Transformation enables Red Cross to respond in key areas

Australian Red Cross is more relevant than ever before and, like many charities and organisations, we are facing increasing and complex and compounding demand for humanitarian support and services that are quickly outstripping capability and resources.

Impacts including armed conflicts, COVID-19, climate change, and more intense and frequent disasters mean we need to adapt what we do and how we do it if we are going to make a greater impact to those in need, both now and into the future.

Fortunately, our core areas of expertise including emergency services, migration support, international humanitarian law, international programs and community programs mean we are incredibly well placed to respond. 

However, we have had to look at all aspects of what we do, including our programs and services, and redesign the way we work as an organisation.  

As a result, our Australian programs and services have gone through a review process to identify those that will lead us into the future and how they will be delivered.

To enable a deep focus on the above core areas of expertise, a number of programs and services delivered by Australian Red Cross will be transitioning in the following ways. 

• Some programs will conclude as outlined in their funding contracts (business as usual).
• Some programs will transition to another appropriate service provider to continue the programs’ delivery.
• For a small number of programs we will seek to cease the program early, to align with our overarching strategy.

In addition, we are also making changes to how we deliver programs in Aged and Community Care, Transport, Meals and Social Support to deliver them more effectively and sustainably.

Overall, it’s important to note that the program changes we are making have minimal impact on our volunteers.

We are also changing the organisational operating model and ways of working and investing in new systems that will enable better processes across our organisation. The new systems will enable and support our better ways of working.

As a result, our staff impacted by proposed changes to our organisational design have today entered a period of consultation.

Although this has been a tough decision process for our organisation and our people, our new organisational operating model is an investment in our future, with the overall goal of ensuring Australian Red Cross is a stronger, more agile and focussed organisation that’s well positioned to deliver on its purpose.

Australian Red Cross remains committed to bringing people and communities together in times of need, just as we’ve done for more than 100 years.

For further information on how we’re realigning our organisation to our core strengths of emergency services, community programs, migration services, international programs and humanitarian law visit redcross.org.au/future

For media inquiries please contact: Australian Red Cross media: media@redcross.org.au or 1800 733 443