Annual Report 2022
The year at A Start in Life, 2021/22
COVID interrupted another year, and investment markets fell, but reserves set aside in earlier years meant A Start in Life could keep support to students at similar levels to before.
Our Student Support Team spent around 1,200 hours with students and their families, building English and Maths learning goals with every primary and secondary student.
From the report of Allan Elliott, President, and Neil Robinson, Chief Executive Officer
Everything below comes from the 16-page report, written out here so it works with screen readers and search.
There were people hopeful in me, people who were in my corner.
Student story
Wally is the first in his family to go to university
Wally's single mother applied for support when he was in Year 9. He had always done well at school but had lost his motivation, and found it again once support began. In 2021 he won an environmental internship at a local botanic garden, then started a Bachelor of Environmental Science, earning two high distinctions in his first semester.
The year at a glance
- given directly to students as assistance
- $737,038
- hours a year our team spends with students and their caregivers
- 1,200
- supporters donated, including 106 monthly donors
- 380
- of first year tertiary students received a new laptop
- 100%
Source: A Start in Life Annual Report 2022, pages 5, 7, 13 and 14.
How students went
- Over 80% worked at or above grade in English, and over 70% in Maths
- 98% showed satisfactory effort or better on their school reports
- Over 80% said they have a good study routine and can complete their homework
- Over 60% of tertiary students kept their weighted average mark above 75 or improved it by 10%
- Tertiary students attended 15 different universities and TAFEs
Our community in 2021/22
- 380 supporters donated
- 106 people gave monthly
- 30 donors gave for the first time
- 92% of supporters had given in previous years
- 2 supporters left a bequest
Financials
A Start in Life receives no government funding. Support for students is sustained by donors, partners and income from investments built up over a century.
| Item | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 1,656,466 | 1,499,759 |
| Gain/(loss) in fair value of investment properties | – | (68,008) |
| Student assistance | (737,038) | (769,256) |
| Fundraising | (95,762) | (86,369) |
| Marketing | (57,326) | (57,812) |
| Banking, investment and accounting | (104,461) | (99,352) |
| Depreciation | (6,131) | (6,131) |
| Office and administration | (77,073) | (75,044) |
| Total expenses | (1,077,791) | (1,093,964) |
| Surplus for the year | 578,675 | 337,787 |
| Gain/(loss) on revaluation of financial assets | (856,792) | 1,058,757 |
| Gain/(loss) in fair value of properties in use | – | 160,000 |
| Total comprehensive income/(loss) before allocations | (278,117) | 1,556,544 |
| Allocations from capital funds | 300,998 | 2,887 |
| Allocations to capital funds | (26,334) | (1,400,000) |
| Total comprehensive income/(loss) after allocations | (3,453) | 159,431 |
| Item | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | 11,780,023 | 12,035,789 |
| Total liabilities | 320,403 | 296,052 |
| Net assets | 11,459,620 | 11,739,737 |
- Student assistance68%
- Banking, investment and accounting10%
- Fundraising9%
- Office and administration7%
- Marketing5%
- Depreciation1%
Share of total expenses of $1,077,791, from the statement of profit or loss.
2021 comparatives are shown as restated in the 2022 report.
Help the next student start strong
Every figure on this page began with a donor. A gift today helps a student from a family doing it tough stay at school and reach their goals.
29 December 2022
