CEO Update 3 May
3 May, 2023
Lots of terrific things happening around the organisation right now….
Award Winners
Bayley House participated in the Melbourne Connection Expo at the Melbourne Convention Centre recently. There were 200+ stalls from a wide range of disability service providers and with more than 6,000 visitors across two days it was an opportunity to showcase our service offerings alongside many others. Even more exciting, the event includes a gala dinner which honours excellence in disability support provision through a number of award categories. We were thrilled that a number of Bayley House staff were nominated for awards (as well as Bayley House itself for the team award) and that eight of our staff were in attendance on the night to witness our very own Caroline Glass win Support Worker of the year!! Congratulations Caroline, and everyone who was nominated. I know Caroline would be the first to say it, and I agree, Bayley House is a team place and everyone deserves an award.
SDA Forum
A few weeks ago we held a forum to introduce our SDA partner BlueCHP Housing. Attended by more than 80 people the evening was a wonderful opportunity to hear how Bayley House, in conjunction with BlueCHP, will be able to offer more and better housing opportunities for our clients. This forum was aimed particularly at existing Bayley House clients and families and we have already commenced working with families to bring people together for future housing. Next stage will be a similar forum for people who are not presently part of the Bayley House family and who might wish to get involved. If you missed the forum but are interested there is a video of the evening’s presentations on the Bayley House website here.
Bayley Arts
Bayley Arts is moving ahead in leaps and bounds…metaphorically at least. Construction is nearing completion and I am thrilled that the vision is rapidly turning into reality. We planned Bayley Arts to set a new benchmark for disability support services and that is exactly what it will achieve. Bayley Arts will be a community arts facility which I have no doubt will have people seeking us out to be a part of. For our clients, it will deliver more and even better art based activities than we can achieve presently and it will do so in an environment as valued and contemporary as they deserve. For the Bayside Arts Community it will offer a new standard in exhibition and studio space which we know is much needed and will no doubt be appreciated.
Retirement Beckons
In other news I want to let you know that last year, in discussion with Bayley House Chair John Ashby, I advised him that I would not seek an extension to my employment contract, which concludes in October this year. (Retirement beckons…) My time at Bayley House has been hugely rewarding, even acknowledging the challenge of COVID, and I still have much to achieve before the end of the year. I want to let you know now, before the Board commences a recruitment process, in order that this news does not come to you indirectly. I am looking forward to the next 6 months during which time I have no doubt there will be opportunities for thankyous and goodbyes!! Through the Board, Bayley House has the opportunity to strategically seek, recruit and transition to a new CEO seamlessly this year and I very much look forward to whatever contribution I can make to that process.