When Lucy* first met Wesley Financial Counsellor, Samantha, she felt overwhelmed and trapped by uncontrollable circumstances. The mother of two had recently escaped a violent home and had to also leave her job to stay safe. Centrelink payments weren’t enough for the family to live on, and she had five loans to pay off.
She came to us feeling helpless.
A local family support service had put Lucy in touch with Wesley Financial Counselling. First up, Financial Counsellor Samantha organised a Wesley Mission Escaping Violence payment for Lucy to take some of the immediate pressure off her. Then the two set about making a plan. They talked through Lucy’s financial habits and Samantha could see that Lucy was determined enough to advocate for herself and take back some control – a great sign.
With this in mind, Samantha worked to empower Lucy to take the lead in negotiating better payment plans on her loans, with great success. Lucy spoke with her creditors and together they agreed on a manageable way for Lucy to clear her debt.
Fast forward just a few months and Lucy’s financial situation had improved dramatically. She’d learned to budget effectively and had already managed to clear some of the loans. The remaining had become much more affordable thanks to the new arrangements.
“I really couldn’t have done it if Samantha hadn’t been there behind the scenes,” says Lucy. “Having that support from Wesley Financial Counselling is what helped me make better financial choices and has given me a sense of grounding and security.”
Today, Lucy is going well managing her finances on her own, but she’s comfortable to know Samantha is there to help in a crisis, or as her situation changes. So inspired by Samantha’s help, Lucy has herself begun studying a community services course as a step towards a stable future for her beautiful family in a fulfilling career helping others. We wish Lucy and her family all the very best in this new stage of their lives.
If you or someone you know needs help to overcome financial difficulties, please call the Wesley Mission Financial Counselling service on 1300 827 638.
*Names, photos and some details changed for privacy.
