Since its inception in 2013 our members have collaborated to develop the evolutionary purpose, pillars, policies and procedures, systems and structure. Building the organisation from the bottom up, experimenting in everything we do, failing often and fast to ensure learning is integrated into changes. This report sets out the achievements of this year including our growth, developments and our intentions into the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic and our country’s natural disasters have made a deep and long-lasting impact on our communities and we acknowledge and applaud our members who have supported people so well during this time. We have walked alongside people on their journeys; the ups, the downs, the roller coasters – delights, disasters and have been committed to ongoing learning.

While it has been challenging for many organisations, the impact for us has been reasonably manageable. We are grateful that the Jeder Institute have been able to support members, clients and participants with our pro-choice perspective. This is yet another way Jeder Institute walks our talk to support people.

The growth Jeder has gone through, financially, in participation and increasing membership is exceptional and we are now in a position that we can invest our surplus back into the organisation. It is exciting to be able to explore the organisational desires, strengths and what is required to ensure the foundations stay strong. The Nests will continue to engage the membership and report their ongoing work to the Bored to achieve our Strategic Direction.

We have developed new roles; Ability Builders, Roving Listeners, Psychosocial Recovery Coaches and expanded some teams; Together Home Case Managers and Administration Assistants. These roles serve to address gaps in the human services sector and offer further support to our members, whilst projects like Together Home and Self-Managed Community Living provide more opportunities for vulnerable people to have true choice and control.

Our Next Stage intentions are to seek contribution and participation in the Governance Jedi, expand our Training opportunities, increase our NDIS registration to Core Supports and to explore registration in the Aged Care sector which will increase our opportunities to provide further capacity building and shared knowledge that builds strengths focused, collaborative, self-managed opportunities in our communities.

Through inclusive grow, our open sharing through generosity of spirit and by being transparent in all we do, we increase our dispersed decision-making efforts and support member self-actualisation which gives us a unique participatory lens into strengthening our work in communities. It is with humility, awareness and great thanks to all of our members, clients, and partners that we continue this journey, for we are only able to do so much of what we do because of our firm belief that together, we are better.