RFCS Gippsland
Rural Financial Counselling Service
RFCS Gippsland offices are conveniently located across our service region covering the whole of south east Victoria – from smaller acreage properties of south east Melbourne surrounds to as far as the New South Wales border, taking in farming and fishing regions of Gippsland and the coast.
Our service covers eleven (11) Council shires across south eastern Victoria: Bass Coast, Baw Baw, Cardinia, Casey, East Gippsland, Latrobe, Mornington Peninsula, Nillumbik, South Gippsland, Wellington and Yarra Ranges.
Our Service
Experienced and professional Rural Financial Counsellors (RFC) are available to meet with you on your farm, business premises, or any location that is suitable for you.
RFC can help develop plans for improving your future.
Free Service
Experienced & Qualified Counsellors
Here to help you achieve financial sustainability
Our Purpose
Respect
We treat everyone with dignity, express genuine care and concern for others, and have an appreciation that all people and circumstances are different
Integrity
We treat everyone with honesty and fairness, in a professional and engaging manner, and we take responsibility for our actions
Trust
We build trust by being open, honest, respectful and reliable with each other and with our clients
Achievement
We are inclusive and recognise the contributions and achievements of everyone involved in our success
Communication
We value the opinions of others and commit to fostering a culture of open and honest communication and transparent and fair decision making
To provide free rural financial counselling services (RFCS) to eligible primary producers, fishers and small rural businesses in Gippsland as supported by programs funded by the Australian and Victorian Governments
To provide charitable financial assistance to farming families in need.
Be a valuable service
to our rural community, with a skilled, professional and respected team of Rural Financial Counsellors (RFC)
Ensure a flexible, effective and efficient service for the delivery of rural financial counselling service (RFCS).
Support the ongoing development of skilled, professional counsellors.
Facilitate structural adjustment for farmers wishing to exit the industry.
Work with RFCS East Vic clients to ensure goals are reached and the client feels supported along their journey.
Provide valuable service to our clients, the community and our funding body.
Maintain the confidentiality of our clients.
Our Governance
We are a non-profit organisation supported by programs funded by Victorian & Federal Governments aiding farming communities and small rural business owners at risk of financial hardship.
Our two Victorian and Federal Government major funding bodies are:
Commonwealth Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR)
Victorian State Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR)
Donations from local Gippsland businesses provides at risk households with invaluable emergency relief support.
RFCS Gippsland Board of Directors provide the governing oversight for the achievement and reporting of our funded purpose.
View our current Board Members
They are accountable for upholding our legal, financial, risk and regulatory obligations, as well as guide our strategic vision, objectives and community advocacy.
To ensure appropriate understanding and guidance of our services, all of our Directors must have significant background and experience in the Agriculture/Rural sector(s), in addition to governance, business, economic, legal and community acumen.
Interested in being a member of the Board? view the Board Position Description
Directors and members of RFCS Gippsland operate within its adopted Rules of Association
To further ensure compliance with statutory and funding obligations, the Board have formed sub-committees to oversee Audit, Remuneration and Governance:
Remuneration & Governance Sub-Committee – Terms of Reference
Annual General Meetings are held in November
RFCS Gippsland Board members, Executive Officers and Employees all operate under a Code of Conduct (in conjunction with our policies and the Australian Public Service (APS) Values (Part 3 of the Public Service Act 1999 (Cth)). The code of conduct provides guidance and rules for appropriate conduct in the performance of our duties. This embodies the commitment to act honestly and exercise a high degree of care and diligence in the discharge of our responsibilities, and to undertake activities in a manner which ensures public confidence in the administration of our services.
Read the detail of our Code here – RFCS Gippsland Code of Conduct
To ensure the protection, inclusion and satisfaction of our clients, employees, stakeholders and community, our Board have adopted and work within a suite of policies to provide appropriate controls, commitments, treatment, responses and guiding principles of operation.
Our policies cover financial and risk management, diversity and equality, compliance, integrity, employment, as well as work health safety & wellbeing.
To view our policies in detail, click the following link or visit the page Our Policies
Our Team