We are all hearing daily the cost-of-living pressures going up, up, up. Mortgage interest rates were increased again this month by the Reserve Bank of Australia, and they continue to advise us of further rate rises to come. More businesses collapsing into administration. Rental properties are extremely hard to come by with the price of rent increased by 10% (in some cases even more!) while property owners try to cover their mortgage costs. People having to choose between food and medicine, and hearing about people forgoing everyday basic services like haircuts as they just don’t have the money.
So, what does all this mean for financial counsellors and the clients we see? I thought I would explain by taking you through a typical day for me and explain why the pillars of sector capacity and advocacy are integral to our Strategic Plan and the future of financial counselling.
My day begins at 8:30am. Turning on my computer to read several new emails. Often updates from my employer; clients sending through documents to assist them with; or responses from creditors received late the previous day. Today we have a staff meeting at 9:30am for an hour. The first client appointment today is at 11am. This all means I have less than an hour to read and attempt to action the emails from the previous days.
I start reading the email received back from the bank; they have received my request to negotiate my client’s overdue credit card and consideration of a debt waiver given the circumstances of family violence. The bank wants to discuss the request further for them to consider how they can best help. Documents have been prepared and sent to the bank with the letter, including evidence of the client’s income, a statement of their financial position, and copies of the intervention order. Calling the bank’s hardship team with the client authority in front of me, ready to answer all the privacy questions, before being able to speak with the representative. I commence advising the bank how the client came to have the credit card after being pressured by ex-partner (who had bad credit and was unable to obtain one in their name) and how the client was left with this debt that the ex-partner drained at the ATM, spending the money on their substance addictions – leaving the client to owe the $5000. Hearing the full story, the bank is very understanding and confirms will now take the request to management to consider and will advise response. I finish the call, quickly type case notes and enter data. Just enough time to read over the email received from a client and their documents included – making notes and blocking out time in the calendar to action tomorrow.
Not a minute to spare – it is right on 9:30am – and time to log on to Zoom for the staff meeting. Sadly, I missed getting a cuppa today.
With the meeting finished, it is time to call my 11am client. This is our first appointment, and we speak for over an hour, discussing all that is happening for the client; her health diagnosis of cancer; her increased medical expenses/bills; how she is unable to manage the mortgage repayments, rates, household bills and – the most urgent for her – the car rego. This is due next week and the client needs her car to drive for treatment. We discuss how we can assist with regards to the mortgage, rates, and other bills, then delve into options of paying the car rego. This client was not aware she can change the billing options and, luckily, will be paid just before the due date, so we organise for her to contact VicRoads to set up a 3-month registration payment. We schedule another appointment, to allow her time to consider options and obtain supporting documents required to proceed and will meet again next week. I quickly type up the case notes and data from this appointment and it is now 12:30pm.
By now, I have two missed calls from clients and aim quickly to return these before lunch at 1pm. Calling the first client, I know immediately I am not going to lunch at 1pm – this client is in acute crisis. She talks about the events that have happened with her partner showing up at her home and calling the police and she has not been in a good mental space since. She was very distraught, not been sleeping and explains how she has missed all her payment arrangements and terribly apologetic in “stuffing up”. After settling the client and explaining that we can call the creditors, explain what has been happening, and re-sort the arrangements, I underline how the important thing now was is she safe and discuss what supports she has in place. This client stated she was feeling safe now, as is aware the ex-partner is in remand, but did not really have any supports in place. We discussed the Orange Door services with client and she consented to being referred for supports; I advised my client that I would arrange this and give her another call back to confirm and schedule an appointment to assist with renegotiating the payment plans with the creditors. With this, I ended the call – again typed up all notes and now I am heading to lunch at 1:45pm.
I am back working at 2:15pm – I have to contact the Orange Door to refer the client from the pre-lunch phone call; return the other missed phone call; action the new intakes I have received which means I am calling clients and booking appointments; and prepare for my next appointment coming at 3pm. I call the Orange Door; they are extremely helpful, and client is referred for them to call and follow up. I then return the missed call to another client – a change of appointment time and brief updates on their situation – all notes completed and onto the next calls. Two new clients received in our case allocation from our 6-week waiting list; call and introduce self and service and schedule appointments with them for next week. Again enter notes and data and its almost 3pm.
My next client arrives with his support worker. Client is facing electricity disconnection due to non-payment, and we call the retailer to discuss and stop disconnection. Speaking with retailer we identify client has no concessions on his account and has not accessed a Utility Relief Grant which he may be eligible for. Supporting the client on the call with the retailer we action all of this and with the concessions added and if the grant is approved his overdue bill will be cleared. Client advised they can afford $30 and will pay via Centrepay which will keep him up to date. Client’s support worker advises still following up details for the other matters and will contact me to schedule next appointment. Case notes and data completed – it is now 4pm.
Back to emails and almost the end of day – I have a response back from the bank this morning – they have approved the waiver request. Call the client to advise and they are very overwhelmed and thankful for the outcome. Quick email typed back to the bank representative to thank them for assistance and update case notes and the day is done.
This is the daily reality – financial counsellors are consistently running flat out, striving to do their best and assist as many clients as possible, while meeting all their other obligations – staff meetings, Professional Development/trainings, Professional Supervision, Line Management Supervision and so on. It often feels as though there are not enough hours in the day, but that’s because the workloads – demands for our service and particularly the unmet demand puts enormous pressures on us to do more. As mortgage payments and rent increase, and everyday basic expenses like food and medicine increase sharply through inflation, this demand will grow. This is where the work of advocacy (reforms to achieve fairness and equity for all people, not just financial counselling clients, thus stemming some of the demand) and sector capacity (ensuring funding for sustainable and safe roles, lessening burnout and supporting incoming financial counsellors) come into play – and why they are an important part of our Strategic Plan over the next few years.