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2024-2025 Annual Report

Building Resilience, Sustaining Growth

Acknowledgement of Country

ACSO proudly acknowledges Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and their rich culture and pays respect to their Elders past and present. ACSO acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s first peoples and as the true custodians of the land, air and water on which we rely. We recognise and value the ongoing contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Australian life and how this enriches us.

ACSO embraces the spirit of reconciliation, working towards equality of outcomes and ensuring an equal voice for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who have come in contact with the justice system.

Commitment to Inclusion

ACSO recognises the right to a safe and inclusive service without bias. ACSO is committed to the equitable treatment of its participants, employees and partners.

We believe in humanity and celebrating the diverse voices of our community through leadership, practice and policy design, to honour and embrace the diverse traditions, cultures and experiences of those we support and work alongside.

2024-2025 ACSO Annual Report

Welcome to ACSO’s 2025 Annual Report

Looking back on the past twelve months, we reflect on a significant year for ACSO, a year of building resilience and sustaining growth. ACSO remained highly active throughout FY24/25, growing our services across Queensland and Victoria, celebrating our 40th Anniversary, and co-hosting the inaugural National Complex Needs Conference in partnership with ermha365 and funded by the Victoria Department of Families Fairness and Housing (DFFH).

ACSO in 2025 is a diverse and independent non-government organisation employing close to 500 people across VIC, QLD and NSW. Our work continues to focus on supporting people with complex and forensic needs and risks. We pride ourselves on our ability to innovate specialised solutions for social and justice problems that often appear intractable – this is what makes us unique, valued and effective.

We are an actively inclusive organisation. Our work is informed by evidenced practice, lived experience expertise, and authentic partnerships. ACSO’s door is always open. We cross the boundaries and barriers of the varied justice, human, and health sectors to connect people with the right support. Our approach prioritises human-centred outcomes, positive social impact, and community safety through integrating support for mental health, diversion, and transition from prison with forensic disability, social housing, and alcohol and other drug treatment.

We have celebrated a lot of successes this year, but it has been a challenging year too. At ACSO, we’re seeing first-hand how rising costs, the housing crisis, and the intersection of mental health, disability, and justice are making our clients’ needs more complex than ever. No single organisation can tackle these challenges alone, and we are actively building partnerships to help address the increasingly complex needs of our client cohorts. As we come to the end of 2025, we are also particularly concerned by the extent and increase of extreme violent, gang, and property crimes being committed by a small number of young people in Victoria.

As always, ACSO’s considered advice to Government is to invest more in communities, education, and prevention. These are the meaningful solutions. Investing in building more youth detention centres and prisons will only result in higher rates of violent crime as people exit without the necessary support and rehabilitation programs.

Unnecessary and increasing incarceration in Australia

Sadly, the incarceration data indicate that governments are choosing to take the opposite approach. The 2024 data are tragic, compelling and increasing across all domains:

  • A record 46,000 people are being held in custody across Australia.
  • 42% are unsentenced; this includes a 20% increase in 2024.
  • 37% of all persons in custody are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

First Peoples* alongside people with co-morbid complex needs associated with indicators of social vulnerability remain the most overrepresented in Australian prisons.

Speakers and delegates at this year’s Reintegration Puzzle Conference – for which ACSO was proud to serve as platinum sponsor – confirmed these distressing statistics and brought awareness to the depth of trauma that is caused by widespread over incarceration of First Peoples in Australia.

The case for justice reform is compelling.

ACSO’s vision – a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, and prison is truly the last resort – remains as relevant now as it did in 1983, when our organisation was first created.

ACSO – Celebrating 40 Years

Last year, ACSO celebrated 40 years of helping people build meaningful lives in community after contact with the justice system. This milestone provided an important opportunity for us to come together, to appreciate the progress we’ve made, and to reaffirm our shared purpose.

ACSO was brought into being through the lived experience of Stan McCormack, a charismatic, born-again Christian, sentenced to 10 years jail for armed robbery. Stan’s plan was a simple one: support people leaving prison to find a home, a job, and positive social connections.

On parole, Stan asked the Chair of the Adult Parole Board, Justice Alastair Nicholson to help him set up a support service for people leaving prison. Justice Nicholson went on to become ACSO’s first Board Director, Chairperson, and Patron. This Board connection to the Judiciary continues to endure at ACSO.

While Stan passed away in 2023, he left behind a substantial legacy that ACSO strives to uphold.

Acknowledgements

We extend our appreciation to the ACSO Board, Executive Team, employees, and stakeholders for their ongoing commitment to the organisation’s vision and values.

We acknowledge the significant contribution of ACSO Board Directors Dean McWhirter and Lynn Warneke who retired in 2025 and McCormack Housing Director, Rob Leslie who retired in 2024. As the organisation navigates complex policy, regulation and funding environments, Board succession planning plays a critical role. In 2024 we welcomed a number of new Directors who bring deep experience from across health, lived experience, criminal law, and delivery of First Peoples policy. We warmly welcome new Directors Felicity Topp, Dr Jen Nicholls, Shane Hamilton, and Julie Buxton.

Finally, we acknowledge our frontline workers, team leaders, program managers, and business services staff across all our programs, services, and teams. It is the passion, integrity, belief in humanity, and innovative spirit of our people that has empowered us to do this important work for more than four decades and will sustain us in the decades to come.

On behalf of the ACSO Board, Executive Team and our employees, we are proud to share our 2025 Annual Report with you.

Karen Corry
ACSO Chair

Vaughan Winther
ACSO CEO

*In this report, we use the term “First Peoples” when referring to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, particularly in recognition of the language adopted in Victoria’s Treaty process. We acknowledge that terminology preferences may vary across regions, and we respect the diverse identities and cultures of First Nations peoples in New South Wales and Queensland.

Vision

Our vision is for a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and prison truly is the last resort.

Purpose

Our purpose is to strengthen the wellbeing of communities by advocating for and delivering services which divert people away from the justice system.

Values

Passion

Our heart and passion is at the core of everything we do.

Belief in Humanity

We believe that everyone deserves another chance and is entitled to change their lives and realise their potential.

Integrity In All We Do

We are genuine in our relationships with clients, each other and are always courageous in our approach.

Innovative Spirit

We are willing to explore and develop new and innovative solutions and take on the challenges that confront us.

Meet the Team Behind ACSO

Board of directors

ACSO is proud to be governed by a board of esteemed industry stakeholders who bring decades of experience and unique insight into all facets of the justice system.

Karen Corry

Chair | Director

The Honourable Justice Jane Dixon​

Director

Andrew Chadwick

Director

Dr Danny Sullivan​

Director

Sue Lloyd

Director

Dean McWhirter

Director

James McGinnes

Director

Lynn Warneke

Director
Meet Our Board
Leadership Team

Our leadership team have extensive experience in the social, criminal justice and business sectors and are passionate about making stronger, safer, thriving societies for our clients, workforce and the community as a whole.

Vaughan Winther

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Cath Williams

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

Larissa Daniel

CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER

Dan Spillman

Chief Data & Technology Officer

Tory Gruen served as our Chief Corporate Services Officer until her departure from ACSO in October 2024.

Meet Our Leaders

Highlights

Our Year In Numbers

Together we supported

0

people on their journeys.

Residential

31 people in 24/7 model
33 people in McCormack Housing

Justice Services

12,890 people supported

Clinical Practice

164 people supported

Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD)

10,380 people supported

Mental Health

2,720 people supported

Youth

288 young people supported

Our Impact

With extensive experience and capability supporting people with diverse and complex needs, our work is informed by both lived experience and evidence, and underpinned by a strong risk framework and robust governance structures.

We operate 27 programs across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland to divert people from the justice system or safely reintegrate into the community, and rebuild their lives.

At the conclusion of their engagement, ACSO clients are invited to complete a Client Outcomes Survey. The data below reflects the responses of those who chose to complete the survey.

Residential Programs

95% of residents reported they felt able to manage their emotions and stay happy and balanced. 100% of residents reported they felt they could stop themselves from doing things that got them into trouble.

Youth Mental Health

88% of participants rated their overall experience with ACSO as being very good or excellent. 88% felt listened to and 100% happy with the support they received.

Family and Carers Support

88% of participants rated their overall experience of working with ACSO as being very good or excellent.
98% felt listened to and 81% happy with the support they received.

AOD Short Term Intervention

100% of participants rated their overall experience of working with ACSO as being excellent. 
100% felt listened to and 100% felt happy with the support they received.

Our People

This year, ACSO employed

0

people across 27 programs, residential houses and business services teams.

Our latest Employee Engagement Survey found that the most common words employees used to describe working at ACSO were rewarding, challenging, meaningful and supportive, reflecting the purpose-driven and people-centred culture we continue to foster.

0 %

of people said they feel safe in the environments in which they undertake their role and feel they can stop work if they believe something is significantly unsafe.

0 %

of people are proud to work at ACSO.

0 %

More than 75% of people work in a hybrid arrangement across hubs, homes and co-located sites.

Learning & Development

84 courses available comprising a mix of facilitated (35) and self paced courses (49)

People/Teams

4.4 years average tenure increased from 3.6 years in FY23

Gender/Diversity

ACSO Board and Executive consists of nine females and six males.

Our Work

ACSO Hosts the Inaugural Complex Needs Conference

Under the shared leadership of ACSO and ermha365, the inaugural Complex Needs Conference brought together diverse service areas to explore how we can improve outcomes for people with complex needs.

Read the Full Case Study

ReStart Secures Funding to Manage Growing Complexity in Client Cohort

Over the past 12 months, ReStart has seen an increase in both the number and complexity of participants referred to the program. Many are presenting with multiple and intersecting needs linked to mental illness, cognitive impairment, substance use and trauma.

Read the Full Case Study

CREST Expands into Statewide MRS Program

Read the Full Case Study

McCormack Housing Provides Much Needed Support

The current housing crisis is making it more difficult than ever for Victorians impacted by the justice system to find safe, stable housing. McCormack Housing (McH) has been working hard to bridge this gap.

Read the Full Case Study

Finances

Financial Summary

In FY25, ACSO reported a surplus of $0.06 million, a big turnaround from the FY24 deficit of $2.89 million. 

This is the direct result of ACSO pursing operational efficiencies and strengthening its internal controls that support program sustainability. ACSO had improved revenue of $0.64 million and lower expenditure of $2.33 million from the prior year. The main decrease was in construction expenses of $2.23 million. 

Performance Measured

In FY 2025, our consolidated revenue was $59.1 million (up from $58.6 million in FY 2024).

Revenue by source

ACSO receives income from state and federal government and other sources, highlighting that ACSO’s operations are supported by various government contracts and partnerships. 

Other Income includes $1.15 million investment income and favourable market movements. Expenditure shows that most of ACSO’s revenue is allocated to client services, with significant focus on governance, risk management, and employee safety and wellbeing, underscoring the inherent risks in ACSO’s programs and the ongoing efforts to manage them.

Download Financial Summary

Thank you for your generosity

ACSO gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Commonwealth Government and Victorian, Queensland and New South Wales State Governments and the following agencies.

Download Full Report