welcome briefing for inner city at risk youth … · o inclusion of worley parsons, the natural gas...
TRANSCRIPT
WELCOME
Session 17B: Forms, Facts, Fun
for Financial Counsellors.
Introduction
Department for Child Protection
• Service Standards and Contracting Directorate
• Non-Government Policy and Funding Unit
• Individuals and Families at Risk Team
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Organisational Chart
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Portfolio
• Individuals and Families at Risk Portfolio
includes:
• Youth Counselling Services and Service for Young
People
• Financial Counselling Services
• Hardship Utilities Grants Scheme
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Staff Members Amie Swan
Acting Manager, Non-Government Policy and Funding
Individuals and Families at Risk
P: (08) 9222 2933 E: [email protected]
Julie Griffiths
Contract Manager
Youth Counselling Services
P: (08) 9222 2560 E: [email protected]
Tracey Glass
Contract Manager
Financial Counselling Services
P: (08) 9222 2619 E: [email protected]
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Staff Members Nathalie Raaber
Senior Contract and Grants Manager
P: (08) 9222 2900 E: [email protected]
Karen Gooden Melissa Dobson
Contract and Grants Officer Contract and Grants Officer
HUGS HUGS
P: (08) 9222 2739 P: (08) 9222 2657
E: [email protected] E: [email protected]
Marian Melder
Contract and Grants Officer
HUGS
P: (08) 9222 2772 E: [email protected]
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Youth Services
• The Department currently provides $5.7 million to 53
youth counselling services and services for young
people across the state.
• Youth counselling services provide short term
counselling and mediation services for at risk young
people and their families. These services work towards
resolving parent/adolescent conflict, providing early
intervention strategies to prevent risk escalating and
divert young people away from high risk situations that
may impact on their safety.
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Youth Services
• Services for young people work with at risk and
disadvantaged young people and their families to
provide centre based services, outreach and mobile
services as well as drop in centres.
• Theses services enable young people to connect with
appropriate support, family members, peers and their
communities.
• Services work to build on young people’s skills and
abilities to enhance their strengths and further
develop resilience.
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Financial Counselling Services
• The Department currently provides $8.3 million
to 47 financial counselling services across the
state, including the Financial Counsellors’
Association of Western Australia.
• Financial counselling services assist individuals
and families experiencing financial crisis to
address their financial situation through the
provision of counselling, advocacy, referral and
the Hardship Utilities Grants Scheme (HUGS).
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Hardship Utilities Grants Scheme
The Hardship Utilities Grants Scheme (HUGS)
was established in August 2008 to assist eligible
people in utility hardship to pay their electricity,
water and gas bills and maintain connection to
essential services and to avoid eviction.
• In the 2012-13 financial year, an allocation of
$11.7 million was made to continue the HUGS
providing financial assistance to people in
financial hardship in Western Australia.
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Hardship Utilities Grants Scheme
• Since commencement through to the end of
August 2012 the HUGS has provided 43,283
grants at a total value of $15.4 million to
vulnerable families, individuals and communities
in utility hardship.
The number of grants provided has increased
each year since inception.
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Hardship Utilities Grants Scheme
Year Number of Successful
Applications
Value of Successful
Applications
August 2008 – June 2009 2,687 $864,482
July 2009 – June 2010 6,701 $2,268,306
July 2010 – June 2011 12,400 $4,629,188
July 2011 – June 2012 18,379 $6,546,140
August 2012 – September 2012 3,116 $1,077,223
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Hardship Utilities Grants Scheme
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Applicants living south of S26
(geographical area south of Carnarvon)
August 2008 July 2009 April 2010 July 2010
July
2011
September
2012
Normal grant $300 $380 $408 $450 $475 $495
Additional grant $225 $225
Exceptional circumstances $500 $635 $680 $750 $790
$790
• HUGS grant amounts are reviewed annually.
• Below is a table of the increases that have been
applied since inception of the HUGS for applicants
living south of S26 – geographical area south of
Carnarvon.
Hardship Utilities Grants Scheme
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• Below is a table of the increases that have been
applied since inception of the HUGS for applicants
living north of S26 – geographical area south of
Carnarvon. Applicants living north of S26
(geographical area north of Carnarvon)
August 2008 July 2009 April 2010 July 2010
July
2011
September
2012
Normal grant $500 $635 $680 $750 $790
$820
Additional grant $375
$375
Exceptional circumstances $800 $1,015 $1,090 $1,120 $1,180
$1,180
Hardship Utilities Grants Scheme
• A number of enhancements to HUGS have been
implemented, including:
o The second entry point allowing families and
individuals experiencing utility hardship to apply for a
normal HUGS grant directly through the utilities.
o Inclusion of an additional grant within a 12 month
period for applicants who have demonstrated a
genuine commitment to fully engage with a financial
counselling service.
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Hardship Utilities Grants Scheme
o Inclusion of Worley Parsons, the natural gas retailer
in Esperance, to the HUGS in December 2011.
o The HUGS brochures and posters have been
updated and distributed, including a HUGS for
Seniors brochure.
o The HUGS guidelines are currently being refined to
provide a more efficient and equitable system of
distributing grants.
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HUGS Online System
o A new online HUGS system has been explored to
improve the timeliness and efficiency in processing
applications for the financial counsellors, utilities and
the Department (in the role of administering and
quality assuring grant applications).
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HUGS Online System
Key points regarding the new online HUGS system:
• Data validation and form features will mean the form
will be easier to fill out and reduce errors in the data.
• Drop down lists and auto population of information.
• The success window should give added confidence
after submission and will allow a quick check of the
application and an ability to print.
• Applications can be edited until processing
commences by HUGS staff at the Department.
• Emails and information regarding the status of an
application will be more meaningful.
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