CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes Aboriginal financial counsellor intern Shardai Charters, and colleagues (second right) Jacqueline Coe and (right) Kyle Nixon-Croaker complete the training led by Jordy Dwyer from First Nations Foundation (second left) to become My Money Dream mentors.
Aboriginal people in western NSW seeking to build up their financial well-being and security need not do it alone.
CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes (CCWF) is ready to help on the ground, a number of its team members recently completing training with First Nations Foundation to become My Money Dream mentors.
My Money Dream is an education program created by First Nations people, for First Nations people, to teach skills for financial security and future prosperity.
CCWF provides free access to My Money Dream, and now with more CCWF team members across western NSW trained as mentors, it can further assist community members.
CCWF team members based at Dubbo, Forbes, Narromine, Orange, Bourke, Broken Hill and Condobolin took part in the training on 6th September at Dubbo.
“We are thrilled to partner with First Nations Foundation to become My Money Dream mentors, supporting us to bolster financial literacy in a culturally safe format,” CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes Financial Stability portfolio manager Louise Cormie said.
“Enhanced financial literacy helps everyone. First Nations people were only permitted to enter our country’s economy in the 1970s.
“We can take steps to reduce this financial well-being deficit, by building confidence in managing money and for a secure financial future.”
CCWF notes a 2019 study by First Nations Foundation, in partnership with the Centre for Social Impact and NAB, that underscores the need. It found 48 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians were living in financial stress.
CCWF provides free access to My Money Dream education via all formats – online, self-learn, or in-person with a mentor for individuals and groups. To sign up or for further information call 1800 067 067 or email lcormie@ccwf.org.au