Governance

Organisation Overview

Autism SA is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee and registered as a charity. Our Board of Directors is structured to represent the interests of the autism spectrum community and bring a range of expertise to ensure the effective governance of Autism SA.  

In accordance with requirements of the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 (Act), on 31 May 2019 the Autism Association of South Australia lodged its annual compliance report with the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.  The report is available to download here.

Message from the Chair

Mr Troy Mohler

The last couple of years have been years of transformation by Autism SA. This transformation has led to significant growth of Autism SA, in terms of building capacity, building the organisation and the community. 2018/2019 was a year that the efforts of this transformation started to bear fruit.

The disability sector continues to be disrupted by the implementation of the NDIS, and the NDIS itself is evolving. There were times over the year where questions as to the sustainability of the model were raised by the board, and the organisation answered. This year has been a strong financial result in the face of a challenging sector.

The NDIS continues to provide some members of our community with the level of support they have longed for. At the same time, it proves to be a source of frustration for others. Autism SA’s role as a facilitator of timely access to services and support aims to try and reduce this frustration.

Autism SA is still progressing on its journey of transformation and growth. There is still so much to be done to continue to improve the way we work, to continue to improve the customer experience that community has when dealing with Autism SA, and to ensure that we continue to be recognised as a leader in the sector.

The key to this transition and growth continues to be our people. The staff have endured a radical shift within the organisation and have done so, without losing sight of the end goal of effective person-centred service delivery. It is through the staff’s efforts that we are building an organisation that will thrive, so our clients can.

I would also like to pay tribute to the CEO, Jenny Karavolos. Jenny works tirelessly, alongside her leadership team and the staff or the organisation. It is her energy, drive and belief that has focused the organisation to make the NDIS sustainable for Autism SA.

I would also like to thank my fellow board members for their support and active involvement in the organisation in particular Julie McMillan, Dorian Tisato, Tanya Lancaster and Luke Dale. Julie resigned in August 2018 after more than 3 years on the board for personal reasons. Her understanding of disability, special education and the sector is sorely missed. Dorian resigned after a short period due to personal circumstances. Tanya resigned to take up a professional opportunity within the organisation and joined as part of Jenny’s Leadership Team.  Luke Dale finished his term in June of this year after 8 years on the board. Luke’s legal expertise, insightful analysis and questioning provided immense value to the board that has helped guide Autism SA through some challenging times.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome two new Board members. Richard Price and Mark Morelli both joined the Board in May 2019 and bring with them a wealth of strategic and commercial experience and knowledge.

I did say last year that this would be my last year on the board, yet I am still here. At the end of my term as a Board Appointed Director, I was asked by the Board to stay on as a Client Representative Director to aid in the transition to a new Chair of the Board. After the AGM, Autism SA will have a new Chair of the Board, and I look forward to continuing to assist the organisation in any capacity I can.

I can’t help but feel a sense of pride with the progress that the organisation has made. The challenges that it has faced have been immense, but with the continued drive and dedication of the Staff and Leadership, Autism SA will continue to work towards its vision, that each individual on the autism spectrum lives the life they choose in an inclusive society.

The Board

The Board of the Autism SA accepts overall responsibility for the corporate governance of the organisation and is committed to ensuring that the principles of good governance are implemented with integrity. The current Board as at 2018/19 Financial Year is comprised as follows:

Download the 2018/19 Autism SA Annual Report here

Autism SA Disability Access and Inclusion Plan

Autism SA has recently developed an new Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP). It demonstrates our commitment to improving the participation of people with disability across a range of areas.

DAIPs provide a systematic approach for organisations to identify and address barriers to access and inclusion and develop strategies that meet the participation and service needs of people with disability. The plans are active documents that recognise community and cultural diversity and acknowledge the valuable contribution of everyone to the social and economic fabric of our society. Click here to read the plan.