No shame in needing a hand to get back on track

With a decade of experience, Salvation Army Moneycare financial counsellor Nathan says one of his most important messages this Anti-Poverty Week (15-21 October) is there is no shame in asking for help and in fact, seeking support can lead to a path of financial freedom and stability.

Based at the Morley Salvation Army in Western Australia, Nathan explains that embarrassment can stop some people who are struggling with financial stress from seeking support early from Salvation Army services such as Moneycare (free financial counselling) as well as Doorways (emergency support, case management, and referrals).

However, he says, the earlier people find the courage to reach out for help, the more options and solutions are available.

"It's important to let creditors especially know what's going on before the situation spirals, and they're more likely to work with you and try to find a solution or a resolution. The earlier you start to deal with financial stress, the better. It can save a lot of heartache," he says.

Nathan says that financial struggles and the associated emotional struggles are a reality for many people.

"So many people are struggling at the moment," he explains. "I really want people who may be struggling to know they are not alone and also know there is no shame in asking for help to get their life back on track.

“It is so important to understand that anyone can struggle, no matter who they are, including many in the workforce. The cost of living is impacting many, many people with increasing mortgages, rent and increasing cost of living including food.”

Moneycare helping on the path to financial wellbeing

The Salvation Army’s Moneycare is a free financial service available to anyone struggling to cope with financial stress, or who needs some support to sort their finances, offering confidential, practical help and care.

Over the Financial Year 2021/2022 (FY21/22), Moneycare supported over 12,600 individuals Australia-wide with over 52,000 sessions provided.

Of those individuals, 93 per cent reported Moneycare had an overall positive impact on their circumstances, and 88 per cent said they were able to manage their situation better after connecting with the service.*

Moneycare teams have a range of resources at hand as well as counselling, including You’re the Boss (an in-person financial skill building course) and Be the Boss (online course) as well as NILS (No Interest Loans Schemes).

Nathan explains that one of the many benefits of financial counselling is that a financial counsellor can help "take the emotion out of a tough situation", advocating with creditors on behalf of a community member.

"When you're stressed, you can’t always think straight and there is a lot of emotion. Even people who are usually quite articulate can struggle to communicate well in high-stress situations. There can be a better outcome with someone advocating on behalf of a community member,” he says.

Life-changing support and care

Nathan says financial counselling can be life-changing, not only in practical, financial terms but also on an emotional level.

"One of the great joys of my role is the changes that you see [financial counselling] makes to people's lives," Nathan says.

"There are many people who have come through the doors with a sense of hopelessness thinking they might have to go bankrupt or something similar. But as we walk and talk with them, they begin to see light at the end of the tunnel.

"I worked with one community member who had severe depression, young children, and debt on multiple credit cards. When I first saw the community member, they didn’t want to go on living*,” Nathan says.

“They were sure they would lose their house. But the banks [in this case] waived the credit card debts and provided hardship support on their mortgage."

Nathan explains the community member was then able to manage the mortgage and the family got back on track emotionally as well as financially.

He says: "I think when you're struggling financially that it takes a toll. It doesn't matter who you are, it takes a toll on your mental health, in some shape or form. [Positively and negatively] there's a huge correlation with mental health and financial wellbeing."

* The 2021/2022 Moneycare Outcome Measurement Annual Report