Newpin Queensland Social Benefit Bond - Investor Update March 2018 Above: The recently launched Newpin facility in Cairns. The Newpin Qld Social Benefit Bond (Newpin Qld SBB) launched at the end of June 2017, and we thought you’d like an update on how things are travelling. We are pleased to report that Uniting Care Queensland (UCQ) opened the first Newpin centre as planned in Cairns in January, and family referrals have commenced. The centre has been fully refurbished and now features a family room, children’s play room, individual and group therapy rooms as well as a new playground. Under the Newpin Program in Queensland (Newpin Queensland), parents and children will attend the centre for a minimum of two days per week for up to 18 months, as part of working towards family reunification. An Open Day is scheduled for March with the goal of deepening the understanding of Newpin Queensland amongst local Department staff, who are responsible for identifying and referring appropriate families. UCQ has appointed Jo Goodwin as the Newpin Qld SBB program lead. Jo was involved throughout the development of the SBB and transitioned from her role as the State Manager for Inclusion Support Agencies. Above: Newpin Qld program lead, Jo Goodwin. Jo Goodwin is a descendant of the Wonnarua & Kamilaroi peoples and has a strong commitment to progressing reconciliation and exploring the practice of cultural competence in service delivery. She has an extensive background in early childhood education and care and social inclusion. Jo has been overseeing the program's implementation, including recruiting a Service Lead for the Cairns centre. Above: The children's dining area and playroom at the new Cairns facility. An important element of the program’s implementation is a community partnership that UCQ has entered into with Wuchopperen, a Cairns based community-controlled Aboriginal health service provider. Wuchopperen will facilitate the delivery of culturally appropriate play sessions between children and their parents. Wuchopperen is also represented on the Newpin Qld SBB Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference Group, which has been established to help guide the cultural integrity of the program and to support collaboration with key partners. The Reference Group also includes representatives from The Institute for Urban Indigenous Health, The Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Partnerships, Secretariat National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, The Department of Child Safety, Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service, a Torres Strait Islander elder and an Aboriginal elder. Above: Queensland Deputy Premier, Jackie Trad during her visit. In December, the Cairns centre was visited by Queensland Deputy Premier, Jackie Trad, alongside local MPs from Far North Queensland, all of whom were impressed with the recently refurbished facilities. Planning is underway for a further two centres which are scheduled to open in early 2019 and 2020. Caboolture has been identified as the preferred location for the next centre, and the search for a suitable property is underway. We look forward to sharing more updates with you in the years to come. Please note that the first Newpin Qld SBB Annual Report will be provided to investors around September 2018. Thank you for supporting a program which we believe will create intergenerational change for Queensland children and families. Kind regards, |