Earlier this month, I had the privilege of attending the Financial Counsellors’ Association of Queensland (FCAQ) Conference in Gold Coast, where I was honoured to speak about FCVic’s advocacy work, including our campaign for sector funding. This campaign, launched last year, called for increased funding and additional financial counsellors to meet the rising demand for financial counselling services. It was a proud moment to share our ongoing work and emphasise that this campaign, like any robust initiative, is a collaborative effort. It builds on the tireless efforts of FCVic staff and our dedicated members, showcasing the power of unity and collective action. 

It was incredibly refreshing to have the opportunity to bring my family along to the FCAQ conference, and my sincere thanks go out to all the FCAQ team, Conference coordinators and attendees – everyone was so welcoming. This experience highlighted the flexibility of our sector and the importance of making work adaptable to people’s living arrangements.

Closer to home, FCVic recently ran an enlightening session on Board Governance. This webinar aimed to demystify our organisation’s governing arrangements and empower our members to participate more actively in governance. Led by Geoff Carter from the Strategic Governance Group and Claude Von Arx, a director of the FCVic Board, the one-hour session provided a comprehensive introduction to corporate governance principles and their application within FCVic. This session was an invaluable opportunity for members to gain a deeper understanding of how FCVic’s governance is structured and how they can play a more active role in shaping our organisation’s future, something we are keen to see more of.

Additionally, this month marks the opening of expressions of interest (EOI) for the $15 million financial counselling funding round via Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) – click here to read more on the CAV website. This funding is designed to support projects aimed at assisting Victorians in financial hardship, particularly those experiencing mortgage or rental stress. We are eager to hear from members with innovative ideas and encourage you to discuss them further with us – members can read our update here. Please contact Amanda Chan, FCVic’s Advocacy Coordinator, at [email protected] to share your proposals and join us in our mission to support our community.