Chairman’s Report

As I glance back over the activities of the last year I am mindful of the many persons who have benefited from the essential services of the Haven. With the assistance of social workers, fieldworkers and shelter staff we are able to reunite so many more indigent persons with their families. Without the staff and volunteers dedicated to the task of assisting destitute people ‘back home’ we would not have been able to achieve all that we did. Thank you.

It is of course a pleasure to report that the Retreat shelter is under construction. This flagship 80 bed shelter is consistent with the Haven view of rehabilitation centres. Each 6 bed and family unit is self contained which moves us away from the dormitory style accommodation as is still present in our older shelters. Experience has shown that the smaller units facilitate rehabilitation and reintegration of our clients.

Our shelter in Claremont is under threat as the Claremont by-pass road is scheduled to be constructed over a portion of the site. We are engaging the City for land in excess of requirements and have identified three alternative sites which are under consideration. From our point of view the Claremont shelter can be relocated on a suitable space within 500 meters of the existing site.

I would like to welcome the George Night Shelter into the Haven fold. Your efforts and activities in George is much appreciated and in line with the Haven philosophy and practice. Welcome as full members of the Haven Night Shelter Welfare Organisation.

Good governance is essential when working in an Organisation. I would like to thank all of our members who serve on shelter committees and on the Board of Management for work well done. The drive to ensure consistent good governance is bearing fruit in the results of the compliance tests, consolidated budgets and changes in the committee structures. The separation of governance from operations is now entrenched in our Organisation and we can only grow our services on such a sound footing. Compliance to financial controls continue to enjoy attention and with a single auditing firm for the Organisation and agreed internal financial controls it is so much easier to comply with statutory requirements and principle of good governance

Increasing demands are being made on the Head Office in respect of Human Resource and general Management support and we will look to strengthening the Human resource management capacity of the Organisation in the period ahead. We wish to record our profound appreciation for the efforts of our CEO and his team.

 As always it is a struggle to find good people to serve on our shelter committees and I would like to invite more people with financial, legal and human resource management skills to join us in the Haven.

We have much hope for great strides in serving unsheltered people as we seek also to impact on the systemic problems creating the need which we serve.

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