There's a new face to The Mary Mackillop Today No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) in Cowra.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Emma Roberts is the Financial Inclusion Officer of the program having taken over the role from Debbie Butwell.
Mrs Roberts said she had been running the program for the last six months and it was important for it to continue on with another local.
"Debbie Butwell had been running the program since its inception in Cowra, so a lot of the community members know her," she said.
"I am a local girl, I've been here for over 30 years. I've grown up in the area and I think it's important for the program to have somebody local delivering it.
"I have worked in community services and I have a financial planning background. So when I saw the job advertised I thought that was a brilliant fit for me and a chance to give back in the community and use my knowledge and background to help people," she said.
The NILS program supports low income earners to access safe and affordable loans for essential items where they pay the loan back over 12 months with no interest and no fees or charges.
Mrs Roberts said it was important to for people to understand the program was for all low income earners, not just those receiving benefits.
"Mostly the need for our service comes out of the Centrelink recipient sector, they are struggling with the cost of living increasing and their pensions and benefits not keeping up with that," she said.
"But the good thing about the program is it's not just for them, it's for low income earners earning under $45,000 and single parents earning under $60,000.
"I don't do just my program, we are financial inclusion officers, if someone comes to me and I can see they are in financial trouble I refer them on to other community organisations available to them.
"The cost of living program provided by the state government has 80 benefits and guaranteed there's always something I can refer them onto. We are about providing more financial knowledge to our whole community," she said.
Mrs Roberts said a lot of the programs recipients were being taken advantage of by the rent to buy sector and buy now, pay later sectors.
"These sectors can be a huge detriment because if they miss a payment there is exorbitant fees and charges they incur.
"In the rent to buy scheme you'd pay more, but it was a reasonable amount. Now they can pay as much as five times the cost of the item over a three or five year period.
"Which seems to say they are being taken advantage of by that market.
"A TV that costs $800 they can end up paying $5000. They are told it will be $70 a fortnight, which they can afford, but they don't realize that $70 a fortnight over five years adds up to an awful lot of money," she said.
Mrs Roberts thanked the team at the Cowra Information and Neighbourhood Centre saying, "the team at CINC have been so welcoming and supportive towards me and my program and I am amazed at the wonderful things they do for our community".
"When I'm there only two days a week, having them there to field inquiries and hand out brochures is really helpful."
For more information on the NILS program please email Emma Roberts at emma.roberts@marymackilloptoday.org.au or call 6340 1100 or 0413 245 228.
READ MORE:
