The purpose of the Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) Program is to provide free support to primary producers, fishers and small rural businesses 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.