Welcome from our CEO & Chairs
2022 has certainly brought a new set of challenges and uncertainty for many of us in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The impact of unexpected environmental events and the global economic downturn has definitely taken a toll on our community.
As a result, we have seen an unparalleled rise in demand for many of our services. In fact, we received almost 24,000 calls to our reception desk alone during 2022. This is a 20% increase on requests for our services year on year. We’re incredibly proud of every staff member for their commitment to support those who need it most through these difficult times.
Thankfully, in line with the gradual lifting of Covid restrictions, our community services staff were largely able to transition back to normal practice which provided relief for service users and staff. This was a gradual process that allowed Bethany to introduce more flexible ways of working. These changes were embraced by our staff and have enabled greater efficiency in work practices.
It has been wonderful to have all Bethany kindergartens open at full capacity, with an almost 50% increase in enrollments for our three-year-old kindergarten program. These rich and engaging learning environments offer children such a valuable first step in their education journey. We hope the trajectory of growth in demand for early learning continues.
As an organisation, there have been many notable highlights throughout 2022 but at the core of this has been a continued focus on our purpose of ‘Working together to meet the changing needs and aspirations of people in their communities’. In doing this, we have remained true to our 2020-2025 strategic aims to ensure children have a good start in life; families are safe, loving and connected; and there is opportunity for everyone.
A new beginning with BCYF
In December 2021, we announced that Bethany and Barwon, Child, Youth & Family (BCYF) were exploring whether their collective expertise and resources could better support the community through a merger of the two organisations. After an extensive period of consultation with staff, clients, service users and stakeholders of both organisations, the decision was made to merge Bethany and BCYF into a new single organisation.
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Fundamentally, the merger is about achieving stronger outcomes for our community which will provide tangible long-term benefits for our service users, staff, and the communities we serve. We know that when like-minded organisations come together, it can strengthen services and result in more integrated service delivery and greater experiences for the people we support.
In summary, the key benefits of the merger include:
- creating an improved ‘wrap-around service’ for more people across a broader range of programs.
- increasing our ability to attract additional funding for new services, providing more services to better support service users.
- improving our ‘staff experience’ with a focus on fostering a strong and cohesive culture, professional development opportunities and career pathways.
- increasing our capacity to innovate, influence and create evidence informed approaches.
In early June 2022, the Boards of BCYF and Bethany were pleased to announce the appointment of Grant Boyd to lead the merger transition process and become CEO of the new organisation when formed. Chris Bowly has been appointed as the Chair of this Board.
Our two like-minded organisations came together formally on 1 April, 2023 and we now operate as Meli.
Our funding
From a financial perspective, the Bethany Group increased revenue by 5% in 2022 (to $37.3m) with most of this increase driven by growth in community service program delivery.
The primary sources of income for the Group are Federal and State Government grants in addition to fees for service, donations, philanthropic partnerships and other income.
Bethany ensures we maximise the use of our income to provide the best possible services while staying financially viable for the future.
Overall, the Bethany Group maintained its strong focus on maximising service delivery and financial sustainability in 2022.
Thank you
In what has been another eventful year, we would like to sincerely thank our staff, Board members, service delivery partners, funders and donors for their commitment to Bethany and our community. We also want to thank the people we supported during the last 12 months for putting your trust in us to deliver quality services.
As we unite with BCYF, we look forward to broadening our service offering while maintaining our overarching focus of supporting people and strengthening communities.
Grant Boyd
Chief Executive Officer
Bethany Group
Anthea Whan
Chair
Bethany Kindergarten Services
Chris Bowly
Chair
Bethany Community Support
Our Impact in Numbers
Our Strategy
We are now three years into Bethany’s 2020-25 Strategy which was designed with an overarching objective; to work together to meet the changing needs and aspirations of people in their communities. Here is an update on how we are progressing.
Our Programs
Our services at Bethany span across more than 40 programs, supporting children, families and individuals in Barwon and Southern Victoria who need support to help them navigate through hardship or challenging circumstances.
Our Stories of Impact
During 2022, our reception team answered 23,917 calls from individuals and families who needed our support. This is almost 3,000 more than in 2021. We would like to share some stories of how we’ve worked with our community to overcome hardship together.
Our Commitment to continuous improvement
Our people sit at the core of our organisation. As such, we are committed to continuously enhancing the employee experience to ensure our staff feel valued, recognised and rewarded. We’re also committed to continuous improvement and strive to set the benchmark of Community Service excellence.
Funding Report
The Bethany Group maintained its strong focus on maximising service delivery and financial sustainability in 2022. Growth in community service program delivery resulted in an overall revenue increase of 5% for the Bethany Group.
Thank you for your support
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our funding and program partners. Your support ensures we can maintain the best possible service offering to those in the community who need it most. A huge thank you also to our wonderful donors – your generosity is greatly appreciated.
It is a privilege to be living and working on the lands of Wadawurrung and Gunditjmara people. It is upon their ancestral lands that Bethany services are situated. We share a commitment to nurturing the future generations of the First Nations people in the communities in which we work. We also extend our acknowledgement to all other cultural groups that have contributed to the country we live in today.
