Great Southern Bank donates $100,000 to specialist Financial Counselling service
Great Southern Bank has just announced an extension of its support to helping people experiencing family violence by funding a specialist Financial Counsellor at Micah Projects Brisbane Domestic Violence Service.
This is the latest step for Australia’s largest customer-owned bank in helping support people experiencing financial abuse through its Financial Inclusion Action Plan (FIAP). This year Great Southern Bank has set aside more than $200,000 to support people experiencing Family Violence.
Great Southern Bank has also this year funded a series of ground-breaking films by Melbourne-based WIRE to help people understand the best ways of having conversations about money to prevent financial abuse, and has been a supporter of Brisbane-based Micah Projects for five years.
“We’ve learnt so much about the issue of family violence and more specifically financial abuse through our relationship with Micah Projects,” says Great Southern Bank Chief Customer Officer Megan Keleher. “Family violence is something we all have a role in addressing, and at Great Southern Bank we are committed to learning so we can support our customers better.”
The funding of even one financial counsellor can make a marked difference to peoples’ lives. In the last 6 months alone, Micah Project’s Financial Counsellor has helped her clients address almost a quarter of a million dollars of debt allowing them to rebuild their lives.
“One of the main reasons people give for returning to abusive situations at home, or for not leaving in the first place is concern about finances and lack of knowledge about the support out there,” says Micah Projects CEO Karyn Walsh. “It’s been a pleasure to work with Great Southern Bank to help people get the tools they need to get out, and stay out, of unsafe home environments.”
Great Southern Bank has grown and changed substantially over its 75-year history, including its recent name change from CUA, but one of the important things that has not changed is an unwavering commitment to supporting the financial aspirations of our customers through all life stages.
“Our founders created what is now Great Southern Bank back in 1946 to help the financially excluded and we see that now, more than ever, there are pressing issues where people need help,” says Ms Keleher. “Whether it’s providing support to address family violence, housing affordability, or digital exclusion, Great Southern Bank will play its role.”
Media contact:
Michael O’Toole
Manager, External Communications
Mobile: 0428 051 754
Email: michael.otoole@gsb.com.au.