"Financial
Counselling (Vic) will endeavour through its casework and
community contact to achieve a more just and equitable society.
It will, with the overall support of a community-based committee
of management, be a well administered organization that
respects and supports its staff. It will provide financial
counselling to low income families and individuals.
Financial Counselling (Vic) will provide financial counselling
on a prompt, practical and professional level. It will,
in collaboration with other organizations, facilitate innovative
programs and support the empowerment of consumers to improve
and take control of their own lives. It will be responsive
to gender, ethnic, class, culture, religious and disability
issues.
On a wider level, Financial Counselling (Vic) and its service
users will contribute to community awareness, education,
debate and change on issues affecting the financial wellbeing
of individuals and families in the community.."
Dominic McCann is an educator
focusing on the community sector. The Committee
of Management is please that Dominic has accepted
a position on the committee.
One of our senior financial
counsellors had a call from a distressed elderly
couple. They had a Supreme Court writ to remove
them from their house within two days. Their original
debt of $60,000 had grown to $160,000. This debt
had been incurred when they paid out their daughter's
debt, a debt they would now lose their house over.
This was a debt that the daughter could have bankrupted
on. On the surface it appeared that nothing could
be achieved as it had been left too late. 