FCVic’s recently published Victorian Workforce Strategy and our series of research reports show that financial counselling services face growing demand for assistance. However, the ability of some agencies to respond to this demand is hindered by outdated systems, inefficient workflows, and a lack of infrastructure and guidelines to adapt to emerging technologies, including AI.

To address this, FCVic is delighted to have received funding from the Financial Counselling Industry Fund’s (FCIF) Innovation Grant round to undertake a new project: the Digital Transformation Roadmap Project.

Our Digital Transformation Roadmap Project seeks to provide an overall framework for the digital transformation of the financial counselling sector. Over the next 12 months, from November 2025 to October 2026, FCVic will work with our technology partner Infoxchange to deliver the project, as well as partnering with the Financial Counsellors’ Association of New South Wales (FCAN) to ensure the design of the digital transformation roadmap has broad-reaching value for the sector.

This project will deliver key outcomes, including:

• A review of existing client management systems used by agencies in Victoria and NSW to identify inefficiencies
• Improved preparedness for agencies to adopt AI, via our technology partner Infoxchange’s AI readiness scoping tool
• Development of an ethical AI framework as a guide for agencies to adapt responsibly to using AI
• A comprehensive digital transformation roadmap with recommendations and actionable steps for agencies to modernise their systems

Our project will be supervised by a reference group with representatives from FCAN, FCVic, NSW and Victorian agencies, financial counsellors, and technology partners, among others. We are delighted with the interest in this project to date from agencies and financial counsellors alike, and we’re excited to start work!