N.Z.

Federation for
Deaf Children Incorporated




Minutes of the Executive Committee of the
New Zealand Federation for Deaf Children Inc

Date 6
th
July, 2013
Venue Kingsgate Hotel, Dunedin
Meeting opened at 9.35am


Present

Alan Bensley, Jill Tayler, Kate Whale, Kelly Davy, Lena Smith, Andrea
Craig


Apologies


None

Additions to
General
Business


- Auckland parents survey
- Services for children across the country.
- Information for teachers.
- Letter from Kelston and van asch
- Yvonne Hope NZQA review
- Portfolios


Previous Minutes

MOTION: That the minutes of the Executive Committee meeting
dated 5
th
May be received/approved.

MOVED: Kelly SECONDED: Lena
CARRIED


Matters Arising

- NZ relay will get in contact with Kelly
- Pub charity We applied for a grant to purchase two laptops/
tablets. They came back to us with a need for more infor-
mation, as our accounts look a little too healthy for needing a
grant. Not likely to get and $$$ so we went ahead and pur-
chased two tablets with current funds. If they come through
with cash we can get two more for other committee members.
It would be a good idea to have all our technology updated at
some stage, as some is still in the stone age!
- NFD meeting - Lena got a good introduction to the people in-
volved. Alan suggested that Lena and Janet go together to the
meetings as they are both in Auckland, as will save both $$
and time rather than flying in people. We need to ensure that
our reps are the ones who speak for NZFDC, no one else.
They also keeping on pushing the childrens issues, and to
pursue any funding people met through these meetings indi-
vidually, not through NFD
- Awards etc need to be mentioned


Presidents
Report (See AGM
Report)



- Main functions since the last meeting Sign Language Gala
(which was amazing! Attitude Awards type theme. We are in-
volved with one of the awards for performing arts, which was
great. The Whos who of the deaf world were there, and a
preschool received awards for their use of NZSL. Everyone got
involved with the drum entertainment, which was lots of fun.
Very worth while)
- NFD AGM Lena to talk on it (We have always need to look
whether being there is in our best interests)
- Alan apologizes that he had has a rough year and hasnt been
on board much this year. But on the other side, the whole
committee has stepped up and carried the load amazingly.
Thank you.
- Had some donations come in from a Miss Marian Harris, who
put in death notice to make donations to Deaf children. Dont
know the link, and Alan has asked the funeral director to speak
to the family and let him know.
- AGM registration from Glen Dillon need to invoice them.
Then they pay it, then receive a cheque. (Jill)


Actions from
Presidents
report

- Jill to invoice the combined board for Glen Dillon.

Secretarys
Report (See
Report)

- Purchased antivirus and mouse for two tablets, and some other
stationary from Warehouse Stationary.
- Penny Went Trust information went back out to parent groups
- Hummingbird Print have resent the same invoice. Kelly has re-
sent all the information that they spoke of previously; trying to
work out whos the invoice is as its not ours and not APODC.
Name on it is Monica Leech, who works for NZ Relay. Dont
know what its for or why. Kelly to copy the emails to Cristof
Blum (outreach coordinator for NZ Relay)
- Otago Parent group paid Reimbursement for Barbara ONiel
for 2012 AGM. $442 (written out on the 12
th
June)
- AGM - For next registration form need to add do you need an
interpreter and we also need to change the AGM back to June,
to avoid SLINZ meeting.
- DIAS due by 10
th
July Kelly will do when she gets back on
Monday
- New registrations have been coming through. One going
through to Otago with a Beacon request (only Beacon request
received in a while). Have forwarded to the parent group for
them to get in contact.
- Renwick Centre (who run a lot of courses) Running a course
in Auckland for Deaf+ kids (2 day conference for $200) for pro-
fessionals involved with the kids and parents also. Forwarded it
on to the parent groups.
- Tauranga parents awesome! Very proactive and have been
talking to previous families to know what happened previously.
- Southland in November try and do the same thing we did with
Tauranga. Try and keep them in the loop. (Nothing has come
from Southland in regards the AGM)


MOTION: That the Secretary's report be received/accepted
MOVED:Kelly SECONDED: Andrea
CARRIED


Actions from
Secretarys
report

- Kelly to copy the emails from Hummingbird Print to Cristof
Blum (outreach coordinator for NZ Relay)
- Kelly to change the AGM form for next year to include Do you
need an interpreter
- Kelly to complete DIAS forms by 10
th
July


Treasurers
Report (See
report)


- Accounts for ratification - Payments (see report) Need ratifica-
tion for Yellow pages, Jills expenses, hotel for Sign language
gala, Otago travel for 2012 AGM, Fastway couriers and GST
Payments.
MOTION: That the accounts be ratified and that the AGM
expenses be paid in full.
MOVED: Jill SECONDED: Alan CARRIED

- Need to work out somehow to know before the funds are rein-
vested by the bank, as it takes a while for the letters to get to
Jill.
- NOTE changes to report General funds(16
th
Dec) $30401.81
ASB account (22
nd
Nov) $3188.14
- Jill to look at combining the two Westpac investments to ensure
that they get the maximum worth.
- Note once Tauranga are incorporated, we will give them all
their money (Tauranga funds, plus interest, plus $3246.19 that
is in the cheque account.
- Draft Report Bottom of the first page says its in deficit. But
remember we invoice for DIAS in one year and are paid in the
next year. Our national travel and our external conferences
have been higher than the year before.
- With a new auditor and accountant Jill has received some in-
formation regarding what we should be claiming and charging
GST for. This will come up in the full report which we will take to
later in the year.
- There are courses available for people who run groups like
ours to know how to run finances. Possibly to look into for Jill.
Some information was given already.
MOTION: That Jill investigates alternative accounting systems for
the NZFDC
MOVED: Alan SECONDED: Kate CARRIED

MOTION: That the draft accounts have been sighted by the
executive, and no issues are upcoming
MOVED: Jill SECONDED: Alan CARRIED



Actions from
Treasurers
report


- Jill to look at combining the two Westpac investments to en-
sure that they get the maximum worth.
- Jill to look into alternative accounting systems, and is to use
her own discretion to find one which suits her the best. To
come back to the exec committee with her proposal.


Portfolio Reports


Services (See
report)


- - Applications for consideration neither child meets the criteria
officially. Suggestion is to put the Rotorua family in contact with
Tauranga, and then approve application then. The Whangarei
family is to get a one off approval for this application.
- Kate to get in contact with Lea (Northland) and introduce her-
self.

MOTION: That the Services report be received/accepted and that
the reimbursements for assistive devices & tutor fees be paid as per
the report.
MOVED: Kate SECONDED: Andrea
CARRIED


Actions from
Services Report


- Kate to contact the two applicants.
- Kate to contact Lea from Northland and introduce herself as
the new president.


Family Kits (See
Report)

- Note change to the numbers (79 for the whole year)

MOTION: That the Family Information Kit report be received/
accepted and purchases verifies.
MOVED : Jill SECONDED: Alan CARRIED


Actions from
Family Kits

-

Communications/
Newsletter (See
reports)

- Note can use office max for stationary etc.
- Definitely need to move around the country for our meetings,
meeting parent groups and making sure they know who we are,
and we know what they want.

MOTION: That the Communications report be received/accepted.
MOVED: Lena SECONDED: Kelly CARRIED


Actions from
Communications


-


Website and
Technology (No
written report)


- Andrea has been very proactive with putting information on our
facebook page from all sources throughout the country. Getting
between 40 60 hits on some of the information. Awesome! Al-
so some information from the World Federation for the Deaf.
- Flights and all changes to flights to the NFD AGM need to be
invoiced to NDF. Its their policy. (Their changes cost a lot of ex-
tra time and money)
- Need to ensure that the forms all have a disclosure agreement
that NZFDC will use information and photographs for promo-
tional purposes; all scholarships, etc.
- Andrea went to the NHS conference, and found it very interest-
ing. The AoDC was getting together a group for Unilateral hear-
ing loss, and wasnt interested at all to have NZFDC or any
parent group involved in it.
- Note from the committee Thanks to Andrea for organizing all
the flights etc.

MOTION: That the Technology report be received/accepted.
MOVED: Andrea SECONDED: Kate CARRIED


Actions from
Website and
Technology


- Jill to invoice NFD with all flights and changes to flights for
their AGM
- Andrea to change forms on the website for Scholarships and
Excellence awards to include a disclosure agreement.

General
Business


- Signatories Need to take off Alan and put on someone else.
This is also where internet banking could come in handy.
- NZ Relay they advertise for nominations for a person relating
to deaf children. We dont actually need to have a rep, but its
a good idea.
- Need to update the website for new committee members. Incl.
AGM minutes etc. (As soon as the accounts come in)
NFD- Updates
- Its very important for us to have a place on the NFD to ensure
that there is a representation for the children.
- We founded NFD in 1977 to raise our profile and money. This
changed; mailouts wouldnt go directly to NZFDC and the other
member groups, it would go directly into the NFD funds. We
have talked again and again about whether its relevant for us
to be involved in this anymore. We still get the grant through it
at the moment. It is something that we need to constantly re-
evaluate. NFD are looking to be the one stop shop for all en-
quiries for Deaf across the country if possible. Need to ensure
that the funding goes out to all the consumer groups. Its very
important that NFD do not speak on our behalf, but that we do
our own speaking, and retain our own identity.
- DECs letter Very un-impressed. Its drawing out longer and
longer. As consumers this information is supposed to be trans-
parent. What are our follow up options?
- We need to have a private conversation with Brian Coffey to
let him know what we have been dealing with, and why we are
wanting the information.
Alan will print off a copy of the questions to take to the
meeting.


NOTE; Meeting adjourned at 12.07pm
Re-opened at 1.03pm, 7
th
July, 2013


- Co-opting people - We need to co-opt another two people be-
fore the September meeting (note you can co-opt someone
for a specific role for a specific period of time.)
- Portfolios -
President, Vice president and treasurer are already set in
place.
Kelly will take all the meeting organization, DIAS funding,
etc.
Services - Janet
Community relations (Website, technology and ?) - Andrea
Newsletter - Lena
Family Kits and Minutes Secretary positions remain open.

MOTION: That the committee co-opt two additional members to
fulfill roles within the committee.
MOVED: Kate SECONDED: Janet CARRIED

- Survey from APODC Kate will reply to them explaining exact-
ly what we need from them family responses directly. Kate to
write a blurb regarding what we need, including ring me if you
want to and I can take down anecdotal evidence on your behalf
- Information for teachers spoken about in the AGM a re-
source on our website and in conjunction with the MinEd to
provide something for teachers, starting with an IEP template
and resources. (Kate and Andrea)
- Yvonne Hope emailed about NZQA review of special as-
sessment conditions for NCEA (Used to work for the ministry,
but now on contract for NZQA) would like some family expe-
riences.
Download what support is currently available and find out from
families what the current processes are. (Blurb out to the
parents groups needing information asap Andrea)

- Jill will take the second key to the PO Box, Alan will continue to
empty and get the mail to Jill (mail is predominantly accounts
for Jill) who will pass on to the rest as required. We will leave it
in Chch for the next 6 months and make a call after that.
- Phone needs to be changed to Kate, who would prefer to
have a separate phone rather than direct the calls to her per-
sonal cell phone.
- Signatories will be changed next time
.

Actions from
General
Business


- Jill to get the forms for a Change of signatories. Will complete
at the next meeting.
- Janet, Kirsten and Catherine to send blurbs about themselves
to Andrea for the webpage
- Andrea to put up the new blurbs, and to change the people in
various roles on the website.
- Kate to follow up on a meeting with DECs to make sure our
questions get answered in an appropriate timeframe.
- Kate to meet with Brian Coffey to keep in the loop and have
some impact with the Ministrys plans.
- Kate and Kelly to speak to Kirsten (Tauranga) and Catherine
(Taranaki) in order to possibly co-opt them for roles within the
exec.
- Kate will reply to APODC explaining exactly what we need
from them regarding the survey of services. Kate to write a
blurb regarding what we need, including ring me if you want to
and I can take down anecdotal evidence on your behalf and
get to Kelly asap.
- Kate and Andrea to speak to relevant people regarding getting
together a resource package for teachers with Deaf/ hearing
impaired kids in their class. To be available to roll out in the
next month.
- Kate to word a blurb to send out to Parent groups regarding
sending in anecdotal accounts of using services in exams. This
to go back to Yvonne Hope as soon as it comes in.
- Jill to get 2
nd
PO Box key from Alan.

Meeting Closed


2.20pm

Next Meeting


- Next meeting Sunday 15
th
September, in Wellington.




________________________________
Chairpersons signature




15/09/2013

___________________________________
Date