Wise financial counsel flourishes

UnitingCare West’s Creditcare program celebrated 30 years of supporting people in the community with financial counselling services on September 19.

The Reverend Jim Cain, who opened the service in 1984 as its original chairman, joined Kingsley MLA Andrea Mitchell at the celebration.

‘Over the past 30 years, our staff have achieved wonderful outcomes for clients in terms of successful negotiation with creditors, advocacy and in many cases averting loss of essential services and homelessness,’ Uniting Care West’s acting chief executive David Cain said.

The team of financial counsellors at Creditcare work with people who have complex financial issues and in the past five years, more than 4800 people have benefited from the free service.

In the first six months in 1984-5, financial counsellors assisted 224 people, while last year the service had 1483 financial counselling appointments.

Creditcare has grown from one financial counsellor and a receptionist, to six counsellors who between them have more than 50 years of experience in the field.

The financial counselling service is a long-term prevention strategy which is located in Fremantle and Perth, with emergency relief services at both locations and in Merriwa.

Visit www.unitingcare|west.org.au or call 1300 663 298.