Northland Brain Injury Assoc to close at end of October

Brain Injury Association Northland (BIAN) liaison officer Vikki Herdman, right. BIAN will close for good at the end of this month after 27 years, coinciding with Herdman retiring.

After almost three decades providing vital services to people suffering head injuries and their families, the Northland Brain Injury Association will reluctantly close at the end of this month because of severe funding shortages.

The Board of The Northland Brain Injury Association (BIAN) has determined that continuing operations beyond the end of October would constitute trading while insolvent, which is prohibited by law.

The organisation is the latest victim of the funding squeeze on charities as funding sources dry up.

BIAN board chair Iain Watkins said although its administrator had applied for nearly $400,000 in funding last year, the organisation received only $64,000, while wage costs exceeded $100,000.

“Funding approvals have diminished, and major funders who rely on gambling income have informed us that their support will decrease because of the entry of new overseas competitors in the New Zealand market, who are not required to contribute profits to community funding as local organisations are.

“We have also been informed by a funder, who normally provide some funding, that they declined because they did not have sufficient funds.

“Our funders are reporting they are also having difficulty spreading their funding with the increase of charitable NGO’s entering the market,” Watkins said.

The association receives government-contracted funding exclusively through the Disability Information and Advisory Service (DIAS) of $1664 a month.

All additional financial support is secured through external funding applications.

BIAN has supported the Northland community for 27 years.

This year, BIAN received about 100 referrals, with 85 being first-time clients and 15 returning for additional support. The organisation offers one-on-one liaison services and runs group sessions in Whangārei, Kerikeri, Kaitāia and Dargaville.

It mainly helps clients with ACC processes, daily life after brain injury (for clients and their whānau), and occasionally court matters.

BIAN also provides brain injury education to various community groups, including Ngawha Prison, the Northland Rugby Union, schools and driver education programmes like RYDA through Road Safety Education Limited.

Watkins said the group had helped thousands of people and their families over the years, but the association was going the way of many other NGOs that were closing because of lack of funds.

The closure will coincide with the retirement of BIAN’s long-time liaison officer Vikki Herdman.

“Based on available funds and projected event income, we are able to meet staff costs, annual leave entitlements, and other expenses until the association closes at the end of October,” Watkins said.

“The board is actively exploring alternative means to support our clients; however, this is increasingly challenging given the recent closure of several other brain-related organisations in Northland, for example the Stroke Foundation, resulting in an increased number of clients seeking assistance from us.

“By proceeding in this manner, the board is upholding its governance responsibility to ensure solvency at the time of closure, in accordance with the Companies Act.”

Watkins said getting funding as an NGO was becoming increasingly difficult as funding sources dried up.

And the situation was just going to get worse, he said, with the advent of online gambling – where all the profits go overseas with no obligation to put anything into local charities, as is required by gambling organisations based in New Zealand – will see even less money available to charities.

Watkins said the Pub Charities, which distributed some of the profits from gaming machines to charities, would be receiving far less funds once the online regime kicked in.

“It’s very sad. It’s been tiring chasing funds and working with an ever-dwindling amount to do our work. We just can’t continue like this.”

BIAN has been finding it hard over recent years, with a number of funding crises over the years, but the end had finally come.

Covid had hit all NGOs hard, and BIAN was no different, and those losses, combined with the ever-dwindling funding available, meant continuing was not possible.

“Our big concern now is what’s going to happen to our clients?”

From November 1, services provided by BIAN will be replaced by Headway House, Auckland, to those who wish to engage.

They can complete the Headway Client form online at headway.org.nz.

For those members that just need to talk to someone after October 31, they can reach out to 0800 272 466 between the hours of 9am and 4pm Monday to Friday.