annual report 08 eng.indd
Transcription
annual report 08 eng.indd
© Mauro Minozzi ANNUAL REPORT 2007/2008 Who we are Together - for each other Bringing visions to life together Child Protection Policy Quality4Children Income and expenditures 2006 Brief history Content Facilities and programmes © Hilary Atkins Strenghtening cooperation for children Imprint 1. Content and imprint 2. Who we are 2. Together - for each other 2 Editorial Office: SOS-Kinderdorf International, Communications, Hermann-Gmeiner-Str. 51, P.O. Box 209, 6010 Innsbruck, Austria 3 Publisher: SOS-Kinderdorf International 4 - 5 Responsible for the contents: Richard Pichler 3. Bringing visions to life together 6 - 9 Editorial team: Cornelia Bolter, Daniel Dejean de la Bâtie, Karin Demuth, Bianca Helfer, Orlaith King, Doris Kirchebner, Stephanie Klotz, Barbara Straif 4. Child Protection Policy 10 - 11 5. Quality4Children 12 - 13 6. Strenghtening cooperations for children 14 - 15 Translator: WLT Vienna 7. Income and expenditures 2006 16 - 17 Title photo: Mauro Minozzi 8. Brief history 18 9. Facilities and programmes 19 Graphics: Michaela Obholzer Printing: Athesia-Tyrolia, Austria Who we are We take action for children as an independent non-governmental social development organisation. We respect varying religions and cultures, and we work in countries and communities where our mission can contribute to development. We work in the spirit of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and we promote these rights around the world. Our vision Every child grows up in a family, Within that family each child is protected and enjoys a sense of belonging. The family environment gives them a solid foundation on which to build their lives. with love, Through love and acceptance, emotional wounds are healed and confidence is built. With self-assurance each child can recognise and fulfil his or her potential. respect, Children participate in making decisions that affect their lives and are guided to take a leading role in their own development. They grow with respect and dignity as cherished members of their families and society. and security. Every child is assured the basic requirements for sound development. They are protected from abuse, neglect and exploitation and are kept safe during natural disasters and war. Our mission We build families for children in need, We work for children who are orphaned, abandoned or whose families are unable to care for them. We give these children the opportunity to build lasting relationships within a family. help them shape their own futures, We enable children to live according to their own culture and religion, and to be active members of the community. We help children to recognise and express their individual abilities, interests and talents. and share in the development of their communities. We share in community life and respond to the social development needs of society’s most vulnerable children and young people. We establish facilities and programmes that aim to strengthen families and prevent the abandonment of children. We join hands with community members to provide education and health care, and respond to emergencies. Values, that guide our actions, decisions and relationships Courage: We take action Commitment: We keep our promises Trust: We believe in each other Accountability: We are reliable partners 3 Together – for each other © Joris Lugtigheid Introductory words from President Helmut Kutin A study has shown that people who give are happier. It appears that being more affluent does not, in itself, suffice to live happily. Giving money to charity or giving presents increases one’s subjective feeling of happiness. The saying "it is better to give than to receive" is not, it would seem, an empty phrase. Annual Report 2007/2008 SOS Children’s Villages receives gifts in more than one way. First of all, from millions of people who entrust us with their donations and sponsorship monies so that we, first and foremost the SOS mothers, can ensure that children grow up in a loving and protected environment and that they are encouraged to develop their talents. The trust these people place in us creates a unique bond between those who give and the children who are being helped. Second, being able to witness how children develop, to allow their souls to heal in surroundings that foster their individuality and skills, and to build their trust in the world, is a gift to us all. It is the most beautiful thing imaginable to witness how little human beings recover from injuries that have been inflicted on them, how they find their place in life, and how they feel appreciated and a sense of belonging and when they are taken by the hand. We at SOS Children’s Villages have the delightful task and great responsibility of taking these children by the hand and accompanying them for a part of their journey. In doing so, we are indebted as much to the children as to the donors, who expect open, clear and honest information on how and where their donations are being put to use and what difference these make. Who we are Together - for each other Bringing visions to life together Child Protection Policy Quality4Children Strenghtening cooperation for children Income and expenditures 2006 Brief history Facilities and programmes People in the industrialised world – and that includes SOS Children’s Villages – are in the privileged position of being able to give. The awareness that we have more than we need to be happy must be rooted deeply within our consciousness, so that we can help those who have little or nothing. However, this must not be misinterpreted as a patronising gesture, but rather as a genuine effort to create global togetherness and mutual support. Such acts are the very essence of what makes us human. Helmut Kutin President © Benno Neeleman I would like to thank all those humans who, year after year, want to live this solidarity and make this happiness possible, for themselves and for others, together with us and together with the children. 5 Bringing visions to life together © Katerina Ilievska Secretary-General Richard Pichler At the end of this year, our "Taking action for children" objectives for 2003-2008 will be brought to a close. We are grateful that we have been able to put the greatest part of our plans into practice. At the same time, we would like to make good use of the rest of 2008 to firmly entrench the results of this action plan. The goals that have been achieved over the past five years form the basis of the planning for the period 2009-2016, which will aim to provide even better support for even more children. By the end of 2008, over 75,000 children and young people will be in care in over 470 SOS Children’s Villages and more than 380 SOS Youth Facilities across the world. Moreover, over 162,000 children will be supported as part of SOS family strengthening programmes at 286 locations. Annual Report 2007/2008 Yet figures alone are not enough. In parallel to the increase of our work in terms of numbers, we have particularly invested in raising the quality of our education work. Self-evaluation at the SOS Children’s Villages has helped us to identify the needs for improvement in this area. The "Tracking Footprints" study that has to date been carried out in 56 countries has also supported quality assurance. The study sheds light on the lives of young adults who grew up in SOS Children’s Villages and therefore enables us to reach conclusions regarding the quality of our care. It clearly showed that our strengths are family education, and bringing up and guiding children until they become young adults. However, further improvements are needed when it comes to finding jobs, vocational training and the difficult phase of becoming independent. Who we are Together - for each other Bringing visions to life together Child Protection Policy Quality4Children Strenghtening cooperation for children Income and expenditures 2006 Brief history Facilities and programmes Our professional commitment and lobbying to improve the situation of children and the rights of the child is proving to be a success. The joint project Quality4Children (IFCO - International Foster Care Organisation, FICE - Fédération Internationale des Communautés Educatives, SOS Children‘s Villages), in which the first Europe-wide standards for out-ofhome care for children and for young people with carers were developed, was presented at the European Parliament in 2007. Campaigning has started for state implementation of these standards in more than 32 European countries. © Reinis Hofmanis It is now possible to make the first evaluations of our family strengthening programmes, which have been significantly extended in recent years. The results confirm that we are taking the right approach. Yet it is particularly important to carefully consider the timing of the "release" of a family from the programme in order to improve their lives on the long term and ensure stability. 7 © Benno Neeleman Annual Report 2007/2008 Who we are Together - for each other Bringing visions to life together Child Protection Policy Quality4Children Strenghtening cooperation for children Income and expenditures 2006 Brief history Facilities and programmes The binding child protection guidelines represent another very important step for all our national associations in our work for and with children. Within three years, 28 associations have implemented these child protection guidelines. Over the next two years, these child protection guidelines should come into force in all countries. We officially ended our tsunami reconstruction programme at the end of 2007. In three years, we established a total of 2,200 family houses in 15 communities, 18 community centres and six SOS Children’s Villages in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand. Here, our particular thanks go to staff members on the ground, who have shown tireless commitment in managing this challenge. What we have achieved and implemented over the past few years has a direct influence on our future commitment. In our new goals for 2009-2016, we intend to focus even more closely on the areas in which we can show true expertise: enabling children to grow up in a loving, caring family. It is here that I would like to thank all friends, donors, staff members, and the boards of directors of our national associations. With your help and your commitment, we were able to bring this vision to life for thousands of children last year. We hope that we will also be able to count on you in the coming year! Richard Pichler Secretary-General 9 We protect every child from violence and abuse © Katerina Ilievska Developing child protection guidelines At a conference in June 2005, the regional directors of SOS Children’s Villages expressed the urgent need for a generally binding child protection policy that applies to all staff members. The President and Secretary General gave a clear mandate to first of all form an international and interdisciplinary team in order to develop a child protection policy. A final version of the paper now exists that was officially adopted by the Executive Committee in May 2008. A paper that clearly says no to abuse Since SOS Children’s Villages was formed, it has been committed to upholding the rights of children and to their protection. This commitment has always been an implicit part of our work for and with children and young people, and it is now explicitly expressed in a valid and binding child protection policy that applies to the whole organisation. Annual Report 2007/2008 The SOS Children’s Villages’ Child Protection Policy is based on the organisation’s mission statement and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It states that any form of violence, abuse or neglect toward any child is to be clearly refuted. Definitions of abuse are included in order to have a common understanding. Data protection is also emphasised as a crucial measure against abuse. Clear guidelines build a framework for the implementation of the child protection measures within SOS Children’s Villages. The most important are: • • • • awareness-raising prevention complaint system guarantee measures are taken in case of abuse A protection culture that does not only exist on paper A total of 28 countries started the pilot phase in 2006 and 2007, during which the document was discussed and experiences were documented to support global implementation. Special attention was given to the participation of children and young people, as well as to the opinions of various stakeholders and all main carers, especially the SOS mothers. Participants were assisted by external partners and experts throughout the process. Who we are Together - for each other Bringing visions to life together Child Protection Policy Quality4Children Strenghtening cooperation for children Income and expenditures 2006 Brief History Facilities and programmes The experiences gained during the two years are available in the form of a handbook for the implementation of the SOS Children’s Villages Child Protection Policy. © Rafif Ben Messalem Prospects: a global child protection network All SOS Children’s Villages associations will actively implement the child protection policy as of 2009. Workshops will be offered, in order to prepare those responsible on the ground for the necessary procedures. A direct exchange between participants is seen as one of the most essential building blocks for the future: a constant exchange of experiences and knowledge will strengthen our organisation so that we can work together to achieve our goals. 11 Who we are Together - for each other Bringing visions to life together Child Protection Policy Quality4Children Strenghtening cooperation for children Income and expenditures 2008 Brief history Facilities and programmes Quality4Children: June 13, 2007 was a milestone in the history of the Quality4Children project. On this day, together with IFCO (International Foster Care Organisation) and FICE (Fédération Internationale des Communautés Educatives), SOS Children’s Villages presented the Quality4Children quality standards for children and young people in out-of-home care in Europe to the European Parliament. Young people who had been actively involved in the project from the very beginning as "experts" on the topic due to their direct experience of out-of-home care, presented the standards and shared their personal experiences with those present. Annual Report 2007/2008 © Sebastian Posingis Quality in the best interests of the child In her speech to the 100 participants representing various authorities as well as NGOs, who had come from all over Europe, European Commissioner Ferrero Waldner assured those present that children without parental care would be given a special status in the EU’s longterm strategy for children: "The European Commission is your dedicated partner in promoting the rights of all children, especially those whose parents cannot take care of them." Whereas in June 2007 the standards were only available in English and German, today they exist in 19 languages. They now need to be implemented and anchored in European SOS Children’s Villages. Moreover, it is important to create a network together with European and international forums and projects – such as the development of UN guidelines on out-of-home child care. The first steps have already been taken: there are a number of good contacts with UNICEF to further improve quality development in out-of-home care. Another success is the positive feedback from the authorities. For instance, the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity of Malta used the Quality4Children standards as a basis for national standards concerning out-of-home care. „Quality4Children“ With the Quality4Children project, three international organisations working in out-of-home child care - SOS Children’s Villages, IFCO and FICE - have started an initiative to ensure and improve the chances of hundreds of thousands of children and young people in Europe whose parents cannot take care of them. Eighteen standards, organised into three chapters, "Decision-making and admission", "Care-taking" and "Leaving-care", have been available since April 2007. For further information: www.quality4children.info © Sebastian Posingis A total of 32 European countries were involved in the first phase of the project. Children and young people affected as well as their parents and carers were consulted on the subject. Their feedback has been crucial in the development of the quality standards. The Quality4Children navigators’ group also included young people from the very beginning. 13 Strengthening cooperation for children SOS-Kinderdorf International engages in the promotion of the rights of the child through partnerships with other organisations and networks. In 2007 and 2008 SOSKinderdorf International has increased its cooperation with NGO networks in Brussels, Geneva and New York. SOS-Kinderdorf International was elected to the Global Forum of the NGO Committee on UNICEF in New York. With ISS (International Social Service), SOS-Kinderdorf International is leading the working group in Geneva that drafted, and now promotes the adoption of, UN Guidelines on the appropriate use and conditions of alternative care. © Joris Lugtigheid In the Middle East and North Africa, SOS-Kinderdorf International has significantly strengthened its regional network by means of a project implemented in cooperation with the Arab League of States and the Arab Council for Childhood and Development. This project concerns the development and implementation of Arab guidelines for the protection and alternative care of children without parental care, adapted from the existing international guidelines. The regional guidelines will be more adequate to the specific regional and national contexts. The Arab guidelines are scheduled for launch at a high-level conference planned for December 2008. Annual Report 2007/2008 © Senad Gubelic Who we are Together for each other Bringing visions to life together Child Protection Policy Quality4Children Strenghtening cooperation for children Income and expenditures 2006 Brief History Facilities and Programmes In Europe and Central Asia, in the coming three years, the advocacy work of SOS-Kinderdorf International will be focused on improving the preparation of young adults who are leaving care. This entails supporting young people in care in their transition from the care system to independent living. It also includes the professional support young people receive after leaving care. Through our advocacy work, we will tackle the challenges of young people ‘ageing out’ of care and making the transition to adulthood. A good leaving care policy is one component of quality care. The organisation will continue to focus its efforts on promoting quality standards in alternative care, be it in the framework of the UN guidelines on the use and conditions of alternative care, or Quality4Children. For instance, SOS Children’s Villages plans to cooperate with Relaf (the Latin American branch of IFCO) for the implementation of the Quality4Children project in Latin America. 15 Income 2006 In 2006 the promoting and supporting associations (PSAs) 1) , which support the global SOS work of SOS Children’s Villages in developing and emerging countries both in terms of values and on a financial level, raised proceeds amounting to a total of 284.8 million euros. This is a decrease of 26.3 million euros compared to the previous year. This decrease is due to the extraordinary amount of proceeds for tsunami projects, namely 45.8 million euros, the previous year. The regular income (without extraordinary proceeds for tsunami work) increased by 6%, i.e. 15.9 million euros, in 2006. Consequently, the funds available for our ongoing international projects (in euros, without tsunami projects) were increased by 5.8% compared to the previous year. In addition, the PSAs and the general secretariat reported proceeds amounting to a total of 65.2 million euros (an increase of 8.2% compared with the previous year). After deducting the costs of fundraising and information work (a total of 15.9%, compared to 13.4% the previous year) as well as administrative costs (7.6%, compared to 6.7% the previous year), a net amount of 217.9 million euros, i.e. 273.6 million US dollars remains, which will be given to SOS-Kinderdorf International to spend on international projects (average exchange rate for 2006: 1 EUR = 1.25 USD). Most of the total income (82.4%) is contributed by friends, donors and sponsors as well as by foundations and derived from legacies. The remainder (17.6%) comes from public subsidies, project proceeds, and operational and other income. The total income for SOS work in developing and emerging countries therefore amounted to 350 million euros. TOTAL % TOTAL 350.038 100,0% Income from donors and friends 128.335 36,7% Gross Income 2006 in 1000 € Proceeds from major and mid-level donors 5.079 1,5% Proceeds from corporate donors 10.909 3,1% Proceeds from foundations and lotteries 10.899 3,1% Bequests and legacies 43.740 12,5% Proceeds from sponsorships 80.510 23,0% Proceeds from committed giving 5.439 1,6% Proceeds tied to tsunami-work 3.596 1,0% Governmental support, public subsidies 21.621 6,2% Capital gains/others 24.438 7,0% Operational income 15.472 4,4% Annual Report 2007/2008 Expenditures 2006 A total of 66.1% of the net income was spent on the implementation of new SOS projects and on subsidies for running costs of existing SOS Children’s Villages and the affiliated SOS Youth Facilities. A total of 17% was used for the operational costs and the construction of educational facilities such as SOS Kindergartens, SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools and SOS Vocational Training Centres, while another 9.5% was spent on the construction and operation of SOS Social Centres. The remaining 7.4% was shared out between SOS Medical Centres and SOS Emergency Relief Programmes: As a result of the efficient use of funds by the national associations, it was possible to increase the number of beneficiaries in 2006 once again. Expenditure 2006 1) The Promoting Associations: SOS-Børnebyerne Danmark, SOS-Kinderdorf e.V., Hermann-Gmeiner-Fonds Deutschland e.V., SOS Villages d´Enfants France, SOS-Interfonds A.S.B.L., SOS-Kinderdorpen, SOS Children‘s Villages UK, Stiftelsen SOS-barnebyer Norge, SOS-Kinderdorf Österreich, Schweizer Freunde der SOS-Kinderdörfer, SOS-Barnbyar Sverige. The Supporting Associations: SOS Village d´Enfants Belgique aide le monde asbl, SOS Children’s Villages Canada, Asociación Aldeas Infantiles SOS de España, SOS-Lapsikyläsäätiö/lapsikyläry, SOS barnaporpin, Associazione Villagi SOS Italia, SOS Children’s Villages USA Inc. Joint internal control by SOS-Kinderdorf International and the PSAs ensures the transparency of the entire financial process and of income and expenditure. All the PSAs of SOS-Kinderdorf International as well as all national associations were audited by local independent and recognised auditors. The respective annual accounts were certified. In accordance with the statutes of SOS-Kinderdorf International the finances of the umbrella organisation were subject to a separate audit. As in the previous years, the renowned auditors Ernst & Young gave SOS-Kinderdorf International their unqualified auditor certificate for 2006. in % SOS Children‘s Villages 56,4% 60 SOS Youth Facilities 10,5% 50 SOS Kindergardens 3,8% 40 SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools 10,4% 30 SOS Vocational Training Centres 3,0% 20 SOS Social Centres 9,4% 10 SOS Medical Centres 2,2% SOS Emergency Relief Programmes 4,3% 17 © SOS-Archiv Brief history "I do not know of a better way to help a child than to give him a mother, brothers and sisters, a house, a village." Hermann Gmeiner Annual Report 2007/2008 1949 First SOS Children’s Villages association founded in Austria and first SOS Children’s Village built in Imst, Austria, by Hermann Gmeiner. 1955 First SOS Youth House built in Innsbruck, Austria. SOS Children’s Villages associations established in France, Germany. 1960 SOS-Kinderdorf International established as the umbrella organisation for all SOS Children‘s Villages associations. First activities in Latin America (Uruguay). 1963 SOS Children’s Villages began its work in Asia (South Korea and India). 1970 First African SOS Children Village built in Côte d’Ivoire. Further SOS Children‘s Villages projects in Ghana, Kenya and Sierra Leone. 1981 Opening of the Hermann Gmeiner Academy in Innsbruck as a training centre for SOS staff from all over the world. 1991 SOS Children‘s Villages in Czechoslovakia re-activated. First SOS Children‘s Villages in Poland and the Soviet Union, new projects in Bulgaria and Romania. Foundation of the first SOS Children‘s Village in the USA. 1995 SOS-Kinderdorf International classified as an „NGO with consultative status (category II) with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations“. 2002 SOS-Kinderdorf International awarded the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, the world renowned humanitarian award, for extraordinary contributions towards alleviating human suffering. 2005 Following the tsunami disaster in Asia, SOS Children’s Villages provided emergency assistance (food, medicine and temporary shelter) as well as long-term support (family strengthening programmes, community centres and SOS Children’s Villages) in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand. 2008 At SOS-Kinderdorf International’s 18th General Assembly in Innsbruck, Austria, the plan to ensure a home and a family for one million children by 2016 -100,000 in SOS Children’s Villages and 900,000 in their existing families through SOS family strengthening programmes - was adopted. In 132 countries and territories Africa 113 SOS Children’s Villages 12.485 children Family Strengthening Programmes 41.453 children Family Strengthening Programmes and SOS Social Centres Facilities Children in FSP Other beneficiaries in SOS Social Centres Total beneficiaries America 118 SOS Children’s Villages 12.821 children Family Strengthening Programmes 38.935 children Asia and Oceania 142 SOS Children’s Villages 26.769 children Family Strengthening Programmes 32.906 children Family based care SOS Children’s Villages SOS Youth Facilities Total beneficiaries 100 SOS Children’s Villages 4.896 children Family Strengthening Programmes 8.712 children 499 122.000 128.000 250.000 Education at SOS Kindergartens, SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools and SOS Vocational Training Centres Facilities Total beneficiaries 472 139.600 SOS Medical Centres Facilities Total beneficiaries 60 452.500 Emergency relief Programmes Total beneficiaries Europe 473 383 72.500 Facilities and Programmes Beneficiaries 10 61.500 1.897 976.100 January 2008 19 © R. Fleischanderl www.sos-childrensvillages.org