Dear colleagues,

September has largely been a month of preparation, follow-up and keeping a number of important pieces of work moving.

The FCVic Conference is now only a week away, and I am looking forward to seeing our members and sector partners there. Registrations are strong with more than 500 people attending, the program has come together well, and there has been a significant amount of work behind the scenes to get us to this point. Thank you to the FCVic team, our partners, presenters and everyone contributing to the conference.

I will again be bringing my family. Having them with me makes the week more manageable for my partner, who would otherwise be carrying the family load while I am absorbed in the conference, and it is nice for them to share in such a significant part of my working year.

We are also delighted to be welcoming a delegation from New Zealand. I am looking forward to sharing our experiences with them and reflecting on what our sectors can learn from one another.

At the conference, we will launch FCVic’s Digital Transformation Roadmap, including work examining sector systems, artificial intelligence and ethics. It is also the first major project for our new Projects Coordinator, Jacqui Bell, which is a fantastic way for her to begin with FCVic. I am very pleased to welcome Jacqui to the team and look forward to working with her as we consider how the Roadmap can support agencies and practitioners in practical ways.

September has also involved considerable engagement with politicians and candidates in the lead-up to the Victorian election. We have continued talking about the growing pressures of financial hardship, the value of financial counselling and the need to properly resource services responding to increasing demand and complexity. Wherever possible, we are arranging for candidates to visit agencies and hear directly from financial counsellors about what is happening in their communities.

I saw those pressures firsthand at the recent Bring Your Bills Day in Craigieburn with SECL and Uniting. The number of people seeking assistance was a clear reminder of how many households are already struggling. This will only become harder following the latest interest rate increase and inflation data, with housing and other essential costs continuing to place pressure on household budgets and underscoring the continuing pressing need for financial counselling services.

The national SCHADS Award Working Group is also now in full swing. The group is progressing work on classification guidance, employer implementation support, and workforce attraction and retention. FCVic has shared our previous submissions and analysis to help inform this work. Jane Pires is providing strong leadership in bringing together people from across the profession, and the group is making good progress on identifying how we will progress against the longer-term work that will be needed.

There is plenty still underway, but for now the immediate focus is on next week. I look forward to seeing many of you at the conference, introducing you to my family and welcoming our New Zealand colleagues.

Warmly,

Zyl