Danielle Can See a Clear Future Thanks to Better Off Finance

Worrying about debts piling up and having just had her benefits sanctioned, Danielle was told about the Better Off Finance Programme in Halton Citizens Advice and decided it was time she took control of her finances and gave it a go.

Recently, we spoke about how debt can have detrimental effect on a person’s mental health and how it can make a person’s behaviour to change dramatically during the period of poor health. Feeling vulnerable due to mental health, Danielle felt she was unable to engage with the working programmes she had been sent on by the Job Centre leaving her to live on just £277 per month and was struggling to make ends meet.  

Being able to sit down one to one and engage with a Better Off Finance key worker meant that Danielle was able to figure out ways to increase her income and take the appropriate actions that saw her sanctions removed which has left her with a much better outlook on life:

“My mental health and relationship with my 12-year-old son has improved since going through the programme due to having more money coming into the family”

Completing the programme full of confidence, she now engages with work programmes to help her into employment and recently completed an employability course with Riverside.

“I really liked the one to one support and being able to have direct contact with my key worker, Gill. It’s really helped my confidence and I was so glad to get help with my sanction”

Struggling with poor mental health for many years, Danielle found it hard to manage her finances and is now able to breathe easier with an increased income and has more knowledge about her universal credit claims online.

“I have so much more confidence than before! I would definitely recommend it as I can now see a future for me and my son. I really want to get into work, and now I can start to think about it as I’m starting to manage my debts.”

Thanks to Danielle for sharing her story, we're excited about what your future holds. 

About us:

Better Off Finance is offering residents of the Liverpool City Region who are currently unemployed (although don't have to be claiming benefits), a bespoke programme of support. 

This support will be provided at a local community venue or at home if a participant prefers.

Each participant will be linked up with their own key worker who will support them to:

Improve their financial capability through 1-2-1 support and group work

• Access employability sessions within the programme
• Access a Level 2 Accredited ‘Money Mentor’ opportunity
• Progress into training and education opportunities
• Prepare and progress into sustainable employment.

Please contact us via our Facebook or Twitter pages to make a referral or for further information.

Better Off Finance is a program jointly funded by The Big Lottery Fund and European Social Fund as part of the Building Better Opportunities Initiative

My Turn is Back with New Dates Available

Early in the year we introduced you to our new course ‘My Turn’. The 2-day personal development journey that is helping residents in the Liverpool City Region say hello to their confidence and help them knock down those barriers to change and now were happy to announce that we’re back!

We’ve just released new dates in various locations around the Liverpool City Region, we have a location that will be available for you!

📍 Citizens Advice Wirral - 3rd & 19th December 2018

    237-243 Liscard Rd, Wallasey CH44 5TH

📍 Citizens Advice St Helens - 14th & 18th December 2018
    Millennium Centre, Corporation St, Saint Helens WA10 1HJ

📍 Citizens Advice Wavertree - 30th November & 5th December 2018
    242 Picton Rd, Liverpool L15 4LP

📍 Citizens Advice Garston - 20th & 27th November 2018
    2 Speke Rd, Garston, Liverpool L19 2PA

📍 Citizens Advice Sefton - 4th & 5th December 2018
    297 Knowsley Rd, Bootle L20 5DF

📍 Citizens Advice Halton - 15th & 22nd November 2018
    Grosvenor House, Halton Lea, Runcorn WA7 2HF

📍 Citizens Advice Knowsley - 5th & 12th December 2018
    Kirkby Job Centre Plus, St. Chads House, L32 8RW

If you’re new to ‘My Turn’ let me tell you what it’s all about. Across 2 sessions, the course will have you looking at various factors in your life that will give you the best boost for the future. You will receive support to:

✅ Build your confidence

✅ Overcome your barriers

✅ Build Your Skills and Qualities

✅ Drive your assertiveness

Each session will focus on the different steps to take for a positive future:

Day 1 – Think, Believe and Achieve will look at strategies that you can use to help you become more confident and assertive

Day 2 – Positive Next Steps will help you to identify barriers hindering your goals and give you the tools to help with future employment searches.

We recently went behind the scenes with our trainer Victoria, to get an insiders peek on the sessions, you can take a look here!

And that’s not all! By attending the programme, you could get access to a specialist key worker who can help with taking your goals even further. Key workers are specialists in financial capability, helping people understand more about their finances and personal needs.

You will also get the opportunity attend accredited training through our Money Mentor programme. The programme offers guidance and training to go out and help others with financial advice and support.

Dates are available in various locations around the Liverpool City Region (Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, Wirral, Halton, St Helens). This programme is open to men and women who are currently out of work. 

To book onto the programme or for more information call us on 0151 706 8111 or email us hello@thewo.org.uk

About us: 

Better Off Finance is offering residents of the Liverpool City Region who are currently unemployed (although don't have to be claiming benefits), a bespoke programme of support. This support will be provided at a local community venue or at home if a participant prefers.

Each participant will be linked up with their own key worker who will support them to:

• Improve their financial capability through 1-2-1 support and group work
• Access employability sessions within the programme
• Access a Level 2 Accredited ‘Money Mentor’ opportunity
• Progress into training and education opportunities
• Prepare and progress into sustainable employment.

Better Off Finance is a program jointly funded by The Big Lottery Fund and European Social Fund as part of the Building Better Opportunities Initiative