Episode 84- Ronnie Benbow on Building The Carers Foundation and Supporting Australia's Unpaid Carers
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Ronnie Benbow was 17 years old and training as a nurse when she first noticed something that would shape the rest of her life: the people she was sent to check on weren't always the ones struggling the most.
"Who cares for the carers?" she remembers asking herself. Turns out, at the time, almost nobody did.
Nearly five decades later, Ronnie is the founder and CEO of The Carers Foundation, an organisation that runs free wellbeing programs for Australia's unpaid family carers: people who look after a partner, parent, or child with a disability, illness, or injury, often with little to no financial or emotional support.
In this episode of The Jane Anderson Show, Ronnie shares the story behind the foundation, the moment that changed everything, and what it takes to build a cause-driven organisation from the ground up, without government funding, and often without asking for help.
This article draws out the key lessons from that conversation: the scale of Australia's unpaid caring crisis, how The Carers Foundation supports carers today, and what other purpose-driven leaders can learn from Ronnie's approach to fundraising, visibility, and self-care.
Who Is Ronnie Benbow?
Ronnie Benbow is a registered nurse turned nonprofit founder. Her career began in community nursing, visiting people living with disability or illness in their homes, and it was in that early work that she first identified the gap her foundation now exists to fill.
Over the following decades, Ronnie's own life repeatedly intersected with caring. She went on to marry and have four sons, and continued her career until her husband was left paralysed from the neck down after a near-fatal accident. Ronnie became his carer, took over running his businesses, and raised her young children at the same time.
Later, she spent 15 years running privately funded wellbeing programs for carers alongside organisations such as Carers Queensland, all while also caring for her elderly parents. It wasn't until her father passed away, after suffering a massive stroke, that Ronnie made the decision to build The Carers Foundation full time.
Ronnie's contribution to this space has been formally recognised with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM).
The Story Behind The Carers Foundation
Tom's Story: The Turning Point
The moment that most shaped Ronnie's life's work happened when she was still a young trainee nurse. She was assigned to visit a 15-year-old boy named Tom, who was the primary carer for his mother after she suffered a massive stroke.
Tom did everything for his mother: feeding her, bathing her, all of her personal care, because she could no longer walk, talk, or eat unassisted. To do it, he gave up school, gave up his hobbies, and lost his friends.
Ronnie remembers watching him slide into what looked like depression, caught between love for his mother and resentment at the life he'd had to give up. She was, in her words, more worried about Tom than about his mother, because his mother was at least receiving the care she needed.
A few years later, Ronnie learned that Tom had taken his own life.
That loss became the foundation of everything she has built since. "I just decided then that no carer should be alone or unsupported," she says, and that belief became a lifelong vision: a wellbeing centre built specifically for unpaid family carers, somewhere they could go before they reached breaking point, not after.
From Nursing to Founding a Foundation
It took decades for that vision to become a full-time reality. Ronnie continued her nursing career, completed further study, married, and had four children. When her husband's accident left him paralysed, she became a full-time carer herself while running his businesses and raising her family.
For 15 years, she ran privately funded wellbeing programs for carers, working alongside organisations like Carers Queensland, while also caring for her ageing parents in the background. She saw first-hand the difference even a short, structured program could make. But it wasn't until her father's death from a stroke that she made the leap to running The Carers Foundation full time.
Why Unpaid Carers Are Australia's Invisible Workforce
The Numbers Behind Unpaid Care in Australia
According to Ronnie, close to three million Australians, roughly 1 in 9 people, are caring for a family member, whether that's a partner, a parent, or a child with a disability or chronic illness. That figure is consistent with data from Carers Australia, the national peak body for unpaid carers, which also puts the number at around 3 million. Ronnie estimates that the unpaid care this group provides saves the government around $1.4 billion a week, or roughly $86 billion a year, in healthcare costs that would otherwise fall to the public system: figures in a similar range to those tracked by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in its Disability, Ageing and Carers survey.
Despite that scale, Ronnie says support for carers remains minimal, and it often only arrives once a carer has reached crisis point.
"The only time they get support is when they're ready to go to hospital, when they're at breaking point."
Teenage and Child Carers
One group Ronnie is especially focused on is young carers: children and teenagers who take on caring responsibilities for a parent or sibling, sometimes from as young as 8 years old. Like Tom, many give up school, friendships, and normal teenage life to look after a family member, often with no formal recognition or support system around them.
Ronnie also points out that most carers don't identify with the word "carer" at all; to them, it's just what family does. That makes it harder for carers to seek support, because they don't see themselves as needing it.
How The Carers Foundation Supports Carers
The Wellbeing Retreat Programs
The Carers Foundation runs multi-day wellbeing retreats across Queensland, at no cost to participants. The programs combine wellbeing strategies, mental health and resilience support, and full-body massage, designed to restore carers both physically and emotionally, and to connect them with other people who understand what they're going through.
Ronnie describes carers arriving at these programs isolated, exhausted, and often at the end of their coping capacity, some having not had a day off in seven, thirteen, or even twenty years. By the end of a three-day program, she says many carers describe feeling connected and supported for the first time in years.
She recalls one woman who nearly didn't attend a retreat, and later admitted she had been planning to take her own life before Ronnie convinced her to come. It's the kind of outcome that underscores why Ronnie believes carer support needs to happen before crisis point, not after.
Lived Experience as a Core Value
One rule Ronnie won't compromise on: everyone involved with The Carers Foundation, staff and volunteers alike, must have lived caring experience themselves. As she puts it, "we just don't understand unless you've been there."
That shared experience is, in Ronnie's view, what sets the foundation apart. Carers who attend the programs know they're being supported by people who genuinely understand what they're going through, not just professionals working from theory.
Fundraising Without Government Support
The Carers Foundation currently receives no ongoing government funding, which means almost everything it does is self-funded through community fundraising, sponsorship, and events. Ronnie describes the charity sector as intensely competitive, with many organisations chasing the same limited pool of donor dollars.
The Who Cares Campaign
During the early stages of COVID-19, Ronnie noticed the fear and uncertainty carers were experiencing; many were terrified about what would happen to the people they cared for if they themselves got sick. In response, the foundation launched a weekly online gathering, mixing trivia, guest speakers, and lighthearted content, which ran for around 48 weeks and drew an audience of roughly 10,000 people a week.
Out of that came the Who Cares campaign: Ronnie sent branded t-shirts to public figures and asked them to help raise awareness. A number of well-known Australians, including Cameron Daddo and Maggie Beer, took part. The campaign ran for around 18 months and didn't raise significant funds directly, but it substantially raised the foundation's profile and awareness of unpaid carers more broadly.
Unsung Heroes: The Annual Signature Event
Today, the foundation's major annual fundraiser is Unsung Heroes: an event where ten influential business figures across Brisbane and the Gold Coast each commit to raising $20,000. The group comes together for a live "sing-off," complete with prizes for categories like best singer, worst singer, and a People's Choice award voted on by the audience.
Beyond the fundraising target, the event is designed to introduce a new audience to the foundation's work and connect them with the carers it supports.
Becoming the Face of a Cause: Lessons in Personal Branding
Why Visibility Matters for Purpose-Driven Leaders
Ronnie is candid that public speaking isn't her favourite part of the job. But she's learned that showing up publicly, speaking at events, sharing her story, being recognisable as the face of The Carers Foundation, directly translates into support and donations.
People remember her from previous talks, and she says it's common for someone to approach her afterward, sometimes in tears, to share their own experience of caring for a family member. Those moments, she says, are often what turns into ongoing support for the foundation.
Overcoming Discomfort With Self-Promotion
For Ronnie, the discomfort of putting herself forward is outweighed by what it makes possible. She's learned to treat visibility as part of the job of running a cause-driven organisation, not self-promotion for its own sake, but a practical tool for reaching the people who can help her carers. It's a lesson that resonates with many of the consultants and coaches inside Jane Anderson's Women with Influence community, who face the same discomfort when building visibility for their own practice.
Her advice to other founders and consultants who feel uncomfortable being visible: keep coming back to your core purpose. On the hardest days, when the effort feels disproportionate to the outcome, remembering why you started is what keeps you moving.
She also shares two hard-won lessons from years of grant writing and fundraising:
Never take no for an answer. Rejection, she says, has repeatedly become fuel to find another way forward.
Have no expectations. People will often promise support and not follow through, so she follows up, but doesn't let unmet promises derail her.
Self-Care for the Carer Who Cares for Everyone Else
Learning to Practise What She Preaches
For years, Ronnie admits she didn't take her own advice. As a self-described "giver," she consistently put her own wellbeing last, even as she built an organisation dedicated to helping others avoid exactly that pattern.
It caught up with her. She describes hitting a genuine low point, and being called out by one of her own sons for not practising what she preaches. That experience became the catalyst for change. Her word for the year, she says, became "balance": a deliberate effort to look after herself with the same seriousness she brings to caring for others.
Today, that includes regular check-ins with a natural therapist, and, importantly, staying connected to a supportive community of like-minded people. Her advice to other high-purpose leaders and carers alike is simple: find your tribe, and let them hold you up the way you hold up everyone else.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Carers Foundation?
The Carers Foundation is an Australian nonprofit organisation, founded by Ronnie Benbow, that runs free wellbeing programs and retreats for unpaid family carers.
How many unpaid carers are there in Australia?
Ronnie estimates close to three million Australians, around 1 in 9 people, are unpaid carers, including children as young as 8.
How does The Carers Foundation fund its programs?
The foundation currently operates without ongoing government funding. It relies on community fundraising, sponsorships, and signature events such as the Unsung Heroes fundraiser.
What is the Who Cares campaign?
A COVID-era awareness campaign in which public figures were sent branded t-shirts and asked to help raise awareness of unpaid carers. It ran for around 18 months and significantly boosted the foundation's public profile.
What is the Unsung Heroes fundraiser?
The Carers Foundation's annual signature fundraising event, in which ten Brisbane and Gold Coast business leaders each commit to raising $20,000 before competing in a live sing-off.
How can I support The Carers Foundation?
You can follow and support the foundation on Instagram, Facebook, or via thecarersfoundation.org, including by attending or sponsoring the Unsung Heroes event.
What inspired Ronnie Benbow to start The Carers Foundation?
Ronnie's lifelong focus on carer support was shaped by Tom, a 15-year-old carer she met early in her nursing career who later took his own life. Her own experience caring for her husband and parents further cemented her commitment to the cause.
Conclusion
Ronnie Benbow's story is a reminder that some of the most enduring missions are born from a single moment that never leaves you. What started as one nurse noticing an overlooked need has become an organisation supporting some of the estimated three million Australians quietly carrying the weight of unpaid care.
Her approach, building visibility without losing sight of purpose, fundraising creatively without government support, and eventually learning to care for herself as fiercely as she cares for others, offers a blueprint for anyone building something bigger than themselves.
Work With Jane Anderson
Learn more about supporting unpaid carers through The Carers Foundation Australia.
Explore more conversations with purpose-driven founders building their brand and their cause: Monique Richardson on Service Leadership and Melanie Marshall on Organisational Culture
Key Takeaways from Today’s Episode:
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Jane Anderson introduces herself and her podcast, the "Jane Anderson Brand New Show," aimed at experts who wish to amplify their impact, influence, and income. The podcast primarily serves women with consulting practices in the B2B space, often aiming for significant revenue milestones. Jane details her extensive background, including her work with large organizations and her role in training and development. She emphasizes her mission to help women live fulfilling lives while working with their desired clients.
Jane then introduces her special guest, Ronnie Benbow, the founder and CEO of the Carers Foundation. They met through a program by the Queensland State Premier that identified women creating positive community changes. Jane highlights Ronnie’s dedication to supporting carers, particularly young carers, through her foundation, which provides crucial respite and support at no cost. Ronnie is praised for her fundraising abilities and community-building skills, making a significant impact in the lives of carers.
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Ronnie shares her journey, starting from her early days as a trainee nurse. Even at a young age, she noticed that carers often suffered more than the people they cared for. A poignant story about a young carer named Tom, who took his own life due to the pressures of caring for his mother, profoundly impacted Ronnie and inspired her lifelong dedication to supporting carers. She describes her varied career, including her time as a nurse, her personal experiences as a carer for her husband and later her son, and how these experiences solidified her commitment to her vision.
Ronnie explains the core principle of the Carers Foundation: everyone involved must have lived caring experience. This ensures genuine empathy and understanding for the carers they support. She highlights how this principle sets their organization apart, providing deep compassion and resonance with the carers. Jane acknowledges Ronnie’s extensive recognition, including the Order of Australia medal, and notes that despite the accolades, Ronnie has had to work extremely hard to secure funding and support for the foundation.
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Jane praises Ronnie's ability to engage the business community and leverage relationships to drive funding for the Carers Foundation. Ronnie shares the challenges of limited funding and the need to be creative and innovative in their fundraising efforts. She emphasizes the competitive nature of the charity market and the necessity to develop unique strategies to gain support. Ronnie’s approach involves networking and resonating with people who understand the plight of carers, particularly teenage carers, whose stories often shock and move potential supporters.
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The speaker mentions that sharing the caregivers' story and raising awareness can surprise and motivate many people to support the cause. Sonia Stradiotta is an example of someone who, having had experience caring for her loved ones, became a big supporter of the cause. She realized her luck in having support, unlike most caregivers who don't. The majority of caregivers are single women who have to give up their careers to care for children with disabilities, elderly parents, or partners with serious illnesses. These types of events mainly attract women, who not only attend for the event itself but also to learn about the cause and, in doing so, recognize the need for support. The speaker emphasizes that although sharing and building a support network is crucial, it is also a very demanding and time-consuming task.
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The Caregivers Foundation focuses on the well-being of caregivers, who often arrive exhausted and on the brink of collapse. The idea is to provide wellness programs twice a year to give them a break and prevent them from reaching critical points. Often, caregivers arrive after years without a day off and in a state of despair. The speaker recounts a touching experience where a caregiver, who arrived at the retreat on the verge of suicide, found relief and hope in the program. This emotional and physical support, which includes wellness strategies and full-body massages, is vital to help caregivers keep going.
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There are almost 3 million caregivers in Australia, including many teenagers. Young and adult caregivers face a lack of recognition and support, despite saving the government millions in healthcare costs. Additionally, working caregivers often conceal their role from their employers for fear of losing their jobs, which is unfair as they should receive more support. The speaker highlights the importance of organizations identifying and supporting caregivers within their staff, especially in the context of the added pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Through her work and presence at events, the speaker has humanized the Caregivers Foundation, allowing people to connect with the cause more personally. Although public speaking is not her favorite activity, she recognizes its importance in generating support and donations. Most people do not consider themselves caregivers but rather spouses or parents caring for their loved ones. This lack of self-identification as caregivers contributes to the lack of support, and it is crucial to continue raising awareness to change this situation.
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The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted all of the Foundation's plans for the year, including events and fundraising strategies. Caregivers experienced extreme fear due to the uncertainty and threat of the virus. In response, the Foundation launched a series of live broadcasts on Facebook called "The Big Hug" to provide emotional support and distraction to caregivers during this difficult time. Through these weekly sessions, which included jokes, trivia, and guest speakers, they managed to maintain a sense of community and support, reaching a considerable audience over almost a year.
In response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Caregivers Foundation launched the "Who Cares" campaign to raise awareness. Despite being unable to raise funds, the campaign successfully drew attention to the cause. Celebrities and influencers, including Closeless Barber, Cameron Dano, and Maggie Beer, joined the initiative, amplifying its reach. Although the campaign didn't generate financial support, it significantly increased awareness about the Foundation's mission. Currently, the Foundation is running the "Unsung Heroes" campaign, an annual fundraiser where influential business figures commit to raising funds, culminating in a singing event.
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The interviewer commends the speaker for her humility and dedication to the cause, emphasizing the importance of being genuine and passionate in advocacy work. The conversation delves into the essence of purpose-driven endeavors, highlighting the need for authenticity and resilience. The speaker shares insights into her personal journey, underscoring the importance of maintaining focus on one's vision amidst challenges. She advises against letting setbacks deter progress, stressing the significance of perseverance and learning from failures.
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The discussion shifts to the speaker's self-care practices and the importance of seeking support. Acknowledging her tendency to prioritize others over herself, the speaker emphasizes the need for balance and self-awareness. She encourages individuals engaged in high-purpose work to surround themselves with a supportive community, including mentors, healthcare professionals, and like-minded individuals. By prioritizing personal well-being and establishing a reliable support network, individuals can sustain their efforts and navigate challenges effectively.
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To connect with the Carers Foundation and learn more about their initiatives, individuals can follow them on Instagram (@CarersFoundation), Facebook (The Carers Foundation), or visit their website (thecarersfoundation.org). The website provides detailed information about their programs, events, and opportunities for involvement. Those interested in supporting or participating in the Foundation's initiatives are encouraged to explore their website and social media channels for updates and opportunities to contribute. As the conversation draws to a close, both speakers express gratitude for the insightful discussion. They exchange pleasantries and appreciation for each other's contributions to the conversation. This segment serves as a courteous conclusion to the interview, reflecting the positive rapport between the participants and their shared commitment to making a difference in their respective fields.
Full Show Transcript:
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Hi there, my name is Jane Anderson and this is the Jane Anderson Brand New Show. It's the podcast for experts who want to have greater impact, influence and income for their businesses and careers. As experts, we know that people buy from people and work with people who they know, who they like and who they trust.
So I'm so glad you're here because it's that time again now to really amplify how you show up in the world. Hi there and welcome to the Jane Anderson Show. I am thrilled that you are here and that you're able to be part of the podcast today.
I have a very special guest coming on shortly, but before I talk to her and you get to hear from her, I wanted to share with you a little bit about what I do. So I'm the creator and founder of the Women With Influence community and we work with women who have consulting practices and who are selling to large and sometimes medium and small organizations, but particularly in the B2B space. Most of the women who are listening to the podcast are often in our community and they are typically selling and building a practice that is generally up to a million dollars plus.
So they have speaking, training, coaching, consulting, and they might be experts in areas such as leadership development, resilience, mindset, wellbeing, high performance, all those things, communications, personal branding, all those things and all the things that I spent many years doing. I've been on the side of selling to large organizations, so clients like Telstra, Rio Tinto, Ikea, Lego, and then also I've been employed in those organizations. I've been employed as a training and development manager and learning and development manager and head of capability for a large retailer and in government.
So I've been on the other side and I've been also the person deciding on bringing those people into our organization. So we focus on helping people and particularly women to do the great work that they do and to work with the type of clients they really want to work with and to live that life of fulfillment to have a bit of fun along the way and ultimately to really have freedom, freedom to work with who you want to work with, where you want to work, and to live the lifestyle that you really want to live. So our very special guest today is a woman called Ronnie Benbow.
So Ronnie is the founder of the Carers Foundation. She's the founder and CEO. And Ronnie and I met because we were in the program that we were selected by the Queensland State Premier at the time back in 2018, I think it was, or 2019.
And we were part of a fempreneur type of community, but it was a bunch of women. There were 19 of us that were selected and identified by the Premier who were creating positive change in the community. And Ronnie and I go along very well and Ronnie has joined our community.
And I've known Ronnie ever since then, we've done some, had a lot of fun together. But Ronnie is an extraordinary human being. When I think about Ronnie, she is just the epitome of love.
She's come from a nursing background and so really came from that health and wellbeing and care space, but she realized over time, then while she had the support of her husband when he was caring for her, and she's gotten to know a lot of carers, is that she realized that there was this really big gap in the support for carers. So the caring for the carers, if you like. And so as a result, she has created the Carers Foundation.
Her vision has been to be able to help people and particularly families and young children in particular, who are as young as eight, often caring for family members. They're under extreme pressure, struggling with kids with school and being able to get things done, parents who are unwell and needing carers. And so Ronnie has created an incredible program where these carers get to come and get away, have a break and at all at no cost.
So she's an incredible fundraiser. She knows how to build community. She knows how to create influence.
She knows how to create fundraising efforts to create incredible experiences for these poor people that really deserve it. And so I had to get Ronnie on the show because she has done an incredible job in building up the platform and the profile of the Carers Foundation and achieving some incredible fundraising targets that she's set to be able to go and help more people who are suffering in this space. So I hope that you enjoy the interview with Ronnie today.
Keep an eye out for the future episodes and I look forward to hearing from you. If you want to follow me on LinkedIn, you can follow, you can jump on the website. We've got some great tools that you can download, which are things like how to, the top 10 things clients are looking for you if you're working with corporate.
So there's a bunch of tools and resources there, and I'd love to hear from you if there's somebody that you think that you'd love to hear from. So enjoy the show. All right.
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Hi Ronnie. So glad you could join us today. Thank you so much.
You are one very busy lady. So it's a thrill to have you on the podcast today.
[Speaker 1] (5:13 - 5:16)
Thanks Jane. It's my honor to be here, to be honest. Thank you.
[Speaker 2] (5:17 - 5:46)
Ronnie, you are just one of the most extraordinary people and exceptional people that I have had the pleasure of knowing. Ronnie, you are the founder and you run the Carers Foundation, which we'll talk a little bit about in a minute. But for those who are listening, are you happy to share a little bit about your background and how you've got to this point and what sort of led you to setting up the Carers Foundation?
Of course. Of course, it's my passion.
[Speaker 1] (5:46 - 9:02)
I'm more than happy to share it. So it started a long time ago, I'm a registered nurse and I was, it was during my early days when I was training as a trainee nurse. So we used to work in the community in that we would go and visit the clients, which would be the person with a disability or the illness.
But I would notice back then, and I was only 17, that the carers were the ones that were actually falling apart. And they were the ones that had a worse health condition than the person they were caring for. And I just used to think back, way back then, you know, like, who cares for the carers?
And it turned out nobody did. And nothing much has changed over the last 45 years. But what really impacted me the most is I went to, we were caring for this young man who was only 15.
His name was Tom. And he was caring for his mother, who had had a massive stroke. And he had to do all her personal care, he had to do everything for her.
She couldn't walk, talk, eat, do anything. So he had to give up school, he had to give up all his hobbies, he had no friends. And every time we went around, we could see him deteriorating, and we could see him falling into a deep depression.
We could see how angry and resentful he was, even though he loved his mum. But he had to give up school, he had no time for anything for himself. And I was actually more worried about him than his mother, obviously, because she was getting all the care she needed.
And as being a nurse, you move on to a different area. And then I discovered, and Tom was only a couple of years younger than me, but I discovered when I was 19, that Tom had actually taken his own life. And I guess I still get emotional about it, because it's like, no, and I've always been, I vowed then and there, and if he only knew that like my whole lifetime's dedication work has been devoted because of Tom, I just decided then that no carer should be alone or unsupported.
And I wanted to make, I've had this lifelong dream and vision of having a wellbeing centre specifically for unpaid family carers, so they don't be alone or they're not unsupported and they can come to any time they need to. So that's where it all started. And I guess it's taken a lifetime to get here, because then I moved on, I actually finished my career, I did two or three other degrees, and then I got married, I had four beautiful boys, and then continued with my career.
But then ironically, I became the carer when my husband had a near fatal accident. So he was paralysed from the neck down, so I had to care for him. I had to give up my nursing career, I had to run his businesses, and then have three small children, or four small children actually, because one came along the way.
And then one of our four beautiful boys, after he recovered, we moved down to Brisbane and we decided to start the carer wellbeing centre, but it was really difficult, not much around. And then one of our four boys had a serious medical condition, so that took seven years, that was a seven year cycle. In the background, we were working with organisations like Carers Queensland or some care or other care organisations to do wellbeing programmes for carers.
And I could see that what I wanted to do, it was there, I could see the significant difference it made in three days, and I said to my husband, this is what we have to do, we have to do this. But then I was also caring for my elderly parents in the background. Oh, wow.
So for 15 years, we privately funded wellbeing programmes and saw the significant difference it made, but it wasn't the right time to do it full time. So it was only when my father passed away, he had a massive stroke, my beloved father passed, and I vowed then and there that I would devote the rest of my life to caring for carers, which is what I've done really. So that's how it all started.
[Speaker 2] (9:03 - 9:23)
Just incredible, Ronnie. Not only you've seen all the facets of care, not only the person needing the care and the first place, but then the carer, and then the experiences you've had in your own life in terms of your husband and your children, and just incredible.
[Speaker 1] (9:23 - 10:00)
So there's one condition that we have with the one that I won't negotiate, and that every single person involved with the foundation has to have lived caring experience, because you just don't understand unless you've been there. So we've all been there. We've all been down that dark hole where you don't know how you're going to cope from day to day or minute to minute or hour to hour.
So we all know what it's like. So when people come to our programs, they know that, they feel that. We've got the compassion, we've got the empathy, we really get it.
And they feel that when they come. So I think that's what our point of difference is, that we have really deep compassion and understand and really resonate with all the carers that we do care for.
[Speaker 2] (10:01 - 11:35)
And Ronnie, the work you have done in this space, you have won, you are an Order of Australia medal holder. Ronnie and I met, we were in the Queensland Voices, Women's Voices back in 2019, which was where you and I met for Advancing Women. Thankfully, you have been acknowledged a lot for your work, but awards don't always necessarily easily translate into funds.
You have to actually do some work. You have worked your butt off to make this happen. For those who are listening, Ronnie, I think it's quite fascinating of what you've done and that you're continuing to do is because there's these elements of, yes, applying for funding and things like that.
And that's quite limited in what you can get there in terms of keeping the foundation going. But what I think you've done really uniquely is you have really tapped into the business market and tapping into relationships with business owners and the business community to really create this other side of the branding, the positioning, but leveraging yourself and the face of the Carers Foundation to really help grow that funding and drive that funding over to the Carers Foundation, watching you do these incredible events and things.
And you really get that people congregate, people get together and there are opportunities to be able to drive this growth for the foundation. Are you happy to share a little bit about that? Because it's really fascinating to watch.
And I think you really have tapped into exactly what needs to happen to drive that growth. Are you happy to share your thinking behind that and how that all works?
[Speaker 1] (11:35 - 13:31)
Of course. It was a real challenge to do because, I mean, we've had limited funding to do anything like that. So, I mean, we've had to do it all ourselves.
So we have to be really imaginative and come up with different ideas all the time. Because the charity market, it's so competitive. There's so many different charities now and they're all competing for the same dollar.
And it's really hard to try and break in. And if you don't get that government funding, which we don't any longer, you have to come up with really different, unique ways to try and get people to support you. So I'm a great believer in marketing and meeting with other people in networking and resonating with the right people.
Because everybody understands what it's like to know a carer. Somebody knows somebody that has cared for somebody, their mother's cared for somebody, blah, blah, blah. And my passion is actually the teenage carers that people don't know anything about.
So I guess when you share those stories like I did with Tom, people, they're quite shocked and overwhelmed. They're like, really, there's kids out there caring for their parents? I say, yes, and nobody, they're not identified.
They don't talk about it. But I mean, really, when you get out there and share that story and get people to sort of hear what they don't know, I think it shocks a lot of people and they want to know more. So I guess they're happy to support you because it makes a big difference when you do get that big network of support.
And the people that have approached me have had lived caring experience. Like, for example, Sonia Stradiotta, who's a big supporter of ours. And she cared for her mum and she's had other caring experiences within the family.
But Sonia really resonated with the whole caring issue. And she realised that she was lucky enough to have support, but majority of carers don't. And majority of the carers are single women because most of the partners can't cope with it and they do leave them.
So they're single mums trying to cope with children with disabilities or caring with ageing parents or partners with cancer or motor neurone disease. So to do that on your own, you have to give up your career. And I guess they can resonate with that because they don't want to be in that position.
They don't want to think, oh, my gosh, I hope that doesn't happen to me. But it potentially could happen to them.
[Speaker 2] (13:31 - 13:31)
Yes.
[Speaker 1] (13:32 - 14:08)
Yeah, I just those events, it attracts a lot of women in a different way. Like they want to come and see a big fashion event. But they hear about the cause so they can actually share and then realise that they do need to support this sort of thing.
Because it could happen to them one day. You just don't know when it could happen or their sister or their brother. The people that are the big supporters are the ones that do know what it's like.
They have had a lived experience. So, yes, I guess you're right. Getting out there and meeting the more you can network, the more you get the word out there, you know, the better it is, obviously, for just the community and raising that awareness for the foundation, for the carers.
But it's difficult. It's so time consuming.
[Speaker 2] (14:10 - 14:10)
Yeah, absolutely.
[Speaker 1] (14:11 - 14:31)
Just doing that and there's a full time job doing events and it's another full time job doing the foundation. So you're right, it's hard. You do work really hard if you haven't got the funding to pay people to do that.
But hopefully eventually we'll be able to build up enough that we'll be able to sort of increase those income streams and have regular recurring funding.
[Speaker 2] (14:31 - 14:57)
Yes, because the funding that you generate is you have a retreat centre because it's a space that the carers can come away and have some space for themselves to actually get some nurturing for them. And you run retreats in South East Queensland, as well as other places in the state. You're on the go all the time.
What are some of the things that the Carers Foundation does to be able to help carers?
[Speaker 1] (14:58 - 17:20)
We focus on their well-being. That's really important because by the time the carers arrive with us, at the end of their tenure, they can't cope anymore. And this is what I'm trying to break, because really the only time they get support is when they're ready to go to hospital, when they're at breaking point.
And I believe that realistically, if we could support carers and offer them two well-being programs a year, they know they can come. That will keep them, give them hope, know they can come back. Whereas at the moment people are arriving, they haven't had a day off in seven years or 13 years or 20 years, and they're just beyond exhausted.
They can't think they're actually suicidal by the time they come to us, they can't cope anymore. In fact, the last group we had, I had one lady arrive and she rang on Sunday and said she couldn't come. And I said, no, no, you really need to do this for yourself.
Please come. This is not, you don't need to feel guilty. It's not time away.
You need to do this for you to be better for you and improve your well-being. Because I know you're not coping at the moment. So she actually came and then she was really at the end of a tether.
She was so broken by the time she was exhausted beyond, you know, you get so beyond despair when you can't touch anybody. You're so exhausted. So within three days, our programs are really quite comprehensive.
So we do a lot of well-being strategies. We do a lot of mental health resilience. We do full body massages to restore not only their body, but their mind and emotionally they connect with others.
So it's quite powerful because they come alone and disconnected and they meet others. So they're really quite connected. And I remember on that third day that she came up to me, that same woman, she kept hugging us so tight.
And she said, thank you, thank you, thank you. I said, no, you don't need to thank us. You know, this is what we love to do.
We love supporting women like yourself. She said, no, no, no, I really need to thank you. Because when I rang on that Sunday, I was actually, I had prepared to kill myself.
She actually was ready to commit suicide. But something that you said to me made me come. And I knew I had to come.
And ever since we've been in touch ever since. And she's just been forever grateful because that's how low they get. And that shouldn't, it's just not right.
And the government, they don't support the carers. In replacement health care costs are saving the government over $86 billion annually, which is over $1.4 billion a week. If everybody stopped caring, which they government know they won't, they won't walk off the job because they won't leave their loved ones.
And they take advantage of that, which is really quite a shame. And there's only like nearly 3 million carers in Australia. So there's probably one in nine people at the moment.
And a lot of those are teenagers.
[Speaker 2] (17:21 - 17:21)
One in nine?
[Speaker 1] (17:22 - 17:53)
Yeah, yeah. One in nine people are caring for somebody. And as I said, you know, some of these are 12 years old, eight years old.
And there's just acknowledgement or awareness for them. So we're still battling and fighting to raise that. Doing what we can, but we do get tied up with doing our programs because we're so passionate about supporting carers.
And as you say, we are all over Queensland at the moment. But, you know, the long term goal is to get a new centre specifically for carers, which they can come to any time before they reach that breaking point. Right.
So that's the ultimate goal.
[Speaker 2] (17:54 - 19:10)
Incredible. And if you look at, you know, for those who are listening to this, most of the women are in the B2B space. If we think about in for organisations, the research tells us that organisations, it's the first time we've had five generations in a workplace at one time.
And if we look at EAP providers within organisations where people would seek perhaps some support or some mental health support if they were struggling at work, we know that Gen X, typically those who are in leadership roles, but they are the sandwich people because they've kind of got children, but they're caring for children, but they're caring for perhaps elderly parents as well. They're often under a lot of pressure in their jobs and at work. So you've got this whole generation sitting within the workplace.
And if you look at that whole generation, if you say, well, about one in 10, we're not even counting teenagers just yet. That's just phenomenal. Teenagers and children looking for parents.
Then you've got this whole challenge for organisations to be able to support, retain, attract good leaders. And we've got a whole bunch of them who have caring duties that are going on outside of work just to try and keep their jobs so that they can keep everything going. They're under incredible pressure.
[Speaker 1] (19:12 - 19:27)
They are. And a lot of my carers that do work, they don't tell their employees that they are carers because they're too afraid they'll lose their job, which is outrageous because they should be supported more. And I think these organisations need to look at who is in their workforce and who can they support with the caring role.
[Speaker 2] (19:28 - 19:55)
Yes, that's such valuable work, Ronnie, that you're doing. And I think in part of your brand, what you've been able to do is not only do you speak at these events, but you have built your brand to an extent to help create that accessibility so that people go, there's a face and there's a name that comes with the Carers Foundation. Do you find people really connect with you as part of that?
They do.
[Speaker 1] (19:55 - 21:36)
It's interesting, isn't it? Speaking is not my most favourite thing, but I do it. But it's amazing how many people will come up to you and they'll know you.
So, I know, I've met you before and I've seen you and I saw you speak and I go, oh, OK, you're amazing. And I'm very humble. I don't enjoy that side of it at all because my passion is just raising the awareness and getting more support.
But, yeah, it's quite interesting. I mean, that's one area that I do have to look at and expand because I do need to speak more because every time I do, it's amazing how many people come up to me and say, or they will get donations afterwards because they were infected by it. And they'll say, yes, you know, I resonated so much because, you know, I cared for blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
And it just kind of actually hits the spot. And some people, and it's very true for most carers, that you don't consider yourself a carer. You're just, you're a wife caring for your husband or you're a parent caring for your children, as I did when I was.
But still, you know, that need to get that support because there's just not enough support out there. And as I said, no carer should be alone or unsupported in this economy, especially when they're and they're doing it really tough at the moment. Like a lot of our carers just don't have money for food and basic essentials.
And they're not being cared for by people that should be. And I've got carers that actually struggle for basic human rights and basic essentials, such as oxygen and adult nappies for the adult children. And, you know, it's just not right that they have to go in every day.
It's like a battle every day for them to get things that they need and it breaks your heart when you hear all the stories. Like we cannot believe the stories that we hear in Australia. We think this is not a third world country.
We're hearing these stories that are just dire and it shouldn't be. So that's why we just need to keep making more noise and getting more awareness and getting more support for them.
[Speaker 2] (21:36 - 21:46)
And something that you did, particularly during COVID, that was really interesting was you created this campaign, which was the Who Cares campaign. Are you happy to share a bit about that? Yes.
[Speaker 1] (21:46 - 23:09)
Well, it was interesting because we'd actually sat down earlier in January and had our whole fundraising strategy for the year and the business strategy and how we're going to do all these events. Because prior to that, we had been getting government funding, but that had all changed. And so we transitioned out.
So we were doing all these huge, big plans. And of course, then there were all the bushfires and everybody got the bushfire, the charity fatigue from donating so much. And then, of course, COVID hit.
So you couldn't plan anything. It was like all our whole plans were down the drain. You couldn't do anything.
And I was getting desperate, frantic calls from the carers because they were so, so scared. The fear was very real and they didn't know how it was going to affect them because none of us knew in the early stages of COVID what it was going to be. There was so much fear mongering on the media.
And they said, we can't afford to get sick. What happens to us if we get sick? And our recipients who we're caring for, they're immunosuppressed and they're compromised.
And so they were living in this huge fear. And I thought, this is horrible. And what can we do to change this?
We actually did a weekly Facebook live and we called that The Big Hug. So we did that just to take their mind off it. And we just did dad jokes and we were doing our trivia and we would get a guest speaker coming in each week.
It was really challenging through COVID, but we'd sort of do that. Get them in, you know, carers or people in the industry that have stories. That was great.
But we did it for about an hour. We did that for about 48 weeks and we were getting an audience of about 10,000 a week. So it was huge.
Did you really? We did.
[Speaker 2] (23:09 - 23:10)
It was huge.
[Speaker 1] (23:10 - 24:28)
And then we started the Who Cares campaign. So I thought, well, look, you know, we can't raise money. Let's just raise awareness.
So I just sent out, because everybody was at home, all these, I sent out celebrities, all the T-shirts with Who Cares on it. And said, could you please join our Who Cares campaign to raise awareness? And the majority of them did.
So we had a whole host of people join us. You know, I think we had Closeless Barber and Cameron Dano and so many people, you know, Maggie Beer and all those people I could think of. We were just sending them out and they actually joined in.
So that was great. So that went on for about 18 months, which was really fantastic. And that did help us raise a fair bit of awareness, actually.
So that was great. Didn't raise any money, but it raised awareness. But that was, you know, people still talk about the Who Cares campaign.
So at the moment, we're doing the Unsung Heroes, which is another campaign we're doing, which will be an annual fundraiser, a signature event where we have 10 influential business people across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, where they've committed to raising $20,000 each. And then on the 7th of October this year, they all come together and do their big sing off. And then we have prizes for the one that's raised the most money, the one that's raised the best singer, the worst singer, people's choice, judges choice.
So it's just a fun way of getting people engaged again in the community. And then obviously, when they come on the night, they'll find out about the foundation and learn more about what we do and hear from some of the carers. So that's just another little initiative.
[Speaker 2] (24:28 - 27:23)
So great. Yeah, I love that. You just totally get that you've got to get out there in the community.
And I love that you are so you are so humble, but so in service of who you advocate for and you don't worry about all that. You go, look, you know what, this is just what I'm going to do. This is the people, this is the community I lead.
And this is the job I've got to do. And you totally get that whatever it takes, you get the people connect with you. You are the epitome of love and kindness.
And I love that you called that weekly catch up with 10,000 people, the big hug. If you ever get to meet Ronnie, that's exactly what you get when you get to meet Ronnie. And I love that because I think this is really what being able to build out.
We think in business to business sales and the women with influence and all that sort of stuff. But you really get what the heart of this is to make this work is that it's not just about this is our life's work. This is the work that we've been put on the planet to do.
And regardless of whether you're working for a charity or whether you've got your own business or whatever it is, is the space that we hold and that we have in women with influence or for us as experts in our field. There's so much work, whether it's standing on stages, whether it's sharing your story, whether it's being vulnerable enough to write a book, being vulnerable enough to share a story, to put yourself out there, to stand on a stage and say, well, you know what, I'm here, but it's not about me. It's not about me at all.
I'm just here representing a group. I'm here representing a message. And I'm here representing a mission on something that I am trying to change in the world.
And I love that quote that says, you know, you've got to be the change that you want to see in the world. And, you know, Tom's story, you are just an incredible leader, Ronnie, being able to show how it's done. And you do it with so much incredible humility and grace and kindness and love.
And it just is so much service. But I so admire how much you balance that because that's just who you are. It's not even an effort, but you prepared to be the face of something and in so much service because this is what it takes to help these people.
Your community are so, so, so lucky to have you. Ronnie, for those who are perhaps listening to this and they're trying to work out how do they put themselves out there if they're wanting to be involved in and identifying where that community are for them, who will help them to grow their cause and their mission. What are some of the things you might say to them?
-
What words of encouragement or because there's a lot of women that we work with that are, oh gosh, trying to write a newsletter and trying to do these things is hard and put myself out there. How have you been able to get your head around that and to do that?
[Speaker 1] (27:23 - 29:45)
I guess, yeah, it's always a challenge. But really, you just have to keep focusing on your end goal and your passion. That's what you have to keep bringing it back to.
If you've got that passion and you want to get out there, just keep thinking of that because you will have days that are just so, so hard and so ridiculous. You just think, is this all worth it? I can't do this anymore.
We've been through periods where we've had absolutely no funding and you're reliant on people to donate their time. This is why you see the significant change you make. So you just have to really remember your core purpose and why you do it.
Really, I just keep coming back to that. And when you're having those days where you think, how are we going to get through the next week as hard as it is, you just have to keep remembering that. And I guess another big lesson I've learned is never take no for an answer.
People, when they say it, that's a big one. They all love to say, well, you're never going to do that. You never will.
Obviously, that's going to give you more fire to do it because you think, well, hell, I'm going to find a way to do it now that you think I can't. I always expect, and of course, when I first started, I didn't know how to do anything. So I've had to learn how to write grants and had to apply for things.
So writing grants over and over and over and always getting knocked back and going, why on earth? Why can't these people get it? So now it's like I just write grants and I think we'll always expect a no.
And then if you get a yes, just have no expectations, I guess is the last thing, is have no expectations. When people promise you the world, and it happens when you have a charity in particular, people promise you the world. They're going to do this, they're going to do that, but they never deliver.
So just have no expectations. And now I just say, oh, that's really lovely. If you can support us, that would be wonderful.
But just don't have any expectations because half the time they don't deliver. But I'll follow up. But if it happens, it happens.
If it doesn't, just don't be disappointed. You can't be disappointed if you don't get what they promised, if you have no expectations. And it takes a long time to learn that.
And you have to get beaten over the head a few times. And that's what you feel like really. How many times does it have to happen?
But at the end of the day, I just keep focusing back. When I have those days where I think, what on earth am I doing? Just go back to your vision and your passion and why you're doing it and that whole purpose.
And that just brings me back. So I don't know why I have to do it, because I have to save these women. All these carers have to save all these carers.
Not just the women, the kids and the men, because we have a lot of male carers as well. So it's just knowing what you do, how much of a difference it makes. And that's what keeps my eye alive anyway.
[Speaker 2] (29:45 - 30:52)
Oh, that's such great advice, Ronnie, because it can be hard. Because at first you're sort of thinking, oh, well, I'll leave my corporate job. I've had all these years of experience.
And then I'll leave and I'll start this thing and this will be great. But then you do hit a wall around your purpose. And if that purpose isn't really clear and strong and that it's compelling enough, then that's going to be a battle.
And I think for you, you are just so on purpose every single day. Rain, hail or shine, you just do it. And Ronnie, my last question for you is for those women who are like yourself, as I said, when you're putting yourself out there, there can be fear around self-protection and boundaries and those sorts of things.
And I want to help people, but I've got to know my value and my worth. And it can be a lonely game by yourself. What sorts of things do you do to have your own sort of self-care?
Because you are the carer for everybody else. What do you do to look after yourself that, say, others might be able to tap into?
[Speaker 1] (30:52 - 32:26)
Yeah, it's a hard lesson to learn because, as I said before, I'm a giver, giver, giver. And I don't tend to stop and look after myself. And for years I would say, I'm okay, I'm okay.
People would say, what are you doing? I'm okay. But I've learned the hard way and I don't practice.
I wasn't practicing what I was preaching. Even my boys said, mum, when are you going to practice what you preach? Because they could see I wasn't caring for myself.
And last year that happened. I actually did hit the wall and I realised that, okay, okay, I need to get this balance. That's what she used.
My word is balance. I have to get the balance so that I can actually learn to look after myself as well as do what I do. So I've learned the hard way because I did fall in a deep hole and it took me a while to get out.
But I realised that, yes, okay, I need to now focus on myself first. And exactly what we tell the carers, you have to focus on your own wellbeing because you cannot help others if you can't yourself, if you're not in a good space yourself. So now I really try just to do my monthly checkup and go and see my therapist, my natural therapist, and she does what she calls a Ronnie Tuner.
So every once in a while I get back online again and just mentally just try to keep that positive attitude. Connect with other people is a big one. And do connect with people like yourself, Jane, that are so positive and are just so wonderful for our community with everybody.
I think that's really important. I mean it's hard at first to reach out, but I think once you've done that, you realise how important it is and to keep doing that. So, yeah, just keep your tribe, find your tribe, find the people that keep you uplifted and keep supporting you.
Yeah, and work with people like yourself.
[Speaker 2] (32:27 - 33:24)
That's such great advice, Ronnie, because for the women that are in our community or that are running their own consulting practices, it's high-purpose work, takes a lot of commitment. Not only that, but they have to create, they're having to initiate a lot of things. It's not just sit and do Google AdWords.
It's a lot of really committed work to drive change and to spark a conversation and get people aware and get people talking and get people thinking and writing books and the vulnerability that comes with all that. So I think you're right, it's just trying to work out, well, get the right people around you to help you to look after yourself. It's hard on your own.
So whether it's doctors, naturopaths, a mentor, your community, all those things, that's such great advice, Ronnie. So, Ronnie, if people want to follow you and learn more about the Carers Foundation and some of the great work that you're doing, where would they be best to go?
[Speaker 1] (33:25 - 33:55)
Yes, they can find us on Instagram. So we're Carers Foundation on Instagram. We're on Facebook, The Carers Foundation on Facebook.
Our website is thecarersfoundation.org. They can find out more information about what we do, more specific information, and they can see what programs are happening, what events are happening. They can join in there and see, look at our unsung heroes, if they wanted to join in and see who's actually singing.
If they want to come along and support us that way, that would be amazing, and support any of the heroes. So, yeah, and if you want to be a hero, let us know if you can sing.
[Speaker 2] (33:56 - 34:11)
You can be one of my heroes next year. Even better. Thank you so much for joining us today, Ronnie.
We look forward to following your journey and keeping an eye on unsung heroes and where it all goes to from here. So thank you so much for joining us.
[Speaker 1] (34:11 - 34:14)
Thanks, Jane. Thanks so much. It's been great.
Thank you.
Most of the guests interviewed are current or alumni members of the Women With Influence community. Click here to find out more
