Specialised financial programs

Financial Capacity workers are able to provide you with advocacy and will help coordinate the community support services that you need.

Services include:

• Advocacy with setting up payment plans for utility bills or fines;
• Advocacy if you have fallen behind in your rent/mortgage and are at risk of homelessness;
• Support to set up bank accounts;
• Determine if you are eligible for government entitlements, concessions or grants that you are eligible for to help with bills;
• Assistance with strengthening your money management skills.

If you think you would benefit from this program, please call us during office hours to book an appointment.

Support for those experiencing or affected by family violence. We will assist you in your journey away from family violence.

Services include:

• Immediate crisis support including financial counselling, generalist counselling, food parcels, toiletries, support accessing medical services, education support with school staples.
• Same-day access to a no-interest loan (through the Domestic Violence No Interest Loan Scheme) which may be used for securing accommodation, education/medical supports or household essentials.
• Work alongside safety plans with financial and advocacy supports.
• Coordinate cross-agency care through established support networks to address your specific needs.

If you think you would benefit from this program, please call us during office hours to book an appointment.

This program is for those on low incomes who are considering whether to consolidate their debts. Those who qualify, may also be able to access safe and affordable credit with no fees or interest charges.

During this process a financial counsellor will:

• Build a non-judgemental financial picture of your current position, review the current budget and discuss realistic options available to resolve your financial situation.
• Help you to negotiate payout arrangements for the debt. This could include: the loan being written-off; making payments without interest for the life of the loan; the debt being wiped in full; negotiation of pay-out figures with much less, but achievable, repayments.
• Recommend a no-interest debt consolidation loan, where suitable.
• Recommend the client file for bankruptcy, where suitable.
• Offer you access to further counselling and education programs to help you manage your budget and avoid any further financial distress.

Debt consolidation is NOT suitable for:

• Rent arrears and items for which other forms of assistance are available;
• General living expenses such as food, gas, electricity and phone bills.
• Fines, Centrelink debt, Australian Tax Office debt and Child Support debt

If you think you would benefit from this program, please call us during office hours to book an appointment.