Hunter Wildlife Rescue (NATFInc)

Action Plan 2014-2015 Report

1. Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation

Positioning the Hunter Wildlife Rescue (NATF) as a leader in rehabilitation practices by enhancing the capacity of its volunteers to respond to rescued, injured, sick and orphaned wildlife

Objective 1.1 To maintain high standards of animal welfare.

Improvement to the coordinated response to rescue, placement and rehabilitation of injured and orphaned wildlifehas been achieved through:

  • Improving local response to the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife by reviewing and updating Active member and rescuers availability; broadening Species Coordinators role to the response to injured wildlife,and introducing the new portfolio role ofArea Coordinators.

Participation in quality targeted education and training opportunities that supports best practice has been achieved through:

  • Providing quality training opportunities monthly and advertising on the website and NWC website;
  • Informing members of the OEH mandatory training requirements throughWildside; and
  • Introducing one free refresher training annually for members to stay up-to-date with species specific knowledge and skills as required by OEH three year training requirements.

Objective 1.2 To advocate for habitat protection and wildlife biodiversity.

Support for conservation endeavours that impact on the well-being of wildlife and their habitathas been achieved through:

  • Commissioning additional possum boxes to be erected to assist displaced possums after the April storms and floodsdisaster event.

2.Volunteer support

Establishing a culture that positively supports its volunteers to build up our capacity and response to injured and orphaned wildlife.

Objective 2.1 Toincrease physical support to members to enhance their capacity to assist injured wildlife.

Increased physical support to members to enhance their capacity to assist injured wildlifehas been achievedthrough:

  • Establishing a Facilities/ Enclosures Working Party
  • Adoptingand funding Facilities/ Enclosures Working Party recommendations around the purchase of additional rescue facilities, temporary rehabilitation housing (gazebos) and partial financial support to members (up to 50% of costs) for medium sized cages and larger aviaries;
  • Utilising Wildsideto share excess cages and facilities;and
  • Utilising Facebook to increase sourcing of cages and othermonetary donations from the general public as well as donations of goods including pouches, cages, port-a-cot, an aviary and baby blankets.

Objective 2.2 To value and appreciate the contribution of each member and to provide the support necessary to best achieve our objectivesand keep members long term.

Building a cohesive and locally motivated support network to share the workload and support membershas been achieved through:

  • Establishing new Area Coordinators portfolio positions to assist in networking with local members;
  • Calling for volunteers to take on and develop this role;
  • Introducing Area Coordinators for Maitland, Newcastle, Cessnock, East and West Lake Macquarie for 2015-16;and
  • Recognising the long-term (in excess of 20 years) contribution of its members by conferring Life Membership on Chrissy Cabot, Lisa Lowe, Marilyn Maddocks, Annette Rees and Warren Rees.

Developing the building into a functional operational base for members to increase formal and informal networking opportunities has been achieved through:

  • Bringing the relocation of the AGL donated Hunter Wildlife Rescue Centre building to the Hunter Wetlands to its conclusion;
  • Completing Phase One of the Building Plan including:
  • reinstallation of Air-Conditioner and compressor;
  • Re-erection and connection of building segments;
  • Installation of double-sliding doors;
  • Fixing all sealing strips over internal building segments, walls and floors;
  • Installation of and securing roof;
  • Installation and finalising of gyprock integrity;
  • Connection of electrical reticulation of the building;
  • Installation of junction box under building;
  • Connection of water reticulation of the building; and
  • Connection of sewerage reticulation of the building.
  • Sourcing over $20,000 to complete Phase two and three (see Objective 5 for more details) of the Hunter Wildlife Rescue Centre.

3. Community education and involvement

Increasing community knowledge and understanding to better value Hunter’s wildlife and response to injured wildlife.

Objective 3.1 Tofacilitatelong-term,inspiring connectionsbetweenthe Hunter community, Hunter Wildlife Rescue (NATF) and its wildlifeand

Objective 3.2 Toincrease public awareness and understanding of the Hunter’s diverse wildlife

Developing and improving on strategies to raise the public profile of Hunter Wildlife Rescue (NATF) has been achieved through:

  • Establishing a Visual Communications Working Partyto work towards developing a professional and consistent profile for the organisation and its members;
  • Reviewing consistency in administration ieproforma for membership application and renewal which has been completed;
  • Increasing community connections through Facebook with approximately 510 followers and this number continuing to climb on a daily basiswith an average viewing of each post between 100-400 people;
  • Utilising Facebook to raise awareness of Hunter wildlife diversitythrough providingweekly themes and posts centralised around a wildlife topic. Animal themes covered so far include: birds, snakes and possums;
  • Holding photography competition running over Facebook and advertised on various sites including photography sites and Newcastle community pages. Entries have included some beautiful images of birds, kangaroos and reptiles; and
  • Using Facebook to provide online community advice for injured and displaced wildlife during the recent storm disaster event when phone lines were down.

Promoting the achievements of its volunteers in supporting injured wildlifehas been achieved through:

  • Highlighting the stories of members and their achievementsin Wildside and on the website;
  • Using local & Sydney Newspapers and Television (NBN) to highlightachievements – “Bat Flats- which allow micro-bats to live in their community and feed on mozzies”, “Crabby’s(Sea Turtle) on track to remain a home body”, Imping a Wedge-tail eagle;
  • Sharing volunteer’s achievements with Corporate bodies, ie NAB intranet story on Disaster Relief for Hunter’s wildlife;
  • Using Social Media (Facebook and Twitter) to promotevolunteers achievements in supporting injured wildlife;
  • Releasingstructured daily posts on Facebookthat cover a variety of topics aimed at different audiences, egSunday targetschildren, and posts typically involve a children’s animal activity; and
  • Using Facebook to promotethe good work of Hunter Wildlife Rescue volunteers and encourage new membership,promote training opportunities and new member’s workshops.

4. Organisational effectiveness

Ensuring systems and policies support the organisational effectiveness of the Hunter Wildlife Rescue (NATF) and its members.

Objective 4.1 To ensure practices and procedures are reflected in current policies.

Developing policies and guidelines to provide structured support to its membershas been achieved through:

  • Developing a Social Media Policy;
  • Reviewing Foodbank and Travel subsidy guidelines;
  • Introducing Facilities & Enclosures guidelines; and
  • Creating an Injury Management Policy (under development).

Reviewing the Constitutionhas been achieved through:

  • Drafting a new Constitution in line with Dept of Fair Trading requirements;
  • Consulting with the membership over a period of three months by placing draft on website;
  • Holding further face-to-face consultation and information days; and
  • Voting to accept the new Constitution at a Special General meeting held in March 2015.

The new Constitution has been endorsed by the Dept of Fair Trading.

Objective 4.2 To enhance administration practices to further support the rescue and rehabilitation of injured, sick and orphaned wildlife

Working with species coordinatorsto improve the support for wildlife and membershas been achieved through:

  • Holding aspecies coordinator meeting to discuss issues and gaps in rehabilitation provision;
  • Reviewing species training to be in line with OEH Code of practicecompleted for Flying Foxes, Macropods, Birds, Possums & Gliders; and
  • Increasing accuracy for data recording by capturing fauna reported through the 24hr Hotline.

Objective 4.3 To enhance communication systems for sharing information.

Create new communication modes for sharing information has been achieved through:

  • Establishing a Social Media Working Party;
  • Developing a social media policy and guidelines to support Hunter Wildlife Rescue (NATF)’s objectives;
  • Re-activating Facebook toencourage active communication between members including online discussions about their practice and receiving positive advice;
  • Introducing Members Only Facebook page to share information on coming events such as stalls and calls for assistance with fundraising events.This page has been a great platform for members to share stories and experiences and also to seek support when things do not go to plan; and
  • Using Facebook to keep members connected when isolated during the recent storm disaster event, especially for members without phone connections.

5. Financial sustainability

Ensuring theongoingabilityofourorganisationtofund andsustainsuccessfulrescue and rehabilitation outcomes that support our objectives.

Objective 5.1 Tobuild a financially sustainable organisation.

Creating new revenue streams for growth in supporting our objectives and enhance current processes to better source community donations has been achieved through:

  • Establishing and maintaining an energetic and committed Fund Raising Team;
  • Increasing member involvement in supporting fundraising and community awareness ventures including Botanical Gardens Children’s Day;Myall River Festival; Walk on the Wildside(Hawks Nest); Petbarn Stall(Hillsborough); Vacy Fair; Paterson Fair;Newcastle Museum Permian Display; Beaumont St Carnivale, Kooragang Island Family Festival; PetbarnBBQ (Rutherford);and Morisset Fair.
  • Establishing anew corporate partnership(Bulga Mines ($1000 to support Raptors in care);
  • Maintaining existing Corporate and other donations (Eraring, $1000.00; IFAW ($1000 to support possums displaced after the April Hunter Storm Disaster event); and
  • Increasing successful grant applications including AGL ($2300, towards building a Disabled Access to the Hunter Wildlife Rescue Centre), Community Building Partnerships ($16,500 towards building works for the Hunter Wildlife Rescue Centre); NAB Disaster Relief Program ($10,000 towards wildlife affected by the April Hunter Storm Disaster event).

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