RESTART Albury Wodonga

Restart

Restart Albury Wodonga, is a community based, volunteer run charity organisation.

Restart works as a community, to support those who have experienced homelessness.

The volunteer run organisation sources and provides household packs for people that are in crisis.

The aim of the program is to assist people to re-establish not only a house but a home.

The problem

Restart Albury Wodonga began in 2014 to help people leaving foster care to set up a home.

Initially the organisation accepted everything on offer, which resulted in donations of non essentials such as 1000 serviette holders, martini glasses etc. The extreme quantities of donated goods combined with a lack of structure resulted in Tara and her very small team becoming burnt out and overwhelmed.

Restart was at a crossroads, it would either fall apart or flourish. Tara met with Findex Albury to find a solution. Sally from Findex, suggested contacting Megs at the Albury Wodonga Volunteer Resource Bureau to explore the Good Governance Program.

The challenge

The challenge was to:

1. Develop a sustainable organisation that meets the needs of the clients, the volunteers and the law.
2. Receive only useful products.
3. Dispose or distribute the donated products that are not useful for new home makers.
4. Recruit a Board of Management.
5. Develop a strategic plan.
6. Develop the documentation required under the legislation.
7. Grow the organisation to increase the number of people in need who can be helped.

The strategy

Megs matched Restart to a mentor experienced in Governance. Together, Tara and her mentor assessed the priorities and set to work.

1. Prior to enrolling in the Good Governance program, Tara disposed and distributed the excess donated goods. She narrowed the requests for products and connected with service providers to what clients would receive.
2. The mentor used her extensive networks to actively encourage the link between Restart and local skilled potential board members.
3. Together they developed the documents required under legislation and built a clear way forward.

The result

• Restart Albury Wodonga is now run professionally with a Skills based Board of Management and a small number of volunteers.
• Operations have consolidated to a cheaper shed facility. Restart are working closely with services and providers to access funding and address local social need.
• Tara has a clear achievable vision for the future.

Conclusion

A local based strategy driven by trained mentor experienced in Governance enabled a new volunteer based organisation to grow and extend.

The Good Governance Program has helped Tara to grow her knowledge of running a professional not for profit, protect her organisation and build Restart for the future.