Our FAAA volunteer communities work hard, planning events, mentoring new entrants and facilitating grassroots engagement with and between members to foster a sense of community and common purpose. South Australian State Community Chair James Farrelly is no different.
He has been with the FAAA (including with the AFA) for over a decade, starting as a Gen Next Board Member, then Gen Next Chair SA, and finally SA State Chair. Post merger, he was Co-Chair and now he Chairs the seven-person SA State committee. James is also a member of the Culture and Communities Committee (CCC), a national committee representing members from across Australia and working closely with the FAAA team.
“The friendships and networks pay for themselves,” he says of his voluntary roles.
“I feel more connected to what’s going on.”
James says his work on the committees has meant he has gained invaluable experience in areas he never would have otherwise.
As a social person, he enjoys being part of the committee responsible for events and other programs, and would also like to see younger members joining the committee.
“It’s good exposure for them, seeing how boards work, and executive decisions are made.”
South Australia has three main events on the calendar – the annual golf day, an end of financial year quiz night and a Christmas event, which, following last year’s successful event, is lawn bowls in 2025.
The Committee has also been focused on trying to attract new advisers into the profession through attending University career days and high school career expos.
James says the last event he went to had representatives from the accounting bodies – CPA and CA ANZ – and most of the attendees had not heard of financial advice. He explained it and students were interested in finding out more. One of the best received messages to the students was that after a financial advice degree, they would be entering a market where financial advisers were in demand.
Find out more about your local FAAA community here.
