As International Women’s Day approaches, we sat down with Bernadene Voss, CEO of Big Group Hug, to hear her perspective on leadership, community impact, and the challenges and rewards of running a grassroots children’s charity. Bernadene shares valuable insights on women in leadership, balancing compassion with operational reality, and what it truly takes to create lasting impact for children and families. Her reflections offer a unique window into the heart of a leader committed to purpose, action, and social change.
What does your role as CEO involve day to day, and what might surprise people?
One hour I might be in a governance and risk committee meeting discussing risk appetite and long-term strategy, and the next I’m helping track down a left shoe in size 4. It really is a full-spectrum leadership experience! What often surprises people is just how operational the role is. In a grassroots charity like ours, strategy and sleeves-rolled-up work go hand in hand. You need to be across governance and growth, but also really connected to the day-to-day realities of getting essential items into the hands of children who need them.
What are you most proud of in Big Group Hug's growth?
What I’m most proud of is that we’ve been able to grow our impact without losing who we are. We’ve doubled the number of children we support and expanded to a multi-hub model, which means we can reach more families across our community. Our volunteer-powered approach is at the centre of everything, I’m incredibly grateful for the team we’ve built and the people I get to work alongside. Each year we’re also diverting more than 140 tonnes from landfill, giving quality items a second life with children who need them. Growth can sometimes come at the cost of humanity, but I’m proud that as we’ve scaled, we’ve kept the warmth, care and heart that define Big Group Hug.
How do you balance compassion with reality?
Compassion is our why, but discipline is our how. If we’re not financially rigorous, we can’t be reliably compassionate. Running a charity means making careful, sometimes tough decisions so that we can continue showing up for families tomorrow, not just today. You can’t pay rent in empathy alone; you need strong systems, sound financial management, spreadsheets, analysis, and effective fundraising campaigns. It’s that balance that allows us to turn care into consistent, practical support for children who need it most.
What's your biggest leadership lesson?
The biggest leadership lesson I’ve learned is that you don’t have to have all the answers. Early on, I thought leadership meant being the most capable person in the room. Now I understand it’s about creating a room where everyone else can be capable. Clarity reduces chaos, and the energy you bring sets the tone for the whole team. Strong systems create sustainability, and listening – really listening – helps you understand the why behind people’s actions and decisions. Leadership isn’t about control; it’s about enabling others to do their best work.
Early on, I thought leadership meant being the most capable person in the room. Now I understand it’s about creating a room where everyone else can be capable.
How do you stay motivated when the need feels overwhelming?
When I look at the scale of the need, thousands of children doing it tough, it can feel overwhelming. But I’ve learned to bring it back to one child. If I think about one child sleeping safely tonight, with clean clothes or a warm bed to climb into, I feel purposeful again. That’s what keeps me grounded. I also draw so much motivation from our volunteers. Their stories, their generosity, and the care they pour into every box remind me why this work matters. Focusing on the individual impact, and the community that makes it possible, turns something that feels enormous into something meaningful and achievable.
91% of our referrals are from women - what does this say?
What this statistic tells us is clear: women are still the ones carrying the weight of primary caregiving, and the pressures of economic vulnerability, domestic violence, and financial insecurity hit them first and hardest. Much of this work; the emotional, practical, and invisible labour of keeping families afloat, often goes unseen.
What led you to Big Group Hug?
I’ve always believed business and compassion aren’t opposites, they’re powerful together. When I stepped down from being Mayor of the City of Port Phillip after 4 years I had changed somewhat. Community leadership was still my passion, and I had seen far too many things to not continue helping the more vulnerable people.
The funny thing is Big Group Hug spoke to my heart, you see my maiden name is HUG and I saw it as a sign and a strong direction. I have a strong instinct to build, grow and fix human problems and it seemed the perfect match.
Looking back at your career, were there pivotal decisions that changed your direction?
Sometimes the pivotal decisions don’t look bold at the time. They just feel aligned. Moving to another CEO role was not about just building a sustainable organisation, it was about the basics, saying YES and choosing purpose over predictability.
Four years ago, I was scared to take on a role that had no reliable income to support our expenses, but it gave me purpose to set about ensuring we had the fundraising expertise front and foremost to support as many vulnerable and disadvantage children as possible.
What past skills or experiences have been most valuable in leading Big Group Hug?
Running a charity is running a business. Just with more prams and less money and resources, so you have to ask a lot of people around you. But my skills in relationship building along with strong governance and strategic thinking have helped us get ahead. Good, aligned partnerships are where we are heading now and I am excited to delve back into my past and ignite this fire.
Was there ever a moment of doubt in your journey? How did you navigate it?
Doubt visits regularly, it just doesn’t get a permanent seat at the table ha ha! But the realities of running a charity that doesn’t sell anything does put pressure on meeting budgets and funding targets. My team is terrific and keeps me understanding that sometimes it is just one foot in front of the other to keep moving forward.
As a woman leading a grassroots organisation, what does leadership mean to you?
Leadership is making sure the mission survives beyond you. It is about the leap and being courageous to do thing that others don’t want to do. I think it is about caring deeply and bring people with you in your journey. I like taking a step back, looking at the whole environment, and planning the best moves. Sometimes I think about it as a chess board. You plan your moves a number in advance and at times things don’t go your way and you are back to just thinking about your next move with the team you have.
What advice would you give to women who want to step into leadership but don’t yet feel ready?
A very popular claim, that “men apply for a job when they meet 60% of the qualifications and women only apply if they meet 100%” come to mind with this question. I am a fan of growth and education on the job. Readiness is overrated. Capacity grows with responsibility. Step forward before you feel fully prepared. You build confidence through your action of doing and not waiting for it to come to you.
What does equity look like in practical terms for families and children?
Equity is not theory. It’s a mattress that fits. It is everyone having the basics for a good start in life. Things like dignity, toiletries, warm clothes, a safe place to sleep.
What do you wish more people understood about childhood poverty in Australia?
That childhood poverty isn’t always visible and can exist in suburbs you wouldn’t expect, maybe just a few doors down from you. It’s often hidden behind everyday life, and it’s not a reflection of bad parenting. Poverty is about systemic pressures; the rising cost of living, housing stress, family violence, and inequities that make it harder for some children to get the essentials they need to learn, grow, and thrive.
Why is access to essential material aid so important in a child’s early years?
There is so much evidence. Research in developmental neuroscience confirms that stable, safe environments support brain growth, while chronic stress linked to poverty can impair cognitive and emotional development. Studies also show that inadequate housing, poor sleep conditions and lack of hygiene products are associated with poorer educational outcomes and increased illness. Practical supports such as safe cots, warm clothing and basic toiletries reduce toxic stress, improve sleep and support school participation. Material aid does not just meet immediate need; it creates the stable foundation young children require to thrive.
Early childhood safety and stability shapes development. Sleep quality affects cognitive growth. Hygiene affects school participation.
It is a non-negotiable, and if we can help we will!
How does community fundraising strengthen the work of Big Group Hug?
When someone runs a fundraiser, they’re not just giving money – they’re giving belief. This is one of the Australian characteristics that I love. It reminds us that hardship can affect anyone and that community generosity plays a critical role in protecting children and families. Unfortunately, we can’t rely on the government to fund all the gaps. For families living week to week, a delayed payment or unexpected bill can tip everything. Fundraising fills the space between policy and lived reality. It also builds community and that is my personal measure of a great place to live.
What does it mean to you to 'lead the way'?
Leadership in giving creates a ripple. And ripples become waves. I also think that we are all leading the way. Each of us has a story that helped us step up, show confidence, match a donation, give to someone in need and create momentum.
Who has influenced you most as a leader?
Not surprisingly it was the women in my family and by default the absent men. Everywhere I look in my family it has been women that have filled the gaps, raised the family, made it financially possible to send me to school and encouraged me to take leaps and do what I want to do. It has not been easy. The resilience and the belief I have in myself is because of these women, my mother and my grandmother being able to step up when unexpected disaster occurs. I lost the men in our family to tragedy at different times in my childhood and that absence is acute, but also motivating.
When you think about the children Big Group Hug supports, what do you hope their future looks like?
I hope their future feels bigger than their beginning. I hope they never remember the stress, only the stability. And I hope one day they’re the ones leading.
Want to turn leadership and action into real impact for children in need? Join us for Double Donation Day on Wednesday 18 March 2026 and help put essential aid into the hands of local kids. Every dollar you donate will be doubled, making your support go twice as far. Get involved today and lead the way.
