Towards our Strategic Goals

Last issue, I reported that we had made significant steps forward with two major projects: the Planning Permit was issued for the Frankston South Integrated Living Development and approval was received to advertise the planning submission for the V Satellite Geelong.

Since then, work has continued and the detailed plans for Frankston South are progressing well with a planned start date in mid-2027; at Geelong, we received the Planning Permit and work has begun at the site, with updated services being installed prior to the build starting later this year.

Both projects are on target and we will continue to provide updates as they progress.

Homelessness Week

We marked Homelessness Week this year by taking part in the Southern Peninsula Sleepout to raise awareness and support for the growing issue of homelessness in our community.

I’d like to thank our staff – and their children – for taking part and showing compassion towards those experiencing homelessness by sleeping outdoors in the middle of winter. Read more.

Veterans are nearly three times as likely as the general population to experience homelessness and we are working to address this with our Veteran Empowerment Program at the V Centre. We continue to seek ongoing financial support for this work and ask you to consider supporting it.

Commemorations

Important commemorations in the last quarter included Korean Veterans day on 27 July and Vietnam Veterans Day on 18 August.

Nearly 60,000 Australian personnel served in Vietnam alongside United States and South Vietnamese forces. This conflict claimed the lives of 523 Australians, left 2,398 injured and many more mentally scarred by their experiences.

In addition to regular members of the ADF, young conscripts joined them from 1966 onwards and those men are now turning 80. We are proud to support many Vietnam Veterans across our ex-service housing, aged care homes and home care services.

Thank you Barry

Board Director and Deputy Chair, Barry Lowe, has recently retired from the Board of Directors after nine years of service to the organisation and its mission.

Barry is a Vietnam Veteran and brought expertise in both the veteran community and the building industry to our skills-based Board. Over the last few years, Barry has contributed his knowledge and expertise to major projects including the conversion of our Ivanhoe aged care home into the V Centre, and the construction of the twenty new units at Bundoora.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like thank Barry for his commitment and dedication over nearly a decade to Vasey RSL Care and the veterans we serve.

We send our very best wishes to Barry and his family and we hope he enjoys a bit more free time.

Our Workforce

On 7 August we marked Aged Care Employee Day. We have over 700 staff and the majority either work directly with older people or indirectly support them, so this annual day of recognition is really important to us.

Thank you to all our staff for the care, kindness and compassion you show to our community 24×7.

All new staff are invited to our ‘Enshrining Excellence’ program held at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance. This helps new staff – especially those who have not grown up in Australia – get a good understanding of the organisation’s background, the ANZAC tradition, the work of Mrs Vasey OBE CBE, and how our organisation differs from others. This takes place every quarter and we strongly encourage all staff to attend.

Still on the subject of staff, I’d like to thank everyone who nominated one or more staff members for this year’s Saluting Excellence Awards, to be announced at our conference in November.

With best wishes,
Janna Voloshin, Chief Executive Officer