Page 4 - Palms-Australia-Annual-Report-2019

| Annual Report 18/19

INVESTING IN

DEVELOPMENT

FOR OUR TIMES

Roger O'Halloran

I expect it’s a given that I believe in A legacy that spawned a plan

the efficacy of Palms Australia’s model of

A generous legacy to Palms in 2017
international development. However in the
came from one with an intimate working
past year, evidence within and external to
knowledge of Palms approach. When the

Palms, increasingly persuades me that Palms board considered how we could

our approach matchlessly addresses the use the $780,000 given, we anticipated

an opportunity to meet the many unfilled
issues and needs of our times.
requests for appropriately skilled and

experienced Australians.

What is most plain is that time has caught up
We have more than 50 such requests
with the charity model and the structures of
from international communities who
Government and other large hierarchical aid
could turn elsewhere, but clearly they
organisations.
value relationship based mutual

development as much as our donor.
The premise of hierarchical structures, that

knowledge and wisdom is available only to
Palms Sustainability Plan was developed
educated elites at the top, was always
to outline strategic investments in our
fraught. Decisions made at so many levels
capacity to fill 50 assignments per
from the people they impact lack enriching
annum. It was established that
human connections, which in my experience
recruitment and preparation would
leads to damaging, paternalistic and
need to grow at 20% per annum to
patronising attitudes to the poor. This is
achieve that by 2023-24. We identified
compounded by what we now witness in
that with efficiencies of scale we would
governments, banks and churches who,
not require an immediate 20% growth
when under threat, are more likely to protect
in income, so before applying more
the institution ahead of implementing their
resources to fundraising we decided
mandate in the interests of the people they
to see if attracting more Australians
are meant to serve.
to Palms mission was possible.

At the grass roots it is better understood
2018-19 was the first full financial year
that human development requires us to
(FY) in which Palms has had a dedicated
identify together how to improve our global
Marketing and Communication Strategist
condition. It is about working in relationships
employed. Evidence from the last two
of understanding, acceptance and care to
years suggests that with this, and other
learn from one another in a spirit of mutual
strategic additions to capacity, a 20%
development. This is the model of global
annual growth in recruitment is possible
development that evolves from the member-
and should be sustainable.
based, lay-led, relationship-centered

program that is Palms, and it has never been

more important to build investment in it.