A big thank you to all the FRSA members who attended the Strategic Leadership Forum last week and for being such great advocates for the network. Reading through the feedback – we had great conversations and engagement with the 55 politicians and/or advisers our delegations met with. There is great Interest and appreciation for the work the FRS sector.
In the closing days ahead of the release of the new Children and Family Support Program Grant Guidelines it was a timely opportunity for CEOs and Senior Leaders from our Membership to come together to talk through the last minute burning questions and hear from key people in the Department of Social Services on Day 1 and Minister Plibersek at the Member Breakfast at Parliament House on Thursday morning as part of the Strategic Leadership Forum held 16-17 September.
As our FRSA workforce project moves into its final report stage it is also great to have a clear picture and understanding of the FRS workforce emerging. (These findings were also presented at SLF.) The skills and expertise they bring to their work are vital for achieving impact and change in the often very complex lives the children, women and men we support are living when they walk through our doors.
There was also a lot of interest in the work our sector does in supporting victim survivors of family violence and those people who use violence. As Minister Plibersek clearly articulated in her conversation with us during the morning breakfast – the 2nd Action Plan design and Government’s plans for tackling Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence in this country are top of mind for her right now.
We are very excited to release the call for abstracts for the FRSA Child Inclusive Practice Forum being held in Canberra at Old Parliament House, 10-11 March next year. This event is held once every two years which brings together many of our wisest and most skilled people working with children and young people in ways that ensure the children and young people are at the centre and have their voice/s heard.
Before closing off today, I want to thank and acknowledge our fabulous policy/project officer – Lisa Curtis – for spending the last two years and 8 months as part of the FRSA team and indeed our FRSA network. She is thoughtful, enthusiastic, diligent, inquisitive and super lovely and we are sorry to see her go but wish her all the very best with her next steps in life.
