Company: FSG AUSTRALIA
Company Description: A not for Profit Community Organisation delivering services to people with a disability, people with a mental illness and children under protective orders
Nomination Category: Individual Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Female Innovator of the Year – Government or Non-Profit –11 to 2,500 Employees

Nomination Title: Vicki Batten CEO FSG AUSTRALIA www.fsg.org.au

Describe for the judges the activities and accomplishments of the nominated woman since the beginning of July last year (up to 500 words):

These are the words recently used to describe Vicki Battens contribution to the community services arena.

FSG Australia is a not for profit, partially government funded organisation, delivering services to over 3000 people per month. People with a mental illness; people with a disability; children under the protection of Child Safety, and people with dementia.

FSG Australia was established in 1979 and has grown steadily over the past years. No more so than in the past 10 years that Vicki Batten has been the CEO. In those 10 years FSG grew from a $5million organisation to a $50million organisation and from 160 employees to over 700.

Vicki will downplay that financial growth and tell anyone who will listen that the growth has been in the people! She is a fierce advocate for the rights of all people who find their rights diminished by circumstance.

In 2011 after just getting on and getting the job done for 9 years, Vicki declared it was time to ‘come out’. To declare what we truly believed in and why we do what we do.

We boldly proclaimed that FSG stands for Freedom Social Justice and Growth and from that moment we had set a mandate that must be demonstrated in everything we do. 'From every corner of FSG Australia there is commitment to providing Freedom, Social Justice and Growth for all people. We are determined to ensure that all of our practices uphold the rights of all people to have choice and self determination and believe strongly in a community that welcomes and connects to everyone.’

These are powerful words binding us to powerful actions. In order to achieve powerful actions we must all pull in the same direction with the same destination in mind.

We wear orange on Wednesday to remind us that we stand firmly for human rights. To remind us that we will not provide service if it takes away those rights. To remind us that social injustices happen around us every day and that it is the responsibility of those who wear orange to help those who don't, to understand that they can talk about injustice and that there are many opportunities, many of them small, to make a difference.

The strength of the shared purpose in this organisation is remarkable

2012 has had its challenges and uncertainties, but we have remained constant in our responses and true to our purpose. We continued to grow financially and in spirit and continue to forge ahead not only as leaders in the delivery of innovative services but also strong and respected advocates for social change.

This strong vision comes from our CEO, Vicki Batten who has lead FSG Australia for the past 10 years and will lead FSG Australia into a new era where all decisions made will be made with our vision leading any consideration given to new projects or changes made within the organisation. It takes a very confident organisation to ensure that practice reflects vision. FSG Australia is a strong organisation.

Provide a brief biography of the nominated woman (up to 100 words):

Vicki Batten has been working in the field of disability for 35 years. She has been CEO of FSG Australia for the past 10 years and has a strong belief in the rights of people with a disability to live their chosen lives, and understands that some of the power needed to do this, can be taken away by the very services who are trying to help. It is this awareness that is behind the philosophy that she works by and asks all FSG staff to work under.