Diversitat Financial Counselling is a free service available to all residents in Geelong and surrounding areas.
Diversitat Financial Counsellors are not lawyers, but are qualified and trained to provide information and options with regard to your financial situation.
Assistance and information is available over the phone, and in some cases we will see you face to face. Priority is given to situations where people are vulnerable or disadvantaged.
Financial Counselling is a free service which is funded by a combination of Government funding. Funding is received from Consumer Affairs (Victoria), and the Department of Social Services (Commonwealth). As a result, the service we offer is free from any conflict of interest.
Diversitat Financial Counsellors assist with the following issues:
- Debts
- Bills that can’t be paid
- Constant calls from creditors about debts
- Changes to household income and how to manage the change
- Centrelink entitlements
- A range of other financial issues to do with income, expenditure and debts
Where we cannot assist, we can provide you with information and referral to other services who may be able to assist.
Assistance is provided in the following ways:
- Identify what you can / can’t do if you are having trouble paying debts, fines or bills
- Work out payment plans with people you may owe money to
- Prepare personal budgets
- Provide information about eligibility for other government financial support programs
- Outline your Rights and Obligations in relation to debts, according to the relevant laws
- Assess the range of options you may have in relation to your financial position
- In some cases, negotiate on your behalf with other parties about your financial situation
- Provide information about bankruptcy
Financial Counsellors cannot do the following:
- Cannot pay your bills
- Cannot make decisions for you
- Cannot offer financial or investment advice
- Cannot take over or manage your money for you
- Cannot do your tax return
Contact Us
You can speak to a Financial Counsellor by calling between 9 am and 12.30 pm each weekday, on (03) 5221 6044. We endeavor to ensure that if we can’t take the call when you phone, we will call you back within 24 hours.
