RSL LifeCare receives $5.445 million in funding to develop a new Veterans’ and Families’ Hub in the Tweed-North Coast Region
RSL LifeCare, in partnership with RSL NSW and sub-Branches, will today receive a $5.445 million grant from the Federal Government to develop a Veterans’ and Families’ Hub in the Tweed-North Coast Region.
The announcement follows RSL LifeCare successfully completing the final stage of the bid for the new facility, part of the Government’s $46.7 million commitment to deliver 10 new Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs across the country.
The new Hub will allow RSL LifeCare to provide access to health and wellbeing services, education, housing, social support, employment support, income and financial support, and assistance with making claims for entitlements and subsequent advocacy to more than 25,761 veterans and their families in the region.
The development complements recently successful bids for new Hubs in Queanbeyan, the Central Coast and Hunter regions, and a Hub network across the Hawkesbury and South Western Sydney regions. RSL LifeCare also operates four Hubs in Nowra, the Northern Beaches, the Riverina region and in a temporary centre in the Hunter region.
The new facility will enable RSL LifeCare to implement a ‘Hub and Spoke’ model, developed in consultation with the local communities and other ex-service organisations, through the network of RSL sub-Branches. Through this model, the Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs act as primary care centres with RSL sub-Branches providing flexible and innovative care solutions for veterans and their families.
RSL LifeCare CEO Janet Muir thanked the Department of Veteran Affairs for recognising the importance of veterans in NSW receiving the care and support that they need.
“RSL LifeCare, alongside RSL NSW, is dedicated to supporting Australian Defence Force personnel who have given so much to protect our country, and this new Hub ensures that thousands of these veterans in the Tweed-North Coast region will now have greater access to this support,” Ms Muir said.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Keogh said: “I’m glad to see RSL LifeCare are willing to work across the border, supporting veterans in Northern NSW and Southern Queensland. It’s so important that these Hubs are easily accessible to local communities and that they’ve got good access to services and support close to home.
“I’m confident that the network of Hubs being developed by RSL LifeCare across NSW will be of great value to the national Hub network, where best practice learnings and supports can be shared.”
Last year, RSL NSW sub-Branches donated $3.3 million to RSL LifeCare to ensure that veterans and their families continue to receive free critical services and support, including access to local Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs.
RSL NSW President Mick Bainbridge said “RSL NSW is committed to supporting RSL LifeCare’s Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs because we know they work.
“The expansion of Hubs in locations with significant Defence and veteran communities is a strong step in the right direction to bolstering the support we deliver to Australian servicemen and women, and their families.”
RSL LifeCare Veteran Services Executive General Manager, David Anderson, said this accomplishment supported the organisation’s ambition to establish centres of support for veterans and their families wherever they’re needed.
“The Tweed-North Coast region has a substantial community of veterans, and thanks to the Federal Government’s support, each of these men and women, and their families, will be able to access dedicated, holistic support from one central location.”
RSL LifeCare Veteran Services will work with other ex-service organisations and local providers to offer a holistic model for the delivery of critical services and support at the centre of the Veterans’ and Families’ Hub strategy.
