutsche Bank AGMC LabourNational Australia Bank Ltd
Community Groups
Charity Race DaysCWA ToongabbieYarra Bend Ladies Golf Club
In-kind Supporters
Bunnings WarehouseFallshaw Wheels and CastorsLINAK AustraliaLME Pty LtdMelbourne Bicycle CentreNavascues UpholsteryPickering Transport GroupPlanet InnovationTotal Rush Cycling
Bella rides a bike for the first timeBella normally uses a wheelchair, but successfully rode a bike for the very first time at one of our Freedom Wheels Customised Bike Days, a new initiative to promote our customised bike service to a wider community.
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Felicity Kotsiaris, President
Felicity’s career is defined by building successful new organisational capabilities including customer services, efficient operations and high performing teams. She has held senior roles in state and federal government and in the public transport sector in Victoria. She is a leader and expert in strategy, digital service delivery, engagement, communications, marketing and events.
Barbara Doyle, SecretaryBarbara Doyle is a qualified Project Manager and CSR practitioner with extensive experience across a range of public sector, local government and financial services organisations. Prior to retiring in late 2013, Barb had worked for AXA (now AMP) for 14 years. As a double amputee, Barbara has a keen understanding of the issues that many Solve clients deal with every day.
Mark Howlett, TreasurerMark has an engineering degree and a Masters in Business from New York University. He has worked in a range of industries, including construction and manufacturing. Most recently, Mark was the Managing Director for the Asia Pacific region of a global manufacturing company, led 16 operational centres and was a member of the organisation’s global management board. Mark continues to provide business and people management support and coaching, and is a technical volunteer for Solve.
Meet our Board
Mark DohrmannMark Dohrmann AM is an engineer and ergonomist whose work specialities include safety, ergonomics and advice to lawyers on personal injury claims. As the founder of Solve Disability Solutions, Mark has been involved in its development since 1975 and has served on the board since its incorporation in 1977. Mark was made a Member of the Order of Australia in June 1994, for services to people with disabilities.
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Ian Picken
Ian is a retired geologist with over 42 years of Australian & international service with the Rio Tinto Group. Within the Australian resources industry his experience includes technical, production, international marketing/sales and management roles including human resources, OH&S and project & facility management. Prior to retirement he was managing the Rio Tinto Technology & Innovation facility. He has assisted non-profit organisations as an adviser and presenter through Leadership Victoria.
Mark EldridgeMark is an experienced senior finance manager with expertise across a broad range of finance and commercial areas. He has extensive skills in accounting/finance, process improvement, strategy development, planning, and IT systems development and implementation. He also has extensive experience in change management and leading and developing individuals and teams. Mark worked with Rio Tinto for over 30 years and is currently the Finance and Controls Group Manager for VicTrack. He is motivated by leading teams and developing individuals to collectively achieve results, and his career history reflects his ability to use his strong commercial skills and acumen to deliver results.
Philip Wright
Philip qualified as a Chartered Accountant with the former Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG) and worked for them in Melbourne and London for eight years. After a short stint with a group of family companies he commenced a 27 year career with the ANZ Banking Group. His time at ANZ included a number of financial/ management accounting and project roles, spending his final eight years in a group finance role where he was heavily involved in the finalisation of ANZ’s half year and full year financial results.
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Volunteers & Friends of Solve
Barry AaronsGarry AddicoatAlan AitonMansour AmiriniaJacqueline AndersonMichael AndersonOwen AndersonRoss AndersonStuart AndersonNeville ArmstrongDonald AuldFran BainbridgeCynthia BarnesGlen BellLeslie BennettMichael BentvelzenJudith BlairRobin BlairRichard BlinksYvonne BlinksAlan BoydJoy BrandPeter BrandIan BrownRalph BrownWilliam BurnsDerek BurtonCharles CameraHarry Carlin-SmithDonald CarterJarryd CaruanaBrian CatchpoleGeorge CaveBruce CharvilleKevin ChristiansDarien ColbeckKerry CookeShirley CooksonMargaret CooperRoger CornellTrevor CoulterRod CrippsPaul Crocitti
Terry CrosbyIan CrossJudith D`AbbsPamela DaviesTom DaviesRichard DayMargaret DeanMark DohrmannBill DooleyBarbara DoylePeter DoyleChi-Wen DuanIan DuffDorothy DuncanStanley DuncanHarry EemanMark EldridgeKen EndacottDouglas FaramIan FarrerWalter FawcettMark FeissDon FergussonRobin FergussonMarylou FernandezMaree FeutrillPeter FodenAlex ForbesGrant ForestMike ForwoodPeter FranklynRoy GaleyRobert GaultBrian GeorgeGraham GoebyBrian GrayAlan GrimesDoug HaigBruce HainesRobert HallBertil HallenrudBill HallettBarbara Hamilton
John HansenJack HarriottRichard HartLeanne HassanGuorun HeGraeme HemleyRichard HodgsonDuncan HopkinsBrian HoskingGareth HowellsMark HowlettDavid HubbardElizabeth IrwinJuan Jaimes GomezPeter KayLaurie KingDavid KneeboneRobert KnightonJo KnowlesFelicity KotsiarisJoanne KralKirk KratzmannRosemary LangleyPat LarceyMichael LaveryMaurice LeanSheila LeeTony LimosaniFrederick LindseyMax LloydPaul LucasRhoda LynchBryan MackenzieBarry MagnierRenate ManntzRobert MarinucciAndrew MarmincLyn McAloneyPeter McGowanJohn McKeownJanene McNaughtonKathleen McQueenMandana Mehdizadeh
Sunny MellorMaria MeroRobert MeroBarry MiddletonBrian MiddletonJoe MitchellNicola MitchellSamuel MoraClive MorganLynette MorganBill MorlingBruce MorrisonFrank MullinsPatrick NavascuesEvan NewnhamJohn NicholsonAaron NinedekBernie O`DeaRichard O`KeefeGeoffrey OliverGeoff PayneDavid PearceRay PeersIan PickenJill PickeringPhilip PilgrimAlan PreacherStan ProctorJustin ReevesBeverley ReynoldsBruce ReynoldsAnthony RichardsJanet RichardsSamira RichardsEdmond RobertsLorraine RobertsLynton RobertsJune RobilliardDavid RobinsonKen RobinsonHeather RobsonJohn RogersHayley Rogerson
Tim RowleyHoward RowlstonGraeme SargeantLaurence SartoriNorman SaundersSalvatore ScaccoDeborah SchmetzerSaeed SeifmohammadiGarrick SheatherMark ShelleyBrian SheltonViktor SheludkoMerrilyn ShepherdSam SirianniMelinda SmithRonald SpencerMarian StanfordWilliam StathamMike StonehouseNeville SucklingFrederick SyerJohn TaggRobert TaylorMichael ThorburnAdam TrudgenFrancesca UpfieldTroy UpfieldNicole VallanceHenry van GinkelMeryl WaldronNeville WaldronMichael WallaceGraham WallisNorman WatchornAndrew WebbRobert WilkinsonLen WilliamsJohn WilsonGeoff WiltshirePhilip WrightBruce YoungRichard Ziegeler
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Brian Catchpole, Outstanding Achievement by a Volunteer(Minister for Health Volunteer Awards 2017)Brian, one of Solve’s founding members, has 41 years of committed service to Solve and served for over 30 years on our Board. He has completed over 350 projects for Solve.
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When Stacey wanted to travel independently, Solve built her a hinged luggage trailer that connects to the back of her wheelchair and is spring-loaded to enable her to easily raise it out of the way when it isn’t needed.
Travelling independently
