A functional cash system must be maintained as a safety net to stop absolute exclusion from full social participation but there should also be work to realise a right to essential services and lower chances that whānau are vulnerable to having no choice but using...
On Tuesday 8 March ActionStation, Christians Against Poverty (CAP), Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), Debtfix, FinCap, Good Shepherd NZ, Muaūpoko Tribal Authority, New Zealand Council of Trade Unions - Te Kauae Kaimahi (NZCTU), Ngā Tāngata Microfinance and The Salvation Army sent a joint letter to all...
In July, Tauranga Budget Advisory Services will celebrate 50 years of supporting the financial well-being of people from Katikati to Otamarakau. Although they have been a pillar of support for the Bay of Plenty community for half a century, they have remained agile. Tauranga Budget Advisory...
There is a couple the team at Financial Mentoring Service (Budget Advisory Service Whakatane Inc) (pictured above) have been supporting for a few years – but they are still to be seen at the service in 2022. While this may often be a cause for concern,...
Financial mentors are working together with other organisations in their communities as the whānau they support are facing increasingly complex issues. A survey of financial mentors late last year looked to identify the impact of COVID-19 on the workload of financial mentors and on the whānau...
Financial mentors have seen their caseloads grow and become more complex since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent survey completed by FinCap found that financial mentors are facing increased pressure due to COVID-19, housing issues and mental health. FinCap is calling for ongoing,...
Financial mentors committed to their communities across Aotearoa are coping with the increased strain created by COVID-19 - but only just. FinCap is calling for ongoing, sustainable funding for all financial mentors’ vital work as new data reveals they’re facing increased pressure because of COVID-19, housing issues...
Clear rights to responsible conduct from lenders are important as lending can cause significant and disproportionate harm to whānau. Buy-Now Pay-Later (BNPL) services are loans that can trigger or compound substantial hardship. Aotearoa is fortunate in that Section 137A of the Credit Contract and Consumer...
Water services are essential services that whānau need for health, wellbeing and social participation. No one should face losing access to essential water services because of an inability to pay or because of barriers around engaging with organisations providing water. We support robust consumer protections and...
Energy hardship can see whānau stuck going without what they need for health, wellbeing and social participation. Recognising and addressing the harm caused to communities due to avoidable hardship should be a top priority for decision makers. The ways of measuring the impacts of initiatives...