Practitioner case studies

Money for Life is providing tutors, practitioners and support workers with the skills they need to talk confidently about money management, and to support their learners to stay out of debt and save for the future.

 

Justi took part in the pilot ‘Teach Others Financial Capability’ training programme at Tower Hamlets College in April 2011.

Justi Barbado Olmos, Tenancy Services Manager, Providence Row Housing Association

Justi looks after vulnerable individuals who are either homeless, or in danger of being made homeless, and who may have issues with alcohol or substance dependency. Her role is to help with the transition out of temporary housing into ‘second stage’ accommodation and financial independence.

She does this chiefly through staffing a weekly ‘surgery’ at hostels, where part of her role includes assessing whether individuals are receiving sufficient benefits and guiding them through the process of bill and rent payments and budgeting for food so that they avoid falling into arrears and the risk of eviction.

With money management a vital life skill for this group, Justi needs to have confidence in the training and advice she provides. She believes Money for Life provides an end-user focussed framework which enables her to accurately assess the needs of the individuals she works with on a step-by-step basis so that she can provide a tailored solution to their needs. She’s found the practical advice offered on budgeting in particular to be an invaluable resource in helping those she supports work out the money they have going out and the money they can keep aside.