Our Policies

Financial Accountability
What do we do with the money we receive
At Future Focus Ministries Australia we are committed to stewardship and transparency.
Each year, 100% of what you give us goes directly back out to helping others through our outreaches spreading the Gospel in India
'A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.' Proverbs 16:9

Future Focus Ministries Australia
No Discrimination
At Future Focus Ministries Australia we treat every person with whom we interact,equal, with dignity, courtesy and respect,
no matter what sex, gender, race, disability,age, religion, or national origin.

Child Protection Policy for our work in India

Future Focus Ministries Australia is a Christian organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Future Focus Ministries Australia serves those in need regardless of religion, race, caste, creed, gender or ethnicity.

The scope of this policy
This policy applies Future Focus Ministries Australia and all of it’s subsidiaries, all board members, staff, volunteers, contractors, teachers and visitors.
Those who come under this policy must:
• Have a background/police clearance check.
• Provide character references.
• Sign the GSAM Behavior Policy and commit to preventing harm to children.
Visiting Future Focus Ministries Australia in India
all visits must be pre-arranged via the Future Focus Ministries Australia
By email To Annette Abela Email: annieabela@gmail.com
and have a Have a background/police clearance check.
and Provide character references.
Due to safety issues and to minimise the impact on the work of Future Focus Ministries Australia in India it is not possible to arrange ‘last minute’ visits.

Behavour and Protocols of Future Focus Ministries Australia
We support the rights of the child and seek to ensure that children are kept safe when in contact with us. We also want you to feel comfortable and at ease around children and help us build and maintain a safe and empowering environment for all. These behaviour protocols are universal to the Future Focus Ministries Australia and all visitors, volunteers, contractors, board members and staff are expected to comply with them.
Interacting with Children
These protocols must be maintained at all times during your time with us.
If at any point questions arise as to whether an interaction is appropriate or not, the question should be raised with a Future Focus Ministries Australia board member
These protocols must be maintained at all times during your time with us.
• Treat all children and their families with respect and dignity, using appropriate language, respect for their privacy and keeping information about them confidential.
• Listen to children. Be sensative to the signals they send you about how comfortable they are (their language, conversation and physical intimacy) and respond accordingly.
• Stop any interaction with a child if a child says stop, or if the child appears uncomfortable with the interaction.
• Always be in view of another adult when with a child; that is, don’t be alone with a child unless it is absolutely unavoidable or the child is in immediate danger. This is for the child’s protection and to protect you from false accusation.
• Do not take a child into your accommodation or encourage secret meetings.
• Do not give a child alcohol, cigarettes or drugs.
• Do not become involved sexually or romantically involved with a child whether by direct contact, exposing them to sexual materials or other non-contact sexual activity (grooming).
• Do not slap, hit, physically or emotionally abuse any child. Abuse can happen through your physical actions, words or emotional messages you send.
• Do not exploit children through inappropriate labour.
• Adults are always responsible for their behaviour with a child, even when the child’s behaviour can be interpreted as inappropriate (for example, seductive behaviour).
• Raise all concerns, issues and problems as soon as possible with a Mission Board Member.
Non-compliance with the behaviour protocols will be taken very seriously.
Where considered necessary or appropriate, non-compliance will be reported to the relevant authorities.
These protocols must be maintained at all times during your time with us. If at any point questions arise as to whether an interaction is appropriate or not, the question should be raised with a Mission board member:
• Treat all children and their families with respect and dignity, using appropriate language, respect for their privacy
and keeping information about them confidential.
• Listen to children. Be sensative to
the signals they send you about how comfortable they are (their language, conversation and physical intimacy) and respond accordingly.
• Stop any interaction with a child if a child says stop, or if the child appears uncomfortable with the interaction.
• Always be in view of another adult when with a child; that is, don’t be alone with a child unless it is absolutely unavoidable or the child is in immediate danger. This is for the child’s protection and to protect you from false accusation.
• Do not take a child into your accommodation or encourage secret meetings.
• Do not give a child alcohol, cigarettes or drugs.
• Do not become involved sexually or romantically involved with a child whether by direct contact, exposing them to sexual materials or other non-contact sexual activity (grooming).
• Do not slap, hit, physically or emotionally abuse any child. Abuse can happen through your physical actions, words or emotional messages you send.
• Do not exploit children through inappropriate labour.
• Adults are always responsible for their behaviour with a child, even when the child’s behaviour can be interpreted as inappropriate (for example, seductive behaviour).
• Raise all concerns, issues and problems as soon as possible with a Mission Board Member.
Non-compliance with the behaviour protocols will be taken very seriously. Where considered necessary or appropriate, non-compliance will be reported to the relevant authorities. board member:
• Treat all children and their families with respect and dignity, using appropriate language, respect for their privacy
and keeping information about them confidential.
• Listen to children. Be sensative to
the signals they send you about how comfortable they are (their language, conversation and physical intimacy) and respond accordingly.
• Stop any interaction with a child if a child says stop, or if the child appears uncomfortable with the interaction.
• Always be in view of another adult when with a child; that is, don’t be alone with a child unless it is absolutely unavoidable or the child is in immediate danger. This is for the child’s protection and to protect you from false accusation.
• Do not take a child into your accommodation or encourage secret meetings.
• Do not give a child alcohol, cigarettes or drugs.
• Do not become involved sexually or romantically involved with a child whether by direct contact, exposing them to sexual materials or other non-contact sexual activity (grooming).
• Do not slap, hit, physically or emotionally abuse any child. Abuse can happen through your physical actions, words or emotional messages you send.
• Do not exploit children through inappropriate labour.
• Adults are always responsible for their behaviour with a child, even when the child’s behaviour can be interpreted as inappropriate (for example, seductive behaviour).
• Raise all concerns, issues and problems as soon as possible with a Mission Board Member.
Non-compliance with the behaviour protocols will be taken very seriously. Where considered necessary or appropriate, non-compliance will be reported to the relevant authorities.

Photos and Stories of the children in our care
The following minimum standards must be observed to ensure that dignity and the right to personal privacy are respected when taking photos and video of those with whom the Mission works, especially children:
• Always check what photography or filming is appropriate with a Mission staff member before taking photos or video.
• Always ask permission from a child and the Mission staff or child’s guardians if you wish to take photos or video, and explain how they will be used.
• Written permission must be taken from the Mission or parents/guardians when a photo/ video/story provides information that could be damaging to the subjects dignity, safety or reputation of the child. For example: information about HIV status, involvement in prostitution or abuse.
• Do not portray people as helpless victims. Balance human needs with positive language about what people are doing to help themselves.
• Photos, videos and stories must not use real names of children or real locations, when communicating sensative information. For example sexual abuse, disease or sickness.
The confidenciality of our children must be treated with the upmost importance.
The following minimum standards must be observed to ensure that dignity and the right to personal privacy are respected when taking photos and video of those with whom the Mission works, especially children:
• For more information on Future Focus Ministries Australia’s Child Protection Policy or reporting any concerns or incidents.
please contact Annette Abela Email: annieabela@gmail.com

Future Focus Ministries Australia
Conflict of interest policy
1. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to help board members of Future Focus Ministries Australia to effectively identify, disclose and manage any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest in order to protect the integrity of Future Focus Ministries Australia and manage risk.
2. Objective
The Future Focus Ministries Australia’s board aims to ensure that board members are aware of their obligation to disclose any conflicts of interest that they may have, and to comply with this policy to ensure they effectively manage those conflicts of interest as representatives of Future Focus Ministries Australia
3. Scope
This policy applies to the board members of Future Focus Ministries Australia
Mrs Annette Abela, Mr Victor Abela and Mrs Adrienne Erwin
4. Definition of conflicts of interests
A conflict of interest occurs when a person’s personal interests conflict with their responsibility to act in the best interests of the charity.
Personal interests include direct interests, as well as those of family, friends, or other organisations a person may be involved with or have an interest in (for example, as a shareholder).
It also includes a conflict between a board member’s duty to Future Focus Ministries Australia and another duty that the board member has (for example, to another charity). A conflict of interest may be actual, potential or perceived and may be financial or non-financial.
These situations present the risk that a person will make a decision based on, or affected by, these influences, rather than in the best interests of the charity.
The three types of conflicts of interest
1. Actual - You are being influenced by a conflicting interest:
For example: Your charity is considering whether to give a grant to a kindergarten that your child attends and you cannot make the decision impartially
2. Potential - You could be influenced by a conflicting interest:For example: You’ve taken up employment with another charity and you may, at some point, apply for a grant as an employee of one charity and a board member of another. You could be influenced by a conflicting interest.
3. Perceived - You could appear to be influenced by a conflicting interest:
For example: You are reviewing quotes for a service and one of the potential providers is the employer of your sibling. While you believe you can make an impartial decision in the best interests of the charity, it could be perceived as being made in your own interest.
Therefore these situations must be managed accordingly.
5. Policy
This policy has been developed to address conflicts of interest affecting Future Focus Ministries Australia Conflict of interest are common, and they do not need to present a problem to the charity as long as they are openly and effectively managed.
It is the policy of Future Focus Ministries Australia, as well as a responsibility of the board, that ethical, legal, financial or other conflicts of interest be avoided and that any suchconflicts (where they do arise) do not conflict with the obligations to Future Focus Ministries Australia.
Future Focus Ministries Australia will manage conflicts of interest by requiring board members to:

avoid conflicts of interest where possible
identify and disclose any conflicts of interest
carefully manage any conflicts of interest, and
follow this policy and respond to any breaches.

5.1. Responsibility of the board
The board is responsible for:

establishing a system for identifying, disclosing and managing conflicts of interest across the charity
monitoring compliance with this policy, and
reviewing this policy on an annual basis to ensure that the policy is operating effectively.

The charity must ensure that its board members are aware of the ACNC governance standards, particularly governance standard 5, and that they disclose any actual or perceived material conflicts of interests as required by governance standard 5.
5.2. Identification and disclosure of conflicts of interest
Once an actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest is identified, it must be entered into Future Focus Ministries Australia’s register of interests, as well as being raised with the board.
Where every other board member shares a conflict, the board should refer to ACNC Governance Standard 5 to ensure that proper disclosure occurs.
The register of interests must be maintained by Annette Abela.
The register must record information related to a conflict of interest (including the nature and extent of the conflict of interest and any steps taken to address it).
Once all evidence has been collected and reviewed, the decision maker should prepare a written record of their decision which includes:

a summary of any additional evidence obtained by the decision maker, or a summary of the evidence obtained if the decision maker was also the investigator
consideration of the report prepared by the investigator, if the two roles are separate, and any additional evidence, noting areas where the investigator's analysis and recommendations are accepted, and areas where they are not (and why)—to avoid an administrative burden and to reduce the scope for errors, the investigator's report could be attached
a decision as to what happened
a decision as to whether misconduct has occurred, and if so which elements of the Code have been breached
the reasons for the decision.

5.3 Confidentiality of disclosures
Mrs Annette Abela, Mr Victor Abela and Mrs Adrienne Erwin are the three Board members
of Future Focus Ministries Australia will have access to the information disclosed
as there is only three members on the board of Future Focus Ministries Australia
As soon as practical after a suspected breach of the Code has been identified and the Information Commissioner or delegate has decided to deal with the suspected breach under these procedures, the Information Commissioner or delegate will appoint an independent person (decision maker) to make a determination.
The role of the decision maker is to determine in writing whether a breach of the Code has occurred.
The decision maker may seek the assistance of an investigator with matters including investigating the alleged breach, gathering evidence and making a report of recommended factual findings to the decision maker.
The person who is to decide what, if any, sanction is to be imposed must hold a delegation of the power under the PS Act to impose sanctions (the sanction delegate).
6. Action required to manage conflicts of interest
6.1. Conflicts of interest of board members
Once the conflict of interest has been appropriately disclosed, the board (excluding the board member who has made the disclosure, as well as any other conflicted board member) must decide whether or not those conflicted board members should:

vote on the matter (this is a minimum),
participate in any debate, or
be present in the room during the debate and the voting.

In exceptional circumstances, such as where a conflict is very significant or likely to prevent a board member from regularly participating in discussions, it may be worth the board considering if it is appropriate for the person conflicted to resign from the board.
6.2. What should be considered when deciding what action to take
In deciding what approach to take, the board will consider:

whether the conflict needs to be avoided or simply documented
whether the conflict will realistically impair the disclosing person’s capacity to impartially participate in decision-making
alternative options to avoid the conflict
the charity’s objects and resources, and
the possibility of creating an appearance of improper conduct that might impair confidence in, or the reputation of, the charity.

The approval of any action requires the agreement of at least a majority of the board (excluding any conflicted board member/s) who are present and voting at the meeting.
The action and result of the voting will be recorded in the minutes of the meeting and in the register of interests.
7. Compliance with this policy
If the board has a reason to believe that a person subject to the policy has failed to comply with it, it will investigate the circumstances.
If it is found that this person has failed to disclose a conflict of interest, the board may take action against them. This may include seeking to terminate their relationship with the charity.
Some serous Breaches are
Misuse their position or information for their personal gain
Failing to disclose a conflect of interestwith the board members
Financial affairs of the charity are not managed responsibly.
Knowingly participate in any illegal or unethical activity or enter into any arrangement or participate in any activity that would conflict with Future Focus Ministries Australia best interests;
Taking advantage of their position or the property or information of Future Focus Ministries Australia for personal gain or to cause detriment to Future Focus Ministries Australia or the Indian people we help

If a person suspects that a board member has failed to disclose a conflict of interest, they must discusswith the person in question notifing the board members or the person responsible for maintaining the register of interests
Contacts
For questions about this policy, contact board member Annette Abela by
Mobile 0409823483 or Email: annieabela@gmail.com

Future Focus Ministries Australia
Register of interests Form for dealing with conflict
Name Of Board Member :
Discription of Interest:
Has the board been notified?
Date of Disclouser:
Steps taken by Board dealing with the conflict:
Board member actions to address the conflict:

Future Focus Ministries Australia
Health and Safety Policy

Health and safety is of high importance to the Directors at Future Focus Ministries Australia and the manner in which it looks after its volunteers workers, students, visitors and contractors.
Future Focus Ministries Australia objective is to protect the health and safety of its volunteers workers, students, visitors and contractors by eliminating or minimising workplace risks.
Future Focus Ministries Australia will endeavour to provide effective representation, consultation and cooperation in relation to health and safety issues in the workplace.
The Directors of Future Focus Ministries Australia will provide to its workers, students, visitors and contractors information and education on health and safety matters.
The Directors of Future Focus Ministries Australia will take all necessary steps to comply with health and safety requirements, in Australia and India.
The Directors of Future Focus Ministries Australia will continue to provide improvements of physical and psychological health and safety to its volunteers workers, students, visitors and contractors.
The Directors of Future Focus Ministries Australia is committed to ensuring the health and safety of everyone in the workplace.
Ev everyone has a responsibility for their own safety and that of others.
The Directors of Future Focus Ministries Australia acknowledges that injuries can be prevented and an incident- free environment is actively pursued
Communication and consultation are essential to working together for a safer workplace.The Nominated Supervisors of any project are ensuring people, workers, volunteers, students, Pastors are not exposed to health and safety risks arising from the organisation’s activities indoor and outdoor environments

Ensuring regular safety audits
all equipment, including emergency equipment.
playgrounds and fixed equipment in outdoor environments.
cleaning services.
monitoring the conditions of the workplace and the health of employees / volunteers and students.
protecting other individuals from risks arising from the service’s activities, including holding an open day or a working bee etc., or any activity that is ancillary to the operation of the service e.g. cleaning the premises after hours (OHS Act: Section 23)
providing adequate instruction to staff / volunteers in safe working procedures, and informing them of known hazards to their health and wellbeing that are associated with the work that they perform at the service
ensuring that all furniture, equipment and are maintained in a safe condition
developing procedures to guide the safe use of harmful substances, such as chemicals, in the workplace
ensuring the physical environment at the service is safe, secure and free from hazards for children
implementing/practising emergency and evacuation procedures
implementing and reviewing this policy in consultation with all staff/volunteers
Medical needs are seen to, if necessary the patient is taken

Students on placements, volunteers, contractors and parents/guardians at the service are responsible for:

being familiar with this policy
co-operating with reasonable OHS rules implemented by the service
not acting recklessly and/or placing the health and safety of other

We at Future Focus Australia working with children, venerable youth poor, sick and elderly in India have a duty of care
A common law concept that refers to the responsibilities of organisations to provide people with an adequate level of protection against harm and all reasonable foreseeable risk of injury. In the context of this policy, duty of care refers to the responsibility of education and care services to provide children, staff, students, volunteers, contractors and anyone visiting the service with an adequate level of care and protection against reasonable foreseeable harm and injury.

Pastor Annie Abela: annieabela@gmail.com
Mobile 0409823483