This page is designed to provide members and the community with relevant information to assist during this time of ongoing tension and challenge.
Background
Ongoing conflict in the Middle East has contributed to rising living costs and growing financial pressure for many people in our community. Financial counselling provides free, confidential support to help individuals and families manage debt, understand their options and regain control. As the peak body for the profession, the Financial Counsellors’ Association of WA, advocates for financial wellbeing and promotes excellence in the sector to achieve our goals of financially resilient communities and reduced hardship for all. Our work is particularly vital during times of crisis and uncertainty.
Our Advocacy Focus
We are focused on representing our members and agencies in our advocacy efforts. We are also committed to ensuring the experiences of those in or at risk of financial hardship are communicated to government and decision-makers.Â
In our engagement with State Government, we have highlighted:
Financial Counsellors are overstretched and reporting even higher caseloads, with more people seeking appointments.
Financial counsellors are reporting greater diversity with regards to client profiles (ie, the cost of living crisis is hitting a wide demographic).
A number of agencies are considering moving to an online service delivery model as the cost of fuel is impacting budgets. This is particularly the case for those agencies that cover a large regional area.
We want to hear from you
If you are a Financial Counsellor, Agency Manager or community member at risk of financial hardship, we want to hear about your experiences regarding the impact of the war in the Middle East. You can reach us via email.
Resources
The following resources may be of interest to you. This page will be regularly updated with new information as it becomes available.
If you need support, we recommend you book in with a Financial Counsellor today.
Financial Counselling is a free, independent and confidential service provided by qualified professionals to help Australians facing financial hardship. Thousands of Australians benefit from financial counselling services every year.