In response to huge demand, South East Community Links is again bringing its successful "Bring Your Bills" event to Springvale to provide free, practical financial support to an expected 400+ residents facing financial pressures.
After reaching 2,000 people in its first two years, 'Bring Your Bills' will continue during 2025 providing an opportunity for community members to receive confidential and compassionate advice on bills, loans, mortgages, tenancy issues, fines, and consumer rights from trusted experts. Interpreters and bi-lingual workers are on site covering Dari, Mandarin, Burmese, Pashto and Persian languages.
Partner organisations include City of Greater Dandenong, Victorian State Government, Consumer Affairs Victoria, Australian Government Services Australia, Peninsula Community Legal Centre, Energy and Water Ombudsman, Victorian Public Tenants Association, Australian Financial Complaints Authority, major banks (ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, NAB, Westpac), energy companies (AGL, Origin, Lumo, Energy, Red Energy), Recoveries Corp, Sheriff's Office Victoria, South East Water, Telco companies (Optus, Telstra), and Windermere Child and Family Services.
With over 30 years' experience delivering financial counselling services, South East Community Links is the largest provider to multicultural communities, specialising in culturally inclusive and accessible services, as evidenced by the highest use of interpreter services. Over the past five years, it has supported nearly 3,500 clients through almost 60,000 sessions, resolving debts valued at $44 million.
In 2024 alone, South East Community Links resolved $12.6 million in debt, assisting 500 people, including 56% from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, 7% First Nations people, and 31% women experiencing family violence. Its innovative 'Bring Your Bills' events and weekly Utility Bills Clinics continue to be critical in helping community members overcome financial challenges.
Peter McNamara, CEO of South East Community Links, commented, “Our 'Bring Your Bills' initiative responds directly to the acute financial pressures in our communities. We're dedicated to creating a supportive space for community members to find practical solutions and build confidence in managing financial stress.”
EVENT DETAILS:
Date: Tuesday 18 March 2025
Time: 10:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Springvale City Hall, 18 Grace Park Avenue, Springvale
Media opportunities include interviews with South East Community Links CEO, Peter McNamara, and Head of Financial Wellbeing, Rachna Madaan Bowman, along with other financial experts, and community attendees (with permission), as well as photo and video coverage of the event.
Key Facts:
Key facts:
*400+ community members expected to attend 'Bring Your Bills' in Springvale.
*Around 2,000 have attended these events since they were established in 2023. Surveys found 95% of people were more confident about getting help through these services and 86% now trust these services to help them in the future.
*South East Community Links' Cost of Living Survey was conducted in 2023 to better understand the increasing demand for services. Findings included: 70% of respondents said it was hard to afford food, 41% went without meals, 45% took out short-term loans and 65% wanted more help from businesses.
About us:
About South East Community Links
South East Community Links is a leading community services organisation serving one of Australia’s most diverse and multicultural regions for more than 50 years. We promote social and financial inclusion for all with the belief that every person counts and every system should be fair. We are the largest provider of financial counselling to multicultural communities in Victoria. More information www.secl.org.au
Contact details:
Renee Hancock
Mobile: 0417 055 299
Email: rhancock@secl.org.au
