Circular 41/22 Introduction to Governance and Compliance Training for sub-Branch Office Bearers

Further to the email from District Presidents’ Council Acting Chair, Brian Willey, ANZAC House will be releasing three mandatory Governance and Compliance courses for Office Bearers over the next 12 months.

As per Initiative 5.7 of the RSL NSW Strategic Plan, the need to implement a state-wide education and training program has been identified and will be implemented by ANZAC House. You would recall the RSL NSW Board confirmed (Circular 41/21) that it is every RSL NSW member’s responsibility to manage conflicts of interest and prioritised governance training for Office Bearers. This training program will serve to support all sub-Branch Office Bearers to manage conflicts of interest whether for themselves or other members of their sub-Branch.

The training is being developed by Major Training Services (MTS), a veteran-owned and operated business, with significant experience in delivering education and training in conjunction with the Australian Defence Force and the Department of Defence. The online platform will undergo user testing by RSL NSW members before it is launched. Many of the content specialists and development team who contributed to the training module are also veterans.

The areas of focus for the training program will be:

• Conflicts of Interest, including identifying the different types of conflicts, managing, and registering conflicts, and minimising the impact of conflicts of interest.
• Safety and Risk, including work health and safety, risk identification and management, and use of risk registers.
• Governance and Compliance, comprised of the following two modules:
  • Governance and Financial Responsibility, covering several topics, including the preparation of financial reports, key financial fraud risks, audits, and the functions of RSL Custodian and Trustees; and
  • Constitution and Regulatory Compliance, including regulatory obligations and responsibilities, Charitable Fundraising, and RSL NSW Constitution and SOPs.

The delivery of the three (3) courses will be staggered over the next 12 months, with Conflicts of Interest due to be released in November 2022, followed by Safety and Risk in February 2023 and Governance and Compliance after ANZAC Day 2023. These dates are indicative, and further updates will be provided by ANZAC House in due course. All training courses will be delivered online (internet required), and further details will be sent out a month prior to the training being launched with detailed instructions.

Each sub-Branch Office Bearer will have the courses assigned to them, and the completion of these courses will be recorded against their member record in the sub-Branch Portal.

If your sub-Branch does not have access to a computer and/or internet to complete the training, please submit a request for support by completing the Support & Assistance Fund Application Form or contact the Member Support Team on 1300 679 775 or email support@rslnsw.org.au, and access can be organised for you.

Additionally, please review the sub-Branch Portal and ensure that it contains a current email address for each of your Office Bearers and Trustees.

If you require further information or assistance, please contact the RSL NSW Member Support Team support@rslnsw.org.au or 1300 679 775.