Advocacy Map

View DFA Advocacy Map (Summer 2023 version)

This Advocacy Map is a snapshot in time of the advocacy work currently being undertaken by Defence Families of Australia (DFA). This is the fourth public version of this document, and will be a dynamic tool released bi-annually through the DFA newsletter, The Advocate.

This is a working document, with the full internal version being constantly updated. The internal version, which is for DFA team purposes only, also includes details of the decision makers, allies, and business case for each advocacy entry.

The aim of this public Advocacy Map is to provide transparency of the work DFA does, and to offer the opportunity for Defence families and other stakeholders to support these advocacy efforts. It will continue to developed and refined over time.

If you have questions relating to any advocacy entry, or wish to provide feedback on any issues not already listed, please email advocacy@dfa.org.au

Strategic Plan

We developed the DFA Strategic Plan 2022-2024 to formalise the high-level strategic direction of the organisation. The plan outlines DFA’s history, recent challenges and successes, advocacy, statistical data on Defence families, DFA’s aims, purpose, charter, values and governance.

The plan is endorsed and introduced by the Minister for Defence Personnel and the Chief of the Defence Force.

The printing of this document is proudly support and sponsored by Toll.

Defence Family Career Comeback Course 2022 Evaluation Report

The Defence Family Career Comeback Course was a new initiative in 2022 to support Defence and veteran family members realise their full career potential following time away from the workforce or their preferred career path.

This career break may be due to raising a family, carer responsibilities, personal illness, disruption due to postings and relocations, or other circumstances.

This bespoke course was designed to address barriers faced by professional women and men trying to re-enter the workforce, and equip participants with the confidence, skills and professional networks to continue to achieve their professional goals after a career break.

The pilot program was a partnership between Defence Families of Australia (DFA) and the Australian Graduate School of Management at the University of NSW Business School (AGSM), and sponsored by the Department of Defence (Defence).

This Defence Family Career Comeback Course 2022 evaluation report will be used to advocate for the tertiary and corporate sectors to fund and deliver this or a similar course across Australia.