2019 annual state congress - rsl nsw · 2019-11-01 · assessment and clinical counselling services...
TRANSCRIPT
2019 Annual State Congress
The Returned and Services League of Australia (New South Wales Branch)
Albury Entertainment CentreSunday 27 – Wednesday 30 October 2019
Where to now?• What is our current situation?
• Let’s look at some factsWhat is the RSL?
MembershipCharity
Other Considerations?• Is the ‘destination’ right? The
vision?• Do we know how to reach the
‘destination?’• I need your help!
We need a plan (Recap)
• Provide clear direction to achieve a sustainable and proud future
• We have a start, but much more needs to be done and critically, members need to be on board, and it must be resourced
• Clear and measurable objectives to be met, by when (e.g. increase membership by X by Y time) so XXXX outcome can be achieved
Our current Mission and Vision (Website)
Mission: Respecting, supporting and remembering our veterans and their families.
Vision: To be recognised and respected as the pre-eminent association within the DefenceFamily in New South Wales*
Remember the past, honour veterans and their
families and provide camaraderie opportunities
Champion remembrance and
camaraderie
Meet the health, wellbeing and support needs of veterans and
their families
Be the voice for veterans and their
families
Govern responsibly to fulfil our charitable
purpose
Understand evolving areas of need, provide services and find ways to engage
RSL NSW advocates for and represents veterans
and their families
Building trust through transparency and sound
management
Actions‒ Be representative
‒ Stay true to core values
‒ Support camaraderie
‒ Build new ways to engage
‒ Foster respect and receptivity
Focus
‒ Develop and deliver services appropriate for all veterans and their families
‒ Measure outcomes
‒ Provide support for regional NSW
‒ Work with ESOs, government and community organisations
‒ Influence policy
‒ Advocate for veterans and their families
‒ Build & foster government relationships and partnerships
‒ Promote positive image and brand
‒ Restore fundraising
‒ Manage finances sustainably
‒ Provide open communication
‒ Embed strong governance
‒ Continue constitutional reform
‒ Embed skills-based board
‒ Ensure Accountability
Respecting, supporting and remembering our veterans and their families
Strategy pillars
Purpose Strategic Plan 2020-2022* (Recap)
??$ID?
Facts……..What is the RSL?
……..history
Public service scheme
NSW veteran's employment scheme
Soldier settlement
Advocacy and camaraderie
RSL? It’s……………………
ICONICMEMBERSHIPHISTORIC
But……what do non-members think of RSL?
WE HAVE AN ICONIC AND HISTORIC POSITION and PURPOSE BUT THIS IS NOT WHAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC THINK
Source: Qualitative Research n=46 Gen X,Y,Z non-members
Survey results (people aged between 23-50):What does the RSL mean to you?1. Clubs and pokies2. Old people3. Veterans and ANZAC Day4. Cheap beer5. Cheap food
Conclusion – what is the RSL?
It’s not well understood, and the general image is not what the RSL does or
stands for
“I’m trying to tell our people that we are very much in a numbers game and unless the numbers remain high, politicians will not take much notice.” National Secretary, 1975
A proposed strategy………..“Let us die out with dignity.” William Hall, 1977
What are we going to do?
1975 Congress“(We must) …..get started without delay on substantial plans for submission to all members, to ensure the continuance of the RSL for all possible time, as aneffective beneficial and influential authority for ex-serviceand serving men and women and good living andSecurity in Australia.”
What is the RSL, and what does it stand for?
Veterans support?
How do we position
ourselves?
Is the vision right?
Quote……
Facts…….Membership
20
What are your top three concerns about RSL NSW for the future?
60%
36% 35% 34%
27%
20% 19% 19% 17%
9%6% 5% 5%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Financial sustainability
CorruptionAgeing membership
Governance Quality of services provided
Brand /Reputation
Lack of relevance
Resistance to change
Lack of clarity around strategy
Lack of diversity of
membership
Lack of family
inclusion
Exclusivity Other (please specify)
Number of Responses: 1,702
Top 5 responses
RSL NSW 2017 Membership Survey
AGEING MEMEBERSHIP WAS THE MAIN STATED CONCERN IN 2017 MEMBERSHIP SURVEYSource: SVA Board Approved Strategy
RSL NSW Potential Membership
28% OF CONTEMPORARY VETERANS JOIN AN ESO (SOURCE TRANSITION TASKFORCE, DOD & DVA) BASED ON STATE POPULATION THIS INDICATES 500-600 VETERANS IN NSW ARE JOINING ESOs ANNUALLY
Other ESO ChoicesPercentage of ESOs by State and Territory
Source: ASPEN Foundation Report 2015
THERE ARE OVER 2,780 ESO IN AUSTRALIA, 28% IN NSW WHICH INCLUDES RSL SUB-BRANCHES420 ESOs NOT PART OF RSL NSW – ALSO THERE TO HELP VETERANS AND FAMILIES
Source: ASPEN Foundation Report 2015
HALF OF ESOs WILL SEE A DECLINE IN VOLUNTEERSNON-MEMBER BASED VSOs GROWING
Understanding the other ESOs
24
What are your top three concerns about RSL NSW for the future?
60%
36% 35% 34%
27%
20% 19% 19% 17%
9%6% 5% 5%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Financial sustainability
CorruptionAgeing membership
Governance Quality of services provided
Brand /Reputation
Lack of relevance
Resistance to change
Lack of clarity around strategy
Lack of diversity of
membership
Lack of family
inclusion
Exclusivity Other (please specify)
Number of Responses: 1,702
Top 5 responses
RSL NSW 2017 Membership Survey
AGEING MEMEBERSHIP CONCERN MEANS RELEVANCE NEEDS TO ALSO BE A CONCERN Source: SVA Board Approved Strategy
RSL NSW Total Membership Profile (All Member Types)
BOOMER AND BUILDER GENERATIONS ACCOUNT FOR 89% OF MEMBERSHIP ONLY 3,100 CONTEMPORARY MEMBERS
89%
7%
3%
1%
Builder/Boomer (55+) Gen X (40-54) Gen Y (25-39) Gen Z (4-24)
Source: Member CMS
RSL NSW Total Membership Churn - (Loss)/Gain
MEMBERSHIP CHURN IS AVERAGING 1.6K MEMBERS PER YEAR
Source: Member CMS
Service Membership Age Compared to Australian Male Average Life Expectancy
• 32% of current Service Members (6,600) are over Australian Male, average life expectancy age.
• 6% of current Service Members are more than 10 years over Australian Male, average life expectancy age.
• 26% are 0-10 years over Australian Male, average life expectancy age.
• 29% of current Service Members are in their 70s and will reach age of current life expectancy within 10 years.
• This will leave only 39% of current members below Australian Male, average life expectancy in 10 years time.
Why declining membership?
It’s not just RSLBut…..
Secret Shopper calls to 10 sub-Branches were made to understand the new member sign up experience.
Findings were:
Our New Membership Sign Up Experience
Source: Secret Shopper calls by ANZAC House to 10 sub-Branches May 2019
Sub-Branch Quotes
Source: Secret Shopper calls by ANZAC House to 10 sub-Branches May 2019
What other ESOs offer veterans – non-membership?
• Work side by side with those who serve and protect Australia, and their families, helping them to secure their future.
• Services aim to help individuals build resilience and create, and expand meaningful connections with family, community and employers.
• Health and wellbeing – Psychology, social activities and programs, sporting activities and programs and service initiatives.
• Employment – Transition services, employment support, career development assistance.
• Learning – Education and training programs, vocational training.
• Participation – Social activities and programs focused on connections with family, friends and the broader community, volunteering and sports programs.
• Support for current and ex-serving ADF personnel and their families
• Veterans and Families Counselling - Australia's leading provider of high-quality mental health assessment and clinical counselling services for veterans and their families.
• Focused on meeting client needs through a combination of proven clinical practices and new and emerging evidence-based approaches.
• Mates4Mates supports current and ex-serving ADF members (and their families) who are wounded, injured or ill as a result of their service
• National and regional support services include• Physical Rehabilitation and
Wellbeing ServicesPsychological ServicesEmployment and Education Support ServicesRehabilitation Adventure.
• Social Connection Activities
• Respecting, supporting and remembering our veterans and their families.
• Camaraderie• Pension support (some)• Wellbeing (some)
• Be recognised and respected as the pre-eminent association within the Defence Family in New South Wales.
But …….DefenceCare Offers
• Work side by side with those who serve and protect Australia, and their families, helping them to secure their future.
• Services aim to help individuals build resilience and create, and expand meaningful connections with family, community and employers.
• Health and wellbeing – Psychology, social activities and programs, sporting activities and programs and service initiatives.
• Employment – Transition services, employment support, career development assistance.
• Learning – Education and training programs, vocational training.
• Participation – Social activities and programs focused on connections with family, friends and the broader community, volunteering and sports programs.
• Support for current and ex-serving ADF personnel and their families
• Veterans and Families Counselling - Australia's leading provider of high-quality mental health assessment and clinical counselling services for veterans and their families.
• Focused on meeting client needs through a combination of proven clinical practices and new and emerging evidence-based approaches.
• Mates4Mates supports current and ex-serving ADF members (and their families) who are wounded, injured or ill as a result of their service
• National and regional support services include• Physical Rehabilitation and
Wellbeing ServicesPsychological ServicesEmployment and Education Support ServicesRehabilitation Adventure.
• Social Connection Activities
• Help veterans and their families in times of injury, illness or crisis
• Dedicated to meeting the needs of Australian veterans and their families seeking help with claims, advocacy and well-being.
• An innovative leader in the Defence community providing professional, client-focused services.
• Core services• Assistance with
Department of Veterans' Affairs claims
• Advocacy at the Veterans' Review Board
• Financial assistance• Counselling/welfare*
RSL NSW and DefenceCare – potential membership?
DEFENCECARE OFFER IS ATTRACTING CONTEMPORARY VETERANS
Conclusion…….membership?• Must attract new members – urgently,
so – clear resources/marketing• Must define what membership is and
provide a state-wide consistent professional joining experience
• Can improved support services lead to increased membership/volunteers?
Why do we want from new members?
Supporter/ Donor
Volunteer ?
FACT………..RSL is a CHARITY
Veteran Charities?• There are over 57,000 charities in Australia (registered with ACNC)
– a charity for every 421 Australians!
• New South Wales has 20,544 charities
• The ACNC register has 3,474 charities that nominate veterans and/or their families as a beneficiary
• Excluding RSL sub-Branches, that equates to 1,221 veteran charities.
BEING A CHARITY IS A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AND REGULATED ENVIRONMENT
Source: ACNC, ASPEN FOUNDATION REPORT 2015
According to the ACNC…….
“Charities must be for the Public Benefit.” This means resources of the charity must be used for others, for the charitable purpose or ‘objects,’ not members (i.e. people close to the charity.)
But….our service members are Veterans too?
Why do we want to be a charity?
? ? ?
WHAT VETERAN CAUSE ARE WE ARE FUNDRAISING FOR?
What is our charitable purpose?• Assistance to former ADF members and their
families• Health support – physical and mental• Social disadvantage• Poverty and homelessness
• Assistance to current and former ADF members and their families• Assistance with claims and pensions• Assistance with transition to civilian life
• Commemoration• Reduce risk of social issues through the
provision of camaraderie• Doing all things possible to achieving purpose of
helping veterans and their families
TRANSITION SERVICES IS A CURRENT UNMET NEEDPREDICTED DECLINE IN VOLUNTEER PENSION SUPPORT – WILL INCREASE THAT NEED
What Charitable Purpose Need Can RSL Fulfil?
Source: ASPEN Foundation Report 2015
What Charitable Purpose Need Can RSL Fulfil?
Source: ASPEN Foundation Report 2015
THERE IS A NEED AMONG CONTEMPORARY VETERANS THAT WE COULD PROVIDE
TRANSITION SERVICES IS A CURRENT UNMET NEEDPREDICTED DECLINE IN VOLUNTEER PENSION SUPPORT – WILL INCREASE THAT NEED
What Charitable Purpose Need Can RSL Fulfil?
Source: ASPEN Foundation Report 2015
DEFENCECARE SUPPORTING 34% OF ACTIVITY76% OF TOTAL RSL CLAIMS ACTIVITY, DEFENCECARE AND 9 RSL SUB-BRANCHES
Source: DVA Period: 01/07/2018 to 30/06/2019
RSL NSW Claims Activity
66%
34%
Other RSL sub-Branches DefenceCare
34%DefenceCare
42%9 sub-Branches
14%22 sub-Branches
10%48 sub-Branches
76%
90%
Recall….RSL NSW and DefenceCare offering
RSL DEFENCECARE OFFER ATTRACTING CONTEMPORARY VETERANS – could it do more???
Conclusion…….charity?• We must convert our objects into
actions• Consider our values to be a
charity – with single ‘brand’ experience – in every location
• Collaborate to deliver quality veterans support experience and products
Other considerations…..After a break
Governance
Questions to ask ourselves
• What is our offer to new members?• Volunteers and/or beneficiaries?• Compliance – training and accreditation requirements
• Why do we want to be a charity?• Why do we want to fundraise?
• What is our Purpose?
Questions to ask ourselves• Alternative vision? Your thoughts?• Values?
• Collaboration/Teamwork• Courage• Respect• Service/Transparency
• Volunteer members supported by full-time professional cadre• Delivering consistent quality services..e.g.• Camaraderie
Where to Now? (Recap)# Action Status
1 Strategic pillars, focus and actions (member’s initial input) complete
2 Incorporate RSL NSW Charitable Objects – from the Constitution pending
3 Review Vision – does it fit with Charitable Objects? pending
4 Incorporate approved strategic pillars and actions into distinct Goals pending
5 Develop clearly defined and measurable objectives to achieve goals pending
6 Clearly describe the outcomes to be achieved by successful implementation of objectives
pending
7 Develop options on how to organise RSL NSW to implement the objectives pending
8 Seek Board agreement for face to face membership consultation on Draft Plan including options for implementation.
Detail of actions to achieve objectives PendingBy DecSet progress measures and reporting
Agree budget to implement
Where to Now? (Recap)# Action Status
9 Finalise the Plan pending
10 Submit to the Board for approval by June 20 (noting State-Wide) consultation process
pending
11 Commence implementation FY 20/21 pending
General Questions and Answers