RFCS Program Charter

The purpose of the Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) Program is to provide free support to primary producers, fishers and small rural businesses (the target client group) who are suffering financial hardship, and who have no alternative sources of impartial assistance, to manage the challenges of change and adjustment.

The RFCS Program operates as a partnership between the Australian and state governments and non-government, not-for-profit organisations that employ rural financial counsellors.

Objectives

The objectives of the RFCS Program are to:

• provide clients with access to financial information, options, decision support and referrals to other sources of industry, professional and government assistance
• empower clients to make their own decisions on how to most effectively manage change and adjustment issues
• deliver effective, flexible and responsive services to those in need of assistance.

Rural financial counsellors

Rural financial counsellors are qualified and experienced in working with rural clients to achieve positive outcomes.

Rural financial counsellors aim to:

• help clients understand their financial and business position
• help clients understand their financial and business options
• improve clients’ abilities to plan operations, achieve realistic goals and identify risks
• help clients complete action plans to address industry adjustment and climate change pressures
• connect clients to information about government and industry assistance
• refer clients to accountants, agricultural advisers and other relevant professionals, as required
• refer clients to professionals for succession planning, family support and personal (social and emotional) counselling, as required
• assist clients to identify their advice and training needs
• apply a case management approach to provide clients with an holistic outcome.

Rural financial counsellors cannot provide financial advice, succession planning or family, emotional or social counselling, but they can provide referrals to appropriate professionals and information on how to prepare for discussions with succession planning experts.

RFCS Program outcomes

Medium and short-term outcomes

Improving awareness and understanding

The target client group, and individuals and institutions operating within the RFCS referral network, are aware of:

• the RFCS Program and available services and resources that can be delivered through the RFCS network
• the benefits of early access to the service
• the need for a proactive approach to manage change and adjustment.

Flexible and timely access

The target client group can access the RFCS Program to receive financial information, options, decision support and referrals in a flexible and timely manner.

Satisfying need

Service delivery arrangements are:

• meeting the needs of clients
• meeting the needs of government funding partners
• providing information, analyses, options and referrals to RFCS clients in a way that helps them understand and improve their financial position and prepares them to meet the potential challenges they may face, including the implications of climate change.

Longer term outcomes

Building capacity and empowerment

Clients accept the need to make changes to their businesses and achieve goals to improve financial self reliance and long-term sustainability (for some this may include considering exiting from farm or small rural business ownership).

Clients develop the skills and confidence to act on the financial information, options, decision support and referrals provided by a rural financial counsellor.
Improved practices

Rural financial counselling service providers continue to demonstrate high standards of governance and accountability.

Clients increase their adoption of sound and proactive approaches to farm or small rural business management and regularly review their situation.

Self reliance

The RFCS Program is helping clients to: 

• effectively manage change and adjustment
• be more profitable, competitive and sustainable.