RSLQ 2021 Annual Report

65 RSL Queensland Annual Report | 2021 SUPPORTING OUR MEMBERS W hen a veteran or their family contacts an RSL Sub Branch in Queensland, they’re reaching out to a network of volunteers who can relate and empathise with their situation, and is equipped with the knowledge, resources, and contacts to give them the support they need. This year, our active membership base across our Districts and Sub Branches clocked up over 608,800 volunteer hours on welfare and pension activities, commemorative events, fundraising, and Sub Branch support. And there are likely thousands more hours of volunteer work unaccounted for, because that’s who our members are and it’s what they do. The service our members provide at the local Sub Branch level means a veteran can be helped in their own community. So, it’s important that RSL Queensland provides a better level of service and greater resources to our Districts and Sub Branches through our Membership and Network team, to ensure that this vital local veteran support can continue. 2021 was an insightful year for us, with two key research projects completed: the Sub Branch Discovery Project and the District Discovery Project. Both projects saw us connect and engage with our members at District and Sub Branch level like never before, to gain a valuable understanding of the critical work they are doing to improve the lives of veterans. These insights then informed how State Branch can better support our members and resource our networks, particularly as our Sub Branches navigate the challenges of membership growth, resourcing volunteers, governance requirements, and improving the experience of veterans. Our Membership and Network team has learned to be more responsive to the feedback that we receive, and has evolved based on what the Districts and Sub Branches have told us is and isn’t working for them. We took the extensive feedback and lessons from recent years and directed them into tangible solutions for our Districts and Sub Branches in 2021. Annual Highlights Supporting Our Members RSL Queensland members* *includes 2021 membership renewals up to end of February 2022 Service members 30,884 Auxiliary members 509 Non-League members 666 We're here to enable Districts and Sub Branches, and serve members. / Continued on next page Kawana Waters RSL Sub Branch