As 2025 comes to a close, I am reflecting on what has been an extraordinary year for FCVic. One of the biggest highlights was launching our Workforce Development report series at the Conference. This milestone was more than a celebration; it marked the beginning of a new chapter as we move into implementing our workforce and organisational strategy. These reports are not just documents; they are a roadmap for the next decade of growth in financial counselling.

What excites me most is how this deep research will shape the future. It gives us the evidence we need to strengthen advocacy, demonstrate the economic and social value of financial counselling, and work with partners to grow the sector in ways that matter for communities across Victoria. This research has already supported our recent State Budget Submission and an open letter to government, undersigned by 41 community organisations, calling for a marked increase in funding over the next decade. These actions reflect the strength of our sector and the shared commitment to ensuring financial counselling is accessible and sustainable.

The final Devil’s Advocate for 2025 includes a brief timeline of FCVic’s major milestones from the past year. It just scratches the surface; if we listed everything, the newsletter would be a kilometre long! From the successful Conference and the launch of the Victorian Workforce Strategy to high-impact submissions, new projects such as the Digital Transformation Roadmap, and strong engagement across disaster resilience and family violence work, the breadth of activity has been remarkable.

These achievements come down to a great team, incredible and responsive members who share their insights and participate in surveys and training, and a wide network of stakeholders and collaborators who walk alongside us. Your engagement ensures that our advocacy is grounded in real experience and that our sector continues to grow stronger.

Thank you for being part of this journey. I hope you have had a fantastic year, and I wish you a joyful Christmas and New Year. Here’s to continuing our work together in 2026.