FCVic Conference
Every year we present three days of professional development, information sharing, networking and cross-sector collaboration at the flagship event of the FCVic calendar.
Alternating annually between metro and regional venues, the FCVic Conference brings together over 300 of the state’s financial counsellors and representatives from various industries, government departments and Ombudsman schemes. Engaging keynote speakers, speed dating and a gala awards dinner are just some of the attractions on offer.
FCVic Conference 2024
9-11 October 2024 – Pullman Albert Park
We are excited to be bringing our Conference back to Melbourne in October 2024.
Here are some of the Conference highlights you can look forward to:
- Inspiring, challenging and engaging presentations
- A variety of breakout sessions for in-depth discussions
- Networking opportunities and cross-sector collaboration
- Our Gala Awards Dinner, celebrating the sector
- and much, much more…
Conference registrations are currently closed
We are now working on the program for the next FCVic Conference.
Please check back again soon to see what exciting sessions will be on offer at the upcoming event.
In the meantime, take a look at some of the highlights from our previous conferences below.
Calls for abstracts open until 21 May 2024
FCVic invites submissions of abstracts for presentation at our upcoming conference, to be held in Melbourne from 9-11 October 2024.
We welcome abstracts from anyone with an interest in financial counselling and consumer issues, including financial counsellors, researchers, industry, regulators, community workers, policy makers, students, and other experts who are interested in sharing best practice, research findings, critical reflections or case studies.
Submissions should reflect the conference theme “Fearless and Forthright”. This might mean:
- Through a consumer lens – de-stigmatising financial hardship, building client capacity and honouring client courage
- Through a practice lens – innovative perspectives and paradigms that drive positive impact
- Through a policy lens – bold policy recommendations that reshape the status quo
Click here to read the full Abstract Guidelines, including judging criteria.
How to Submit
- Review the Abstract Guidelines carefully prior to submission.
- Prepare your abstract and professional biography.
- Submit your abstract using the application link below.
All submissions should address the judging criteria, including how the presentation connects with the conference theme, and your goals for what participants will learn or gain from the presentation.
Submissions close at 5.00pm on Tuesday, 21 May 2024.
Successful applicants will generally be offered a session to the full audience (30 minutes) or may be considered for a small breakout session if relevant as a CPD training session for financial counsellors (90 minutes).
Key Dates
- Submissions open – Tuesday, 30 April 2024
- Submissions close – Tuesday, 21 May 2024
- Notification to authors – Tuesday, 28 May 2024
- Preliminary program release – Friday, 31 May 2024
Photo gallery
Check out some of the highlights from our previous conferences.
(Click the thumbnail to enlarge the image.)
Recognising Excellence
Every year at our conference gala dinner we recognise people who’ve demonstrated excellence in service to our profession and the wider community through three awards:
- Virginia Noonan Award
- Jan Pentland Memorial Award
- Rising Star Award
Virginia Noonan Award
The Virginia Noonan Award was established in 2009, in and honours Virginia’s outstanding contributions to our organisation and the profession in delivering pioneering training and resources throughout the 1990s.
The Virginia Noonan Award is awarded to an Accredited Member of FCVic who has demonstrated excellence in service to our profession or their clients over and above their normal duties as a financial counsellor.
Examples could include but are not limited to:
- Successful advocacy and input into a test case to alter policy or legislation in regard to a financial or consumer issue
- Resolving an extremely complex financial counselling case with far reaching implications, resulting in systemic change
- Developing and presenting innovative community development/education initiatives
- Serving on boards or committees in the consumer advocacy space
Jan Pentland Memorial Award
The Jan Pentland Memorial Award is awarded to an Accredited Member of FCVic who has demonstrated excellence in financial counselling service to the wider community* above and beyond their normal duties as a financial counsellor.
Examples could include but are not limited to:
- Contributing to the welfare of the wider community in some way while working as a financial counsellor.
- Providing financial counselling input to a community development activity
- Helping a community recover from a natural disaster
*For the purposes of this award, ‘community’ is defined as either geographic community/local area, broader geographic community/Victoria/Australia/internationally or community of identity or purpose regardless of location. For example indigenous community, women, youth, people affected by family violence, asylum seekers etc.
Jan Pentland was a life-long advocate for social justice and inclusion. In addition to her time as Chairperson of the FCRC Board (FCVic’s predecessor organisation), Jan made significant contributions to the national peak, AFCCRA (now Financial Counselling Australia, FCA). Her advocacy led to AFFCRA being funded for the first time in 2009.
Jan passed away in 2009, but continues to be an inspiration to our sector.
Rising Star Award
The Rising Star Award is for an Associate or Student (Intern) Member of FCVic who has demonstrated excellence in financial counselling service delivery.
Examples could include but are not limited to:
- Successful advocacy on a case that displayed innovation or original thinking
- Resolving a complex financial counselling case
- Developing and presenting innovative Community Development/ Education initiatives
This award is for a financial counsellor who has recently completed the Diploma of Financial Counselling or who is currently completing the diploma. The nominee must have less than three years’ membership with FCVic.
Conference Partners
As a conference partner, we want to place you front and centre, to meet and speak directly with the financial counsellors who represent your customers in financial hardship. Our last conference saw over 350 people attend the event across the three days; forming many new connections and ensuring that this unique opportunity for face-to-face discussions was not wasted.
Our suite of tailored packages offer even more opportunities to build and maintain relationships within a large targeted audience. The conference programme is a constant work in progress, continuing our commitment to ensure cross-sector collaboration and increasing opportunities for networking and stakeholder engagement, whilst building the profile of your organisation.