Celebrating - SVA Annual Review 2016-2017 - Social Ventures Australia
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Celebrating SVA Annual Review 2016–2017 Annual Review 2016-2017 1
15 years improving 2002
Social Ventures Australia
is established. Who we are
the lives of people Our story begins…
in need and what we do
Social Ventures Australia (SVA) is a social purpose organisation that works
with partners to improve the lives of people in need.
2002
year founded
Our range of services are designed to scale social impact, helping business,
government and philanthropists to be more effective funders and social
purpose organisations to be more effective at delivering services. 88
team members
15
ventures supported in FY17
10
years of SVA Consulting
More effective funding More effective services Reduction in disadvantage
Through the work we do – across venture philanthropy, consulting and impact $19m+
Contents investing – we seek to create systems change that will enable people and
impact investment
deployed in FY17
communities to thrive. We build relationships with government and convene
Who we are and what we do 3 cross-sector networks to share insights from our work and build momentum
for effective practice.
Board and Governance 4
From the Chair and the Chief Executive Venture Philanthropy Impact Investing Consulting
Officer of Social Ventures Australia
5
Funding, expertise and Debt and equity to fund Social impact strategy,
networks to transform growth of social purpose implementation and
The SVA Fundamentals for Impact 6 high-potential organisations organisations or projects. outcomes management
and incubate innovative ideas. consulting for social purpose
Social impact bonds
Services for philanthropists to organisations, philanthropists,
Our work this year 8 to fund and promote
governments and businesses.
enable disciplined risk-taking system-wide change.
An education system that delivers for all 10 and effective funding.
An inclusive employment market 14
Strategy and advocacy
A place to call home 18
Practical knowledge of key practice areas to inform SVA’s provision of funding,
A reconciled Australia 22 investment and advice.
A more impactful social purpose sector 28 Robust evidence base to share and inform policy and practice, to achieve system change.
Marketing and partnerships, finance, people and culture, legal
Meet our team 30
Trusted brand, exceptional systems and processes, focused on creating impact for our partners.
A growing network of alumni 34
Financials 36 socialventures.com.au
linkedin.com/company/social-ventures-australia
Thank you 38
@Social_Ventures
2 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 3
Celebrating 15 years From the Chair and
The artwork to the right is by April Jones, a Gooniyandi woman from the
community of Bayulu near Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley region of Western
Australia. April is a senior artist at Marnin Studio, an SVA venture partner.
the Chief Executive Officer
SVA commissioned the design to celebrate our 15 year anniversary, and
the way that – by helping empower communities to make the change
of Social Ventures Australia
they seek – a positive ripple effect occurs, and all Australians benefit.
For SVA the design reflects our journey from small beginnings to the
ever- growing impact of our work today.
This year marked 15 years since SVA was founded. Over the year we
welcomed five new ventures to our portfolio, launched three new social
15
years
impact bonds, completed 132 new consulting projects, and grew our
team to 88 passionate professionals committed to a more equitable and
inclusive Australia. 5
Board and Governance SVA's 2020 strategy is built around our
new venture partners
conviction that more effective funding and
SVA Board more effective service delivery will result in a
reduction in disadvantage. As we reflected on
132
consulting projects
SVA’s journey so far, we saw an opportunity to
share what we had learned about effectiveness
in the social purpose sector in a way that would
strengthen our work, and the work of our
partners, into the future.
3
new social impact bonds
This has resulted in the development of the
SVA Fundamentals for Impact, a framework
of 15 characteristics to enable organisations
Paul Robertson AM Adrian Appo OAM Tanya Gilerman Chris Harrop
and funders to assess whether they are being
effective and how they can do better.
7
government submissions
And we’ve ramped up our advocacy work, The framework is becoming a valuable resource
driving an ambitious agenda in education and for the sector, and we are also using it to
ensuring the leading practice we see across our help SVA better understand and improve its
work with partners is visible to government own impact. It is our intention to share this
decision makers. This included lodging seven assessment in future impact reporting, to
formal submissions to government inquiries ensure that the achievements we celebrate
over the year, a number of which were reflected in documents like this are indeed having the
Rob Koczkar Daisy Mallett Lisa Paul AO PSM Richard Spencer in major government policy announcements. impact we intend.
We continue to learn from our partners and For now, we are delighted to share highlights
build our knowledge base across the SVA from FY17, our 15th year of operations, in
SVA Members SVA Leadership Council practice areas of education, employment, this report.
Michael Traill AM Michael Traill AM (Chair) housing and First Australians, working
We look forward to continuing to work together
collectively towards our vision for better
AMP Foundation Alison Deans to support people and communities to thrive.
outcomes in these areas.
The Benevolent Society Andrew Clifford
Importantly, 2017 was the year of the
The Smith Family David Jones
Uluru Statement from the Heart, and SVA
WorkVentures David Vaux unequivocally supports that call for the
Tony Berg AM Gary Gerstle establishment of a First Nations Voice
Elaine Henry OAM Michael Price enshrined in the Constitution.
Bill Lawson AM Nigel Renton In all we do, SVA is seeking to build an
Paul Robertson AM
Helen Liondos Paul Robertson AM Australia where all communities thrive, and
Chair, SVA
where everyone has a sense of belonging
Rob McLean AM Rob Keldoulis
and empowerment.
John Poynton AM Robin Crawford
It’s a big vision, and one which will only be
Lynn Ralph Sarah Davies
achieved in partnership with many others
Jane Schwager AO Shemara Wikramanayake working towards a similar end. Achieving that
Carol Schwartz AM Stephen Roberts Australia is a long way off, but we believe the Rob Koczkar
Tony Mackay AM pathway towards that goal is clearer than it was Chief Executive Officer, SVA
15 years ago.
Yan Li Wang
4 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 5
The SVA Fundamentals The Melbourne Indigenous Transition School
for Impact
In SVA’s work across the sector over the last 15 years our observation has been that despite
their best attempts, many funding and social purpose organisations struggle to clearly
assess and articulate what it means to be ‘effective’, and it hampers their ability to improve
outcomes for the people they serve.
The SVA Fundamentals for Impact offer a ’We’ve used many frameworks
practical framework to help leaders answer
critical questions about how their organisation and tools in the past to guide
15 is performing, and applying the framework our decision making and rate
can help them create a clear pathway
organisational towards improvement. our progress . This is the best we
characteristics Grounded on SVA’s own experience over 15 have seen because it considers
important for years, as well as the research and experience not only how to run an effective
effectiveness of many global practitioners and experts, the
organisation but importantly,
SVA Fundamentals for Impact are differentiated
in the social from other organisational effectiveness tools. how critical it is to be client
sector The framework recognises that effectiveness in
centred and aware of the system
the social sector is determined by more than
just internal capability, with client centricity and we are trying to influence.’
engagement with the ecosystem also important.
In all, there are 15 organisational characteristics Helen Liondos, Head of Sustainability
that SVA believes – and the evidence shows – & AMP Foundation
are important for effectiveness.
The SVA Consulting team worked with the Melbourne Indigenous
Transition School (MITS) as its priorities began to shift from proof-
of-concept to scaling up. This is a juncture that many social sector We came to
organisations come to, and one that can be critical in terms of SVA for an
ensuring continued success supporting program participants. objective
Our consultants used the SVA Fundamentals for Impact with MITS to frame the challenges assessment
and opportunities this transition would bring, and to articulate a clear pathway forward for
the organisation.
‘We came to SVA for an objective assessment of how well our
organisation was placed to transition from start-up phase to one
of consolidation and growth. Having the Consulting team walk
through the SVA Fundamentals for Impact with us allowed us to
identify which changes we should prioritise to improve our impact
for our students and communities.’
Edward Tudor, Executive Director, Melbourne Indigenous Transition School
6 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 7
Our work this year
As part of our commitment to driving systems
change, SVA focuses on developing partnerships
in four areas:
Education
Employment
Housing
First Australians
We also engage in projects that support the social
sector to deliver tangible positive outcomes for the
people and communities they serve.
Our projects cut across these focus areas, which
enables us to develop a deep understanding of the
interaction between drivers of better outcomes for
people experiencing disadvantage.
The following pages outline some of the projects we
have worked on this year to progress our vision for
a more inclusive and prosperous Australia.
8 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 9
An education system
that delivers for all
SVA has a vision of an Australian education system that develops the intellectual, social and
moral wellbeing of young people, as well as contributing to the economic prosperity and
social cohesion of the nation. This year our work towards this vision has included:
Evidence for Learning –
Growth and Advocacy
SVA continued to demonstrate how educational In FY17 the campaign passed significant
outcomes could be improved if more decisions milestones, with more than 11,400 educators
about programs and priorities were made based accessing the Teaching & Learning Toolkit four
on the best available evidence. This included or more times and the Productivity Commission
advocating for an independent evidence provider, Inquiry into the Education Evidence Base
to help ensure all teachers have access to the adopting many of the recommendations from
information they need when making decisions SVA’s submissions. With the announcement
about their teaching practice. This would in turn of the Gonski 2.0 review explicitly referencing
help to direct the growing education spend access to evidence, SVA is now poised to help
towards high-impact teaching practices. improve education outcomes nationwide.
SVA-incubated enterprise Evidence for
Learning (E4L), the Commonwealth Bank and
international partner the Education Endowment
Foundation, have been running an intensive
campaign involving direct government
engagement, coalition building and leading To read more about the work of E4L see the SVA
public debate – in order to build support for a Quarterly article ‘Systems that learn: creating an
new Australian Education Evidence Broker. education evidence ecosystem’.
Mimi’s House – Venture Approximately
Philanthropy Partnership
50% of children
SVA is partnering with Mimi’s House to help With the support of the Queensland Venture
vulnerable children get a better start in life. Philanthropy fund of $100,000 per annum over
in the program
More than three years, the program expanded from three are Indigenous
Mimi’s House is a child-centred, whole of
11,400 community, early intervention program
to five days to full capacity over the first year, to
and/or Pacific
educators work with 50 children per annum (an additional
in Moreton Bay Queensland. The program Islander, with
20 children per year).
accessing supports at-risk primary school aged children
who are struggling to engage in learning The partnership with SVA also includes testing the remaining
the Teaching and school. By creating a nurturing, safe, the efficacy of the program, formalising family children from low
& Learning calm environment and through a structured and post-program support, and scoping out the
socio-economic
mentoring program, Mimi’s House supports the service gap for appropriate education, social and
Toolkit four or children to learn the life skills required to thrive emotional wellbeing support for the children. families
more times and succeed in life.
Pending positive outcomes, Mimi’s House
Approximately 50% of the children in the will endeavour to replicate the model into
program are Indigenous and/or Pacific Islander, other disadvantaged communities, helping
with the remaining children from low socio- to transform the way vulnerable communities
economic families. engage with early primary education.
10 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 11
The SVA Bright Spots Schools Woodside Energy – Community
Connection – STEM Learning Hub Investment Portfolio IMPACT STORY – SVA’s Bright Spots Schools Connection
An education system that delivers for all
The SVA Bright Spots Schools Connection (The SVA Consulting built on its relationship with
Connection) is a network of high-performing Woodside Energy this year, working closely with
school leaders based in low socio-economic the Corporate Affairs team to continue to build
areas. SVA developed this initiative to connect, their capacity around how to screen and assess
support and advance the work the schools are their community investment portfolio through
doing to improve educational outcomes for the design, development and implementation of
disadvantaged students. a prioritisation tool. This tool assists Woodside to
make strategic decisions around which initiatives
Working with the leadership teams in 50 schools,
to support and ensures standardisation across
the Connection reaches 2,800 educators and
the company. It also maximises the value and
approximately 30,000 students in Australia.
impact of community partnerships across
In seeking to accelerate improvement in geographical jurisdictions. SVA Consulting’s
educational outcomes, The Connection support included training Woodside staff on
helps link schools with experts in academia, how to use and update the tool in preparation
educational practice and the corporate world. for its roll-out across the entire organisation.
This year, SVA was excited to announce a
Woodside’s single largest social contribution
new three-year partnership with Samsung
investment is the Woodside Development
Electronics Australia to bring STEM expertise
Fund. A $20 million commitment over 10
and support to The Connection schools.
years, the fund is focused on making strategic
The STEM Learning Hub saw an additional contributions to support early childhood
15 schools added to The Connection, in development outcomes in the company’s
communities where STEM resources are most host communities both in Australia and
needed. Hub schools are working together to internationally. Over the past year, SVA
understand how STEM can best be integrated Consulting undertook two, six-monthly
into their education practice, equipping evaluations of the Fund to capture progress
students with capabilities that are of ever- being made to date. Working as a teacher or principal to improve outcomes for students
increasing importance for the work of the future.
This year SVA Consulting also supported in individual schools can feel isolating. But it doesn’t have to be.
Woodside to establish a measurement, evaluation
and learning framework for its entire social The Bright Spots Schools Connection (The When the school became involved in The
investment portfolio, working with the team to Connection) works with exceptional leaders Connection, Granville East’s leaders were
draft an overarching outcomes framework and in schools in disadvantaged communities to looking to improve their relationships with
suite of indicators as a first step on the journey improve student outcomes. It does this by students and parents, and ensure outcomes
bringing educators together, exposing them were consistent across the school.
The collaboration is supporting Woodside to
to best practice and innovative thinking from
optimise its impact and ensure contributions ‘We’ve loved every minute of our involvement
around the world, and giving them the chance
are as effective as possible. with The Connection. It’s really given us a
to reflect on, and address common challenges.
different perspective in our school. It’s helped
By connecting, leveraging and supporting
us to be part of something even bigger.’
the expertise in the education system, The
Connection drives evidence-based action in ‘Schools are incredibly busy places. There’s a
The Connection these schools. lot going on, and a lot of competing priorities,’
To read more on SVA’s work with Woodside see Tainsh says. The Connection
reaches 30,000 the SVA Quarterly article ‘Why and how corporate
For Nicole Tainsh, the Assistant Principal of
Granville East Public School in New South reaches 2,800
students in Australia funders should manage to outcomes’.
Wales, participating in The Connection made ‘We’ve loved every minute educators in
her realise there are many schools dealing
with the types of challenges she and her of our involvement with Australia
colleagues had been wrestling with. The Connection. It’s really given
‘I learned that the number one thing is that us a different perspective in
we are all dealing with common challenges.
We’re preparing students for a future that is
our school.’
relatively unknown,’ Tainsh says.
‘It sounds a little bit silly but... the luxury was
The overwhelming majority of Granville time. Having days set aside, and milestones
East students, around 96%, speak English as we were working towards. To step outside and
their second, third, or fourth language. Like look up a bit instead of looking down. That’s
all schools participating in The Connection, been incredibly valuable to us.’
Granville East has an Index of Community
Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) score
below 1000, indicating that students have a
below average level of educational advantage.
12 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 13
An inclusive
employment market
SVA has a vision for an Australia where every person
can participate in the community and economy in
a way that is fulfilling to them. Specifically, we work
towards creating opportunities for people with
barriers to work – such as disability, homelessness,
or intergenerational and long-term unemployment.
This year our work towards this vision has included:
BackTrack – Venture
Philanthropy Partnership
SVA is working with BackTrack to build on its
success supporting young people doing it tough
in rural and regional communities.
BackTrack is a multifaceted service organisation
covering the education, health, employment,
housing and justice needs of young people on a
flexible basis. BackTrack commits to supporting
participants for as long as they need to build
the resilience and skills to pursue positive
life pathways.
SVA is supporting BackTrack to
mentor communities across
regional Australia
87% of young BackTrack typically supports young men aged
people who between 12 and 18 years old, around 75 per
cent of whom are Indigenous. Programs include
graduate from alternatives to classroom learning, skills-based
BackTrack's training, opportunities to participate in paid
employment, accommodation, behaviour
programs therapy and wrap around case management
do so into services. 87 per cent of young people who
graduate from BackTrack's programs do so into
some form of some form of education or employment.
education or
SVA is supporting BackTrack to mentor
employment communities across regional Australia to
establish their own youth-services organisations
that build upon the proven principles BackTrack
has developed at its core Armidale-based
operations. BackTrack is currently mentoring
the communities of Dubbo, Bourke, Condobolin
and Lake Cargelligo in Central Western NSW,
and early signs indicate similar results as those
proven in Armidale.
14 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 15
IMPACT STORY – Industry Employment Initiative
An inclusive employment market
What does getting a job mean to a long-term job seeker?
‘It’s meant I’ve got a reason to get out of bed Bill participated in a three-week bespoke
every day,’ Bill* says. training program co-designed by the
employer and the IEI. This program helped
There are many contributing factors to long-
build his confidence, taught him industry-
term unemployment. Many people have
based content that was relevant to the role
little work experience; many face additional
on offer, and included a personal presentation
challenges as a result of extended exclusion
and grooming module which ensured that he
from the labour market, including low self-
met the five-star standards of the hotel. The IEI
confidence and limited work skills.
It’s the first real support, Bill says, that he continues to
Skills and confidence are the keys to
employment and both are elements
received during his period of unemployment. work with
His prior experience with job agencies had
addressed by the Industry Employment
him doing little more than applying for jobs. employers
Initiative (IEI).
‘It’s 100% better. I’d rather do training than
to create
The demand-led employment program
partners with industry to provide long-
spend a month with no job,’ he says. opportunities
term unemployed people in Australia with A representative from one of the national for long-term
support, training, and line of sight to ongoing IEI employer partners says that the IEI gives
employment with supportive employers. companies the confidence to look beyond a
unemployed
candidate’s lack of experience. job seekers
‘It’s 100% better. I’d rather do ‘It’s a more practical way of getting people into
High Growth Jobs, Industry Employment Initiative – the business who genuinely want to work,’
training than spend a month says the representative.
Talented Candidates Growth and Advocacy
with no job.’ ‘The entire team and all partners were
SVA Consulting continued its work with the SVA has identified that one of the keys
Australian Network on Disability (AND) and NSW to improving employment outcomes for extremely passionate about it, and the level of
For Bill, the opportunity afforded by the IEI support to the program and candidates was
Department of Family and Community Services vulnerable people in Australia is to get better
was a job in hospitality at a Melbourne-based considerable. The pre-vocational training, I’d
on the High Growth Jobs, Talented Candidates alignment between demand – the growing
hotel of a global brand. never see that done before. It was very helpful.’
program. This is part of the Employment sectors of the labour market – and supply – the
Enablement Strategy to increase employment young people looking for work. ‘I wouldn’t have been able to get into a The IEI continues to work with employers to
opportunities for job seekers with disability. hotel job, I was a ratty looking person with create opportunities for long-term unemployed * The name of the IEI participants
In FY17, SVA’s advocacy work focused on have been changed to respect
damaged hair,’ Bill says. job seekers to participate in bespoke training
Working with these partners, SVA Consulting taking lessons from cornerstone ‘demand-led’ their privacy. The image is
applied a co-design process to produce an employment projects, the Industry Employment with line of sight to ongoing employment. representative only.
overview of the current working environment Initiative (IEI) and High Growth Jobs, Talented
for people with disability and a set of strategies Candidates (HGJTC), to have these scaled
39 people for how to approach employer capacity or adopted as part of Government funded
development. In collaboration with AND, employment services. Having incubated the IEI
with a SVA Consulting undertook labour market five years ago, SVA contributed to the Victorian
disability research to identify high employment growth Government’s Back to Work policy. With one
industries; identify businesses within the growth of the original partners, Jesuit Social Services,
placed into industries to target and partner with; and better SVA is now delivering 220 jobs through the IEI
employment understand the pipeline of job seekers skills, as a provider of the Jobs Victoria Employment
qualifications and capabilities. Network (JVEN) program.
Over 150 Having put forward an evidence-based With both Commonwealth and State
approach for building the capacity of business to Governments continuing to roll-out
people employ people with disability, SVA Consulting is employment programs, SVA also made
participated providing ongoing measurement and evaluation submissions to the Commonwealth Government
support to ensure that lessons are identified and on how to take a demand-led approach to
in disability addressed as they arise throughout the course Disability Employment Services. Additionally,
confidence of the pilot. SVA was asked to participate in consultations
on the design of the Commonwealth’s $96
training Using a demand-led employment approach
million Try, Test and Learn fund to help
requires cultural and practical changes within
develop new youth employment programs
businesses to build their capacity to employ
Delivering people with disability. This can take time.
and improve outcomes-based contracting.
220 jobs However, the initiative has so far successfully
placed 39 people with a disability into
through employment as a result of 194 referrals. Over 150
the Industry people have participated in disability confidence
training and eight employers participated in
Employment the program which signals a shift in the way
Initiative employers view people with a disability.
16 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 17
A place
to call home
SVA has a vision in which stable, appropriate and affordable accommodation is available
for all people in Australia. This year our work in social and affordable housing has included:
Aspire Social Impact Bond
SVA is working in partnership with Hutt The program commenced in July 2017 and will
St Centre, an Adelaide-based specialist provide services for seven years. Collectively,
homelessness services provider, and the South this is expected to generate $20 million in
Australian Government on the Aspire Social savings for the SA Government, while helping
Impact Bond (Aspire SIB). improve participants’ health and wellbeing, and
employment and social prospects.
The Aspire SIB funds the Aspire Program, an
intensive case management program focused
on providing housing, life skills and employment
pathways for adults experiencing homelessness,
based on a ‘housing first’ intervention model. The
program aims to work with approximately 600
individuals, and is targeting a 15 per cent reduction
in the number of days spent in hospital, a 15 per
cent reduction in the number of convictions and a
50 per cent reduction in the number of emergency
accommodation support periods for participants
relative to a historic baseline.
SVA developed and implemented the Aspire SIB,
including raising $9 million in private investor
capital for Hutt St Centre to establish and
operate the Aspire Program.
National Housing Finance Aggregator Life Without Barriers
In SVA’s Social and Affordable Housing Perspective The SVA-HESTA Social Impact Investment Trust
paper, we noted that Australia has an estimated invested in an affordable housing development
shortfall of 400,000 affordable and available with Life Without Barriers, providing safe, stable
houses for people on low-incomes, including and accessible homes for people with disability $53.5 million
15% reduction a waiting list for social housing of more than in Toowoomba, Queensland. for a new
200,000 people. In FY17, SVA’s housing advocacy
in the number focused on ways to bring more private capital
Life Without Barriers supports children, young Australian
people and families, people with disability, older
of days spent in into Australia’s small community housing sector to
people and people with mental illness. They Housing
help develop more affordable housing stock.
hospital work with people who are homeless, as well as Finance
SVA worked with Macquarie Group and the refugees and asylum seekers.
housing sector to encourage the Commonwealth Corporation
50% reduction Government to create a National Housing
The homes developed through the SVA
investment are located in areas with good links
in the number Finance Aggregator, similar to a model in the
to transport and amenities and part of a larger
United Kingdom. The aggregator would help
of emergency bring down the cost and increase the duration of
community development. This enables tenants
to live an independent life – in a safe place that
accommodation loans to Community Housing Providers, making
they can call home – something that many of
billions of dollars available to the development
support of new social and affordable housing.
them have not been able to do before.
periods In late 2016 the Council of Australian
Governments announced in-principle support
for a new aggregator. This was later confirmed in
the Commonwealth Budget with a commitment
of $53.5 million for a new Australian Housing
Finance Corporation (including the aggregator),
due to be launched in 2018.
18 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 19Housing Plus – Outcomes
Management Framework IMPACT STORY – Aspire Social Impact Bond
A place to call home
Housing Plus engaged SVA Consulting to develop the level of change occurring for participants,
an outcomes management framework to help and measure its impact. SVA Consulting then
it understand its impact, how to improve it, and created a visual reporting dashboard to allow
to support its sustainability as an organisation. Housing Plus to easily monitor ongoing changes
The vision was to create a practical whole-of- and outcomes. The outcomes framework
organisation approach to measurement and was developed to align with the NSW Human
evaluation, so that the impact of services can Services Outcomes Framework.
be evidenced to support funding and drive
The framework will allow Housing Plus to make
continuous improvement in service delivery.
evidence-informed decisions about where to
Housing Plus works in communities in invest its resources to maximise its impact and
Central West and Western NSW and provides better support participants.
appropriate accommodation and integrated
support services to help improve lives and create
thriving communities. Housing Plus also focus The framework will allow
on supporting people who are experiencing Housing Plus to make evidence-
homelessness or domestic violence.
informed decisions about where
Working closely with the team at Housing Plus,
SVA Consulting helped the organisation define to invest its resources to maximise
its desired impact so it could clearly identify its impact and better support
the outcomes it wished to achieve. Using these
outcomes, the team developed key indicators
participants
that would allow Housing Plus to understand
John* had a long history of homelessness, bouncing between
temporary accommodation, sleeping on the streets and in cars. Last
year he was assaulted while sleeping rough and acquired a brain
injury that led to an extended hospital stay.
This year John found a home thanks to the
hardworking team at Hutt St Centre, an
‘Compared to our other
Adelaide-based specialist homelessness programs, where we get lots of
service provider. housing outcomes, but generally
Today John is still in his home, with can’t follow up for long enough.
ongoing support from the team at Hutt
Here’s a situation where we’ve $9 million
St. That support is made possible through
the Aspire Program, funded by the been able to follow up.’ to deliver a
Aspire Social Impact Bond (Aspire SIB). program that
‘We’re not going to give up on him. There may
Early in 2017 SVA, in partnership with the well be times where he may struggle with focuses on
South Australian Government, launched the
Aspire SIB, South Australia’s first social impact
certain things, but we’re able to be there all finding homes,
the way with him.’
bond. It provides Hutt St Centre with $9 and providing
million in private investor capital to deliver a The Aspire SIB has allowed Hutt St Centre to
partner with Government to fund the Aspire life skills and
program that focuses on finding homes, and
providing life skills and employment pathways Program on an outcomes basis, with investors employment
providing the upfront capital and sharing in
for vulnerable people.
the risk if outcomes are not achieved.
pathways for
Hutt St Centre CEO, Ian Cox has been involved vulnerable
with the specialist homelessness service
provider in some capacity or another for ‘We think the Aspire Program itself people
almost 30 years. The Aspire SIB, Cox says,
provides a model which enables Hutt St
is quite transformational, but
Centre to provide ongoing support to people working with SVA has been quite
like John that isn’t ordinarily possible. transformational too. It’s made
‘It allows us to be relentless in our approach,’ us a far better organisation.’
Cox says.
‘That’s the beauty of the program, ‘It’s made us more diligent, it’s made us think a
and what we love’. lot clearer about the data. It’s refocused us on
outcomes. A lot of our funding programs are
generally output related. So having a program * The name of the Aspire
participant has been changed
and getting refocused on outcomes and to respect his privacy. The image
people has been fantastic.’ is representative only.
20 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 21A reconciled
Australia
SVA has a vision of a reconciled Australia, in which
substantive rights and opportunities are guaranteed
for all Australians. Achieving this goal requires
institutional, policy, service and funding change
– all with a focus on increasing First Australians'
capacity for self-determination and self-governance.
SVA has worked towards this change through a
number of projects this year, including the following:
Marnin Studio – Venture
Philanthropy Partnership
Marnin Studio is an arts and therapeutic studio
empowering women in the Fitzroy Valley
to share their knowledge, strengthen their
families and grow their ideas into a sustainable
enterprise.
Through a three-year partnership, SVA is
Over the providing funding and capacity-building
past year, the support to enable Marnin Studio to become
financially sustainable and continue to offer
partnership healing and growth for the women and the
has helped community.
increase sales The partnership is also working to prove
a sustainable community-led model of
revenue from empowerment that can be leveraged by other
the studio Indigenous communities around Australia.
by 33%, By supporting Marnin Studio, SVA is testing
a model for a local economy that leverages
helping it First Australians’ strong cultural and country
to become connections.
financially Over the past year, the partnership has helped
increase sales revenue from the studio by
sustainable 33 per cent, helping it to become financially
sustainable. More women are participating in
activities and seeing their participation as work-
like activity rather than a therapeutic hobby.
The partnership has also been recognised by
Philanthropy Australia with the 2017 Indigenous
Philanthropy Award.
To read more about SVA’s work with Marnin Studio
see the SVA Quarterly article ‘What makes for a
collaborative philanthropic partnership’.
22 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 23Martu Leadership Program
Evaluation
A reconciled Australia
SVA is committed to developing long-term
relationships with its partners and clients as we
recognise that change requires perseverance
and commitment.
SVA Consulting has worked with long-term
partner Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa (KJ) for several years
over a range of projects. This year one of those
projects was to understand, measure and value
the outcomes that the Martu Leadership Program
achieved in its first three years. This enabled KJ
to demonstrate the transformational value of
the program for its participants to government,
corporate partners and other stakeholders.
The Martu people are the traditional owners of a
large part of central Western Australia, covering
an area twice the size of Tasmania. The Martu
Leadership Program is a community education
and development program designed to build
capacity and create opportunities in remote
Western Desert communities.
The evaluation report produced by SVA has
been a critical resource for fundraising efforts
and government advocacy. By describing
the changes that occurred as a result of the
program using Martu language, the report also
assisted KJ’s capacity to communicate program
outcomes to Martu. It has empowered the The evaluation report
program participants themselves to advocate enabled KJ to demonstrate
and present these findings to key system
influencers, such as government and potential
the transformational value
corporate partners. of the program
Newpin Queensland
Social Benefit Bond
The Newpin Queensland Social Benefit Bond
(Newpin Qld SBB), Queensland’s first social
impact bond, aims to reunify children in
out-of-home-care in Queensland, with their
families. It funds the Newpin Program, which is
an 18-month program designed to strengthen
family engagement through parenting
modules, therapeutic group sessions, and child
development activities. The program is based
on the model that underpins the Newpin Social
Benefit Bond in NSW, however in Queensland
it will focus on working primarily with First
Australian families.
Working closely with UnitingCare Queensland
and the Queensland Government, SVA
developed and implemented the Newpin Qld
SBB, including raising $6 million in private
investor capital to fund the roll out of the Newpin
Program in three locations across Queensland.
Under the Newpin Qld SBB, it is estimated
It is estimated that 230 children that around 230 children will be reunified with
will be reunified with their their families, which is two and a half times
more reunifications than would occur in the
families, which is two and a half absence of the program. In addition to the
times more reunifications than positive outcomes for participants and their
communities, the program is expected to
would occur in the absence of generate approximately $58 million in savings
the program for Government.
24 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 25Working on Country – Advocacy
Building on social return on investment
IMPACT STORY – Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa
A reconciled Australia
analyses that SVA conducted in 2011 and 2014 of
on-country programs delivered by Kanyirninpa
Jukurrpa (KJ) in the Western Desert, SVA worked
with the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet in 2016 to understand the cultural, social,
economic and environmental outcomes of five
different Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) and
related ranger programs across Australia.
With a detailed understanding of the importance
of Indigenous land and sea management
initiatives, SVA focused its advocacy in FY17 on
sharing those insights to ensure ongoing and
SVA’s sphere of influence has even extended
increased funding for the federally funded IPA
to Canada, where we helped to share learnings
and Working on Country (WoC) programs and
from the Australian Indigenous Land and Sea
other state funded initiatives.
Management experience. This was instrumental
The Australian Government recently announced in securing a $25 million Canadian federal
SVA is funding for the IPA program would extend budget allocation to support a national
committed until 2022, with a $10 million boost in funding Indigenous guardian network.
levels. The federal opposition and the Greens
to building have adopted a policy stance to double the
long-term number of rangers working on country through
In more than 15 years working with the Martu people in Western
the WoC program. The Western Australian and
relationships Queensland governments have each released To read more about SVA’s analyses of the Federal Australia, Peter Johnson had never witnessed a meeting like the one
with its recent expressions of interest to increase ranger Government’s Working on Country and Indigenous
he attended in September.
jobs, following a $20 million commitment from Protected Area programs see the SVA Quarterly
partners the incoming WA government. article ‘Healthy Country, Healthy People’.
It was the annual general meeting of For the Martu people, leadership is not an
and clients Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa (KJ), a Martu-run individual attribute but a broadly spread
organisation Johnson co-founded and where he communal function. With that in mind, KJ
works and now serves as a non-voting advisory tasked SVA Consulting with the job of
board member. It was the first time a formal measuring the value and impact the program
company meeting had been almost entirely run had on the Martu people, and the community
by Martu, including presentation of financial more broadly. Using the Social Return on
reports, taking questions on corporate finances, Investment methodology, the SVA Consulting
Outcomes for Martu Leadership Program conduct of elections and all general business. team were able to help KJ articulate what the
program was trying to achieve, and what it
The Martu were one of the last groups of First
has done.
Australians to make contact with European
Strategies and aspiration Australians and are the traditional owners of a What was particularly valuable, Johnson says,
Martu aspirations to shape a new future
large part of central Western Australia which was the fact that the SVA Consulting team was For the
are awakened, and Martu form strategies
to make this happen
Partnership
extends from the Great Sandy Desert in the able to articulate the program in a way that was Martu people,
north to Wiluna in the south. relevant for the Martu people, KJ, funders, and
Social strength
Martu are united, and have the ability and
assertiveness to partner with whitefellas who government. At the heart of the SVA Consulting leadership is not
Traditional authority structures are reinvigorated Johnson says that meeting is one of many
– the old hold and trust the young, and the Yiwarra can empower and learn from Martu
examples of the impact of the Martu Leadership
team’s evaluation was a diagram [see page 26] an individual
young respect and support the old which, Johnson says, speaks to SVA’s unique
Program, a KJ initiative which aims to equip
skillset. The diagram centred on five Martu
attribute but a
young Martu men and women with the
Kanyirninpa Kujungkarrini knowledge, skills, and confidence to take
words: Kanyirninpa (social strength), Yiawarra broadly spread
(strategies and aspiration), Kujungkarrini
control of their future.
(partnership), Ninti (mainstream knowledge)
communal
and Palya (confidence and resilience). function
‘It profoundly demonstrated the ‘The diagram is utterly invaluable to us, because
Palya Ninti shift in community capacity, at the end of the day, nobody – whitefella or
Martu reads an 80-page evaluation report,’
the shift in confidence, the Johnson says. ‘It’s really helpful to have
Confidence and resilience
Martu feel stronger in themselves and in
Mainstream knowledge
Martu understand more about mainstream culture,
shift in taking control, and in external insights into what this program is
doing. It resonates powerfully with Martu, but
their community law, companies, finance and government empowerment, that comes it also provides us with a sharp, clear focus,
from that program’. for articulating what the program is about to
funders, and potential funders. The fact that
‘The meeting lasted for two and a half hours, the core of the diagram is five Martu words,
and this is not hyperbole, apart from the of itself is revolutionary. SVA’s capacity to
minutes being read, whitefellas spoke for represent it in that way, is a really singular talent
10 minutes, and 20-30 Martu spoke for the and one that’s been incredibly valuable to us.’
rest of the time.’
26 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 27A more impactful
social purpose sector
The NDIA
SVA believes that more effective funding and more effective services will result in a
reduction in disadvantage in Australia. To that end we work with funders, service providers,
engaged SVA
thought leaders and policy makers to help build organisational and sector capacity to Consulting
achieve social impact. to develop a
toolkit that
This year SVA had the opportunity to support a number of large government departments would build
and agencies to become better at understanding and delivering outcomes for people the capacity
accessing social services. of the sector
National Disability Insurance NSW Department of Finance, Victorian Department of Health The Commonwealth responded in the FY18
Agency – Information, Linkages Services and Innovation and Human Services budget with an initial $30 million investment,
and Capacity Building specifically focused on both capacity building
SVA Consulting was engaged by the NSW The Victorian Government engaged SVA and in supporting State Government initiatives
Over 15 years, The introduction of the National Disability Department of Finance, Services and Innovation Consulting to help build its knowledge and around homelessness. They also released a set
Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has had significant (DFSI) to help increase the NSW social service capacity in outcomes measurement and of Commonwealth Principles for Social Impact
SVA has implications for the way the disability sector sector capacity to collaborate and manage outcomes-focused performance management. Investing, setting the stage for a new generation
developed operates and has required many service providers to outcomes. The Department of Health and Human of investments and a truly national social impact
to adapt their operations. As part of the NDIS, the Services (DHHS) delivers and funds a wide
a deep Australian Government introduced Information,
To achieve this, SVA Consulting developed an
range of services for Victorians, including
investing market.
indicator library that identified short, long and
understanding Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC), an area
‘shadow’ indicators to allow NSW service delivery
child protection, family violence services, drug
focusing on building an individual’s capacity to and alcohol services, mental health, housing,
of how to organisations to map their progress towards
disability, aged care and public health.
live an ordinary life and creating opportunities
set, cost and the Human Services Outcomes Framework
in the community to do so. The National
that had been created through the Social SVA Consulting conducted a wide-reaching
measure Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) engaged SVA
Innovation Council. literature review which has provided the
Consulting to develop a toolkit that would build
outcomes the capacity of the sector to prepare for the ILC. Our team also developed a guidance document
Department with an evidence base for
supporting outcomes focused measurement
for people Using a human-centred design process and
to help organisations understand how to use the
and performance management activities.
indicator library and framework to adopt more
experiencing working with design partner Republic of
outcomes oriented approaches.
Everyone, SVA Consulting created a suite of Outcomes and Impact Advocacy Australian Philanthropic
social exclusion online resources to increase the understanding Throughout the process SVA Consulting Services
Over 15 years, SVA has developed a deep
in Australia of organisations in the sector of the ILC, improve liaised with government departments, peak
understanding of how to set, cost and measure Originally established as a division of
their grant management skills, and improve their bodies and service providers to ensure the
outcomes for people experiencing social SVA in 2010, Australian Philanthropic
understanding and skills in measuring outcomes. usefulness of these materials for the sector. The
exclusion in Australia. Services (APS) became an independent
To support this online resource, which has so indicator library and guide are available for all
entity on 1 July 2017.
far been accessed by thousands nationally, organisations on the DFSI website and have In FY17, SVA used the insights gained from early
our team delivered in-person training to over already been used by several organisations to run Social Impact Bonds and Consulting work on APS has helped drive the growth of
160 organisations. workshops, review operations and take steps to outcomes management, to try to help improve structured philanthropy in Australia:
increase their outcomes management capacity. the way State and Commonwealth governments it establishes private ancillary funds
SVA Consulting also worked with NDIA to (PAFs); offers a public ancillary fund,
allocated money – to ensure it’s invested in the
develop the ILC outcomes framework to help the APS Foundation; and provides
policies and projects which deliver the greatest
define what success would look like for the area, grantmaking guidance and support.
impact in people’s lives.
allow them to monitor their progress against APS now works with over 300
those outcomes and enable them to make As part of a comprehensive submission to the individuals, families and business to
evidence-based decisions. Treasury Discussion Paper on Social Impact support them with their philanthropy.
Investing, SVA developed a blueprint for how
the Commonwealth could foster a national SVA is proud to have played a
market. Through engagement with both senior catalysing role in the APS story, and
officials and relevant Ministers, we also helped to we look forward to watching their
identify opportunities to use the Government’s continued success and impact into
actuarial analysis of lifetime welfare liabilities their next chapter.
to foster future impact investing – including
through the Try, Test and Learn fund.
28 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 29Meet our team
Our people are our greatest asset. Their shared passion for reducing disadvantage,
together with their deep expertise across the corporate, philanthropic, government and
social purpose sectors are the foundations on which SVA’s partnerships (and impact) SVA is a place
are built. As our team grows – 49 people joined us over the year – so too does our where I can
commitment to making sure SVA is a fantastic place to work. Developing our people has use the skills
become a core organisational focus, and this year we established a dedicated People I have from
and Culture team to help us achieve this goal. the corporate
David Peiris Katie Maskiell sector, to try
Meet some of the talented individuals who joined us in FY17: David is the Head of Operations, Impact Katie is the Policy and Research Manager at and help out
Investing and Practice Lead for Organisational Social Ventures Australia. She is responsible
Effectiveness at SVA. David began his career for monitoring evolving social policy debates,
at Deloitte and has over 17 years experience, developing SVA perspectives and identifying
primarily in financial services. Prior to joining strategies for new social innovation. Prior to
SVA, David spent eight years at BNP Paribas joining SVA, Katie spent ten years working
where he was Head of Compliance & Risk and in public health policy and advisory roles for
Company Secretary at BNP Paribas Investment various government organisations in both
Partners. David has also lived and worked in the Australia and the UK.
Solomon Islands as an Adviser to a local NGO.
‘Because of the goodwill SVA has
‘My parents are immigrants, they came built in the sector, its reputation
from Sri Lanka, so I’ve always been with government, you have a really
David Williams Este Darin-Cooper very conscious of the fact that there good opportunity to influence from
David Williams joined SVA as an Executive Este is Director, Venture Philanthropy at SVA are people in Australia, and around the outside.
Director in 2017, supporting Venture where she leads the selection, investment the world, that have enough. But many
Philanthropy as well as strategy and advocacy. and support of innovative venture partners.
more people don’t have much. SVA ‘You’re aiming to improve the lives of the
He has over 15 years’ experience working in Previously, Este was a member of the SVA same cohort of people you’re essentially
the private and for purpose sectors, spanning Consulting team. Prior to joining SVA, Este is a place where I can use the skills I
have from the corporate sector, to try working for in government, just through
diverse roles from global senior management was a lawyer practicing in financial services at
to field operations. His prior experience has top-tier law firms, before moving to the public and help out. different mechanisms.’
included roles with international development sector, where she advised the public, private,
organisation TechnoServe, and with Bain start-up and non-profit sectors on the design ‘What really sticks out is how joyous it is
& Company. and implementation of new data projects when you’re working with people that
and initiatives. generally have the same set of beliefs or
‘(Deciding to work at SVA) was about
If I’m going finding an organisation and a platform ‘I realised, if I’m going to spend my time values as you.’
to spend my that I can work with, or through, to doing something, then I should be doing
maximise the impact I can have. something that makes our country a
time doing better, fairer place to live.
something, ‘I had a very high bar. I did a lot of due
diligence. Talking to networks, people ‘SVA had a really great reputation, and
then I should
I’d worked with before. The organisation it also looked like an organisation
be doing where I could take my skills from both
had to have the potential to move the
something dial on a whole set of barriers facing the business and the public sector to
that makes people doing it tough. building a better Australia.
our country a ‘This place really does offer that ‘And more specifically somewhere
better, fairer opportunity. At the most basic level that looks to address the root causes of
place to live it’s contributing to a better Australia.’ the problem, rather than picking up the
pieces after things go wrong.’
30 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 31Meet our team Simon Faivel reflects
on 10 years at SVA
Nathan Sowell Hannah Bryant ‘This is my tribe.’
Nathan is a manager in SVA’s Impact Investing Hannah is an Associate Consultant with
team, focused on SVA’s social impact funds. Prior Social Ventures Australia and has six years
That's the first thing that springs to mind when SVA Consulting
to SVA, Nathan worked at KPMG in the United of experience working in the government Director Simon Faivel reflects upon his time at SVA.
States and Australia across the Deal Advisory and social sectors. Prior to joining SVA,
and Business Innovation teams. Hannah worked at Reconciliation Australia, Ten years ago, just as the first iPhone was being ‘I hope I’ve been able to continue to work on
the Department of Employment and the released and John Howard's term as Prime making a positive impact on whoever I partner
‘I had worked in the corporate world, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Minister was coming to an end, Faivel was sitting with and work with,’ he says.
on very interesting things, but they Hannah is also a passionate educator and in an office in Collingwood, sipping a cup of
‘What I’ve been able to work on and influence
weren’t reaching their potential because has spent a number of years teaching in both coffee on his first day at SVA.
over my 10 years has continued to be significant.’
mainstream and alternative education programs.
people weren’t focused on impact, ’I vividly remember those first couple of days.
Like the chance to work with Kanyirninpa
they were driven by revenue and ‘I’m here because I want to work on Being surrounded by a group of people with
Jukurrpa, which is helping the Martu Indigenous
individual incentives. ridiculous profiles and experiences and, dare
projects I think are really interesting desert people build sustainable communities.
I say, were trying to do something more,’
‘There aren’t many other organisations and because I believe SVA is making Faivel says. ‘There’s been so many great projects like that,’
where you can combine the rigorous a difference. he says.
SVA was still relatively young, having been
measurement of the corporate sector, ‘What is really cool is SVA values my founded five years before in 2002. The
with the values of the not-for-profit sector. diverse skillset quite highly, because I consulting team, now 40 strong, was only just ’There's been dramatic change
beginning. But its purpose then, as it is now, was
It’s that balance between having people don’t think it is like that elsewhere. It’s clear – make a positive impact on the lives of and growth. In terms of what
who are driven, ambitious, and switched part of what separates SVA. Along with people experiencing disadvantage in Australia. we do, and how we do things
on, but allowing them to be focused on the way it applies high performance
values, that makes SVA different.’
’When I began, I was part of the social impact and our collective depth of
to problems that are important, and team, and it's taken about four different forms
potentially haven’t had that lens since then, with different types of focus,’
understanding. But what’s
applied to them. Faivel says. remained consistent throughout
‘SVA’s history, what it’s actually done, ’So there's been dramatic change and growth. is the vibe and the spirit of what
In terms of what we do, and how we do things
It’s that balance and what I can see it doing – it’s and our collective depth of understanding. But
we're trying to do.’
between having exciting to be part of that.’ what’s remained consistent throughout is the
vibe and the spirit of what we're trying to do.’ ‘I’ve probably been involved in over 150 projects
people who in my time at SVA. That joy and variety is a big I’ve probably
It's that spirit and purpose, and Faivel's desire part of what’s kept me here.’
are driven, to make an impact, that's kept him around for
been involved
ambitious, and 10 years. Faivel is particularly appreciative of the fact SVA in over 150
provided a supportive environment as his own
switched on, Faivel, who arrived at SVA with a philosophy family grew. During his time at SVA he’s had projects in my
but allowing degree and a background in corporate three children, Zivia, Emunah, and Libby, now 8, time at SVA.
consulting with Accenture, says he's been able 5 and 1 years old respectively.
them to be to maintain his intellectual curiosity thanks to That joy and
‘It’s a place where you can grow in your work,
focused on the wide variety of challenges that come across
and also grow your family. Of course, my wife, variety is a big
his desk.
values, that Ilana, makes this all possible,’ he says. part of what’s
makes SVA ‘That’s pretty special.’ kept me here
different
32 Social Ventures Australia Annual Review 2016-2017 33You can also read
