Over many years ANGLICARE has been dedicated to helping people in crisis. In the past three years we estimate to have seen at least 18,000 people in our Emergency Relief centres alone! And the number continues to rise, particularly as we prepare for our busiest time in the year, just prior to Christmas.

Yet the people we see come to us with a range of problems underneath their immediate crisis. Their problems may be inability to pay rent, finding enough money just to put food on the table, the threat of mounting medical costs or loss of employment. Many of us would have read in our newspapers at the end of last year that the simple cost of feeding a family in Australia has risen by 40 percent in the last decade. According to one report, we are paying the fastest-rising food prices of any major developed nation!

In light of all these factors, while crisis relief is absolutely essential, we need to help people find ways to deal with the problems underneath their crises. What some of us may take for granted, such as writing a simple budget for the month, or knowing how to save money on our energy bills, is something that can be foreign to those who have never been taught these things.

By looking at some of the most common things that cause crises among the people we help, we have launched new programs which are a series of integrated activities that incorporate training, counselling, case management and financial advice to people who are either at risk of or actually in financial difficulty.

One aspect of these programs have been piloted in our Mount Druitt office since February this year. They are designed to help people with building the skills they need to get through life and in so doing, hopefully avoid financial crises. Some of the activities include:

• Courses in practical skills such as computing, hospitality  and nutritional cooking on a budget
  
• Seminars on parenting and financial management
   
• Outings to relevant services such as energy providers who provide information on being economical

Angela Jones and Hazel Crandles have been running this program since it started and are excited about some of the outcomes they are already seeing. Two particularly successful seminars have been ‘Drive your Dollar Further’ (tips on saving money and energy bills) and ‘When Things go Wrong’ (steps to take when difficulties loom).

Several courses have also been held on basic computer skills, car maintenance and ‘Fun with Cooking.’ Angela and Hazel see these courses are not only helpful for individuals, but are also building up the community in which they live. Hazel says, “We are seeing connections with local businesses who want to give back to the community and we are also seeing people developing valuable social networks with others. This is a very important part of helping people become healthy members of their community.”

Both Angela and Hazel are excited about future prospects for their program, with plans to expand the registered training courses on subjects such as horticulture and hospitality at very low entry costs to attendees. There are also plans to introduce ‘Christianity Explored’ studies for those who want to know more about the faith that motivates ANGLICARE in changing lives and building communities by care through Jesus Christ.

It is our hope that this program will be one very important way of unravelling the problems underneath the growing needs in our community.