1. Streetwize Communications and the Social accounting and audit process
Jo Taylor
General Manager

4. “ … the reality is there are too many small, overlapping charities fighting for the same donations, whose lack of size and skills makes the sector inefficient.”
Tony Featherstone
Business Review Weekly
July 2006

5. “Invisibility of small organisations and lack of understanding of their value and potential.”
The way forward:Tackling the issues confronting small community organisations.
Voice for SONG
March 2006

6. “Government organisations, Foundations and donors are expressing increasing concerns about the rapid growth in the number of organisations operating in similar program areas, … and the lack of comparative information about organisations.”
Jane Schwager
Chief Executive
Non Profit Australia Newsletter

7. How can we communicate that we are
effective, efficient, professional organisations,
that achieve outcomes as well as outputs, and
can measure our social, environmental and financial impact?

8. Streetwize
is a national social communications agency.
We have been operational for over 20 years.

9. THE STREETWIZE PROCESS

10. THE STREETWIZE PROCESS

11. We equip people for life.

12. Current projects: Resources on self harm positive parenting
co morbidity
family violence
alcohol
performance and imaging enhancing drugs

13. THE STREETWIZE PROCESS

14. THE STREETWIZE PROCESS

15. THE STREETWIZE PROCESS

16. THE STREETWIZE PROCESS

17. THE STREETWIZE PROCESS

18. THE STREETWIZE PROCESS

19. THE STREETWIZE PROCESS

20. Streetwize resources:-
enhance target groups knowledge of particular issues
enhance target groups awareness of Government, support services and relevant information sources
reach people with low literacy skills
prompt target groups to think about difficult issues
are highly regarded by many people who work with young people

21. “Young people read Streetwize
“Young people read Streetwize. They get to the audience and have a good balance between education and entertainment.”
Service Provider

22. “When people are waiting they pick up New Idea and Streetwize comics, our people don’t read anything else.”
Aboriginal Medical Service

23. Organisational Structure
8 Directors
7 Staff (3 full time and 4 part time)
17 Consultants
Work using a partnership model
Turn over of approx just under $1 million

24. Challenges ｷ No core funding
ｷ No deductible gift recipient status for 22 years
ｷ Survive on 3 months operating expenses
ｷ No reserves
ｷ Rely on passionate, highly skilled, resourceful, resilient staff

25. Why Social Accounting? How can we measure our progress?
Are our policies and procedures based on good practice?
How effective are we as an organisation?
We are committed to a working environment of collaboration and feedback.
A board member suggested the Social Accounting process.

26. Questions? Will it add value? Will it be too much work?
No one else is doing it why should we take on something else?
Will it cost money?
Can we build on outcomes rather than outputs?

27. Social Accounting and Audit
is a framework which allows an organisation to build on existing documentation and reporting and develop a process whereby it can:
account for its social performance,
report on that performance and draw up an action plan to improve, and
through which it can understand the impact on the community and be accountable to its key stakeholders.

28. Social Accounting and Audit
The essence of social accounting and audit therefore: accounting for what we do and listening to what others have to say so that we can improve our performance.

29. Social Audit Terms Social Book-Keeping Social Accounting
Social Auditing
Stakeholders

30. The Social Audit Cycle: Five Stages
Introducing Social Accounting and Audit
The Foundations
The Nuts and Bolts - Social Book - keeping
Preparing and Using the Social Accounts
The Social Audit

31. Stage One: Introducing Social Accounting and Audit
What is it?
Why do it?
What are the key principles?
Understanding the jargon
What do we do already?
What do others do?
Managing the Social Audit

32. Stage Two: The Foundations
Clarify the social objectives and activities undertaken to achieve them
State the values which underpin the organisation
Prepare a stakeholder map of the organisation
Identify the key stakeholders
Determine the scope of the social audit

33. Stage Three: Social Book- keeping
Agree the performance indicators
Identify existing records and data to be used
Decide on what new data will be collected and how
Organise the resources needed
Produce the Social Accounting Plan and timetable
Implement the plan and monitor progress

34. Stage Four: Preparing and Using the Social Accounts
Draft the accounts
Identify key issues
Review the objectives, activities and values
Set targets for the future
Plan dialogue and discussion with stakeholders
Review social accounting process and make changes
Plan how to publish and disseminate summary of audited accounts to stakeholders

35. Stage Five: The Social Audit
Appoint the members of the social audit panel
Present to the panel
Panel verifies a sample of audit;
Assesses interpretations and
Comments on the quality of accounting and reporting.
Social accounts are revised as requested by Panel
The Social Audit Statement is issued
Publish a summary of audited accounts
Continue with next cycle

36. What are we measuring against?
Values
Vision
Strategic plan and objectives

37. Key Stakeholders

38. Methodology 2003 - 2005 One day workshop with staff and board
Stakeholders identified
Social Audit process managed and developed by General Manager
Policies reviewed and implemented by Human Resources sub committee
Two students on placement carried out stakeholder consultations
External facilitator ran workshops with staff and board on board governance
General Manager drafted accounts
Social Audit panel review and recommendations for accounts

39. Social Audit Panel Panel reviews the draft accounts
Makes recommendations for the accounts in question and the next accounts
The accounts are re submitted and audit is written.

40. A Successful Audit?
Streetwize has completed a successful social audit which contains quotes and feedback from a number of key stakeholders and a set of recommendations:
on how we can conduct a more comprehensive social audit in 18 months.
on where the gaps are in Streetwize’s service delivery and organisation.

41. Outcomes:
Consultation with key stakeholders on the nuts and bolts on the organisation.
Comprehensive report documenting all aspects of Streetwize work for marketing, fundraising and strategic planning.
Identification of strengths and areas for improvement.
Recommendations from key stakeholders and Social Audit panel on how to make those improvements.
Framework for the next 18 months - 2 years.
Streetwize has undergone a period of change and the social audit has documented the past three years enabling us to retain our corporate history.
Social Audit now part of the strategic planning process, streamlining the process.

42. Comments from Social Audit Panel
“The (Social Audit) process has positive implications for the not for profit sector through, among others things proving the sector’s worth. Streetwize Communications is brave to be one of first to produce these accounts.”
Libby Darlison,
Director,
The Miller Group.

43. Comments:
“It is critical for not for profits to make their performance more widely known, and to be transparent, congratulations Streetwize, on doing a wonderful job.”
Dr Gianni Zappala, Director of Orfeus Research and Westpac Foundation.

44. Where we are up to: ﾐ Adding value to core business
ﾐ Diversity of income streams
ﾐ DGR – Harm Reduction Register
ﾐ Developing more long term partnerships
ﾐ International projects

45. Questions: Do you account for your social performance?
Can you report on your performance?
Have you got an action plan to improve your performance?
Do you know what impact you have on your community?
Your internal and external stakeholders?
Are you accountable to your stakeholders?
Do you consult with your stakeholders and involve them both in your projects, programs and within your organisation in a transparent and rewarding way?

46. He who does not know how to communicate, or communicates badly, in a code that belongs only to him or a few others is unhappy, and spreads unhappiness around him.
Primo Levi
On Obscure Writing

47. Jo Taylor
General Manager