Leaving Hauora Trust in good shape

31 October 2018

Bevan joined the Trust Board in 2009 after returning to his home town of Christchurch having spent 12 years working in insurance in London.

“I knew about the organisation from my childhood through their social outreach initiatives that I saw during my school days and their Halswell campus was fairly close to where I grew up,” he said.

“When I was offered the position on the Board, it was not a glamorous organisation and we faced a lot of issues but I knew the great work that was being done and really believed in the Mission.”

St John of God Hauora Trust is a leading provider of disability, youth and social services in New Zealand, supporting people living with a physical or neurological disability as well as vulnerable young people and their families.

With a background in accounting, Bevan’s initial focus was ensuring the organisation’s financial viability.

Bevan said this had led to a period of great change for the Trust to make the organisation financially viable, develop a strong culture and clear Mission.

Enhancement in these areas led to significant organisational change which has enabled St John of God Hauora Trust to double in size during Bevan’s tenure and care for more people in need.

“I think my epithet ‘if you don’t have a margin, there will be no Mission’ will be how I am remembered among many at St John of God Hauora Trust,” Bevan said.

However, Bevan said these fundamental improvements were not what he was most proud of.

“Really what I get the biggest kick out of are the individual stories that we hear about our people, who despite their condition, tell us they have a better quality of life living with us now than they did before our care, and even before their condition,” he said.

“We have one client who has become a bit of a poster boy for us, came to our care after having a stroke and being assessed that he was never going to walk or live in his own house.

“Through the rehabilitation we devised for him and some clever funding, this client was able to walk out our front door, and he now he lives back at home with his partner, drives his own car and works. You can’t put a price on that.”

Bevan Killick finished his term as St John of God Haoura Trust Chair on 31 October 2018. He is succeeded by Peter Jensen.