RSL & SCA 2015/16 Review

RSL & Services Clubs Association Suite 1103, 109 Pitt Street Sydney NSW 2000 Tel: 02 9233 2624 Web: www.rslservicesclubs.com.au

Bryn Miller

Garrie Gibson

RSL & SCA Chairman

RSL & SCA CEO

This year has been one of consolidation, expansion and success for the RSL & Services Clubs Association.

Over the past twelve months, our membership has continued to grow, our services to members have increased and improved, and our focus as RSL & Services Clubs supporting key veteran programs and services has expanded.

We have been pleased to welcome new member clubs and new Corporate Partners to the Association this year. Welcome to Club Rivers and Avalon Beach RSL as members of our Association, and Barringtons, Rana Environmental, Community Alliance, Betting.Club and Gold Crest Security as Partners. Further efforts will be made in the coming year to encourage more RSL and kindred clubs to join our Association.

The Association’s key programs and services have delivered positive outcomes for veterans, for club members and patrons and for the broader community.

Our key partnership with the Australian War Memorial has continued to strengthen and ensure our member clubs and their members have been actively involved in the ANZAC Centenary Commemorations.

Financial PerformanceThis year, the Association has achieved a significant positive result, which enables us to build our reserves and expand our services for members. The CEO has increased income from a number of events and programs and reduced operating expenses in key areas. This strong performance provides an excellent

platform for us to continue to deliver for members in the years ahead.

Homes For HeroesIn March 2015, the Association launched a new initiative to raise $1 million over three years to assist with providing supported accommodation and health and welfare services to homeless veterans living in our community. Our target is within our grasp, with almost $800,000 raised in fifteen months, which has provided new staff, facilities and services for “Homes For Heroes” in Narrabeen, Penrith and other parts of the State. This partnership between the RSL&SCA and RSL Life Care, who provide the physical accommodation facilities at Narrabeen and other centres, has enabled the employment of counselling and support staff to help these men and women get their lives back on track. This great work has only been possible because of the significant contributions and efforts of many clubs and RSL Sub-Branches across the State, as well as the support from our corporate partners.

Many clubs have conducted their own fundraising activities and contributed the results to our Homes For Heroes Fund. Thank you to every Club, sub-branch and company which has contributed.

Clubs can continue to make contributions through Category 1 of the ClubGRANTS Program.

Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge (KYLC)The KYLC continues to grow the numbers of young people sponsored by Clubs and Associations who walk across the Kokoda Trail, in honour of the brave Australian Soldiers who fought through the 1942 Kokoda

campaign. In 2015, 44 young people completed the Trek and all were positively impacted by the experience and the personal growth and development that followed.

The KYLC is an important educational and commemorative program that has operated for the last 12 years. Over 340 young people have benefited from the challenge of

The Association acknowledges the following major corporate partners and encourages your support:

web • marketing • design

completing the Trek and proving to themselves and their families what they can achieve with determination and commitment.

The support of the Clubs who sponsor young people from their region to participate in the KYLC is sincerely appreciated. We also thank our Partner, Cashcard for their continued support for this program.

Western Front Touring ExhibitionThis year, and for the next two years, the Association is coordinating a very special Historical exhibition, curated by the Australian War Memorial, about the ANZACs on the Western Front 1916-1918. Seventeen member clubs across the state will host the exhibition each year for three years. Each year, the exhibition panels and video presentation focus on the battles and significant events from a hundred years ago where the Anzacs fought so bravely for King and Country. This exhibition has been an important part of our Association’s commemoration of the Centenary of ANZACs and has been very well

received by members and visitors at each of the host clubs.

Last Post Ceremony at Australian War MemorialMember clubs of the Association have continued to fund and support the conduct and web broadcast of the Last Post Ceremony at the closing of the Australian War Memorial every evening (apart from Good Friday and Christmas Day when the Memorial is closed). This special service honours each afternoon one of the more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives on active service for our nation. This daily service is available to be broadcast inside every RSL and Services Club through the AWM website.

Each month, local clubs are advised when a local resident of their area is to be honoured in the daily ceremony, so the club can broadcast this particular service and invite any local family members of this person, if still in the area, to attend the club to watch the broadcast. All Clubs are welcome to broadcast this service in their venues, as a

remembrance and commemoration service for members.

Strengthening Our Public ProfileAll of these programs and services assist every RSL and Services Club to promote your work and role in your local community as a venue dedicated to honouring the bravery and sacrifice of our Australian Defence Forces and assisting current and former service men and women with their needs and issues. It is important that we stay true to our core purpose, as part of the fabric of service and remembrance in Australia, committed to the services community.

BRYN MILLER Chairman

GARRIE GIBSONChief Executive Officer

Combine with more than 150 RSL and Services Clubs across NSW with more than two million members which have already joined the Association.

Contact the Association on 02 9233 2624 to discuss the benefits of membership for your club.

The RSL & Services Clubs Association was established to assist all such clubs to manage our unique position within the broader Club Movement and the Australian community. We ensure that the perspectives and values of RSL Clubs are considered and heard by Government and our colleagues in Defence, in the Veterans community and the club industry. The RSL & Services Clubs Association is committed to delivering significant benefits and services to our member clubs and to deliver on our Constitutional Objects.

Our four core functions are:

Your Membership is Important

Support the Association Supporting YouJoin or Renew Now!

Tobeaneffectivevoicefor, andrepresentativeof,

RSLandServicesClubswithgovernment,regulators,themedia,aswellas

withintheClubIndustry,theveteransandex-servicescommunityandthegeneralpublic;thisalsoinvolvespromotingthe

workofourClubsacrossawidevarietyofcommunitysupportservices;

Toprovideleadershipand coordinatedprogramsinsupport

ofCommemorationandRemembranceofthesacrificeandbraveryofAustralia’sDefenceForces,andcontinuingsupport forveteranswelfareandassistanceprograms,whichassistourClubsto deliveronthesecoreresponsibilities

asRSLandEx-ServicesClubs;

Toprovidestrongandeffectiveeducationalandskillsdevelopmentactivities

andprogramsformemberClubDirectorsandseniormanagementtoenableclubs

tocontinuedeliveringthe bestfacilitiesandservices

fortheirmembers;

Tokeepmemberclubsinformedof newissuesanddevelopmentsand

ensurethattheyare abletobeinvolvedand

bestrespondto challengesandopportunities.