As we understand this better overtime, we will continue to evolve the service delivery models to ensure they are providing the most effective support to people. Why have the services changed? There were two main factors that influenced the need for change from the old Financial Management Program. The first is the need to better integrate our services. Historically, the FMP was made up of a number of separate but complementary services, including Emergency Relief; Commonwealth Financial Counselling; Money Management Services; and Microfinance products. Because they each have their own history of how they came to be funded by DSS, they tended to operate independently from each other. The second is that clients’ are changing. We have heard from current service providers that the complexity of needs experienced by clients has increased markedly. From simple assistance with paying their rent or electricity bills, clients are now seeking assistance with more complex issues like gaining access to appropriate loans and dealing with organisations seeking to take advantage of them financially. To address complex client needs, evidence suggests that the more support that is linked together to provide a approach, the better the outcomes for clients and their “wraparound” families. There are many organisations that already provide Financial Counselling or Financial Capability alongside a suite of other services which allows them to assist people at different points in the continuum. For example, 17 DSS funded organisations across Australia are providing Emergency Relief as well as Financial Counselling or Financial Capability services. This allows these organisations to help support clients in crisis and then assist them to build capacity with the aim of preventing further need for crisis support. We understand that a size” fits all model does not work in such a geographically and “one economically diverse country as Australia. However there are enough similarities across the client groups to indicate the value in providing closely linked services. This includes working more closely with other Financial Wellbeing and Capability services and with other programs such as employment services and the finance sector to ensure clients’ needs are being fully met. There is also a need for service delivery to become more efficient to ensure the funding available is targeted to need.
As we understand this better overtime, we will continue to evolve the service delivery models to ensure they are providing the most effective support to people. Why have the services changed? There were two main factors that influenced the need for change from the old Financial Management Program. The first is the need to better integrate our services. Historically, the FMP was made up of a number of separate but complementary services, including Emergency Relief; Commonwealth Financial Counselling; Money Management Services; and Microfinance products. Because they each have their own history of how they came to be funded by DSS, they tended to operate independently from each other. The second is that clients’ are changing. We have heard from current service providers that the complexity of needs experienced by clients has increased markedly. From simple assistance with paying their rent or electricity bills, clients are now seeking assistance with more complex issues like gaining access to appropriate loans and dealing with organisations seeking to take advantage of them financially. To address complex client needs, evidence suggests that the more support that is linked together to provide a “wraparound” approach, the better the outcomes for clients and their families. There are many organisations that already provide Financial Counselling or Financial Capability alongside a suite of other services which allows them to assist people at different points in the continuum. For example, 17 DSS funded organisations across Australia are providing Emergency Relief as well as Financial Counselling or Financial Capability services. This allows these organisations to help support clients in crisis and then assist them to build capacity with the aim of preventing further need for crisis support. We understand that a “one size” fits all model does not work in such a geographically and economically diverse country as Australia. However there are enough similarities across the client groups to indicate the value in providing closely linked services. This includes working more closely with other Financial Wellbeing and Capability services and with other programs such as employment services and the finance sector to ensure clients’ needs are being fully met. There is also a need for service delivery to become more efficient to ensure the funding available is targeted to need.
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