The document provides an overview of the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council (NPYWC), including its origins, aims to support Aboriginal women and communities in the central desert region, key functions such as advocacy and service delivery programs, organizational structure, and strategic planning processes to guide its work.

1. Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara
Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council
(Aboriginal Corporation)
BUSINESS PLAN
Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC)
Land Acquisition – Socio‐Economic
Development Program

2. CONTENTS
Section Page
1 Overview 2
Background
Aims and Objectives
Key Functions
Strategic Planning
Resourcing
2 The Organisation 6
NPY Women's Council Legal Structure
NPY Women's Council Organisational Structure
Directors Profiles
Senior Management/Executive Staff Profiles
Governance
Financial Statements
3 The Business 19
External Influences on NPYWC Operations
Business Relationships and Arrangements
NPYWC’s Performance
NPYWC’s Competitive Advantage
4 Planning Processes 27
Strategic and operational planning
Identified Risks and Related Management Strategies
Infrastructure, Equipment and Assets
Human Resource Management and Development
Marketing
Management, Operational and Legal Structures
5 Financial Analysis of Business Plan 40
6 Monitoring and Evaluation 44
External Monitoring and Evaluation
Internal Monitoring and Evaluation
Appendices
1

3. OVERVIEW
Background
The Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjarra Yakunytjatjara Women’s Council (NPYWC) Aboriginal
Corporation is an advocacy and human service delivery focused organisation which represents
the common interests, family and cultural connections of women from the ‘three sides’ of the
central desert region of Australia. These ‘three sides’ are the Anangu Pitjantjatjara
Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in South Australia, the Ngaanyatjarra Lands leasehold and native
title holdings in Western Australia (formerly the Central Reserves and other land tracts) and the
four southern Northern Territory communities of Imanpa, Mutitjulu, Docker River and Aputula
(Finke.)
Approximately 6000 Anangu (or in WA Yarnangu) people reside in nearly forty communities,
outstations and homelands (Western Australia 12, Northern Territory 5, South Australia 21),
that constitute the organisation’s membership and service delivery area. These communities are
spread over a vast 350,000 square kilometres semi arid expanse (see NPY map).
The people of the NPY area share language, historical, cultural and familial connections and
concerns for themselves and their families that take precedence over state and territory borders.
NPWYC’s origins extend back over thirty years to the South Australian Pitjantjatjara Land Rights
movement in the late 1970s. Women of the region felt that their needs were not being addressed
2

4. and so established their own organisation, with the first meeting held at Kanpi in South Australia
in December 1980.
Aims and Objectives
NPYWC’s central purpose is to ‘relieve the poverty, sickness, destitution, distress, suffering,
misfortune or helplessness among the Aboriginals of the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and
Yankunytjatjara communities’.
The organisation’s specific aims are to:
 Provide a forum for Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara women to discuss
their concerns;
 Assist and encourage the representation and participation of women from the
Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara region on local, regional and other
relevant bodies;
 Help individual women and girls to achieve further training, education and employment;
 Establish, provide and or promote services to improve the health and safety, education
and general well‐being of people in the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara
region;
 Establish, provide and promote the artistic and cultural interests of Ngaanyatjarra,
Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara women;
 Promote and support the achievements and authority of Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara
and Yankunytjatjara women;
 Gather and provide information about issues of importance to Ngaanyatjarra,
Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara women and the broader community;
 Promote and encourage the law and culture of Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and
Yankunytjatjara women; and
 Support and encourage other women and organisations who work towards similar aims.
NPY Women’s Council’s actions are informed by the following guiding principles:
 Ngapartji ngapartji kulinma munu iwara wananma tjukarurungku: respect each other
and follow the law straight
 Kalypangku: conciliatory
 Piluntjungku: peaceful and calm
 Kututu mukulyangku: kind‐hearted
 Tjungungku :united
 Kunpungku: strong
Key Functions
NPYWC’s origins as an advocacy based organisation for women in the Central tri‐state area have
been maintained through continued provision of a strong and credible voice for its members on
issues including:
 Substance abuse;
 Domestic and family violence;
 Child protection;
 Policing, cross‐border justice and other safety/legal issues;
 End stage renal disease; and
 The needs and aspirations of young people.
NPYWC’s other major function is as a significant provider of human services to individual
Anangu and Yarnangu (Aboriginal people) and families in the regions. Current NPYWC programs
(tri‐state unless otherwise indicated) are:
3

5.  Tjungu (together): aged, disability, mental health support programs
 Tri‐State Disability Support Services
 Disability Advocacy
 Aged Advocacy
 Aged Care Support (APY Lands SA only)
 Emotional and Social Well‐being
 Cross‐border Carer Respite Service
 Ninti (to know): transitional education opportunities for Anangu children who have a
disability.
 Ngangkari (traditional healers) Project
 Youth Program
 Community‐based recreation and diversion; individual case management and holiday
programs.
 Domestic and Family Violence Service
 Legal assistance, advocacy, individual case management and practical help to victims and
children in their care.
 Child Nutrition and Well‐being Program
 Individual case management for failure‐to‐thrive one to five‐year‐olds
 Nutrition education
 Support in statutory child welfare matters.
 Tjanpi Desert Weavers
 NPY Women’s Council’s fibre art social enterprise initiative involving over four hundred
women making fibre art and other products including bush medicine and beanies to sell
to Tjanpi (meaning: desert grass) Desert Weaver for on‐sale to the public through
exhibition and retail outlets, including from NPYWC’s premises in Alice Springs.
 Emergency relief
 Assistance to Anangu and Yarnangu from the region that are in immediate need of food,
fuel, transport, clothing, bedding or accommodation.
Staff who support the coordination and/or delivery of programs may either be based at
NPYWC’s premises in Alice Springs, living in communities in the region and/or undertake
extensive travel in order to do their work.
Strategic Planning
NPYWC’s 2009‐13 Strategic Plan identifies four key focus areas that reflect the consultation
undertaken with stakeholders, the organisation’s Directors and senior management. It
recognises the political, economic, social and environmental trends impacting or likely to impact
on the organisation. These are:
 Service delivery
4

6.  Advocacy
 Organisational capacity
 Funding
The Strategic Plan describes the initiatives, timeframes, responsible persons, key performance
indicators and outcomes for each of these focus areas. Annual action plans, developed by teams
responsible for service delivery, administration and management, reviews performance and
identifies future actions toward fulfilling the organisation’s aims and objectives.
Resourcing
NPYWC currently operates with a budget of approximately $9 million per annum derived from a
wide variety of government, not for profit and philanthropic agencies. This includes funds
provided by the Australian, West Australian, Northern Territory and South Australian
Governments to deliver a wide range of human services, which these governments prefer to
contract out rather than deliver direct. The organisation annually manages over fifty grants,
under more than twenty separate funding agreements, for its five service delivery program
areas. Each grant must be discretely acquitted, both financially and in relation to performance.
NPYWC presently employs close to 90 staff on full‐time, part‐time, casual and/or short‐term
contract staff basis depending on the role, function and tenure of the position including up to 30
based on the Lands. Programs operate where at all possible with a team consisting of a (usually
non‐Aboriginal) staff member with formal professional qualifications and an Anangu project
worker who is employed for their language skills, community knowledge and contacts and
cultural knowledge.
5

7. 2. THE ORGANISATION
NPY Women's Council Legal Structure
17 June 1994: Incorporated with the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations.
 Corporation name: Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women's Council
Aboriginal Corporation
 Designated as large Corporation.
1 July 2000: Registered in the Australian Business Register.
 ABN 77 902 127 562
 Entity Name: NPY Women's Council (to 6 September 1994: Ngaanyatjarra
Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women's Council)
ATO status: Public Benevolent Institution. Acquired Endorsements & Concessions:
 Deductible Gift Recipient endorsement (1 July 2000)
 Income Tax Exemption (1 July 2000)
 FBT Exemption (1 July 2005)
 GST Concession (1 July 2005)
NPY Women’s Council Organisational Structure
The operational and management structure of NPY is outlined in the Organisational Structure
outline (see page 7). Key roles and positions include:
 Elected Directors: Responsible for the over‐all policy and advocacy direction of the
organisation. Up to twelve members can be elected from the region, including a Chairperson
and Vice Chairperson who are elected by secret ballot every two years at an Annual General
Meeting. The composition of Directors includes equal representation from each jurisdiction
(WA, SA and NT).
 Co‐ordinator: Responsible for day to day management of the organisation, support to
Directors, dealing with policy issues with and on behalf of Directors, overseeing
administration and staffing, recruitment, employment grievances and financial
administration.
 Deputy Co‐ordinator: The Deputy Co‐ordinator works closely with the Co‐ordinator to
manage the organisation and is responsible for the day to day management of programs
areas including service delivery. The position supervises Team or Program Managers and the
Executive Assistant; assists in the management of NPY Women’s Council’s operations and
functions; assists Directors and the Co‐ordinator to develop and implement policy in keeping
with the aims and objectives of the organisation.
 Team Managers: Youth Manager, Child Nutrition Manager, Tjungu Team Manager (includes
Aged, Disability, Cross Border Carer Respite and ESWB), Domestic and Family Violence
Service Manager, Tjanpi Manager, Ngangkari Senior Project Officer, Finance Manager and
Administration Manager. Team managers are responsible for the support and supervision of
programs and staff in their respective areas, seeking funding and dealing with funding bodies.
 Assistant Managers and Senior Project Officers: Assists Team Managers to manage projects
and services and to assist with staff supervision.
6

8.  Project officers: Staff who work in the various program areas carrying out case management
including practical assistance and advocacy. A number of these staff are based in
communities in the NPY Lands. Case workers not based on the Lands spend at least half of
their working time in remote member communities.
 Administration: Under the co‐ordination of the Administration Manager, the administration
team manages: reception and general administration, management of staff housing
maintenance in town and in the Lands, emergency relief funding, vehicle fleet management,
satellite phone management, logistics for bush meetings and general repairs and
maintenance.
 Finance: The NPYWC Finance Manager manages the NPYWC Finance Section, assists in setting
up project budgets and expenditure controls, provides regular and ad hoc budget reports for
all projects, and ensures that the systems and practices are in place to enable compliance
with funding contracts. The Finance Manager also reviews and oversees payroll, debtors and
creditors, banking, reconciliations, receipts and allocation of funds, prepares the financial
statements, and coordinates with the external auditor to facilitate the interim audit and the
year‐end audit.
7

9. NPY Women’s Council (Aboriginal Corporation)
Organisational Structure
Directors
12 members comprising
 Chairperson
 Vice –Chairperson
 10 elected representatives
reflecting tri‐state and NPY region
Directorate
 Deputy Coordinator Co‐ordinator Finance
 Executive Assistant
 Human Resource  Manager
Officer  Senior Accounts
Clerk and Payroll
Officer
 Accounts Clerk
Administration
Domestic and Family
 Administration Violence Youth Team
 Manager Child Nutrition Tjanpi Desert
Manager Service Tjungu Team  Assistant
 Receptionist /Admin (Aged and Disability Services) and Wellbeing Weavers
Worker x 2 Managers
 Manager
 Vehicle and Property  Senior Project Program
 Assistant Manager  Manager Officers  Manager
Maintenance Officer
 Senior Case Worker  Senior Project Officer  Youth  Sales and Marketing Officer
 Vehicle and Property  Manager
 Advocacy/Case  Disability Advocacy Officer – Tri Development  Sales and Marketing
Maintenance Assistant  Assistant
Workers State Officers Assistant
Manager
- SA  Disability Project Officer – WA SA: APY east  Arts and Culture Assistant
-  Nutrition
- WA  Disability Project Officer SA/WA APY west  Arts and Culture Field
Development
- NT  HACC Aged Support Officer SA WA: Officer
- Officers
- Alice Springs  Aged Advocacy Officer – Tri State Warakurna  Tjanpi Corner Minyma
- East 1
 Sexual Assault Worker  Emotional Social Well Being Kiwirrkurra - East 2
 DV Admin Officer Officer – Tri State - NT: Finke - West
 Interpreter/Cultural 
Liaison Worker
Respite Project Officers x 2 Mutitjulu - Central Ngangkari Team
 Ninti Project Officer Imanpa - Alice Springs (traditional healers)
 Legal Officer  Anangu Project Officer Docker River  Senior Project Officer
 School Holiday  Male Ngangkari x 2
Program/ Admin
 Female Ngangkari x 4
 Substance Abuse
 Project Officer
Project Officer
 Youth Training
Officer
8

10. NPY Women’s Council Directors Profile March 2010 – October 2011*
The Board of Directors is comprised of women who geographically and culturally represent the areas to which the NPYWC provides advocacy and
delivers services. Board members’ direct life experiences, understandings and commitment guide the organisation in ensuring that the needs and the
aspirations of the communities in which they live are met.
Board member Approx time on Other agencies where they have been Relevant Relevant Skills/Experience
name your Board Board members (expand further if more Qualifications
than one) (if attained)
Organisation Name Approx Time on
Board (years)
Margaret Smith Director‐became Imanpa Community 6 years Margaret is a Yankunytjatjara woman from Imanpa
Chairperson Vice‐Chairperson Council. Community, Northern Territory. A highly regarded
in January 2008 spokesperson for the NPY region, she is a former Liaison
Uluru Kata Tjuta
and Chairperson Officer of Imanpa Arts and Crafts and former
National Park Board
18.04.08. Chairperson of Imanpa Community Council. Margaret
of Management.
has been a member of the Board of Management of
Public Officer Cross‐border Uluru‐Kata Tjuta National Park and the Cross‐border
0.09.06 to present Reference Group on Reference Group on Volatile Substance Misuse and she
Volatile Substance has attended a number of governance training sessions
Misuse. for Indigenous corporations. In 2000 she, in a group of
Aputula (Finke) 330 Aboriginal women, performed in the Sydney
Community Council Olympics Opening Ceremony.
Yanyi Bandicha Director Uniting Church Yanyi is a former Chairperson of NPYWC she held this
position from 2002 – 2008.
Vice Chairperson 16.03.10 to present Aboriginal Congress,
an executive
member and Deputy Yanyi serves on the Uniting Church Northern Synod
Chairperson of the Standing Committee. This body oversees all aspects of
Full NRCC Council the Uniting Church’s work in the Northern Territory, she
is currently one of the representatives for the APY Lands
on the Executive.
Yanyi is an active member of Ananguku Area Ministry
Council a commitment she has delivered since 2004.
9

11. Yanyi was a former Anangu Director of Pitjantjatjarra
Yankunytjatjara Education Committee (APY Lands) and
former Minyma Director of NPY Women’s Council.
Most of her working career was spent working as an
Anangu Education Worker in Anangu schools and as an
interpreter and translator. She is a member of the
Ernabella Choir – now the Pitjantjatjara Choir – and has
been since its early days, and she is an active member of
the Uniting Church.
Julie Anderson Director Aputula (Finke) 3 years Julie was first elected as a Director (formally Executive
Member) in 2007 which continues to present.
Elected Director 17.10.07 to present Community Council
She is a delegate to the board of Central Land Council and
a member of Aputula Aboriginal Corporation Store
Committee.
Julie was a member of Aputula Community Council for
many years. As a senior member of her community, she
promoted Territory Tidy Towns, and twice travelled to
Sydney to accept Tidy Towns awards on behalf of
Aputula. Julie spent close to 20 years working for the NT
Department of Education at the Aputula School. She was
a cleaner and grounds person before being promoted to
Anangu Assistant Teacher, retiring from the Department
in 2000. In the same year Julie was one of 330 Aboriginal
women who performed in the Sydney Olympics Opening
Ceremony.
Janet Inyika Director and Amata Community 3 years Janet was first elected as a Director in 2002 (one year
elected Vice‐ Council term) then again in 2007 which continues to present
Elected Director
Chairperson (two year term). She is a long‐serving member and
18.04.08 to present former staff member of NPY Women’s Council.
Janet is a currently a director of Desart. Desart is the
Association of Central Australian Aboriginal Art and
10

12. Craft Centres.
A former member of Amata Community Council, in 2002
she gave evidence at a South Australian coronial inquest
into petrol‐sniffing deaths on the APY Lands, and in
September 2004 she addressed the Australasian
Coroners’ Conference in Darwin on the issue. In early
2005 she launched the then new opal low octane
‘unsniffable’ petrol at the BP terminal in Largs Bay, SA
with the former Federal Minister for Health, Tony Abbott
MP. The use of opal has dramatically reduced sniffing in
the region. In 2008 she gave evidence to the Senate
Inquiry into Petrol Sniffing in Central Australia. Janet has
also performed in the stage play Ngapartji Ngapartji and
was one of 330 Aboriginal women who performed in the
Sydney 2000 Olympics opening ceremony.
Rene Kulitja Director Mutitjulu 3 years Rene was elected as a Director in 2010 which continues
to present (two year term).
Elected Director 17.10.07 to present Community Council
Rene is a member of Central Land Council’s Community
Uluru Kata Tjuta
Development Funded Committee which distributes
National Park Board selects community development projects funded from
of Management. royalty, rent and affected area payments from land use
agreements. She is also Chairperson of Maruku Arts
Maruku Arts Governing Committee .
Governing
Committee. Rene is an artist whose work features in many national
and international exhibitions including Belgium and
Japan. She works with many media, including glass and
ceramics, paint and tjanpi (grass) baskets. A high profile
international artist, Rene has one of her designs featured
on a Qantas Boeing 747 jet. In 2000 Rene also performed
at the Sydney Olympics Opening Ceremony. She was a
member of the (former) Mutitjulu Community Council
and the Uluru‐Kata Tjuta National Park Board of
Management and she is a founding director of Walkatjara
11

13. Arts at Uluru.
Ingrid Treacle Director Fregon Community 7 months Ingrid was elected as a Director in March 2010. She
currently works part‐time in Kaltjiti Art Centre as well as
Elected Director 17.03.10 to present Council
a full‐time carer.
Ingrid has worked for many years as an Aboriginal
Education Worker in Fregon Anangu School. She is
qualified as a teacher having completed her studies
through AnTEP.
Pantjiti McKenzie Director Pukatja Community 3 year Pantjiti has spent much of her life living in Ernabella
Community. Pantjiti and her husband set up EVTV which
Elected Director 21.10.08 to present Council
made films on many subjects. She estimates that they
made over a thousand films. They also worked for PY
Media on the Broadcasting for Remote Aboriginal
Community Services program (BRACS). Pantjiti enjoys
acting. She has appeared in films about bush tucker, bush
medicine, the Seven Sisters and she also performed in
the stage play, Ngapartji Ngapartji.
A skilled artist in paint, batik and weaving tjanpi (grass)
baskets and a teacher of the Pitjantjatjara language,
Pantjiti is also a traditional healer or ngangkari,
specialising in treating women’s problems. Pantjiti
performed at the Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening
Ceremony.
Martha Ward Director 7 months Martha is a Ngaanyatjarra women from the community
of Wanarn, Western Australia. Martha is an aged care
Elected Director 17.03.10 to present
worker at Kungkarangkalpa (Seven Sisters) Aged Care
facility at Wanarn, previously she worked for many years
in the community store.
12

14. Valerie Foster Director 3 years Valerie’s background is in health. She was a Senior
Health Worker for more than 30 years, and worked in
Elected Director 17.07.07 to present
various clinics and hospitals. Valerie is a former staff
member of NPY Women’s Council. Soon after the Child
Nutrition Program started in 1996, Valerie became a
Project Officer, working with the Manager, malparara
way – meaning together as companions or friends. She
stayed with Child Nutrition until 2001. In 2000 Valerie
also performed at the Olympics Opening Ceremony. She
has had a number of terms as an NPY Women’s Council
elected Director during the 1990s, from 2001 to 2002,
and again from 2007 to the present.
Anawari Mitchell Director 7 months Anawari has held a variety of roles during her working
career including health worker for Ngaanyatjarra Health,
Elected Director 17.03.10 to present
store worker, community office worker and she has
undertaken casual work for NPY Women’s Council from
time to time in our emotional and social wellbeing
project.
A qualified Aboriginal health worker, Anawari is also a
highly acclaimed artist and weaver and she is a strong
support for Ngaanyatjarra Media. In 2000 she in a group
of 330 Aboriginal women, performed in the Sydney
Olympics Opening Ceremony.
Olive (formerly Director Warburton 3 years In 2002 at the AGM held at Wipularilarri, she was elected
Frances) Lawson for one year and again in 2007 which continues to
17.10.07 to present Community Council
present. Olive works for the Home and Community Care
Elected Director
program (HACC) in Warburton, which assists old people
with their shopping, washing and laundry and she is the
Co‐ordinator of the Breakfast Club, which prepares
breakfast and lunches for school students. She is also a
member of Mili Store Committee in Warburton.
Olive supports and assists in the delivery of cultural
awareness training to non‐Indigenous workers in the
Ngaanyatjarra Lands. Olive is a wood‐carver and artist,
more recently she started basket weaving, making raffia
13

15. and tjanpi baskets. In 2000 Olive performed at the 2000
Olympic Games with other women from Central
Australia.
Elsie Wanatjura Director Mutitjulu 7 months Elsie was first elected as a Director in 2006, then again in
Elected Director 17.03.10 to present 2007 both for one year terms. She was re‐elected in 2010
which continues to present. She is a Ngaanyatjarra and
Pitjantjatjara woman who speaks eight languages, as well
English. Elsie established the Disability Support Project
and Emotional and Social Wellbeing (Mental Health)
Project in NPYWC. Prior to this she worked as a Health
Worker for twenty years in Areyonga and in Mutitjulu
both in the NT.
*Directors scheduled an AGM for October 2009 at which an election for new directors was going to be held. Unfortunately the death of the founding member
warranted this date being moved forward to March 2011. This request was approved by the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations. Directors are elected for a two
year term.
14

16. Senior Management Profile
The organisation is led, managed and directed by well qualified, experienced and knowledgeable people whose personal and professional understandings
of the NPY Lands context is long term and extensive.
Staff name Position Title Date Other agencies where they Relevant Qualifications Relevant Skills/Experience
Commenced have held senior positions or
or other boards of which they are
Approximate members
time with
Organisation Approx Time
NPYWC
Name in position
Ms Andrea Co‐ordinator 17/7/08 Policy Officer, 1 year Bachelor of Laws; Bachelor Extensive experience working
Mason FaHCSIA of Arts in Aboriginal Affairs within the government and non‐
and Public Administration. profit sector which has assisted her
in gaining relevant and widespread
knowledge of Indigenous issues
and affairs.
Ms Liza Deputy 1/1/96 N/A N/A Bachelor of Applied Science Extensive experience in child
Balmer Co‐ordinator in Nursing; Masters in nutrition and exceptional
Public Health. knowledge of the organisation and
related issues through long service.
Ms Kim Manager Tjungu 1/12/04 CEO, Regional 6 years Bachelor of Social Science; Previously worked as CEO of a
McRae (together) Team: Information Associate Diploma of Social disability advocacy organisation in
Aged Care, and Advocacy Science; Diploma of rural Victoria and has more than
Disability and Council Vocational Education and 18 years experience working
ESWB Training. within the disability sector.
Ms Sue Manager Youth 27/10/04 Senior 1 year Bachelor of Social Studies More than 30 years experience in
Cragg Team Research (Social Work) service delivery, management and
Fellow, consultancy in the health and
University of welfare fields.
15

17. Wollongong.
Area 4 years
Manager,
NSW Home
Care Service.
Deputy
Director, 3 years
Macarthur
Community
Health
Services
Ms Rose Manager 3/5/10 Manager of 12 years Associate degree in Science Served 20 years with Victoria
Byrnes Domestic and Victoria and Diploma Front Line Police. Experience in Operations,
Family Violence Police Management Policy and Training.
Team
Mr Peter Finance Manager 17/12/10 Experienced 13 years Chartered Accountant 18 Years experience in financial
Pynacker Finance (Canada) and Executive management and auditing in non‐
Controller Master of Finance and profit organisations
Controllership
Auditing
Experience 5 years (Netherlands).
Ms Lavenia Administration 4/9/06 N/A N/A Bachelor of Accounting Extensive previous administration
Saville Manager (Partially completed). and bookkeeping experience in
both private and non‐profit
organisations. Very competent IT
skills.
Ms Michelle Tjanpi Desert 16/3/09 Museum 7 years Bachelor of Arts in Wide‐ranging experience working
Young Weavers Director/Cura Anthropology and Ancient within the Arts sector and
Manager torYap State History; Post‐ graduate extensive administration skills.
Museum, Diploma in Anthropology.
Micronesia
Ms Angela Ngangkari 17 years N/A N/A Qualified Social Worker Extensive work experience across
Lynch Project the NPY Lands, she has worked for
16

18. NPYWC since 1994 on the
disability, ESWB and projects. She
also lived in Mutitjulu for 9 years.
Ms Trish Manager 1 month Social Work 1 year Bachelor of Arts in Applied A highly trained and experienced
Kane Child Nutrition consultant Social Work; Higher professional in social work and
Diploma in Youth and community work.
Family Studies.
17

19. Governance
NPYWC was separately incorporated in 1994 under the Commonwealth Aboriginal Councils and
Associations Act and is presently recognised under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander) Act 2006 ‐ the CATSI Act. The Act in large part reflects the Corporations law, and places
comprehensive reporting requirements on the organisation, and strict duties on elected
Directors and staff.
Membership is open to any woman who is at least 16 years of age and who is an Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander person from the NPY region and/or whom the Directors consider to have
sufficient cultural or family connection to the region. She must be deemed by the Directors to be
of good character and willing to follow the guiding principles of the organisation. The
organisation’s members reside in the region. A few live in Alice Springs or other towns or cities,
mainly for their own or other family members’ health reasons.
The organisation’s elected Directors are all women from the NPY region, and number up
to twelve. There is a Chairperson and Vice‐Chairperson. Directors meet at least quarterly
to discuss programs and priorities and other issues of interest to members. All members
are invited to attend an Annual General Meeting and usually at least one other general
meeting is held in an NPY regional location each year, to receive reports from Directors
and staff and to provide referrals, responses to service delivery and ongoing direction.
The development of procedures, an organisational Rulebook and the provision of appropriate
training ensures that there is compliance to the duties and obligations of Directors and senior
staff outlined in the CATSI Act. This includes:
 Showing care and diligence;
 Acting in good faith;
 Disclosing of material personal interests;
 Not improperly using position or information; and
 Preventing insolvent trading.
NPYWC has worked with the Office of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) to
run governance training specifically targeted to meet the needs and literacy levels of members.
This assists in addressing the challenge of ensuring Directors, for whom English is a second
language, understand the requirements of NPYWC’s many funding bodies, the conditions that
govern the financial managements of significant allocations of funds and their duties under the
CATSI Act.
Due to its level of income and number of staff, NPYWC is classified by the Office of Indigenous
Corporations (ORIC) as a large organisation which determines the extent of reporting required
to be provided annually. The constitution or Rule Book, membership list, independently audited
financial reports and other information about the corporation is provided on the ORIC website
http://www.orac.gov.au
18

20. 3. THE BUSINESS
External Influences on NPYWC’s Operations
A range of political, economic, social and influences affect the current and anticipated future
operations of the NPYWC organisation.
 Political
Government attitudes, approaches and policies towards Indigenous communities in the tri‐state
area covered by NPYWC, have changed considerably over the past decade. Policies that espoused
self‐determination and service delivery in Indigenous communities by Indigenous organisations
have largely been usurped and discarded.
Governments now advocate the need for programs and services to be ‘evidence‐based’ ‐ i.e. they
should be designed and delivered on the basis of demonstrated need, and that the delivery of
those programs and services must be undertaken by agencies or organisations (either
government or non‐government) that are able to demonstrate their capacity for doing so.
The era in which governments contracted Aboriginal‐owned and controlled organisations to
deliver services chiefly because the organisation was Aboriginal‐owned and controlled is
essentially over. Additionally, governments are increasingly questioning whether they are
receiving “value for money” when they outsource program and service delivery to non‐
government organisations like NPYWC.
In the tri‐state region, the Australian Government has appointed Government Business
Managers to improve the delivery and coordination of government services at the local level
as well as report on the effectiveness of organisations delivering services. The trend of
governments to increase their physical presence in remote Indigenous communities poses both
a challenge and opportunity for NPYWC. On the one hand, governments may come to the view
that they no longer need organisations like NPYWC to deliver programs and services on their
behalf, as their staff can do so. Consequently, they could decrease or cease the funding they
currently provide to NPYWC. However based on the current trend if NPYWC can continue to
demonstrate that its knowledge of communities, methods of service delivery in particular its
case management model and other assets will deliver better programs and services than
government, NPYWC will continue to receive strong support from government.
 Economic
There are a number of economic trends that have a direct and indirect impact on the operation
of NPYWC. These include:
 The very low socio‐economic status of NPYWC members;
 Efforts to make remote Indigenous communities less welfare‐dependent and introduce
‘real economies’ into Indigenous communities and regions;
 Increasing recognition that funding for the delivery of programs and services in remote
areas needs to reflect the real cost of programs and services deliver; and
 Increasing recognition that uncoordinated, piecemeal funding to organisations like
NPYWC is resource intensive, counter‐productive and wasteful.
The overwhelming majority of NPYWC members and other residents of the NPY communities
have very low incomes, chronic health problems and other issues that they encounter are a
result of:
19

21.  Low socio‐economic standing;
 Poor educational attainment;
 Substance abuse and addiction;
 Welfare dependency;
 Leadership problems;
 Laissez‐faire childrearing practices;
 Self‐interest and the misuse of power in communities; and
 The general collision or ‘cultural clash’ of a specialised desert hunter‐gatherer society
and its norms with a capitalist contemporary society.
Additionally, most Indigenous communities in the tri‐state region are ‘welfare economies’ in that
the bulk of the income received by the residents is provided through welfare payments from
Government. The capacity to introduce “alternative economies” into Indigenous communities in
the tri‐state region is quite limited and, in any case, would take a long time to develop and is
likely to be dependent on an external catalyst such as mining or tourism development.
 Social
The Indigenous people of the tri‐state region have a range of strong and enduring cultural
practices and norms that heavily influence their behaviour and interaction with each other and
with external groups and organisations. Some aspects of cultural practices and attitudes have
been challenged and subjected to scrutiny and change by organisations such as NPYWC over the
past thirty years or more (for instance, acceptance of violence towards women, certain child
rearing practices, attitudes towards people with disabilities).
NPYWC's core functions of service delivery and advocacy for women and children of the tri‐state
region have inevitably placed the organisation at odds with individuals, groups and communities
at various times. NPYWC's ability to provide effective services to their clients in that
environment has helped to augment the organisation's credibility and standing with internal
and external stakeholders.
Social and cultural change among the Indigenous people and communities of the tri‐state region
will continue. As with the social and cultural changes that have already occurred, some will come
from the people themselves and some will be sought or compelled by Government and others.
NPYWC needs to continue to adopt an objective and flexible approach to cultural and social
changes. It does not, and cannot, seek to insulate or cocoon people against change nor work from
the basis that traditional cultural practices and norms are, or should be, inviolate.
Business Relationships and Arrangements
NPYWC is a small organisation operating in a very complex environment. To maximize its
effectiveness NPYWC continually assesses its performance and focuses on the following
principles:
 The needs of its clients;
 What it can do that is of value to its clients and that is not provided by another
organisation;
 How the organisation fits into the ‘tri‐state picture’ and how it is or could be affected by
regional and national policies and trend;
 How its service delivery and advocacy can be measured and analysed;
 Collaborating with other organisations to work to best practice by promoting the practices
that are effective in delivering services in the NPY region;
 Acquiring staff and requiring staff to have the necessary skills and competencies to
undertake the work required;
 Ensuring staffing levels and service delivery requirements are well aligned; and
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22.  Providing the necessary professional support, supervision, staff development and
remuneration.
 Relationships with Government
NPYWC operates in a complex environment of interactions and funding arrangements. Programs
and services are partly or fully funded by:
 Australian Government;
 South Australian Government;
 Western Australian Government;
 Northern Territory Government; and/or
 Philanthropic and charitable organisations.
Government agencies that provide resources for NPYWC to undertake a particular program or
activity in one area may have limited awareness that another Government is also providing
funding for the same activity in another part of the tri‐state region. Additionally, NPYWC
provides reports and financial statements to each of these jurisdictions which regularly require
different reports on the same activities to the various relevant Government agencies. NPYWC
receives 50 or more grants annually to support its five service delivery programs and
operational costs. In 2009, these grants required the submission of 124 financial and 97 non‐
financial reports. Streamlining the reporting process to the different Government agencies and
jurisdictions is an ongoing challenge for the organisation as it seeks to make the most effective
use of its resources.
Both Commonwealth and State Governments have an ongoing historical relationship in
contracting NPYWC to deliver programs and services. NPYWC’s ability to successfully deliver
programs and services over a long period of time with the limited funding and resources
provided is testament to the skills and abilities of NPYWC’s staff and members. Governments’
traditional practices of under‐funding aspects of program delivery to remote areas will continue
to be challenged by NPYWC as it identifies, demonstrates and advocates to Government the real
cost of delivering adequate, effective and efficient services. If adequate funding from
Government is not forthcoming, NPYWC may need to give strong consideration to limiting the
range of services it provides and or the areas and clients to whom it delivers programs and
services.
NPYWC Directors and staff represent the organisation on a range of committees, working groups
and other forums organised by the different jurisdictions. NPYWC’s presence on these groups is
a reflection of the wealth of knowledge of on‐the‐ground issues and extensive experience in the
representative’s fields of expertise. Recognition and adequately recompense to the individual
and organization in its funding agreements with Government is a matter which can impact on
time and financial resources and continuity of program delivery.
The extent of co‐ordination and communication required amongst and between the different
Governments is significant. NPYWC may liaise with different branches of a Government agency
on particular issues who have no awareness that another branch is also working with NPYWC on
the same issue. Similarly, one Government may approach NPYWC to discuss funding or delivery
of a particular program or service and have no appreciation as to whether another jurisdiction
may be funding the delivery of that program or service by NPYWC.
Additionally, staff turnover in Government agencies is very high. NPYWC staff often spend
considerable time establishing rapport and a working relationship with one officer only to find
that that person leaves their position and their replacement is often provided with no
background information or understanding of their agency’s interaction with NPYWC. This
requires spending considerable time re‐establishing rapport and educating new Government
21

23. staff about the agency’s history and interaction with NPYWC.
 Relationships with other Indigenous agencies
NPYWC operates in a context that includes a range of other Indigenous peak bodies and
organisations. There are at least two dozen other Indigenous and non‐Indigenous organisations
that operate in and from Alice Springs that service the tri‐state region and the Alice Springs area
more generally. Consequently, NPYWC competes with other Indigenous organisations for staff,
who have to compete for limited housing where the cost of living and rental and house prices in
Alice Springs are comparatively high. Similarly, staff turnover within Indigenous organisations is
high and there are limited options available to NPYWC in regards to office space and other
facilities.
NPYWC has well developed working relationships with most Indigenous organisations in Alice
Springs and the tri‐state region. Whilst interactions with some Indigenous organisations are not
as developed as they are with others, this is only an issue if a good working relationship with a
particular organisation is critical to the organisation's core functions, i.e. service delivery and
advocacy. Situations where this occurs are limited and infrequent.
 Relationships with Philanthropic, Charitable and Not for Profit Organisations
The relationship with the not for profit sector has two components. Firstly NPYWC receives
financial support from this sector to fund core services and projects and this support has
increased in recent years. Secondly NPYWC is increasingly competing for funding against other
not for profit organisations that want to deliver services in the NPY Lands. The future challenge
for NPYWC’s is how to influence co‐ordination of services being delivered by other organisation
so that communities across the NPY region receive equal or comparable levels of services.
NPYWC’s Performance
 Value
Over a thirty year period, NPYWC’s has demonstrated value to members, the communities in
which it works and the agencies with whom partnerships have been formed. This includes:
 Supporting a strong role for women in communities, particularly through the delivery of
services that involve the employment of Anangu women, including:
o Respite for carers;
o Frail and aged care plans and advocacy;
o Disability advocacy and case management;
o Emotional and social well‐being;
o Child nutrition education and support;
o Youth programs aimed at early intervention for children at risk of, or involved in,
substance abuse; and
o Tjanpi (Jarn‐pee) Desert Weavers NPYWC’s social enterprise a highly successful social
enterprise that provides income to more than 400 talented women basket weavers in the
region.
 NPYWC’s record of representing and empowering Aboriginal women in the tri‐state
region through supporting women’s’ efforts to have some control and choice, and the
possibility of being able to establish lives that are free from violence. NPYWC’s award‐
winning and unique Domestic Violence Service which has operated for seventeen years
has supported women and their families in these endeavours.
22

24.  NPYWC is a major service delivery organisation in the tri‐state NPY region. It provides
services in remote areas that government agencies do not deliver directly and often
fulfils a role that is normally the responsibility of the state in remote areas. NPYWC
delivers these services at a much lower cost than governments would incur – which is a
major reason why it is often engaged to deliver these programs. Extensive travel is part
of the work, personal and professional isolation is a factor and in some communities
living conditions and housing are far from ideal. However, the commitment of highly
skilled and dedicated employees maximizes the capacity of the organisation to deliver
positive outcomes for the projects it provides.
 The context of NPYWC’s program is arduous, challenging and involves working with
clients who often have multiple problems. This can include domestic violence, child
assault and substance misuse; acquired brain injury (ABI), serious physical disability;
dementia and frailty due to age or managing the responsibility of caring for an adult son
or daughter with acquired brain injury most commonly from sniffing petrol. In addition,
many communities are highly dysfunctional, violent and lacking a permanent police
presence.
 NPYWC is unique in its tri‐state membership and operation. This however can present a
major challenge when it comes to accessing funding and reporting on outcomes. NPYWC
uses its limited resources very efficiently by administering services in the cross‐border
region. NPYWC works collaboratively with other Aboriginal organisations, including
clinical health services, to ensure the duplication of services is minimised.
 Achievements and Significant Activities
NPYWC’s notable achievements
 Agreement with Curtin Springs Roadhouse, NT, which is consistent with a license lodged
with the NT Licensing Commission to stop the supply of alcohol to members of the NPY
region or to people who may sell alcohol to Anangu who live in the NPY Lands or who
may travel through the NPY Lands continues.
 Co‐ordination of 330 Aboriginal women to perform in the Sydney 2000 Olympics
Opening Ceremony.
 Development of innovative community development models of service delivery such as
the Petrol Sniffing Support Project (now Young People’s Project).
 National Travelling Exhibition of Ngaanyatjarra Manguri Women’s Weaving; most of the
pieces acquired by the Araluen Centre in Alice Springs; Tjanpi works also acquired by:
National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Queensland Art Gallery, Art
Gallery of South Australia, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, National
Museum of Australia, Araluen Arts Centre, Kluge Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection (USA);
and the Kerry Stokes Collection.
 Extensive participation in SA Coronial inquest 2002, into the deaths of three petrol
sniffers from the AP Lands, including separate legal representation for NPY, submissions,
assistance to Coroner’s office in relation to expert and other witnesses, dissemination of
information by radio during inquiry at Umuwa, May‐June 2002, and afterwards by
translation and distribution of findings; financial assistance by way of grant from Alcohol
Education and Rehabilitation Foundation.
 Separate legal representation at a second SA Coronial inquest November‐December
2004, involving similar issues; grant from Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation
Foundation and Pilot Light Foundation Working Dog Productions.
 Submission to NT Coronial inquest into the deaths of three petrol sniffers, August 2005.
 Commissioning of Access Economics Cost Benefit Analysis of the introduction of
subsidised Opal ‘unsniffable’ fuel into a wide Central Australian region, along with
General Property Trust (GPT and Central Australian Youth Link Up Service (CAYLUS) –
23

25. the ‘Opal Alliance’; report launched March 2006. [available at:www.gpt.com.au];
extensive and successful lobbying to have the Opal Federal subsidy extended to the
private retail sector, including in Alice Springs from 1st March 2007.
 Systemic advocacy and support for Indigenous women’s and family issues at local and
national levels.
 Tjanpi Desert Weavers providing a unique service in the NPY region as the sole provider
of specialised support for fibre artists. Over 311 artists in SA, WA and NT sold their work
to the Tjanpi enterprise in the 2009/10 financial year and 593 artists are registered in
the project’s Artists Management System.
 Awards
The excellence, innovation and achievements of NPYWC have been acknowledged through being
the recipient of numerous awards throughout the organisation’s history. This includes:
 “National Drug and Alcohol Award for Excellence in Prevention” from the National
Council on Drugs to the ‘Opal Alliance’: NPY Women’s Council, General Property Trust
(GPT) and Central Australian Youth Link Up Service (CAYLUS) for successful lobbying to
have Opal ‘unsniffable’ low octane fuel subsidised by the Australian Government in
commercial retail outlets in the Central region; June 2007;
 “National Violence Prevention Award”, NPY Domestic Violence Service 1994 and 1995;
 “Excellence in Health Promotion” for the Child Nutrition Project, 1997. Awarded by
Living Health SA;
 “Best Practice Award” for the Child Nutrition Project, 1997. Awarded by OATSIH;
 “An Outstanding Contribution to Australian Culture” for the Kungka Career Conference,
1999. Awarded by the Centre for Australian Cultural Studies Canberra;
 Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Award to NPY Women’s Council in
the Community Sector, 2000;
 Special Mention for the Women’s Centres Book – “Nganana Rawangka Alatji Warkaripai;
We Have Been Doing This Work for a Long Time”, 2000. Awarded by the Centre for
Australian Cultural Studies Canberra;
 The Australian Council for Children and Parenting (ACCAP) National Award for the
Prevention of Child Abuse in Regional and Remote Areas, Melbourne, Nov. 2001, jointly
to NPYWC Domestic Violence Service and Child Nutrition Project;
 Special Mention for “Ngangkari Work – Anangu Way: traditional healers of Central
Australia,” Centre for Australian Cultural Studies, Canberra, 2004 Awards; February
2005;
 “Women in Community Policing” Award to the NPYWC Domestic Violence Service at the
Australasian Policewomen’s conference, Darwin, August 2005;
 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Tjanpi Aboriginal
Baskets weavers for the Tjanpi (grass) Toyota, Darwin, August 2005;
 Royal Australasian College of Psychiatrists Mark Sheldon Prize for Rupert Peters and
Andy Tjilari, NPY Women’s Council ngangkari (traditional healers ), February 2009;
 NPYWC ngangkari recipients of the Dr Margaret Tobin Award for excellence in mental
health service delivery 2009; and
 Child Nutrition and Well‐being Program was recognised at the ‘Excellence in Indigenous
Health Awards,’ hosted by Criterion Conferences in March 2010, for its outstanding work
in Maternal and Child Health.
NPYWC’s Competitive Advantage
Service delivery and advocacy for members and communities in the tri‐state area are the core
functions of NPYWC. Over a thirty year period the organisation has developed a unique niche
and proud reputation for its endeavours in both of these areas.
24

26.  Service Delivery
NPYWC is uniquely placed to deliver services that neither government nor other non‐
Government agencies have the capacity to deliver. It has the infrastructure, skills and rapport
with clients and communities that many other organisations have not been able to establish.
NPYWC’s programs and services are delivered by five teams: Youth, Child Nutrition, Tjungu
(Aged, Disability, Emotional and Social Well‐being), Domestic Violence and Tjanpi Desert
Weavers. NPYWC Teams maintain a strong presence throughout the NPY region through their
remote‐based staff and resources and frequent visits by Alice Springs‐based staff that provide
support, assistance and professional expertise.
NPYWC’s service delivery centres on a set of case management principles and processes
developed by the organisation to assist clients. In practice, these principles and processes guide
Project Officers in the development of support plans for clients. Support plans allow a multi‐
disciplinary approach for joint case management of clients by NPYWC or by NPYWC and external
service providers.
 Advocacy
Since its inception in 1980 NPYWC has been a strong advocate for the needs of Indigenous
women and children of the tri‐state region. The strong reputation that the organisation enjoys is
partly due to its robust advocacy on behalf of its clients and willingness to confront difficult
issues. There have been notable successes arising from the organisation’s advocacy function.
These include:
 The extended rollout of the subsidised OPAL fuel program;
 Curtin Springs Roadhouse alcohol restrictions;
 Establishment of the NPYWC Domestic and Family Violence Service;
 The establishment of cross‐border police posts;
 The WA, SA and NT tri‐state justice legislation and inter‐governmental agreements;
 Public comment about violence against and the exploitation of women and children;
 Substance abuse including anti‐grog marches in Alice Springs and Coober Pedy in 2007
and 2008;
 The needs and aspirations of young people living in NPY communities; and
 Provision of medical services for people with end stage renal disease and support for
their families close to home.
NPYWC has received a number of awards nationally in acknowledgement of its high level of
advocacy, the quality of outcomes and the far reaching effects experienced by women across not
only the NPY lands but the whole of Australia.
As Governments move towards evidence‐based funding of programs and services, more
emphasis is being placed on the need for NPYWC, as the only women’s organisation of its kind in
the region, to provide evidence of emerging issues and to campaign on the need for new services
and programs which support vulnerable, at‐risk women in the region. Advocacy is a sizeable role
which includes gathering data, liaising with the media and Government, delivering information
so that it has an impact and working towards better systems of program and service delivery.
Good advocacy is a skilful art form which is best undertaken by people who are articulate, armed
with relevant evidence and, most importantly, have a deep concern for clients. NPYWC staff have
the evidence and ability to continue to advocate strongly for clients.
NPYWC is well positioned to intensify its advocacy role within the region. It has the capacity to
provide an evidence base on different issues and the internal professional experience and
insight to predict those issues which may have an impact on the region. NPYWC will maintain its
high profile as the peak body for women’s advocacy in the region to ensure that matters of
25

27. regional importance remain high on Governments’ agendas.
 Tjanpi Desert Weavers
Since 1995, Tjanpi Desert Weavers (Tjanpi) has evolved into a vital and dynamic Anangu social
enterprise of NPYWC. Acknowledged as ‘the happy face of NPYWC’, it supports more than four
hundred women across the Central and Western Desert region to create and market fibre art
made from locally collected grasses and other materials.
Tjanpi, an integral component of NPYWC’s service delivery, is well positioned as a social
enterprise that has considerable capacity for growth within the governance, cultural, social,
geographical, physical and financial framework of the organisation.
A recent review of Tjanpi’s operation resulted in the development of the 2011‐14 Business Plan
(available on request). The plan is guided by a mission statement which seeks to;
“Further develop the enterprise so that it contributes to improving the lives of NPY women and
their families by supporting cultural activity and employment through the creation of fibre art.”
The Business Plan clearly sets out strategies for how the Tjanpi enterprise, within the NPYWC
context, can achieve the following end targets:
 Be recognised as a leading social enterprise for women in the NPY region;
 Increase Anangu and Yarnangu employment, training and income opportunities;
 Increase the capacity of Tjanpi to work with more women on country;
 Provide regular income opportunities for NPY women;
 Be a more sustainable social enterprise;
 Increase turnover target to over $1,200,000;
 Build reserves to provide stability and ensure continuation of Tjanpi; and
 Be highly regarded with a strong reputation for contemporary fibre artworks.

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28. 4. Planning Processes
The NPYWC Planning Overview outlines the key components of the organisation’s planning and management processes
27

29. Strategic and Operational Planning
As illustrated on the Planning Overview on the previous page, NPYWC’s strategic and operational
planning is informed by the 2009‐13 Strategic Plan (available on request). The plan identifies the
following key components to support and guide the organisation’s future development:
 Strategic directions that support the constitutional objectives of the organisation;
 Strategic directions for a management and staffing structure that facilitates sound and
efficient service delivery to clients and advocacy on behalf of members;
 Goals that are easily comprehended, including clearly written strategic actions and realistic
targets;
 Assessments of;
o Current management, staffing, program, administration, resource and enterprise
structures and recommendations for a future model(s); and
The organisation’s management structure including identification of specific duties for
senior management positions;
 A broader workforce strategy for sustainable employment of staff, both Anangu and non‐
Aboriginal, including succession plans, career development and skills sharing across NPYWC
program areas; and
 An overarching framework for the development of strategic documents including Tjanpi
Desert Weavers Business Plan 2011‐14 (available on request).
Annual Action Plans which link to the Strategic Plans four focus areas ‐ service delivery, advocacy,
organisational capacity and funding are developed by the teams responsible for the delivery of
services, administration and the executive functions of the directorate each year at the Annual Staff
Planning day. These plans identify the priority actions to be undertaken by each team, the team
member/s responsible for implementation, the timelines by which actions will occur, the
performance indicators around which progress will be measured and the expected outcomes for the
actions which are undertaken.
Monitoring the progress of action plans, the development and implementation of specific strategies
for individual projects and expenditure is the responsibility of Team Managers. Teams meet four
times per year to discuss progress within their project brief and this is shared within the senior
management team. The NPYWC Co‐ordinator reports performance to the organisation’s Directors at
least twice per year.
NPYWC has developed a comprehensive set of policies and procedures which relate to
administration, service delivery and human resource management functions within its unique
environment. These documents meet funding terms and conditions and provide operational
guidelines that enable NPYWC to function professionally. Policies and procedures are included in
NPYWC’s Operational Manual and formal sessions are held annually to familiarise new staff with the
organisation and how it operates.
Identified Risks and Related Management Strategies
 Organisational Risk
As an organisation which primarily derives its financial resources from Government bodies, NPYWC
needs to ensure that it has practices and procedures in place which are accountable and open to
scrutiny from agencies that provide financial support for the services it delivers. This includes being
open to external review by the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH)
through its Organisational Risk Assessment Profile.
Due to the organisation being the recipient of significant funds from the Commonwealth Department
of Health and Aging, NPYWC participated in the OATSIH Risk Assessment Profile in March 2009 and