A suite of financial wellbeing supports and programs are underway across Adelaide’s north, thanks to a $1 million package from the State Government.

In a further step to help communities in the region experiencing cost of living pressures, the Department of Human Services is partnering with AnglicareSA to fund more financial counsellors to connect people to support earlier.

The programs will run through to June 2025 and are being delivered at a number of popular community centres and children’s centres as well as schools, including:

• ‘Affordable Kitchen’ courses to create financial conversations through cooking, at the Bagster Road Community Centre in Salisbury North and Midway Community House at Elizabeth East, and for children at The Platform in Elizabeth and John Hartley Primary School at Smithfield Plains
• a Financial Wellbeing Outreach at Kilburn Community Centre
• an Adult Financial Literacy course at Morella Community Centre at Parafield Gardens
• educational games to teach children about money and shopping at The Platform at Elizabeth
• financial wellbeing information, discussions and concessions checks at the Kilburn Community Centre Jobs Expo.

An additional $400,000 is being allocated for the Emergency Financial Assistance (EFA) service to be delivered across the state. The EFA is a free and confidential service, with the funding to help alleviate the cost of living pressures for people in financial crisis.

AnglicareSA Executive General Manager, Community Services, Nancy Penna, said the financial wellbeing workshops had been well received.

“Participants are telling us that they are learning a range of useful tips and tools that are helping them to better manage their money,” she said.

“Our financial counselling team is enjoying the opportunity to work with an early intervention and prevention approach, rather than having to work reactively and always providing a crisis response.”

By working with people early to improve their financial literacy skills, and provide tips on how to shop differently, what concessions are available to them, and how to help their children learn about managing money, it’s hoped it will aid them in avoiding financial crises in the future.

“Cost of living pressures are impacting us all and it is very difficult for so many people, but there are ways to ease some of that pressure,” Nancy said.

“These financial wellbeing workshops are proving to be a successful and easy way for people to learn new, life changing financial literacy skills.”

Human Services Minister Nat Cook said with so many households experiencing cost-of-living challenges it was critical to help people before situations reached crisis point.

She said a lot of households that had never had access to the service system were now finding that there isn’t enough money to keep meeting rising costs, even with good budgeting.

“Early help at the right time can support these households to stop sliding into future crisis that might ultimately mean they are at risk of having their power disconnected or not feeding their family,” the Minister said.

“This help can include things like food relief, assistance with bills and expenses, and information to support households and connecting them to other services and available concessions.

“While this help is available state-wide, we are partnering with AnglicareSA in northern Adelaide with an additional $1 million to connect people with support much earlier.

“One of the main ways we are doing this is by putting more available help into places people already go – such as community centres, libraries and children’s centres – and making that help available less formally.

“Providing services in these ways helps people feel more comfortable having a chat about the help they might need, and how we can work with them.”