plan international australia annual report 2013

PLAN INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA » ANNUAL REPORT 2013 1

annualreport

Plan International Australia

2013

2 PLAN INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA » ANNUAL REPORT 2013

Cover photo: Members of a Plan-supported hygiene club sing a song at their school in Tororo District, Uganda.

This page: Hennock, 5, plays with friends at his Plan-supported kindergarten in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.


AbOUT ThIS REPORTThis report sets out Plan International Australia’s progress towards our vision and mission between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2013. We have referred to this period as ‘2013’.

In this report, the informal name ‘Plan in Australia’ refers to Plan International Australia. The terms ‘Plan’ and ‘Plan International’ refer to the global organisation of which Plan International Australia is a part. See page 8 for further information on our global network.

We encourage our readers to visit our website: plan.org.au where they can find more information about the topics discussed in this report. Links to specific pages on our website and other publications (such as our Annual Effectiveness Review) are given throughout this report.

AbOUT US 6OUR PERfORmANcE 10OUR WORk WITh chILdREN 14ENgAgINg AUSTRALIA 20OUR SUPPORTERS 25OUR ORgANISATION 34OUR fINANcES 40cOmPLIANcE & REgULATION 52AckNOWLEdgEmENTS 53

inside


fROm

the chair

During my first year on Plan in Australia’s Board of Directors I have seen significant investments made in both the Australian organisation and at the international level, where there’s been a drive to create a more efficient organisation focused on increasing our positive impact on the developing world.

As Plan globally strengthened its voice on gender equality and girls’ rights, Plan in Australia made significant inroads into bringing national attention to our Because I am a Girl campaign, through which we’re striving to put girls’ education front and centre on the global development agenda.

In October, various public and policy engagements raised awareness of the campaign. Prime Minister Julia Gillard, together with key parliamentarians and the diplomatic community, raised their hands in support of girls’ education, a pivotal moment in our campaign and which set the benchmark for our continuing efforts.

Also in Canberra, CEO Ian Wishart and I met with key policymakers about Australia’s foreign aid policy and budget. I’m committed to continuing these conversations with both sides of politics to ensure that we can increase the scale and depth of our impact.

I am proud to report that Plan in Australia was acknowledged for excellence in transparent reporting through being awarded the top prize in the PwC Transparency Awards (in the >$30 million revenue category). As a non-profit organisation and a trusted recipient of donor funds, transparency and accountability are among our highest goals.

At the international level Plan is implementing its One Plan One Goal strategy, which aims to build a more cohesive and integrated

global organisation highly focussed on reaching more children across 70 countries, particularly the most marginal and vulnerable.

At the same time, Plan International has been focusing on the internal reorganisation of its business model to integrate the growth of institutional grants alongside its traditional funding from child sponsorship. During the year, the International Board and Members’ Assembly reviewed changes in policies, processes and systems that will support an organisation with a broader range of funds.

I was fortunate in my first year with Plan to visit both Zimbabwe and Tanzania and see first hand operations in the field. I came away confronted by the issues Plan is helping to address, but also humbled and heartened by the difference made by Plan and the wonderful people working for us.

It is a privilege to be involved in such an organisation.

It has been an exciting and inspiring first year with Plan in Australia, and my special thanks goes to my fellow Board members, to Ian Wishart and to all the staff and volunteers at Plan’s Australian National Office. I expect that the coming year will hold even greater achievements in helping children around the world access their rights and overcome poverty.

Gerry HuestonChair, Plan International Australia


fROm

the ceo

The financial year 2013 was the second full year of our current five-year strategy: a period of consolidation and strengthening for Plan in Australia, setting the stage for further growth in scale, reach and quality in the years to come.

In our international development programs, we worked towards developing better inclusion strategies for marginalised and vulnerable groups including girls and children with disabilities.

We also scaled up important programs like our Climate Change Adaptation Program, which is operating in Asia as well as six nations in the Pacific – a new and important region for Plan internationally. Working through local partners, we’re helping communities address the risks from climate change disasters. This year alone we reached 10,000 children and adults in the Pacific.

While our focus for the year was mostly on refining existing initiatives, we also worked together with our supporters on some new and exciting ways to fund our work with children and communities. Our Plan Adventurers embarked on two exciting trips overseas, raising $160,000 to support our work in Africa and Asia. Their enthusiasm, their commitment and their passion for helping children access their rights has truly inspired me.

This year, Plan in Australia undertook the intense and rigorous AusAID accreditation review. I am immensely proud of all of our staff, who worked tirelessly to ensure that we not only passed the review but passed it with flying colours.

We were also delighted to renew our ANCP funding agreement through AusAID, securing $36.9 million over four years. The awarding of this grant is a powerful endorsement of our position

and effectiveness, as well as a strong sign of the confidence held in us by the Australian Government.

Looking forward to 2014 we expect to continue to develop our capacity in humanitarian relief and to ensure the particular needs of children in emergencies are addressed. As this report goes to print we are responding to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, providing life-saving assistance on the ground to those who need it most.

Internally, 2014 will see a renewed focus on our most valuable resource – our people. Through improved leadership and culture development, we will ensure that we have an even stronger workforce to accomplish more for vulnerable children and their families.

I would like to thank all the staff and volunteers at Plan in Australia for their tremendous efforts in 2013, and all our supporters for their crucial contribution in making the lives of children better across the developing world.

Ian WishartCEO, Plan International Australia


about us


OUR STORyPlan International is one of the oldest and largest children’s development organisations in the world. We work with communities in 50 developing countries and raise funds to support our work in 21 countries, such as Australia. By actively involving children, and working at a grassroots level with no religious or political affiliations, we unite and inspire people around the globe to transform the world for children.

OUR vISIONPlan’s vision is of a world in which all children realise their full potential in societies that respect people’s rights and dignity.

OUR mISSIONWe strive to achieve lasting improvements in the quality of life of children in developing countries through a process that unites people across cultures and adds meaning and value to their lives by:

»» enabling children, their families and their communities to meet their basic needs and to increase their ability to participate in and benefit from their societies

»» fostering relationships to increase understanding and unity among peoples of different cultures and countries

»» promoting the rights and interests of children.

OUR WORkLong-term community developmentOur grassroots development projects address specific problems and issues in communities that contribute to ongoing poverty and affect children’s rights. Our work is designed to bring long-term, sustainable, positive change to communities.

Campaigning and advocacyOur campaigning and advocacy work is about collective action to improve the lives of children. Plan campaigns raise awareness and support for people who are often disregarded or who have difficulty having their opinions heard.

Disaster and humanitarian responseWhen Plan responds to emergencies, we work with governments, other agencies and local communities to ensure children and young people are protected and that their immediate and long-term needs are met. In addition to disaster relief, Plan has an ongoing partnership with the UN World Food Programme to provide food relief to communities across the developing world.

Find out more: plan.org.au/our-work

fINd OUT mOREOur historyplan.org.au/our-history

Our approachplan.org.au/our-approach

Accountabilityplan.org.au/accountabilityplan.org.au/stakeholdersplan.org.au/child-protection

Feedback and complaintsplan.org.au/feedback

Ludivina, 9, has more time and energy to study and play since a water tap was installed at her home in Aileu district, Timor-Leste.

http://www.plan.org.au/About-Us/Our-History.aspx

http://www.plan.org.au/About-Us/Our-Approach.aspx

http://www.plan.org.au/About-Us/Accountability.aspx

http://www.plan.org.au/About-Us/Stakeholders.aspx


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1 project designed and managed by Plan in Australia

3 projects designed and managed by Plan in Australia

292,674children sponsored by Plan supporters worldwide

257,137 children sponsored by Plan supporters worldwide

8,120children sponsored by Australian Plan supporters

330,948 children sponsored by Plan supporters worldwide

west africa

8,239 children sponsored by Australian Plan supporters

americas

eastern & southern africa

OUR gLObAL NETWORkPlan in Australia is part of Plan International, one of the world’s largest children’s development organisations. As an independent member organisation, Plan in Australia supports the global Plan network by:

»» helping to fund, direct and deliver community development projects in collaboration with other Plan member organisations, thanks to our supporters through child sponsorship;

»» designing and delivering our own projects in Africa and Asia that match our experience and expertise;

»» responding to emergencies around the world and helping communities to better prepare for future crises.

Find out more: plan.org.au/about-us


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UNITED KINGDOM

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PHILIPPINESNENEPPPP ESESSSSSEEPPPICARAGUANII

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JAPAN

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INDONESIA

HONDURAS

GUINEGUINEA-BIS UU

GUATEMALEMALAEMALAEL SALVADOR

ECUAD

TIMOR-LESTERR TETERR

PAPUA NEW NENEWWGUINEAGUGUI

SOLOMON ISLANDSS

HAITIA ITIITIDOMINICAN DDREPUBLICRERE

ZAMBIA

UNITED STATES

NDAN

TANZANIA

SUDAN

RWANDAA

PERU

PAKISTAN NE ALNEPALNEPAL

LAWILMAA

KENYA

INDIA

ETHIOPIA

EGYPT

COLOMBIA

CHINA

CANADA

BRAZIL

AUSTRALIA

FIJI

TUVALU

KIRIBATI

TONGA

HONG KONG


Eastern & Southern Africa Asia PacificAmericasPlan National Offices West Africa

318,808children sponsored by Plan supporters worldwide




asia pacific

Plan National Offices: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Plan Program Countries: Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, Colombia*, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, India*, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries we work in through partner offices**: Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu

*India and Colombia are primarily Program Countries, but also operate as fundraising countries.**Plan does not operate child sponsorship programs in these countries.

ThIS yEAR »47,277 Australian sponsors contributed $22.3 Million to Plan’s community development projects across four regions.

Our supporters contributed $4.4 million to development projects designed and managed by Plan in Australia.

Our Australian child sponsors continued to sponsor more children in neighbouring countries in Asia than in other regions.


Santiago, 15, who participated in Plan-supported business skills training, speaks with confidence in front of his class in Alieu, Timor-Leste.

our performance


bEcOmINg A chAmPION fOR chILd RIghTSIn 2013 Plan in Australia completed the second year of our current five-year strategy, titled Champion for Child Rights.

It outlines Plan in Australia’s objectives for further and sustained growth, emphasising a focus on quality impact and influence to benefit children, while recognising that growth in income and organisational identity are essential to achieve this.

Child rights sits at the centre of our strategy. While it has long been the basis of our programming efforts, child rights is now

also the overarching theme of our engagement with the general community, donors and other institutions, enabling Plan to educate the public on the importance of child rights and be recognised as a leading child rights agency in Australia.

On the following pages we report on our progress towards our four strategic goals of impact, influence, identity and income.

A complete summary of the strategy can be viewed at plan.org.au/our-approach

OUR STRATEgyOur 2012–2016 Strategic Framework is comprised of a set of organisational goals and enablers.

ASPIRATION

hIgh LEvEL gOALS

SUPPORTINg gOALS

ENAbLERS

» HIGH LEVEL GOALSThe high level goals set targets for the most important outcomes of our work: increasing our impact and influence.

» ASPIRATIONThe aspiration crystallises our work around the central idea of being a champion for child rights. This aspiration inspires each level and initiative within the overall strategy.

» SUPPORTING GOALSThe supporting goals set targets for the delivery areas (identity and income) that enable the higher level goals to be achieved.

» ENABLERSThe enablers establish the environment that makes achievement of the goals possible. The structure of goals and enablers is based on a modified Balanced Score Card approach for not for profits.


gOAL 1 : ImPAcT

See Water,

Sanitation & hygiene

page 17

See disaster

managementpage 18

See plan.org.au/

SOc

Plan in Australia will have a significant and lasting impact on the fulfillment of child rights for more children around the world.

Specifically we have set out to increase the scale and reach of our programming and to deepen the quality of the interaction with children, families, communities and program

partners over the life of the strategy.

Plan in Australia will have a tangible influence on the perceptions, policies and practices that uphold child rights. Specifically we have set out to double our influence by achieving the following:

gOAL 2 : INfLUENcE

ObjECtIvE / By 2016 the number of children reached by Plan in Australia will more than double from 1.2 million to 2.5 million, and we will increase the total number of people we reach in communities from 2.8 million to 5.6 million.

»» This objective was reached in year 1 of our strategy. In year 2, our Plan in Australia-managed projects increased 17.5% from 63 to 74.

»» Our WASH program in Pakistan continued to benefit millions of children and their families. This year alone, 2.6 million people gained access to toilets in their villages, meaning they no longer defecate in the open.

ObjECtIvE / Plan in Australia programs will be operational in at least two additional regions around the world.

»» We expanded our new climate change adaptation program in the Pacific, directly benefitting 10,000 people this year.

ObjECtIvE / We will improve the understanding of child rights among our staff, supporters and donors.

»» We began the process of converting our monthly donation giving option, Priority Project Sponsorship, into a child rights focused fundraising initiative with clear child rights messages as its foundation.

»» We developed a new child rights training program for new and existing staff and refined it over the year with feedback from participants.

»» We began new projects in Myanmar, Malawi and Benin – three countries Plan in Australia has not operated in previously.

ObjECtIvE / by 2016 a greater proportion of our Plan in Australia programs will target significantly marginalised groups, and gender equality and disability inclusion will be apparent in all of our programs.

»» We developed a gender equality self assessment tool, enabling our Program Managers to incorporate explicit gender equality outcomes and strategies into their development project designs.

»» Together with the CBM-Nossal partnership, we provided technical advice and in-country capacity building on disability inclusion for Plan offices in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia and Zambia.

ObjECtIvE / We will increase the number of child rights issues that we take up on behalf of children with decision-makers, policy makers and influencers with good quality public policy positions.

»» In May, we made a submission (focused on early forced marriage) and participated in public hearings for the national inquiry into Trafficking, Slavery and Slavery-like practices led by the DFAT Human Rights Subcommittee.

PERfORmANcE SUmmARy


TA SK F O RCE

CH

ILD RIGHTS

See Institutional Support page 33

See Quality

Storytelling page 24

See campaigns & Advocacypage 21

See Policy

Engagement page 22

FavouriteTHINGSA STORy By HENNOck

Plan in Australia will strengthen our income portfolio to support our expanded child rights programming for children.

Plan in Australia will establish a strong identity as the leading child rights agency in Australia.

gOAL 3 : INcOmE

gOAL 4 : IdENTITy

»» We strengthened our advocacy capability through the appointment of a new Campaign Manager to steer our Because I am a Girl campaign and to contribute to our external engagement activities more broadly.

ObjECtIvE / Plan in Australia will become the leader among peer agencies and within the Plan family for advocating on behalf of child rights.

»» We supported the Child Rights Task Force by partnering with UNICEF on two child-friendly and youth-friendly versions of the concluding observations from the Committee on the Rights of the Child, due for release in November 2013.

»» We were an active and leading member of the ACFID Child Rights Working Group, which this year held or supported several key events to engage the Australian development sector in child rights issues.

»» Our meeting with the UN Special Representative on Violence against Children, (Marta Santos Pais), resulted in her including our key advocacy asks regarding participation of children with disabilities and the importance of early childhood care and education in her speech to the delegates as well as in her press release.

ObjECtIvE / by 2016 we will double the number of people that are engaged with Plan’s work as advocates and campaigners from a little over 100,000 to more than 250,000.

»» We reached 1.2 million people through Twitter on International Day of the Girl.

»» Our Facebook followers increased by 80%.

»» Over 20,000 Australians pledged their support for girls’ education through our Because I am a Girl ‘raise your hands’ app on our Facebook page.

ObjECtIvE / We will double the size of our income over the five years of the strategy from $41 million to $82 million, with an aspiration to become a $100 million agency through a focus on innovation and efficiency.

»» We had a 27% increase in grant income, from 20.8 million in 2012 to 25.6 million in 2013.

ObjECtIvE / We will increase our unprompted recall from 1% to between 8 and 10%; double our total awareness from 22% at the commencement of the strategy to 40% plus; and increase the degree to which Plan is associated with promoting child rights and supporting equality for women and girls.

»» We began producing a series of short films to engage and educate our supporters about child rights.

»» The number of Girls Champions (making monthly donations to Girls Fund) increased 292%.

»» We secured another four-year funding agreement under ANCP through AusAID, with a value of $36.9 million over FY14–17.

»» In March we embarked on the first phase of a brand refresh for Plan in Australia, to ensure our child rights agenda is clearly visible in our external brand. In 2014 we’ll roll out new brand communications and undertake a second brand equity study to measure how well Plan is recognised among our Australian audiences.

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http://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/story/2012-09-13_538


our work with

children

Hennock, 5, and Beza, 6, compete in a laughing competition at their Plan-supported kindergarten in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.


OUR PROgRAmS The Plan in Australia programs team works in Asia-Pacific and South-East Africa to implement projects that bring meaningful, long lasting change in the lives of children, their families and their communities. At the core of our approach is the knowledge that helping children access their rights can lead to long-term, generational change. Our program strategy integrates a child rights-based approach with social inclusion strategies for women and girls, people with disabilities, young people, and the poorest and most marginalised.

Over the past year we focused on responding to the new global strategy from Plan International: One Plan, One Goal: Rights and Opportunities for Every Child, which puts greater emphasis on identifying those children and groups who are most marginalised and enabling them to realise their full potential. Through this strategy Plan aims to:

»» reach more children, making sure those who are currently excluded are not left out;

»» implement high-quality programs based on clear research and agreed policies;

»» adapt and expand successful programs across communities and countries.

The following information summarises Plan in Australia’s program work in response to the global strategy as well as Plan in Australia’s organisational strategy, across the key issues of Education; Child Development; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; Making a Living; Food and Families; Rights in the Community; and Disaster Management.

See: plan-international.org/about-plan/how-we-work/strategy

hIghLIghTS IN 2013

EdUcATIONPlan in Australia’s approach to education is to focus on hard-to-reach groups of children and to work with teachers and governments to improve the quality of learning in the classroom.

Through this, girls and boys can gain relevant skills that help them in later life.

This year Plan in Australia worked with Plan Bangladesh, the Government of Bangladesh, UNICEF and local organisations to develop an inclusive education model. The model will be rolled out in 50 government schools in five areas of Bangladesh, including urban Dhaka, and will assist the government in its efforts to include children with disabilities in mainstream schools through teacher training and intensive work with school communities, families and children.

Our work with the Mangyan tribal people in the Philippines continued to respond to exclusion issues around culture and ethnicity, and language as a barrier to learning. Our Alternative Learning System (ALS) program was developed to respond to the challenges faced by tribal children excluded from formal learning

due to factors including remoteness, relevance of curriculum, dominant language of instruction (Tagalog), discrimination and poverty.

As a result of the ALS program:

»» 3,597 people have been directly reached in 36 communities, comprising the seven tribal groups of Occidental Mindoro;

»» 107 young people from four tribes took the education department equivalency test in November 2012 and 40 teachers have undergone further intensive training;

»» 127 teachers sat the Board exam for recognition of their skills by the Philippines Government.

chILd dEvELOPmENTPlan in Australia’s approach to child development is guided by international best practice to ensure that children aged 0–8 have the best outcomes for physical, social and

emotional development as well as language development and learning.

We work with families to make sure that children grow up happy and healthy and ready to learn. We also work with communities, schools and governments to promote community-managed interventions, primarily through community early learning centres. These centres are set up with the objective of giving all children – including those who are marginalised and disabled – access to quality care and learning without discrimination.

In 2013 Plan in Australia supported child development projects in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Laos, India, Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia.

In Indonesia:

»» 1,734 children attended a quality preschool program, implemented at 45 early learning centres across three islands in Nusa Tenggara Timur;

»» 72 parenting groups (including 13 Father’s Groups) were supported, with 1,287 parents taking part. The groups organised clean-up days around health centres and preschools, helped establish new early learning centres, and created community gardens to provide supplementary food for children attending the centres;

»» 94% of parents attended parenting groups to learn positive parenting practices, and were observed using these practices at home.

For further information on all of our programs, see Plan in Australia’s Annual Effectiveness review: plan.org.au/AER

http://plan-international.org/about-plan/how-we-work/strategy/strategy/


case study The right to play in Ethiopia

Five-year-old Hennock wants to be a pilot. “A pilot in a helicopter,” he says. “I want to go anywhere I like. I want to take my friends to the countryside!”

It’s an ambitious goal for a little boy who lives in one of the poorest countries on earth. A place where 36 million people are struggling to survive – a place where most children are denied their right to play because they need to fetch water, tend to crops or care for their siblings.

But not Hennock. Despite sharing a single room home with his family, he is one of the few children in Ethiopia who have access to a quality early learning centre. There are trained teachers, proper education materials and lots of other kids to interact with.

Play is crucial for a child’s development and scientifically proven to help brain development. Through play, children experience fun, joy and success. They can process and manage emotions. Build social skills. Learn to share. Discover, explore and get creative.

The Right to Play is an essential part of growing up, and one that ensures children reach their full potential.

But according to a 2008 report, just 4.2 percent of all Ethiopian children were enrolled in early childhood education centres. This means millions are still missing out on their right to play. And it’s these children who are more likely to be stuck in poverty for the rest of their lives.

Plan is working to change this. By supporting culturally relevant, age-appropriate early childhood activities, we are preparing children for school and for later life. To make sure these activities are sustainable in the future, we are supporting communities to set up early learning centres; training teachers and parents on how to best support the development of young children; and working with the government to develop policies and initiatives that promote the importance of early learning and development for children.

Today, thousands of Ethiopian children are getting a better start in life. Children like Hennock who, one day, may well be flying in his helicopter, taking his friends to the countryside.

Hennock is benefitting from Plan’s Early Learning project in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Photos: Hennock engages in different age-appropriate activities in class.


WATER, hygIENE ANd SANITATIONPlan in Australia’s approach to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene issues (WASH) is to support and empower children and their families to lead their own improvements, and to specifically focus upon

girls, women and people living with disabilities so that the benefits are experienced by all.

Central to our approach is the concept that sustainable improvements must be led by behaviour change. This is exemplified through our highly successful Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) programs, where Plan supports communities to identify the WASH problems, determine solutions, and implement their own behaviour and infrastructure improvements.

Our achievements this year included:

»» In Laos, child-friendly and gender-friendly water and sanitation facilities (including toilets and hand-washing stations) were rehabilitated or constructed in 18 schools. The program also focused on teaching children good hygiene habits, particularly hand washing with soap.

»» In Indonesia, Plan supported a local association of sanitation entrepreneurs called PAPSIGRO. We provided members with disability awareness training and follow-up support, encouraging them to offer people with disabilities a range of toilet options including features such as hand railings and ramps.

»» In Indonesia, 44 villages in Grobogan District were certified ‘open defecation free’ (ODF), meaning the practice of people defecating out in the open has been eliminated. This brings the total number of OFD villages in the project area to 149, which is 97% of the targeted villages for this project.

»» In Pakistan, more than 3,800 villages were triggered for CLTS, resulting in an extra 2.6 million people using toilets in their villages instead of defecating in the open. This highly successful three-phase project is now concluded, with a total of 7.4 million people across 32 districts in six provinces benefiting from having safe and hygienic toilets.

»» In Kenya, more than 12,000 people now have access to an improved water supply as a result of an extension to the Mwampula and Jaribuni pipeline. More than 70% of the users of the extended pipeline now walk less than one kilometre to collect water, down from an average of five kilometres before the project.

»» In Uganda, 427 children (111 Boys, 316 girls) were trained on menstrual hygiene management. This training encompassed issues related to puberty, adolescence and menstruation, good hygiene practice, school sanitation, materials used during menstruation and implications for health, and challenges girls face during menstruation.

mAkINg A LIvINgOur approach involves working with families to identify pathways for change, and providing training in vocational and entrepreneurial skills so individuals and families can build their own businesses.

In 2013 Plan in Australia supported projects in rural Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines that assisted families to make a living by increasing and diversifying their household income sources.

Our highly successful Empowering Families project in northern Cambodia is an integrated program that addresses the underlying causes of generational poverty for families. This year:

»» All 600 partner families demonstrated improved livelihoods skills and 80% of families reported improved production, more diversified income sources and improved food sufficiency.

»» 218 family members established co-operatives to produce and sell agricultural products. A market outlet established in Siem Reap is functioning well and families are selling their products at better prices than before, when they sold them through middlemen or traders.

»» A total of 1,891 poorest and most vulnerable families actively engaged in individual and family counseling, and 90% of families who completed the counseling have shown positive behavioral changes, evidenced by a reduction in domestic violence, increased confidence in accessing public services and in solving the family issues by themselves.

In 2013 Plan in Australia also began focusing on the important emerging area of Youth Economic Empowerment, and related Plan programs are now being implemented in Timor-Leste, Cambodia and Bangladesh, with expansions planned for 2014 and beyond.

fOOd & fAmILIESPlan in Australia’s food and nutrition projects enable children to have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food at all times. We work with families and communities to make sustainable

improvements to their harvest quality, farming methods and resilience to food crises.

In 2013 Plan in Australia supported projects of this kind in Indonesia, the Philippines, Zimbabwe, Cambodia, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

In Zimbabwe, Plan is working with the most food insecure households, with a particular focus on female headed households, and households with family members with a disability. Our project is working in Chiredzi, Mwenezi and Chipinge districts, helping families to improve food security through improved local farming techniques.


This year:

»» 240 community farmers (72% women) received foundation seeds and were mentored in small grain seed multiplication, in order to produce good quality grain stocks locally;

»» The majority of women seed farmers were female heads of food-insecure households; a number of women reported feeling more empowered and recognised in their communities due to their participation as seed multipliers;

»» Farmers involved in 41 nutrition gardens in Chiredzi (established through a previous AusAID funded project) were trained in food processing, to pass on knowledge to 1,230 other garden group members;

»» In April the project organised 26 educational road shows, using theatre and music to convey messages about gender equality, child protection and advantages of small grain cereal crops and legumes to enhance household food security. These shows reached over 30,000 people in the three districts.

RIghTS IN ThE cOmmUNITyPlan in Australia works to promote and protect peoples’ rights within their communities, while influencing

governments which are responsible for the protection of rights in line with international human rights commitments and national law.

In 2013 Plan in Australia continued to implement a multi-country Promoting Rights and Accountabilities in African Communities (PRAAC) Program. The program aims to change community members’ and duty bearers’ attitudes and behavior, and encourage non-discrimination and the equality and inclusion of marginalised people (including the poorest, women, young people and people with disabilities).

»» In Uganda, the program has contributed to a civil society coalition led by the Centre for Domestic Violence Prevention. This has resulted in stronger guidelines for implementing the Domestic Violence Act by the Ugandan Government.

»» In Zimbabwe, rights awareness sessions reached over 6,000 people, covering discrimination against women and girls, their rights to live free from violence, sexual and reproductive health rights, rights for people with disabilities, child rights, and women’s economic and farming rights.

»» In Kenya, the program supported ongoing health rights training for communities, along with strengthening of health services for marginalized people. This increased their access to services for general health, counseling, HIV/AIDS support, maternal, child and reproductive health.

For more information and case studies, see the Annual Effectiveness Review 2012, page 43.

dISASTER mANAgEmENTOur approach to disaster management is focused on protecting children from harm. We work with children, their families and communities to reduce the risks from disasters, and to give life-saving support when disasters strike.

This year we continued to build our capacity to support children in crisis. While there were fewer major disasters to respond to, we focused our efforts on preventative programs that reduce risk to children and their communities from disasters caused by climate change and food shortages.

In 2013 our Child Centered Climate Change Adaptation program (six countries in the Pacific, four countries in Asia) completed its second year with impressive outcomes and concrete outputs, including the development of national educational resources, teacher manuals, and toolkits.

»» Across the program, 3,174 people in Asia and 797 people in the Pacific were provided with climate resilience training, and 18,213 people in Asia and 6,694 people in the Pacific were exposed to awareness raising campaigns and activities highlighting climate change and environment issues.

»» In Vietnam, more than 380 teachers from 255 schools were trained on the Climate Change Adaptation teacher manual (developed in the previous year). A total of 240 communication events were organised to raise children’s awareness about climate change, with participation from more than 3,000 children.

»» In the Pacific, around 60 teachers were trained as facilitators in climate change education. Resource materials such as toolkits, teacher training guides, story books, posters and videos on child-centred climate change adaptation were also developed.

In August 2012 Plan in Australia initiated food distribution under the AusAID Humanitarian Sahel Response (Niger).

»» We reached more than 30,000 people with emergency food and vouchers to support recovery.

»» We reached 11,210 people with emergency nutrition programming.

»» We supported ten health centres (servicing a catchment population of more than 122,000) with necessary medical equipment to support the treatment and support of malnutrition.

Plan’s partnership with World Food Programme (WFP) has grown significantly in South Sudan, Cambodia and Zimbabwe. This year our program in Jonglei, South Sudan included food distributions and assistance in the areas of agriculture production, child protection in emergencies, education, and water, sanitation and hygiene. Through this program Plan in Australia directly supported 101,657 individuals, including 50,245 children.


case study

chALLENgES & PRIORITIESIn 2013, cuts to government aid budgets around the world and rising debt levels have posed challenges to international development agencies and impact on people living in poverty, many of whom are children. Given the global economic outlook, Plan in Australia is continuing to identify new donors and partners and work on emerging issues such as supporting new projects with children vulnerable to climate change in the Asia-Pacific region.

People aged under 25 currently represent more than half the world’s population and, over the next decade, more than one billion children will transition through adolescence into adulthood. In the next decade, it is estimated that 1.3 billion young people

will enter the labour market but only 300 million new jobs are likely to be created. Preparing children and young people to participate in the economy is an important step for their transition into adulthood and out of poverty. In response, Plan in Australia is developing new programming with disadvantaged youth in Timor-Leste, Cambodia, the Philippines and Bangladesh that will complement our ongoing work with poor households, to enable families to provide a healthy and nurturing environment in which children can reach their full potential.

The right to health in UgandaI started my period when I was 15. My mother never talked to me about it, and when I first saw it, I was scared. My friends told me that when I start my period I should use a rag. They didn’t explain it – they just told me to do it. So I tore up my old clothes and made the rags to use.

I started getting itchy. I told my mother but she said, “That never happened to me. Maybe it’s just going to be like that for you”. I didn’t have any way to treat it or stop it. Now I know it was an infection.

I missed a lot of school when I had my period. Every month I would miss three or four days. I was fearful of going to school when I had it.

I’d had my period for about one year when I received the health training at my school.

The main topics were puberty, menstruation, menstrual hygiene, adolescence, and the dangers of early marriage and pregnancy. I learnt many things that I didn’t know before. I learnt a lot about looking after myself during my period and about the importance of bathing in the morning and in the evening, and that I have to change my pad three times during the day.

I also learnt to use Afripads (locally made, reusable pads) – about how often to change them during different flows and how to wash them. Since I started using the Afripads, the itching has stopped and I no longer have any health problems like infections.

I am grateful for the training. Now everybody is comfortable, no one at school gets stains on their dresses and no one is scared of their period. All the girls are coming to school every day and our grades are better. No one is upset about getting their period any more.

Maureen is benefiting from Plan’s Menstrual Hygiene Management program in Tororo, Uganda.

Photos: Maureen at her school in Tororo, Uganda.


engaging australia

Plan supporters raise their hands for girls’ education at our International Day of the Girl event at City Square in Melbourne.


cAmPAIgNS & AdvOcAcy bEcAUSE I Am A gIRLBecause I am a Girl is Plan International’s global campaign aimed at supporting millions of girls to get the education, skills and support they need to transform their lives and the world around them.

The campaign has been operating since 2007, mainly through the promotion of Plan International’s State of the World’s Girls report

series. This has evolved into a fully integrated campaign involving public advocacy, fundraising and public engagement, as well as a more expansive and innovative international girls-related program portfolio to help millions of girls around the world access their rights and break free from poverty.

The campaign launched on 11 October 2012, the inaugural UN International Day of the Girl Child – an official day that Plan played a leading role in lobbying the UN to introduce.

kEy AchIEvEmENTS

»» On 11th October we held a public event in City Square, Melbourne, hosted by Imogen Bailey, star of the SBS program Go Back to Where you Came From. The event featured:

» a photo booth with costumes where members of the public could get their photo taken raising their hands; » a ‘pledge wall’ for supporters to write inspiring messages in support of girls’ rights; » the presentation of a short film: Lamana’s Story; » speeches by Imogen Bailey and Plan’s own Youth Representative, Liz Wright.

»» Globally, Plan asked the public to raise their hands for girls’ education.

»» Our supporters were able to do this via an app on our Facebook page. The number of raised hands reached the one million goal before the 2013 International Day of the Girl and continues to grow steadily.

»» We launched a new campaign website with inspiring content to educate and engage our supporters in understanding the barriers to girls’ education, and get involved with the campaign through our online petition to End Child Marriage.

»» Prime Minister Julia Gillard proudly launched the inaugural International Day of the Girl Child in Australia, at a Parliament House event in Canberra which was a collaboration between the Australian Council for International Development, Plan International and the United Nations Information Centre. Parliamentarians, the diplomatic community, girls from the YWCA and the National Congress of First Peoples attended the launch.

»» A statement signed by over 30 Australian development and human rights organisations was shared at the launch, calling for Australia and world leaders to prioritise girls’ education.

»» At this event the Prime Minister gave an inspiring speech to officially launch International Day of the Girl.

»» The image of the Prime Minister raising her hand for girls was screened in Times Square, NY and the UN on 11 October.

»» We distributed thousands of advocacy postcards enabling our supporters to easily lobby the Australian Government to do more to stop child marriage.

»» We held a series of donor network events, including:

» A business network lunch held in Sydney and Melbourne in partnership with our corporate partner Marsh & McLennan Companies. More than 300 guests were in attendance at each event;

» A breakfast event in Adelaide in partnership with our Women for Girls Adelaide group.

»» The events provided unique opportunities for business groups, major donors and other Plan supporters to network around the topic of girls’ rights.

»» We raised in excess of $70,000 through silent auctions and raffles.

»» Guest speakers included Kirsty Sword-Gusmao, former first lady of Timor-Leste.

Find out more about the campaign: seebecauseiamagirl.com.au

http://plan-international.org/about-plan/resources/videos/child-marriage-lamanas-story/

http://www.becauseiamagirl.com.au


Next yearOver the coming year Plan in Australia will expand the scope of our Because I am a Girl campaign by:

»» further developing our programmatic expertise around girls’ education;

»» prioritising our program response to critical barriers to girls’ education, such as child marriage;

»» promoting female leadership;

»» building a social movement of young advocates for change, inspiring Australia to become a global leader in the advancement of girls’ rights and gender equality.

POLIcy ENgAgEmENTEngaging the governmentIn 2013 Plan in Australia continued to engage with key policy and decision makers at national and global levels on issues central to our work.

In collaboration with our Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) team, we worked to focus the attention of decision makers on the importance of ECCD to achieve development outcomes. Together with Australia National University (ANU), we sponsored an ECCD Symposium at the Children’s Policy Centre at ANU, which was attended by a range of ECCD professionals from academia and development agencies. Plan in Australia engaged Dr Pia Britto, a leading expert in ECCD from Yale University, to lead the symposium and work with key Australian academic and public servants within AusAID about the importance of ECCD in development.

In May, Plan in Australia made a submission and participated in public hearings for the national inquiry into Trafficking, Slavery and Slavery-like practices led by the DFAT Human Rights Subcommittee. Our submission focused on early forced marriage and supports the work we are doing at the international level, which builds on the attention brought to this issue at CHOGM in 2012. The intention of the submission, our presence at the hearing and our later public comments about this issue is to ensure early forced marriage is regarded in the context of a human rights abuse and therefore included in the government’s efforts to address slavery-like practices. We are continuing to push for greater attention and leadership to be paid to this issue globally.

Australian Civil SocietyAlso in May, the ACFID Child Rights Working Group (of which Plan in Australia is an active and leading member) partnered with Dr Sharon Bessel and the ANU Centre for Children’s Policy to deliver a one-day conference on the issues and challenges relating to the exponential increase in the population of young people in developing countries around the world. The conference brought together more than 80 participants from the sector, government and academia. The discussions and observations from the day were captured in a Plan-produced publication, currently in production and due for release in October 2013.

We’ve also supported the Child Rights Task Force by partnering with UNICEF on two child-friendly and youth-friendly versions of the concluding observations from the Committee on the Rights of the Child, due for release in November 2013.

See the Annual Effectiveness Review, pp.62–63 for more information on Plan in Australia’s policy partnerships and activities.

Research and thought leadershipIn 2013 Plan in Australia partnered with a range of organisations on several research projects. We’re currently working in partnership with Monash University’s Castan Centre for Human Rights and a range of other organisations on ‘Closing the Gap: Indigenous Birth Registration’ – a research project which aligns with ‘Count Every Child’, Plan International’s global campaign for birth registration.

We’ve also partnered with Monash University and Deakin University on research proposals about ECCD provision in low resource communities and the factors influencing the disaster resilience capacities of disabled children. Other research initiatives are in the pipeline to further explore early marriage and climate change adaptation capacities.

In November 2012 we provided sponsorship for the ACFID University Linkages Conference, and contributed through presentations about our work on improving gender targeting in WASH programs.

cONNEcTINg WITh yOUNg PEOPLEYouth PACTPlan in Australia continued to engage with young Australians through work with our Youth Project team (Youth PACT).

Youth PACT are a team of young people interested in combating the issues that are plaguing the wider world through raising awareness and encouraging small changes in everyday life. The team of ten young people from both urban and rural Victoria engage their peers and other young Australians in aid and development issues by raising awareness of Plan’s work. In 2013 the Youth PACT continued to gain momentum with members attending the UN Youth expo, being part of Plan’s Gender Agenda and speaking at public events such as the One Just World forum in Sydney, Plan’s Day of the Girl celebrations and the Youth Bulge conference. During the year Youth PACT welcomed four new members, and one member was appointed to a Plan campaign working group as the youth representative – an exciting new venture for Plan in Australia as part of its commitment to youth participation.

Australian school engagementThe Plan and Global Poverty Project Youth and Schools Program continued into its second year, reaching over 14,000 secondary school students across Australia. Through this partnership, Plan in Australia has worked closely with the Global Poverty Project to develop the Youth in Schools Project. Key achievements for 2013 include:

»» Over 130 individual events held in schools and communities throughout Australia;

»» 445 young people signing up for further learning through the Global Citizens program, a new online learning and sharing platform designed to allow more young people to learn about the issues, and find opportunities to support campaigns and organisations creating sustainable change.

Schools across Australia have been directly supporting Plan’s efforts to provide access to education and a great start in life for children all over the world. Over 2,500 schools have donated $105,000 through sponsorship of children.


case study A part of history

by Liz Wright

Until this year, 11 October never held any significance for me. It was just a regular date on the calendar that signalled the impending stress of end of year exams.

However this year was made very special, when after hard campaigning by Plan and other supporting organisations, the United Nations declared 11 October 2012 as the inaugural International Day of the Girl.

I was fortunate enough to be given the exciting honour of speaking at an event at City Square on 11 October, hosted by Imogen Bailey, on behalf of Plan and our Youth Project Team.

On the day I spoke about the importance of education. Any barriers that I have overcome are nothing compared to the one in three girls globally who is denied an education – through poverty, discrimination and violence. Every day young girls are taken out of school, forced into marriage and subjected to violence.

My education is allowing me to reach and achieve my goals. Largely because of my studies I have the freedom and confidence to make a difference in this world. Education opens doors and it has the key to unlock the potential inside everyone.

Despite having the spotlight shining momentarily on me, 11 October wasn’t about me. The day, its message and its significance is bigger than me and bigger than Plan.

I was just lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. This is for all the girls around the world who are not in a position to use their voice or whose voices go unheard. Young girls like Malala from Pakistan who are targeted for their activism and opinions. This is for you.

I want to thank Plan for providing the platform and the opportunity to speak at such an historic event. October 11 is now an important day in my life. If you are female, or if you have a sister, a mother, a daughter, wife or girlfriend – then I hope it will now be an important day in your life too.

Liz with media personality Imogen Bailey at Plan’s International Day of the Girl event at City Square in Melbourne.


mEdIA & cOmmUNIcATIONScOvERAgE IN ThE mEdIAMedia coverage of Plan and our work reached new heights in 2013, with much of the attention centered on our Because I am a Girl campaign. When Prime Minister Julia Gillard raised her hand for girls’ education on the first International Day of the Girl on 11 October, it kicked off 24 hours of intense media activity:

»» The image of Prime Minister Julia Gillard raising her hand for girls’ education featured on page seven of The Australian.

»» Our Senior Childs Rights Specialist Amalia Fawcett appeared on Channel Ten’s The Project.

»» Go Back to Where You Came From star Imogen Bailey appeared at our event at Melbourne’s City Square, which was featured with a photo and article on page four of MX.

»» The Herald Sun published an opinion piece by celebrity chef Manu Feildel, about his experiences in Africa with Plan.

»» MindFood magazine published a feature article about Plan’s project to reduce child marriage in Cameroon.

»» Mamamia published a blog post about child marriage, written by Plan’s Content & Communications Officer Sinead Blessing.

»» The Age published a powerful opinion piece by our CEO Ian Wishart, about the need for an International Day of the Girl.

But these were not the only media highlights of the year:

»» Early childhood specialist Dr Pia Britto appeared for Plan on radio around the country.

»» Plan in Australia winning the PwC Transparency Award was widely reported, including in the Australian Financial Review.

»» Plan held a conference on the global ‘Youth Bulge’. Interviews with Amalia Fawcett appeared on ABC Radio National’s Life Matters and with Ian Wishart on 71 regional radio stations.

Visit our Media Centre online to view Plan in the media: plan.org.au/mediacentre

OUR dIgITAL jOURNEyIn November 2012 we launched a new Plan in Australia website, featuring stronger storytelling through images, blogging and social media touch points. The site integrates seamlessly with our Customer Relations Management system, allowing us to better understand our supporter needs through browsing behaviour, interactions and gifts.

We also created a new social media growth plan in June 2013, charting the path for growth in our engagement with supporters and the wider Australian community through campaigns and daily communications. Over the year this has resulted in:

»» An 80% increase in our Facebook followers through Plan Australia’s Facebook page;

»» An 89% increase in our Facebook followers through our Because I am a Girl Facebook page;

»» 1.2 million people reached through Twitter on International Day of the Girl, including a Re-tweet by Kevin Rudd, Minister for Foreign Affairs;

»» 202,523 people visited our website, with almost one million page views;

»» A record number of Likes and people reached through our Facebook posts for World Refugee Day, the Stop the Hunger campaign with Manu Feildel and Valentine’s Day.

QUALITy STORyTELLINgIn 2013 we focused on creating and collecting better stories, photos and videos to feed our digital communications channels and show our supporters what’s happening on the ground.

Overseas, we worked with our local colleagues in Plan country offices to document the personal stories of some of the children we’re working with, making sure their voices and opinions were captured. In Australia our creative team tried new innovative approaches to storytelling, such as the new video series for Supporter of Change: supporterofchange.org.au

Our efforts have resulted in a dramatic increase in the content we have to share with our supporters. To house these new collections, in 2013 we developed and launched the Communications Hub – an online library of all Plan in Australia’s images, stories and video content, accessible to all staff.


our supporters

Christine, 15, plays with her friends at her Plan-supported school in Tororo District, Uganda.


bUSINESS PARTNERShIPSOvERvIEWChildren are impacted by business in a multitude of ways, both directly and indirectly. Plan in Australia works with businesses of all sizes to make a positive impact on the lives of children worldwide. We encourage businesses to meet their responsibility to respect children’s rights and value their support for our development programs through corporate fundraising, events and workplace giving.

INSPIRINg STAff fUNdRAISINgWe work with a number of business partners who inspire their staff to fundraise for Plan and make a lasting difference to the lives of vulnerable children.

Since 2005 Study Group has supported Plan through their Building Futures program, as a means to support education projects in developing countries. In total, Study Group staff have raised more than US $662,000 to give the world’s most disadvantaged children the education they’re entitled to achieve their full potential. In 2013 Study Group supported projects which benefited 5,000 children in Cambodia, providing teacher training, educational materials, playgrounds and sanitation infrastructures. This support also enabled Plan to advocate for more girls to attend school, and this has achieved a 98% attendance rate in the targeted schools.

Intrepid travel has been a valued partner for more than ten years, supporting Plan through the Intrepid Foundation and also their SAMA initiative which raises awareness for gender equality. In 2013 Intrepid’s committed staff created a series of gala fundraising

events to support two child development projects in Laos and Uganda. This support will give children in minority and remote communities a better start to life through preschool early learning activities and building the capacity of teachers and parents. In particular, it will break down the barriers to education for girls, who are typically the most likely to miss out on going to school.

Another long standing partner is Hobson’s, a global provider of services to the education sector. In 2013 Hobson’s staff raised

enough funds to furnish a seven room school building in Sindhuli, Nepal with school supplies, furniture and a library. The Shree Secondary School is located in one of the most remote districts in Nepal that is home to marginalised communities. By improving access to quality education, Hobson’s investment in this region will impact not only the existing students but the lives of many generations of children in the future.

bUSINESS AS AdvOcATES fOR chILdRENThe UN Global Compact, in conjunction with NGOs like Plan have been advocating for business to have a positive impact on children’s rights by establishing the Children’s Rights and Business Principles. The ten principles are a guide for businesses to respect and protect children’s rights and ensure that the best interests of the child are a primary consideration.

In 2013 Plan was co-host with the UNGCA of the inaugural forum on Child Rights and Business in Melbourne. The forum brought together representatives from large corporates such as Rio Tinto and Accenture along with government, academic and civil society participants to raise understanding of how all sectors can work together for a positive impact on children.

gIfTS IN kINdIn 2013 we were grateful to receive the support of businesses who offered their skills and expertise to support our work for children. DLA Piper is a global law firm with 4,200 employees worldwide and a strong commitment to corporate responsibility. DLA Piper have dedicated over 110 hours of their time and legal expertise to projects related to education, economic empowerment and equality. They have also provided staff training in contract

development and negotiation skills to Plan’s corporate services team, to enable us to work in the most efficient and effective way for children.

During the year we also received legal support from Corrs Chambers Westgarth and Lander & Rogers.

“We were forced to study in the congested classroom due to the lack of rooms in the school. The new classrooms will create an opportunity to have a safe and easy learning environment in the school. I am very happy and sincerely thank Plan and Hobson’s.”

Akriti, grade 5 student, Shree Higher Secondary school.


case study The power of global connections

“If more businesses worked with Plan, contributing their own set of skills and expertise to the mix, we could all achieve more significant benefits for the 56 million children that Plan supports,” says Daniel Creasey, the Asia Pacific Pro Bono Manager & Pro Bono Counsel at DLA Piper.

DLA Piper is Plan’s Global Pro Bono Counsel providing support with our day-to-day legal needs around the world. They have also been instrumental in providing legal skills and capacity building training for Plan staff, to enable us to work in the most efficient and effective way for children.

DLA Piper is a global law firm with 4,200 lawyers located in more than 30 countries. From its offices across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and the United States, legal and business advisers provide a comprehensive range of services to local, regional and international businesses. As one of the world’s largest providers of pro bono legal services, the firm has a strong commitment to pro bono and building a pro bono culture within the profession internationally. For DLA Piper, supporting Plan to help children access their rights embodies the firm’s approach to using pro bono to provide access to justice to those most in need.

“As one of the world’s largest children’s development organisations, with 75 years of experience, Plan has the local knowledge and networks that we rely on when collaborating with community partners to ensure our support reaches the individuals that need it most,” says Mr Creasey.

As one of the world’s largest children’s development organisations, Plan has the local knowledge and networks that we rely on when collaborating with community partners to ensure our support reaches the individuals that need it most.

“

” Daniel Creasey, the Asia Pacific Pro Bono Manager & Pro Bono Counsel at DLA Piper.


cOmmUNITy gIvINgOur passionate supporters continued to provide invaluable support throughout 2013. Whether they were organising an art exhibition, cycling through the Mekong Delta or selling their hand-made craft in a Perth market, they stood up against poverty and inequalities in support of vulnerable children.

PLAN AdvENTURERSThis year our Plan Adventurers embarked on two exciting trips overseas, raising $160,000 in total to support our work in Africa and Asia.

On the Cycle for Girls adventure, 31 dedicated supporters each raised at least $3,000 in support of our global Because I am a

Girl campaign. Over eight days they cycled 400 km, travelling deep into Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, through the rice paddies of southern Cambodia and up to Siem Reap, home to the temples of Angkor where they celebrated International Women’s Day.

In July 2012, nine adventurers took the journey of a lifetime to the rooftop of Africa. The team climbed Mt Kilimanjaro, the highest freestanding mountain in the world, to raise funds for water and sanitation projects in Tanzania. The trip culminated with the unique opportunity to visit community members who were directly impacted by their support near Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

Watch a video from the trek: plan.org.au/planadventurers

case study Three sisters who cycled for girls

Sister trio Amy, Josie and Anna didn’t have to think twice when they joined Plan earlier this year on a fundraising adventure called Cycle for Girls.

“I knew if I thought about logistics too much that I would talk myself out of it. I thought I just have to do this,” says Amy, 29, the eldest, who is herself a mother of three young girls. And who roped her sisters into the challenge.

“As soon as I read the email from Plan I immediately thought I’m doing this with my sisters,” she says.

In fact, Amy’s youngest daughter was three months old when she decided to send off her application (now that’s determination!). And that was that. With a little training and a lot of fundraising – over $12,000 between them – they were on their way to South-East Asia.

Over 12 days and 400km they joined a group of 27 other dedicated supporters to battle sweltering conditions and bumpy roads to cycle through Vietnam and Cambodia, collectively raising more than $120,000.

“It was amazing because my sisters were there with me. We had our moments where we rode together we would just chat our way through some of the hard parts, and then other times we would all be in different places and just ride by ourselves,” says Amy.

In addition to filling their senses with the sights, sounds and smells of Asia: floating markets, seaside villages and dazzling green rice fields, the group visited a Plan-supported project in Kampong Cham, to see firsthand the type of project the money they raised would support.

“Visiting the Plan project was amazing – words can’t describe that. We got to see how hands on Plan is and how committed they are, which was fantastic,” says Josie, the middle sister at 25.

So what would they say to others thinking about participating in next year’s Cycle for Girls?

“It’s such a hard thing to explain what you’ve experienced. So you often find yourself simply saying ‘it was amazing, you just have to do it for yourself’,” says Josie.

We couldn’t have said it better if we tried.

From L-R: Amy, Josie and Anna on Cycle for Girls.

WOmEN fOR gIRLSThe past year saw the launch of our Women for Girls movement that brings together the power of women in Australia to change the lives of girls, women and their families all over the world.

On 11 October 2012, as we celebrated the very first International Day of the Girl, Plan in Australia took the opportunity to launch Women for Girls at events in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.

Since then Women for Girls groups have continued to grow across Australia and are working hard to raise funds for gender equality. The Women for Girls group in Perth got together to create and sell art and craft at contemporary markets around the state, raising $1,500 to support Plan’s Child Marriage Project in Indonesia. Another Women for Girls group, Fight Like a Girl, created weekly boot camp sessions, asking all participants to donate $10 per session to support Plan’s Girls Fund.

To find out more about starting a Women For Girls group, visit womenforgirls.com.au

fOOd fOR LIfE INvESTmENT fUNdIn 2013 Plan launched the Food for Life investment fund to support our programs that help vulnerable families in Africa and Asia to achieve long-term food security. The fund is supported by major donors and philanthropists, and it’s off to a great start thanks to a generous $1 million donation from a long-standing Plan supporter.

With a goal of raising $10 million over five years, the Food for Life fund will establish a self-sustaining income stream that allows us to

plan ahead in our response to life threatening food shortages and enables us to work with affected communities to address some of the underlying issues that cause hunger in the first place.

cOmmUNITy fUNdRAISERSAcross Australia passionate supporters got their friends and families involved in supporting the work that Plan does to fight poverty. Here are just a few:

Girl Art ExhibitionSteph Hall, founder of GIRLart Exhibition held her second fundraising event in July 2012. The exhibition promotes the creative work of female artists, and Steph donated 50% of the art sale proceeds to support Plan’s Because I am a Girl campaign.

Conquering Mount Everest Pam Lynch from WA decided that she wanted to celebrate her 60th birthday conquering Mount Everest. She trained and enlisted her network to sponsor her journey to Everest Base Camp, raising $1,500 for Girls Fund. Pam said of her experience: “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it was well worth it!”

Good Reads; Good DeedsAfter Katrina Dowton attended a Because I am a Girl event, she was inspired to launch Good Reads for Girls Rights – a book fair where she sold pre-loved donated books, with all proceeds going towards Plan’s work for gender equality.


Pam Lynch conquered Mount Everest and raised $1,500 for Girls Fund.

http://www.womenforgirls.com.au


PUbLIc SUPPORTIn 2013 financial support from the public remained Plan in Australia’s main source of income to fund our work with communities in need. We continued to provide a variety of ways for supporters to donate to suit their interests and circumstances, either through one-off donations or ongoing monthly support.

Find out more about the different ways to donate to Plan: plan.org.au/donations

RAISINg fUNdSPlan seeks donations from the public in a number of ways, including face-to-face, direct mail, online, telemarketing and TV advertising. While striving for growth in telemarketing, online, TV and direct mail, face-to-face continues to bring in the highest number of new regular donors to Plan.

In its second year, Plan’s in-house face-to-face fundraising team continues to strengthen, and complements our work with two external face-to-face agencies.

Telemarketing continues to provide solid results in upgrade, conversion, cross-sell and reactivation campaigns, with particular success in reactivating lapsed sponsors this year.

We have seen huge success in our direct mail channel this year, primarily through the Food Appeal. We continue to work with suppliers who are providing valuable insight into what works for Plan, with results and insights building with every appeal.

Acquiring new sponsors online has been a challenge in the last half of the year with the re-launch of the new website. There will be continued focus on this area moving into FY14, which will allow us to make the necessary improvements to enable this channel to grow.

We changed our direct response TV strategy this year by introducing a new girls’ ad and redeveloping our sponsorship ad. We are working with new suppliers who are giving us in-depth analysis and insight into direct response TV, and will build from this year’s learnings into FY14. TV advertising continues to be an important part of Plan’s overall marketing strategy, especially in driving traffic to our website and generating awareness of Plan.

$22,357,30384.0%

$1,019,7074%

$1,415,7705%

$1,985,3407%

Funds raised through appeals (including through the Children in Crisis Fund)

Funds raised through Child Sponsorship

Funds raised through Priority Project Sponsorship

Funds raised for Girls Fund through one-off donations and Girls Champion contributions

PROdUcT PERfORmANcE


Child SponsorshipBuilding on previous years, we continued to sign up new child sponsors through channels other than face-to-face (e.g. from TV advertising and online), reducing our reliance on face-to-face fundraising. However this channel still provided strong numbers and the increased volume of new sponsors has enabled Plan to start off on a strong footing in 2014.

Priority Project SponsorshipPriority Project sponsorship experienced a minor decline this year, as we focused our efforts towards planning to relaunch it as a child rights-focused fundraising initiative called Supporter of Change. A small number of donors joined up via the face-to-face fundraising channel, however there were no major acquisition campaigns due to the imminent re-launch of the product in August 2014.

Girls Fund / Girls ChampionOur supporters are showing strong interest in Plan’s work on gender equality and are inspired to support Plan’s work in this area.

This year saw exceptional results for our Girls Fund through one-off donations and regular monthly support from Girls Champions, the number of which increased 292% from the previous year. This was part of a strategic effort to grow our funding to this vital area of work. As part of this strategy we developed a new Girls Fund TV ad to test within an overall direct response TV strategy, which gave us significant learnings to build on in the coming year.

This year saw a massive increase in the number of supporters signing up to be Girls Champions, with the majority of this growth coming from the face-to-face channel. Existing Girls Champions enjoyed a better supporter experience with more engaging communications from Plan through email and our Because I am a Girl campaign.

Children in Crisis / Emergency appealsIn fundraising for our food security programs, we focused on launching a food appeal primarily for direct mail and online channels. This approach was hugely successful, raising more than half a million dollars for our work in Zimbabwe and Cambodia helping children access their right to food.

Additionally, we ran a small direct mail and online appeal in response to the West Africa food crisis, raising just over $129,000.

In 2013 there were no major sudden onset disasters that required Plan to launch a public appeal.

Online gift shopOur online gift shop continued to grow steadily and provides an exciting platform for marketing at Plan. In 2013 we improved our gift offering and grew the shop income by 18% from the previous year. The foundations are now in place to develop the shop further in 2014 and beyond.

NUmbER Of chILd SPONSORS INcREASEd

by 9%

NUmbER Of SPONSORS dEcREASEd

by 2%

NUmbER Of chILdREN IN cRISIS chAmPIONS INcREASEd

by 35%

NUmbER Of gIfTS SOLd INcREASEd by 74%

NUmbER Of gIRLS chAmPIONS INcREASEd by 292%

Thank you for helping us empower girls to change the world. As a Girls Champion, you are part of a growing group in the Plan family who understands the incredible importance of standing up for girls.

Tackling the unique barriers that girls and women face is key to breaking the poverty cycle in developing countries. Your support is that crucial!

So I would like to extend a huge thank you for being a Girls Champion and provide you with this update to give you an insight into how your support is helping.

This edition highlights the child development work we are doing in Asia and Africa to help empower girls, and includes a real life story showing how your support is helping to end the practice of child marriage in Indonesia.

Also mentioned is our Because I am a Girl campaign, which last year raised awareness globally about the importance of education for girls. This campaign was instrumental in Plan successfully lobbying the international community to have October 11 declared the ‘International Day of the Girl Child’.

This marks a significant step towards our global effort to break the barriers for girls and enable communities to move from poverty to opportunity.

Thank you for taking an active part in this movement!

We hope you enjoy the update.

Best wishes,

Ian WishartChief Executive Officer

AuTumn 2013

Update forGirls Championstransform the world for children.

Girls from the H’mong community take part in a Playing and Reading Group, one of Plan’s child development initiatives for ethnic minority communities in Vietnam.

Every child has the right to a life free from poverty




Supporter of Change

Supporter of Change


case study my journey to meet mariam

by Cath Graham

WOW! What an amazing experience it was to meet my sponsored child, Mariam, in Uganda.

On a Saturday morning I met up with local Plan staff members who were accompanying me on the drive out to Mariam’s village. It was the last day of term and so we went to her school to meet her. When we arrived, the students were about to receive their school reports and so the teacher asked me to start off by presenting Mariam with hers. It was such a lovely experience. When she came to the front of the class to accept it from me, she took my hand and knelt in front of me.

I lost it! I’d said goodbye to my one-year-old baby 36 hours earlier and the warm welcome from everyone in Uganda, meeting Mariam, and seeing where she lived just overwhelmed me.

After visiting Mariam’s school I had the opportunity to see improvements that were taking place thanks, in part, to child sponsorship donations. I visited the medical centre next door to her school and spoke with a midwife there, before moving to an outdoor area where I was introduced to the local mothers’ group and the micro finance group. It was also great to see that a new classroom was being built by local community members with the incentive of a corrugated iron roof to be supplied by Plan once they’d finished the build.

Next stop was Mariam’s house, where I was introduced to her guardian aunt, her young cousin, her grandfather and her great aunt. It was great to meet them and spend some time together. I was then presented with a gift (a live chicken!). Then, just as I was about to leave, Mariam’s mother arrived from miles away, where she had been looking for work. She’d travelled most of the day to meet me and to say thank you. She was so grateful for what, to me, is such a small donation each month.

Every person I met on my trip thanked me for Plans’ involvement in their lives. I didn’t want to take the kudos for your work and organisation but it was easier to smile and be humbled by it all than to argue with them.

Cath, with Mariam and other members of her community.

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORTInstitutional grant income has continued to increase over the last five years as part of Plan in Australia’s strategic intention to diversify our income sources. In 2013 we saw a 22% increase in total grant income (including WFP) over the previous year, enabling Plan in Australia to have a greater impact for children and their communities.

In 2013 we implemented a range of important grants, a number of which are summarised below.

AUSTRALIAN gOvERNmENT AgENcy fOR INTERNATIONAL dEvELOPmENT (AusAId)The majority of Plan in Australia’s institutional grant income comes from AusAID, with which Plan in Australia has a strong partnership.

Australian-NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP)The 2013 financial year represented the last year of Plan’s Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) covering FY10–13. This grant supports the entire Plan in Australia program strategy to empower children, youth and their communities to know, claim, exercise and enjoy their rights.

In June 2013 Plan in Australia secured another four years of funding under ANCP. By securing $36.9 million over FY14–17, the partnership will enable Plan to continue to implement long-term programming that directly and tangibly reduces poverty for children and their communities.

Australia Africa Community Engagement Scheme (AACES)This was the second year of our five-year Promoting Rights and Accountabilities in African Communities program, funded under the AACES scheme. AACES is based on a partnership approach among ten Australian NGOs, their partners and AusAID, focusing on community-based interventions in a range of development areas.

See page 18 for more information on Plan’s work through this grant.

Civil Society Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (CSWASH)In 2013 Plan in Australia instigated a comprehensive design phase for the second round of AusAID-funded Civil Society Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (CSWASH) Program, designing a program to deliver WASH improvements in disadvantaged and remote communities in Indonesia, Malawi, Pakistan and Vietnam. We were successful in being awarded $11.8 million and our submission was rated the highest amongst 170 proposals, reflecting our strong capacity and technical expertise.

Due to start in September 2013, the program involves a multi-pronged approach to clearly emphasise benefits for marginalised women, men and children and integrate strong gender and social inclusion elements. It is anticipated that the program will reach 775,000 direct beneficiaries across the four countries before it finishes in 2017.

AusAID Humanitarian Partnership Agreement Sahel Funding Round (Niger) This year Plan received $1.5 million through the AusAID Humanitarian Partnership Agreement to implement nutrition and food security assistance in Niger.

NEW ZEALANd AIdIn 2013 we moved from the design to implementation phase of our New Zealand Aid-supported Early Childhood Development Project in Vietnam. The five-year project aims to achieve lasting and improved child development outcomes for children aged 0–8 years, with a specific focus on the most disadvantaged ethnic minority children. Implemented over four districts, the project intends to achieve 100% of five-year-olds and 85% of 3–4-year-olds accessing formal or non-formal learning opportunities.

UNIcEfPlan in Australia has increased the number of programs implemented in partnership with UNICEF in 2013. Program partnership agreements now cover early childhood programming in Zambia, and water and sanitation programs in Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Laos. These agreements have enabled us to reach more children through scaling successful program models.

For example, this year saw the completion of our UNICEF-supported WASH program in Pakistan, which has helped more than seven million people build and maintain their own safe, hygienic latrines, significantly reducing their risk from diseases related to poor sanitation. And in Zambia, we established 15 early learning centres and helped provide age-appropriate learning and teaching materials as well as capacity building for teachers.

UN WORLd fOOd PROgRAmmE (WfP)Plan in Australia has grown its food assistance programs through field level agreements with the WFP in South Sudan, Cambodia and Zimbabwe. These agreements have increased to a total value of $25.2 million (South Sudan $10.6 million; Cambodia $6.2 million; and Zimbabwe $8.4 million), enabling us to reach more children and families in crisis. For example, the partnership in South Sudan has extended to four provinces and has supported a multi-sectoral response that has included food distribution and agricultural support, which directly supported 101,657 individuals, including 50,245 children in Jonglei State.


Girls in Cambodia tend to their school’s vegetable garden.


our organisation

Plan staff members show Hennock, 5, play-back footage of him playing near his house in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.


bOARd Of dIREcTORSOur Board of Directors is responsible for guiding the strategic direction of the organisation, and is accountable for our actions and the impact of our activities.

gOvERNANcE IN fy13Plan in Australia’s Board of Directors met five times during 2013 (including the Annual General Meeting) and also travelled together to Zimbabwe to visit Plan’s food security projects.

The Board undertook some key activities in 2013. In April the Board participated in the extensive AusAID Accreditation process, taking questions from the accreditation panel. In March, our new Board Chair Gerry Hueston travelled to Canberra with Plan’s CEO to meet with key MPs about aid policy and Australia’s foreign aid budget.

Over the year the Board also:

»» Provided ongoing oversight of our financial and risk management program;

»» Oversaw the implementation of our new state of the art Customer Management System, ensuring Plan in Australia is equipped with the right infrastructure for the future;

»» Monitored the roll-out of Plan International’s global One Plan, One Goal strategy (and its impact on Plan in Australia), which is about building a more effective, efficient and collaborative organisation, better able to meet the demands of a quickly evolving development landscape.

For information on the Board’s role, function, structure and operations, see: plan.org.au/governance

To find out more about each of our Board Directors including their committee membership and international roles and responsibilities, see: plan.org.au/our-people

1/ Gerry Hueston (Chair) Elected: March 2012 Current term expires: November 2015

2/ julie Hamblin (Deputy Chair)Elected: November 2010 Current term expires: November 2013

3/ brian babington Elected: March 2010 Current term expires: November 2013

4/ Michael CorryElected: March 2012 Current term expires: November 2015

5/ Claire HattonElected: July 2008 Current term expires: November 2014

6/ julie Hood Elected: March 2012 Current term expires: November 2015

7/ Philippa QuinnElected: November 2010 Current term expires: November 2013

8/ Neil thompson Elected: January 2007 Current term expires: November 2012

9/ Anne trimmer Elected: March 2012 Current term expires: November 2015

Outgoing:K Anne Skipper (Chair) Retired: 15 November 2012

Board of Directors

2 41

5 6 7 8 9

3


hOW WE WORkPlan in Australia aims to provide a positive working environment where staff are supported, motivated and engaged. We have a strategic objective to become an employer of choice for both existing and potential staff.

STAff ENgAgEmENT & SATISfAcTIONIn June we conducted our annual employee engagement survey, facilitated by an external consultant. The survey sought staff feedback on topics such as leadership, transparency, communication, trust, collaboration, how valued employees feel, and the extent to which Plan in Australia is meeting its employee value proposition.

It was encouraging to see our employees reinforce their belief that Plan has a good reputation in the sector, a strong commitment to workplace health and safety, that people care about each other, and overwhelming agreement that we have talented people and we are making a difference. The survey also provided us with several key areas for improvement and development over the coming year. The Executive/Management team has committed to proactively work on leadership and people management, and to making People and Culture a priority in 2014 and beyond.

REmUNERATION & bENEfITSIn 2013 we continued to use the Mercer job grading system, to ensure internal equity, and parity with the not-for-profit external job market.

The annual salaries of the Executive Team as at 30 June 2013 were as follows:

RETENTIONStaff turnover is defined as voluntary permanent staff terminations as a percentage of permanent staff. Our staff turnover for 2013 was 12% (down slightly from 13.2% last year).

WORk hEALTh & SAfETyPlan in Australia remains committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for staff, volunteers and contractors. Plan is committed to continuous improvement and ongoing compliance which has been reinforced by the appointment of safety representatives and the implementation of an annual workplace safety audit. Plan also recognises that there is a greater potential risk to staff who travel to developing countries, and we take all possible steps to ensure their safety and security. Plans are underway for further review and development of security policy and management in 2014.

OUR PEOPLEmANAgEmENT STRUcTUREExecutive TeamOur Executive Team is responsible for providing effective senior leadership to the organisation, by developing the strategy and ensuring its successful implementation. The team is made up of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Directors of the three functional areas of Plan in Australia: International Programs; Marketing & Communications; and Corporate Services.

For more information about our Executive Team, see: plan.org.au/our-people

Senior Management TeamThe Senior Management Team (SMT), led by the CEO is made up of the Executive Team plus the Manager of People and Culture and the Executive Manager. The SMT meets weekly to review strategy and operations of the organisation, to monitor major projects and campaigns and to manage compliance and risk.

Leadership TeamThe Leadership Team is made up of team managers from each department in the organisation. The team is responsible for the development of operational plans and the management of staff to achieve the strategic goals. Leadership team members are also responsible for ensuring the implementation of all relevant Plan in Australia policies, including ensuring that police checks and working with children checks are undertaken in their areas in compliance with our child protection policy.

OUR STAffAt the end of 2013 there were 67 employees working at Plan in Australia, all located at our Australian office in Melbourne. We also engaged up to 20 indirect employees at any given time to help us manage peak periods.

As these graphs show, while our staff numbers have increased over the past three years, our staff demographic (by work type and department) has remained relatively unchanged.

Remuneration (including superannuation)

No. of Executives in group

1

3

>200,000

$160,000 – 179,999

Ian Wishart CEO

Mary-Anne thomas Executive Manager

Dave Husy Director, Programs

ben Holgate Director, Marketing & Communications

Gerard Dell’Oste Chief Financial Officer & Company Secretary


ExEcUTIvE OffIcE

cORPORATE SERvIcES

mARkETINg & cOmmUNIcATIONS PROgRAmS

SUPPORTER SERvIcES

bUSINESS & INfORmATION

SySTEmS

INTERNATIONAL PROgRAmS

mEdIA RELATIONS

bRANd & cOmmUNIcATIONS

PUbLIc fUNdRAISINg

STRATEgIc LEARNINg & INcLUSIvE PRAcTIcE

cORPORATE RELATIONS

dONOR RELATIONS

PEOPLE & cULTURE

POLIcy & ENgAgEmENT

fINANcE dISASTER mANAgEmENT

chIEf ExEcUTIvE OffIcER


Staff numbers by gender and work type

Staff by age

OUR vOLUNTEERSPlan in Australia’s office volunteers are crucial to our organisation – and never more so than in 2013, which saw a 182% increase in volunteer hours.

Over the year 42 volunteers worked regularly in our Australian office, and our volunteer program was expanded to include more skilled volunteer opportunities. The diversity of the volunteer group has continued to grow, with volunteers bringing a wide variety of life and professional experience that they enthusiastically contribute to their work at Plan.

Our volunteers assisted with a diverse range of tasks including:

»» Managing thousands of incoming and outgoing mail items each week;

»» Office administration (filing, data entry, etc.);

»» Accounts Receivable;

»» Data integrity maintenance;

»» Reviewing and proofing sponsor letters;

»» Information Systems and Helpdesk;

»» Transcribing field interviews;

»» Research;

»» Event assistance.

To thank our volunteers for their hard work, we held special celebrations throughout National Volunteers Week (13–19 May 2013) as well as International Day of the Volunteer (5 December 2012) and other occasions throughout the year.

2013

Year2012 2011

20

34

28 30

0 1 1

13 11 11

20

36

Male MaleFemale Female

Full time Part time

55–64

65+ (0%)

Age bracket

18–24 (0%)

25–34

35–44

45–54

2131%

2537%

1015%

1117%

Total

2013

2012

2011

Executive International Programs

Marketing & Communications

Corporate Services

3

3

2

24

25

24

26

28

26

14

12

10

67

68

62

Staff numbers by department

Each volunteer typically assisted one or two days per week and as a team they

represented 5.2 full-time team members.

Skilled volunteers assisted the Supporter Service team, the Business and Information Systems team, the Brand

and Communications team and the Programs team.

As well as opportunities in the office, this year our volunteers were also actively engaged in

Plan events, such as our event in City Square to celebrate the International Day of the Girl.

PLAN EvENtS

We couldn’t do it without you!

thank you volunteers

Find out more about volunteering with Plan: plan.org.au/volunteer


55–64

65+

Age bracket

18–24

15–17

25–34

35–44

45–54

Volunteers by Age

1126%

1126%

723%

13%

25%

819% Female

31

Male11

Volunteers by gender

614%

case study Why I volunteer with Plan

by Carolyn Coxhead

I wasn’t originally looking to volunteer myself. Friends of mine in Cambodia have a daughter and she was studying English at university in Phnom Penh. She wanted to be a translator and ultimately work at an NGO.

I knew that her English would improve dramatically if she spent some time in an English speaking country. So I invited her to stay with us here in Melbourne for a year, organised an online course for her, and called Plan to see if she could volunteer to get some work experience. I was sponsoring a child through Plan and had travelled to Cambodia to visit a Plan project so I already knew the staff and trusted the organisation. We started coming in together and then at the end of her year when she went home l kept volunteering!

As a volunteer you become more aware of what goes on and the reasons for decisions that are made - you get a better feel for the whole scope of what happens. You meet really interesting and diverse people and feel a part of the organisation. It also means that I can talk to my grandchildren about Plan and the things that go on in an organisation like this.

Now for Christmas I give the grandchildren Plan gifts. They get a card with the Plan gift and I tell them how proud I am that they’re helping children who aren’t as lucky as they are at Christmas time. I remember the first time I did it I got quite emotional about it. I felt overcome that this is what we’d decided to do and they were happy to accept those sorts of gifts.

If other people are thinking about volunteering at Plan I’d say, definitely do it! When you’re here, you see how hard everyone works and that they really rely on volunteers. The staff and other volunteers are great and they need the help.

At the end of the day you go home feeling like you’ve made a difference.

Carolyn and her husband Noel with her sponsored child’s father and Plan staff members in Cambodia.


our finances

Students in class at a Plan-supported school in Cameroon.


ThE yEAR IN REvIEWPlan in Australia’s growth continued this year with a 7.2% increase in revenue from the previous financial year. Overseas contributions were strengthened with a 43.6% increase in in-kind gifts as part of Plan in Australia’s continuing commitment to the World Food Programme, aiding children and communities in Zimbabwe, Cambodia and South Sudan. An increase in overseas grant income benefited programs across Asia and Africa.

The total expenditure increase of 9.8% for the year is attributable to a continuing strategic initiative to grow Plan in Australia’s supporter base. This year brought in close to 10,000 new donors, which will be reflected in our income in 2014. The 2013 financial year also saw the implementation of the new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System as part of the investment in the administration and donor experience strategy.

While we didn’t reach all our financial targets in 2013, Plan in Australia’s growth was an achievement during a year that experienced tightening in the economic environment and an unstable political setting. We also secured some significant grants, the revenue for which will be reflected in 2014.

Performance against strategy

fINANcIAL mANAgEmENTOPERATINg ENvIRONmENTThe 2013 financial year proved to be another challenging year for the local and global economy. Global growth was below average and in Australia, growth over the past year saw a contraction. The unemployment rate edged higher over the past year and coupled with historically low interest rates and an unstable political environment, Plan in Australia was impacted with slowed public income growth. The moderate growth in private consumption spending is expected to negatively influence supporter participation in the immediate future and result in more constrained growth.

The 2013 financial year was exceptional in that there had been no major disasters in the program regions that Plan in Australia operate. As a result, grant income from AusAID was less than anticipated. In addition, it was not necessary to generate revenue from the supporter base in the form of emergency appeals which had the effect of blunting the total revenue for the financial year.

See ‘Income’ on pages 48–49 for further details.

fINANcIAL STRATEgyPlan in Australia has established solid financial management, overseen by the Finance and Audit Committee. Our financial management is driven by a sound strategic plan and is reinforced by rigid compliance and financial controls as well as prudent cash management.

Plan in Australia is moving to diversify income streams as part of our 2012–2016 strategy: Champion for Child Rights. Diversifying income streams will ensure our revenue is coming from varied sources and products across public income and grant income portfolios. This approach is expected to aid our strategic objective for ongoing growth.

Grant incomeGrant income continues to be a considerable component of total income for Plan in Australia. In the 2013 financial year, total grant income contributed to 48% of the total income, which reflects Plan in Australia finance strategy to diversify income streams. Grant income from the Australian Government’s official overseas aid program (AusAID) represented 19% of total income in the 2013 financial year.

Grant Income$33.1m

Grant Income$25.6m

Public Income$27.6m

2013 Target Income 2013 Actual Income

Public Income$26.8m

year $ Amount% of total Income

2013 10.1 million 19%

2012 11.9 million 24%

2011 11.3 million 27%

2010 8.6 million 22%

2009 4.5 million 11%


INvESTmENTSHistorically, Plan in Australia has maintained a conservative investment strategy designed to provide greater protection against the more severe fluctuations from a broader equity investment composition. In effect, protection of our donors’ funds has been the major emphasis as opposed to greater growth with increased risk.

Our current investment strategy has four key components:

1. Cash based (bank bills, term deposits, government bonds).

2. Individual investments are limited to a maximum of $400k.

3. Exposure to institutions is limited to a maximum of $500k.

4. Institutions must have a minimum Standard & Poors (S&P) Australian rating of no less than A-1 or AAAm for short-term investments or no less than A for medium to long-term investments.

Plan in Australia’s investment strategy has performed better than target in the last five years. We were able to produce this performance in a challenging investment environment where rates of return have continued to be low and uncompetitive.

Investment performance against targets

RESERvES ANd ASSETSFor the 2013 financial year, Plan in Australia maintained appropriate reserves to meet current as well as future responsibilities and obligations. Reserves at the end of the financial year were $9.9 million and are made up of the following:

Memorial fundThe memorial fund reserve represents the principal of contributions held in accordance with the wishes of the donor.

General fundAmounts expended on the acquisition of property, plant and equipment are appropriated from the revenue and expenditure account to the general fund during the year of acquisition, or at the time the asset is held ready for use. As the property, plant and equipment are utilised in the operations of Plan International Australia, the depreciation charge is included as an operating expense and an equivalent amount is released from the general fund. On the disposal of property, plant and equipment, the gain/ loss is included as part of the operating expense and the book value is released from the general fund.

Capital reserveThe reserve represents the surplus over the book value of a property donated to Plan International Australia and transferred by resolution of the Board to reserves, to be held in reserves and utilised in the event of a major publicity campaign or such other event deemed appropriate by resolution of the Board of Directors.

Retained earningsAmounts representing restricted and unrestricted funds to be distributed for programs and other designated use.

Investment reserveAmounts representing the capital reserve to support Plan in Australia programs that assist vulnerable families in Africa and Asia to achieve long-term food security.

RISk mANAgEmENTStrategyPlan in Australia sees the development of a strong risk culture as the overarching component of our risk management framework. Making risk management an integral part of our organisational culture is essential to improving the organisation’s strategic planning and decision making. This involves ensuring that risk

$305,677

6%

5%

4%

3%

2%

0%

-1%

-2%

-3%2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

1%

$272,049

$139,196

$293,525

$324,793

$344,939

$138,829$150,864

$105,384

$240,996

Actual Investment Income

Target Investment Income

World GDP Growth


management is embedded into business as usual and not seen as distinct from day-to-day activities.

Our Risk Management policy sets out the way in which risks facing the organisation should be assessed, monitored and reported and details the responsibilities within the organisation for risk. It is available to view on our website: plan.org.au/accountability

ProcessThe organisation maintains an organic risk register which is updated by all departments on a regular basis with new risks added and existing risks either regarded or removed. The higher rated risks on the register are reviewed formally by the Senior Management Team on a monthly basis. The high level risk register is also emailed to all Board members on a monthly basis and tabled for review at each Board meeting.

Risks in 2013During the 2013 financial year, Plan in Australia identified and mitigated various forms of risks. Three examples of these risks include:

ONE/ RISK AusAID has introduced new restrictions on Development Awareness Raising activities through revised guidelines that will constrain the activity in Plan in Australia’s Community Engagement Programs.

CONtROLS To mitigate this risk, Plan in Australia will adjust programs and activities to the new guidelines and standards to ensure compliance without compromising quality. The CEO of Plan in Australia will lobby on issues with AusAID NGO Cooperation Program management collectively with Partnership Agencies to ensure an outcome that will benefit Plan in Australia’s position to be a champion of child rights.

tWO/RISK Plan in Australia had identified a deficiency in the current business continuity plan. In the event of a disaster or other situation, there is an operational risk that there are no clear guidelines on the processes to be followed.

CONtROLS A new and comprehensive business continuity plan action has received budget and will be operational in the 2013 financial year. The existing business continuity plan will remain in place until the work on the new plan is complete.

tHREE/RISK Fraud is a continuous risk in any Plan in Australia led in-field programs, which has the potential to detrimentally affect the organisations reputation amongst its stakeholders.

CONtROLS Plan in Australia has mitigated this risk by assessing each in-field program to reduce the risk of fraud through Global Assurance audits; regular financial oversight and the application of existing procedures.

LOOkINg fORWARdPlan in Australia has completed the second year of a five-year organisational strategy. This strategy for 2012–2016 is grounded in our understanding of the potential for further and sustained growth. It places our highest emphasis on quality impact and influence for children while recognising that growth in income and brand identity is essential to realise these higher goals for children.

As part of this strategy, Plan in Australia intends to strengthen our income portfolio in order to support our expanding chid rights programming. In order to achieve this, we intend to double our income from $41 million in 2011 to $82 million in 2016 with a stretch aspiration of becoming a $100 million organisation. To achieve this, we will:

»» diversify our income streams, products and sources to manage risk;

»» increase our grant portfolio to include opportunities in the Pacific, greater responses to emergencies and access to additional overseas funds;

»» expand non-child sponsorship public revenue to meet emerging program needs;

»» optimise the funds available for programs over the life of the strategy;

»» increase return on investments;

»» achieve higher cost efficiencies in delivering programs and administration.

The change of government and the uncertainty of international aid policy will provide a challenge for Plan in Australia in achieving this strategy over the next three years. In spite of this, Plan in Australia still intends to grow in scale and reach as well as strengthening our thought leadership on child rights issues and continuing to give children a voice in determining their futures.

RESULTSINcOmEWhere our support comes fromAt 51%, Community support from Australian businesses and the public was the main source of income for Plan in Australia in the 2013 financial year.

Total Institutional grants grew to $15.6 million. Grant income from the Australian Government’s aid program (AusAID) decreased from $11.9 million in 2012 to $10.1 million in 2013.

Support from the World Food Programme increased from $5.6 million in 2012 to $10.0 million in 2013 and now makes up 19% of total income and represents Plan in Australia’s increasing commitment to provide food relief to communities in the developing world.

All other income (less than 1%) is derived mostly from cash investment returns.


Overall support and source (2013)

How support is trendingCommunity income of $27.0 million experienced a slight decrease in 2013 from the previous year’s result of $28.2 million. This is representative of the difficult economic conditions that are facing our supporters and the unique situation of the absence of major disasters requiring appeal fundraising. With the exception of 2013, community income has seen moderate growth over recent years.

Institutional grant income has continued to increase over the last five years as part of Plan in Australia’s strategic intention to diversify income stream and reduce the reliance on the community to provide for vital programs.

Multilateral grant income through the World Food Programme had been identified as an area of potential growth and the 2013 financial year realised a 79% increase over the previous year, enabling Plan in Australia to have a greater impact for children and their communities.

Overall, Plan in Australia’s income growth has slowed over the last year, however the diversified income stream has shifted income risk and enabled to us to continue to transform the world for children.

$27m51%

$0.3m1%

$15.6m29%

$10m19%

Community Support

Intitutional Grants (excluding WFP)

WFP Food Aid

Other

20132009 2010 2011 2012

Five-Year trend on support (2009–2013)

$50m

$40m

$30m

$20m

$10m

$0mCommunity Support Institutional Grants WFP Food Aid Other Total


ExPENdITUREHow the resources were usedPlan in Australia’s resources are utilised for long-term community development; disaster and humanitarian response; advocacy programs; public campaigns and improvements in program quality and effectiveness. In 2013 our program expenditure was less than the previous year due to the focus on growing our fundraising capacity and the absence of disasters to respond to. Despite the lower program expenditure, Plan in Australia managed to increase the quality of our programming work and ensured our continued and increased impact for children.

Fundraising costs are related to our efforts to attract donations to fund our program and advocacy work. In 2013, Plan in Australia invested in the Marketing department to build capacity in sponsorship channels by taking advantage of supplier capacity that will increase supporter participation in the following years. Plan in Australia also continued to invest in capacity building for non-sponsorship channels as part of a long-term strategy to diversify public income.

Community Education expenses highlight our endeavours to build an awareness among our community and greater supporter base of the work done by Plan in Australia. This expenditure remained stable in 2013.

Administration expenses enable Plan in Australia to cover items such as audit and legal fees; insurance premiums; IT equipment costs; support staff costs and office maintenance to ensure our organisation runs efficiently and complies with the regulatory environment within which we operate. This year our administration expenditure increased marginally as part of the strategy to improve our supporter experience and compliance obligations such as AusAID accreditation.

2013 Expenditure (expressed as a % of total income)

Cost of fundraisingPlan in Australia’s cost of fundraising is made up of two components: expenses related to fundraising from the public; and the costs of fundraising from government, multilateral and the private sector.

Public fundraising costs include all costs related to the purpose of raising revenue from the public. Items include:

PR and media efforts to raise awareness of

emergencies and child rights

Government, multilateral and private sector fundraising costs include the costs of personnel and related expenses involved in the preparation of funding submissions for, and reporting against grants from government, multilateral organisations, corporate and philanthropic organisations.

the cost of promotional or marketing campaigns

funds paid to third parties to provide

fundraising services

donation related bank fees

the cost of personnel involved in preparing and conducting marketing and

fundraising campaigns

$$

the production and mailing of

fundraising materials

the costs of establishing and maintaining public

donor databases

Overseas

Community Education

FundraisingAdministration

Reserves

64%

4%

25%

1%

6%

Growing resources over timePlan in Australia’s strategy is to significantly grow the resources available for children over each strategic period. This requires a balance between the immediate release of resources for programs, and growing our supporter base to generate a greater pool of resources in future years.

The 2013 financial year included significant investments which are expected to release resources for children over future years. These investments include growing the donor base, acquiring grants where revenue is expected in 2014, and installing a new Customer Relationship Management system.

Public Fundraising costs increased from $12.1 million to $13.3 million in 2013 as a result of strategic marketing initiatives to grow the donor base and strengthen and build additional capacity for (non-sponsorship) regular and single giving products. Expenditure in fundraising continues to be an important aspect to the strategic growth of Plan in Australia.

There was a decrease in overseas expenditure for the 2013 financial year, largely due to the investments made for future growth and deferred receipt of some large grants.

year Overseascommunity

Education fundraising Admin ReservesAverage 70% 1% 21% 5% 3%

FY13 64% 1% 25% 6% 4%

FY12 66% 1% 25% 5% 3%

FY11 73% 1% 19% 5% 2%

FY10 62% 1% 24% 5% 8%

FY09 83% 1% 13% 4% -1%

How the resources were used: 2009–2013 plus five-year average (expressed as % of total income)


Students in class at a Plan-supported school in India.


Where the support was allocated (2013)This chart shows where resources* from Australia were committed in 2013. In any year, special needs may result in small changes to the distribution due to events such as emergencies. This will only occur under strict policy settings established by the Plan International Board.

*Resources to international programs are comprised of income from child sponsorship, grants and public donations as well as gifts in kind received in-country such as WFP food aid.

Asia

Eastern & Southern Africa

West Africa

Pacific

Globally

43%

8%

6%

41%

2%

Allocation of total program funds (2013)

Contribution to International ProgramsTo get a full picture of the contribution that Plan in Australia is making to international programs it is important to consider three elements: how much we remit or send to Plan Internationally as cash spent in the field; the other program contributions we make in the form of technical assistance, quality assurance and emergency response that we make directly from Australia to the field; and the in-country grants and gifts-in-kind that we acquire and manage.

Plan in Australia’s contribution to International Programs for 2013 experienced a slight decrease from the previous year which was attributable to a reduction of grant and sponsorship funds remitted but was bolstered by strong in-kind commitments and grants obtained overseas.

The following table illustrates our overall and specific contributions to international programs over the last five years.

Remittances - Cash

Overseas Grants

Goods in Kind

Program Contribution

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

$0.9m$0.4m

$0.3m

$3.4m

$5.4m

$11.3m

$3.3m

$3.2m $5.3m $9.4m

$1.2m

$1.5m

$3.4m$3.9m $3.6m

$18.8m $17.9m $24.0m $20.7m $14.7m


2013$

2012$

REvENUE

Donations and Gifts

• Monetary

- Child Sponsorship 22,357,303 22,629,963

- Appeals 471,746 1,023,656

- Other Cash Donations 3,949,070 3,297,047

26,778,119 26,950,666

• Non-Monetary 0 0

Legacies and Bequests 192,179 1,214,412

Grants

• AusAID 10,069,996 11,916,829

• Other Australian 539,993 39,688

• World Food Program 9,971,552 5,577,645

• Other Overseas 4,994,813 3,298,711

25,576,354 20,832,873

Investment Income 305,677 344,939

Other Income 35,553 4,432

Revenue for International Political or Religious Proselytisation programs 0 0

TOTAL REvENUE 52,887,882 49,347,322

ExPENdITUREInternational Aid and Development Programs Expenditure

International Programs

• Funds to International Programs 29,450,215 29,350,238

• Program Support Costs 3,042,899 3,141,617

• Remittances to associated parties 1,181,158 207,400

33,674,272 32,699,255

Community Education 605,177 710,417

Fundraising Costs

• Public 13,337,846 12,063,953

• Government, Multilateral and Private 141,405 73,235

13,479,251 12,137,188

Accountability and Administration 3,095,162 2,429,764

Non-Monetary Expenditure 0 0

total International Aid and Development Programs Expenditure 50,853,862 47,976,624

International Political or Religious Adherence Promotion Programs Expenditure 0 0

Domestic Programs Expenditure 0 0

TOTAL ExPENdITURE 50,853,862 47,976,624

ExcESS/(ShORTfALL) Of REvENUE OvER ExPENdITURE 2,034,020 1,370,698

STATEmENT Of cOmPREhENSIvE INcOmEFOR THE yEAR ENdEd 30 JUNE 2013


2013$

2012$

ASSETS

Current Assets

Cash and Cash Equivalents 6,887,490 7,479,498

Trade and Other Receivables 2,556,253 760,682

Inventories 0 0

Assets Held for Sale 0 0

Other Financial Assets 601,290 0

total Current Assets 10,045,033 8,240,180

Non-Current Assets

Trade and Other Receivables 0 0

Other Financial assests 0 0

Property, Plant & Equipment 789,285 786,600

Investment Property 0 0

Intangibles 2,163,245 1,458,184

Other Non-current Assets 0 0

total Non-Current Assets 2,952,530 2,244,784

TOTAL ASSETS 12,997,563 10,484,964

LIAbILITIESCurrent Liabilities

Trade and Other Payables 1,585,387 1,280,064

Borrowings 0 0

Current Tax Liabilities 0 0

Other Financial Liabilities 0 0

Provisions 735,213 615,657

Other 0 0

total Current Liabilities 2,320,600 1,895,721

Non-Current Liabilities

Borrowings 0 0

Other Financial Liabilities 0 0

Provisions 716,341 622,641

Other 0 0

total Non-Current Liabilities 716,341 662,641

TOTAL LIAbILITIES 3,036,941 2,558,362

NET ASSETS 9,960,622 7,926,602

EQUITyReserves 7,058,829 5,567,630

Retained Earnings 2,901,793 2,358,972

TOTAL EQUITy 9,960,622 7,926,602

STATEmENT Of fINANcIAL POSITIONAS AT 30 JUNE 2013


STATEmENT Of chANgES IN EQUITyFOR THE yEAR ENdEd 30 JUNE 2013

TAbLE Of cASh mOvEmENTS fOR dESIgNATEd PURPOSESFOR THE yEAR ENdEd 30 JUNE 2013

fULL fINANcIAL STATEmENTSThe full version of Plan International Australia’s financial statements are available to view on our website: plan.org.au/annual-report or call 13 75 26.

Retained Earnings Reserves Total

Balance at 1 July 2012 2,358,972 5,567,630 7,926,602

Adjustment or changes in equity due to, for example, adoptions of new accounting standards 0 0 0

Changes in equity, for example from changes in asset fair value transactions 0 0 0

Excess of revenue over expenses 2,034,020 0 2,034,020

Other amounts transferred (to) or from reserves: (1,491,199) 1,491,199 0

bALANcE AT 30 jUNE 2013 2,901,793 7,058,829 9,960,622

cash available at beginning of year

cash raised during year

cash disbursed during year

cash available at end of year

Grants for Programs 925,844 8,464,656 (7,240,415) 2,150,085

Donations for Programs 1,211,196 4,420,816 (4,666,303) 965,709

Total for other purposes 5,342,458 23,401,964 (24,972,726) 3,771,696

TOTAL 7,479,498 36,287,436 (36,879,444) 6,887,490

Plan is a member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and is a signatory to the ACFID Code of Conduct. The Code requires members to meet high standards of corporate governance, public accountability and financial management. More information about the ACFID Code of Conduct can be obtained from Plan and from ACFID at www.acfid.asn.au or by email on [email protected] Tel: (02) 6285 1816 Fax: (02) 6285 1720.


INdEPENdENT AUdITOR’S REPORT TO ThE mEmbERS OfPLAN INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA

REPORT ON ThE SUmmARISEd REPORTSThe accompanying summarised reports of Plan International Australia, comprising the summary balance sheet as at 30 June 2013, the summary income statement, the summary statement of changes in equity for the year then ended and the table of cash movements for designated purposes, are derived from the audited financial report of Plan International Australia for the year ended 30 June 2013. We expressed an unmodified auditor’s opinion on that financial report in our auditor’s report dated 20 September 2013.

The summarised reports do not contain all the disclosures required by Australian Accounting Standards applied in preparation of audited financial report of Plan International Australia. Reading the summarised reports, therefore is not a substitute for reading the audited financial report of Plan International Australia.

Directors’ responsibility for the summarised reportsThe Directors are responsible for the preparation of the summarised reports on the basis described in Note 1 to the audited financial report, to the extent applicable to the summarised reports.

Auditor’s responsibilityOur responsibility is to express an opinion on the summarised reports based on our procedures, which were conducted in accordance with Australian Auditing Standard ASA810 Engagements to Report on Summary Financial Statements.

Auditor’s opinionIn our opinion, the summarised reports derived from the audited financial report of Plan International Australia for the year ended 30 June 2013 are consistent in all material respects, with that audited financial report, on the basis described in Note 1.

Basis of Accounting and Restriction on Distribution and UseWithout modifying our opinion, we draw attention to Note 1 to the audited financial report, which describe the basis of accounting. The summarised reports have been prepared to assist Plan International Australia to meet the requirements of its members. As a result, the summarised reports may not be suitable for another purpose. Our report is intended solely for the members of Plan International Australia.

Matters relating to the electronic presentation of the audited financial reportThis auditor’s report relates to the summarised reports of Plan International Australia (the company) for the year ended 30 June 2013 included on Plan International Australia’s web site. The company’s directors are responsible for the integrity of the Plan International Australia’s web site. We have not been engaged to report on the integrity of this web site. The auditor’s report refers only to the financial report named above. It does not provide an opinion on any other information which may have been hyperlinked to/from the financial report. If users of this report are concerned with the inherent risks arising from electronic data communications they are advised to refer to the hard copy of the audited financial report presented on this web site.

PricewaterhouseCoopers D. Rosenberg, Partner

Melbourne20 September 2013

PricewaterhouseCoopers ABN 52 780 433 757Freshwater Place, 2 Southbank Boulevard,SOUTHBANK VIC 3006Telephone +61 (3) 8603 1000

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.


Plan in Australia operates in a highly regulated environment, with laws, regulations, licences and codes of conduct that we need to comply with to ensure we remain accountable to the community.

ASIC and ATOPlan in Australia is a public company, and as such is required to comply with the regulations of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), which includes regulations relating to the preparation of financial statements.

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has given Plan in Australia the status of a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR), granted exemption from Income Tax and provided concessions for Fringe Benefits Tax and GST. Reporting requirements comprise mainly annual fringe benefit tax returns, quarterly Business Activity Statements and monthly Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) submissions.

AccreditationPlan in Australia is currently a fully accredited and trusted recipient of funds from AusAID, the Australian Government’s Agency for International Development responsible for managing the Australian Government’s official overseas aid program.

Our accreditation is maintained through a rigorous process by AusAID that is undertaken every five years, involving an in-depth assessment of our management capacity, systems, operations, and linkages with the Australian community against a set of agreed criteria. Being accredited gives the organisation access to the AusAID NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) and AusAID funding programs such as Cooperation Agreements and any other funding mechanisms that may be created. Accreditation ensures the accountable use of funding, and covers our entire portfolio including non-development activities and activities not funded by AusAID.

ACFIDPlan in Australia is a member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and a signatory of the ACFID Code of Conduct. ACFID is the peak body for aid and international development NGOs and its code of conduct upholds the highest standards of ethics, effectiveness and accountability. For further information on the Code, please refer to the ACFID Code of Conduct Guidance Document available at www.acfid.asn.au.

Complaints relating to a breach of the ACFID Code of Conduct by an ACFID member can be made to the ACFID Code of Conduct Committee (www.acfid.asn.au/code-of-conduct/complaints).

FundraisingFundraising licenses are required by many of the States in Australia in order to raise funds within their borders. Plan in Australia holds all required licenses and complies with the requirements associated with these licenses, which includes such conditions as providing extra reporting to particular States.

Global Reporting InitiativePlan in Australia is focused on increased transparency for all our stakeholders through our Annual Report. With this in mind, we are using the Global Reporting Initiative as a guide to our improvements with a view to full participation in this standard in the future. Please see our website for details of our performance against GRI standards for environmental sustainability: plan.org.au/Environmental-Accountability

Workplace relations lawPlan in Australia is aware and committed to compliance of all workplace relations regulations, statutory and legal requirements. These include: Fair Work Act 2009; Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986; and Work Health & Safety Act 2011. Workplace practices and internal policies are regularly reviewed to ensure compliance.

compliance & regulation


bUSINESS SUPPORTERS

Accenture

Accor

Corrs Chambers Westgarth

DLA Piper

Footprints Network

Hobsons

Intrepid travel

jet Couriers

Lander & Rogers

Marsh & McLennan Companies

NRW Holdings

Study Group Australia

TRUST & fOUNdATIONS

ACME Foundation

Greenlight Foundation

RobMeree Foundation

cOmmUNITy fUNdRAISERS

Friends of Plan Canberra

GIRLart – Steph Hall

Kevin Welsh

Pamela Lynch

Women for Girls – Adelaide

Women For Girls – Fight like a Girl

Women for Girls – Girls for Girls (Perth)

acknowledgements

footprintsnetwork.org

Holdings Limited


PROgRAm PARTNERShIPSPlan in Australia establishes partnerships with the relevant Plan International Country Office for each Australian-managed program. Together with the Plan Country Office, we work in partnership with local government and civil society organisations, including local community-based organisations and national-based NGOs. In most instances it is the local partners who undertake responsibility for managing and implementing program activities and contributing to the sustainability of programs. We thank them for their dedication and commitment.

We also wish to acknowledge the following organisations for their partnership and support in 2013:

Australian WASH Reference Group

Castan Centre for Human Rights

CbM-Nossal

Deakin University

Foundation of the peoples of the South Pacific International (FSPI)

Global Poverty Project

Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney (ISF)

Marie Stopes International

MERCY Malaysia

Monash University

Murdoch Child Research Institute

Save the Children

the Oaktree Foundation

World vision


This publication is printed on ecoStar, a certified carbon neutral (CN) paper that is FSC certified 100% recycled post consumer waste. It is printed by an environmentally responsible ISO 14001 E.M.S. and ISO 9001 quality management system certified printer with FSC (Chain Of Custody) and Sustainability Victoria Wastewise Gold certification, using vegetable & soy based inks. This publication is fully recyclable, please dispose of wisely. Emissions (being Scope 1 & 2 with an allowance for standard end of life which is within the confines of Scope 3) generated from the production of this annual report have been carbon offset retiring up to 396kgs kgs of CO2 via Climate Friendly (voted No.1 for Carbon Offset in the Carbon Watch Report)

AccREdITATIONPlan is currently fully accredited and a trusted recipient of funds from AusAID, the Australian Government’s Agency for International Development responsible for managing the Australian Government’s official overseas aid program.

AcfIdPlan International Australia is a member of its professional peak body the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID). We are a signatory to its code of conduct that covers the presentation of annual reports.

OUR PATRONPlan International Australia is honoured to have Her Excellency, Ms Quentin Bryce AC, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia as our Patron. We give special thanks for her support and endorsement of Women for Girls.


13 75 26WWW.PLAN.ORG.AU

Plan 18/60 City Road, Southbank VIC 3006 GPO Box 2818, Melbourne VIC 3001Tel: 13 75 26 Fax: +61 (3) 9670 1130 Email: [email protected] 49 004 875 807

plan international australia annual report 2013

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