Thank you to all our fans for the overwhelming support and encouragement we have received to help us rebalance for long-term sustainability. Last month was busy, even with the holidays, and next month is not slowing down. We have found opportunities to improve our services to the veteran community in the review process. Our review has highlighted opportunities for greater civil community involvement in our operations by making space available for them to work with us to benefit the veteran community. Our first Key Townsville ESO Leaders’ Meeting reported some progress on several of our ongoing issues for support in the region. Our Veterans Business Alliance now has over 50 members, and they have committed to remaining supportive until we can restart our award-winning employment program.
We have almost completed reshaping the form and function of The Oasis Townsville, positioning us to operate effectively until the Royal Commission's recommendation 86 (operational funding for DVA's 17 hubs) is implemented. This process has been difficult, especially for those who lost their jobs, but we did everything possible to support those team members through the difficult time. It's never easy to let go of your valuable team members. Although our current capability is reduced compared to the last two years, it is now similar to the level of the other DVA hubs. All hubs will no doubt be fully effective once they are adequately staffed and can focus on serving their veteran communities and supporting ADF Transition Centres. We have been very encouraged by the support from the veteran and civilian communities and businesses reaching out in many ways. The bottom line is that despite the shock of funding shortfalls and the impact on our operations, the future is looking bright, and ideas and opportunities are flowing. We expect to create a stronger and more sustainable foundation for long-term success and ultimately become more resilient, agile, and focused, achieving outcomes that may not have been possible without the challenge.
Despite Easter celebrations, the holidays, and the focus on ANZAC Day in April our programs were full. The Creative Connection's Kids Easter Art Workshops were especially a hit! Run by Creativity Hood, this program gave holiday goers a hands-on experience with Easter-themed creations that were made to take home. Banjos continues strongly, and we’ve been very pleasantly surprised by the offers to run Banjos and, while doing so, showcase other community organisations.
There has been no slowing of connection activities. The big ones include Creative Connection, which is back and off to a great start, and we look forward to delivering the next nine weeks of workshops to the Veteran Community. Our free 4wd Course “Back on Track" was only a few days ago. More MoneyCare Info Sessions are very popular; please be sure to register. The next cooking class is on 28 May. Our podcast is also doing particularly well. The second last in the current series will be released on 21 May, watch out for it, it’s a cracker.
We've recognised that of the 100 activities conducted at Homebase each month, >50% are outside our core hours. We think this is a realisation that we are not a wellbeing centre that exists only for those who need help, we are the “Homebase for all of the veteran community in Townsville”, including those who have successfully found their feet in the civil community but still like to re-engage with the veteran community at a frequency that suits them. So, we are confident we can rent some of the space by day without affecting the connection activity. We are encouraging community groups and businesses to support us by using our well-appointed facility at Homebase and paying us for it.
Last month, we held our first Key Townsville ESO Leaders Meeting for 2025. We covered the work happening now in relation to Recommendation 87 by DVA to establish an agency that focuses on the wellbeing of the entire veteran community, not just the less than 50% of the community that are clients of DVA. Most ESO leaders had some involvement and were encouraged to hear that a co-design would be conducted this month in Canberra. We also reviewed our “Issues for Townsville’s Veteran Community”. Updates were provided on waiting time for psychiatrists, the continuation of the Queensland Veterans Legal Service pilot being conducted at Homebase, and the effectiveness of financial briefings for veterans with large DVA insurance payouts.
A working group of businesses that are members of the Veterans Business Alliance are meeting this month to establish how they can adapt the successful program to continue to deliver outcomes for veterans and partners. Our award-winning employment program was significantly wound back when the Queensland Government grant concluded at the end of April, but we are hopeful of it being funded again before the end of this year. The VBA is keen to carry the torch until then.