A total of 941 FPA members and guests registered for this year’s FPA [Virtual] Congress, which replaced the 2020 FPA Professionals Congress slated for November in Adelaide, due to  the uncertainty and restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

The FPA [Virtual] Congress ran over four months, kicking off on 6 July and concluding on 19 October. The Congress covered four streams – The Regulators: Understanding your responsibilities; Investment markets and portfolio design; The FASEA Code of Ethics in practice; and Professional wellness and client care.

The streams accounted for 16 masterclass sessions, with one keynote event on 3 September – where industry experts, including CHOICE CEO Alan Kirkland, Paul Clitheroe and Dr Pamela Hanrahan, joined journalist Helen Dalley to discuss the topic of ‘Uncovering the value of financial advice’ – rounding out the virtual Congress program. The keynote attracted 867 live attendees. 

The concern by financial planners with the volatility of markets caused by the coronavirus pandemic was evident in a number of sessions, with 454 live attendees watching the session, ‘How to settle clients in an unsettled time’ and 442 registering for ‘What does a portfolio look like in times of recession?’. 

By registering for the 2020 [Virtual] Congress, participants can also view the sessions on-demand for up to 12 months by accessing the recorded version. By doing so, FPA members can earn up to half of their CPD hours for the year. To date, the FPA has received well over 500 on-demand views of the recordings.

Speaking of this year’s virtual event, Congress Chair Michelle Tate-Lovery CFP^® said the FPA had shown how quickly it could adapt to changing circumstances.

“The FPA has shown in 2020 that it has been able to adapt quickly to a virtual delivery of a different type of Congress, not only by offering ongoing education mapped to the FASEA CPD Areas over four months, but to involve a deeper level of engagement for planners, with CPD tailored to their needs, to consolidate learning,” Tate-Lovery said.

“As the virtual Congress sessions were mostly delivered at a regular time each week, some practices used this event as a team learning and bonding opportunity, whilst working remotely, to implement changes in their businesses.

“By promoting best practice, peer-to-peer learning and camaraderie, I hope the FPA [Virtual] Congress 2020 has served to motivate and lift each other up, which is vitally important for keeping the passion going to inspire our clients to have their best life.”

To access the on-demand recordings of the sessions, click here.