RSLQ 2021 Annual Report

Supporting Our Members Annual Highlights 67 As part of our dedication to supporting our Districts and Sub Branches, this year, we: • Worked closely with the Service Delivery team to consider how we can better support volunteers at a Sub Branch level who are delivering welfare and working directly with veterans • Delivered the Veteran Services Toolkit to educate our members on the emergency and general services available to veterans via State Branch and other ex-service organisations (ESOs) • Tailored membership growth plans for individual Sub Branches, considering their location, community, and specific resourcing needs • Completed the managed IT roll out that we started in 2020, which has been a $2.7million investment • Reimbursed the cost of merchandise to Sub Branches, to the value of $541,537, so that everything raised by selling the merchandise goes back into Sub Branches • Introduced a dedicated grant writing resource to support Sub Branches with their community fund and local Government grant applications • Developed the RSL Queensland Funded Grants Framework to provide more financial support opportunities for Sub Branches. This State Branch-funded program is set to launch in 2022 • Continued to provide valuable administrative support through our District Secretaries, who understand their local communities and needs • Ran a pilot of the Cashless Payment System program, to provide a payment solution to allow Sub Branches to take card payments for merchandise sales • Trialled the Adopt-a-Sub Branch program, which aims to personalise the connections between Sub Branch members and State Branch staff • Provided improved, regular communication out of State Branch to members and Sub Branch office bearers in the form of fortnightly email newsletters, the Branch Bulletin, and the Member Update. In 2021 we achieved a membership renewal rate of 87 per cent, the highest in recent years. This reflects the focus Sub Branches and Districts have on providing services and support to veterans in their local communities. We’ll continue to engage and listen to feedback and adapt our support to suit the current and future needs of our Districts and Sub Branches, to ensure that they grow and thrive now and into the future. RSL Queensland Annual Report | 2021 Supporting Our Members continued SUPPORTING OUR MEMBERS "We’re all in this together; whether we’re at District, Sub Branch or State Branch, we’re all working to support veterans and their families." KALIE ASHENDEN General Manager Membership and Network, RSL Queensland