Small Wins and Big Moves: Updates from the IFS Host Office June 2025

From the heart of Sydney, the new IFS Host Office is excited to share what’s been happening behind the scenes this past quarter. As we approach the final stage of the transition from Finland to Australia, we’re proud to report fresh progress, renewed energy, and growing global connection — all thanks to you, our vibrant IFS community.

Smoother Membership and Payments

Our SecurPay™ system is now live, making online payments easier and more secure. We’ve also drafted a new membership form — more user-friendly and responsive to members’ needs — and shifted our payment structure to Australian dollars (AUD) for clarity and consistency.

Strengthened Governance

This quarter saw two Executive meetings and two IFS Board meetings, alongside the completion of the IFS presidential election.
We’ve renewed our membership with the NGO Committee on the Status of Women in Geneva, and the 2024 accounts and Annual Report are now nearly finalised.

Regular engagement with regional groups and individual members is underway. If we haven’t reached out yet, please let us know — we’d love to connect.

Big Plans in Motion

We’re updating our Strategic Dashboard to keep our goals clear and measurable. Preparations for the November 2025 IFS Conference with Locality UK are in full swing and we’re counting down the days!

Financial Operations Running Smoothly

From membership invoicing to budget setting and bank transitions, our financial systems are in place and functioning as they should.

Communication Glow-Up

We’ve refreshed our website design, launched more engaging social media posts, and seen strong engagement with the latest Q1 and Q2 newsletters. Thanks for reading and sharing!

Global Connection in Action

Our Candid Connections sessions have sparked lively conversations across the network. We’re also deepening ties with our Asia-Pacific members, and beginning new dialogues with Latin American partners.

We celebrated Neighbourhood Centre Week and National Volunteers Week here in Australia with warmth, colour, and community spirit.

Streamlining for the Future

 From reports to templates and correspondence, we’re polishing our internal systems to better serve you — and we’re nearly there.

Thank You!

This work is only possible because of your continued engagement, trust, and support. Whether you’ve joined an event, sent us feedback, or are simply cheering from afar — we see you, and we thank you.

We look forward to sharing more soon — and to seeing you at one of our upcoming events!

Want to connect with us directly? Reach out anytime. 📩 Email Us at info@ifsnetwork.org