Djimi Barber, Financial Counsellor at Gamble Aware, Sydney
Video here.
Why did you become a financial counsellor?
I became a financial counsellor because I was working at a community level and I met one of the financial counsellors there. I got to know their work, assisted him on some cases and this community organisation worked with culturally and linguistically diverse community. Coming myself as a migrant, I recognised how difficult it is and challenging for migrants to understand the financial systems in Australia.
What’s the most rewarding part of your work?
I find a reward every day, especially when you assist clients navigate between the financial systems, especially when that system is foreign for them.
Can you share a specific moment for a client that reminded you why this work really matters?
I had a client who is a single parent and had a very sick child who needed his care and also, he was a gambler. He had a debt of about $100,000 to various creditors and he was very stressed that he wasn’t able to really focus on the gambling counselling as much. At the beginning he got a moratorium for a period of time and then after the moratoriums we were able to waive most of his debt.
Working with him all on his challenges to budget to be able to carry himself financially with his family, as a single parent, it was really, really rewarding.
What kinds of issues are you most commonly helping people with right now?
I’ve been helping clients with payday loans. In the region that I’ve service the income sometimes is not enough for them, especially because they’re gambling or gambling impacted clients. I find payday loans are very easy to access.
Is there anything you would like to add?
I feel that financial counsellors, in general, really get dismissed by every professional. So I’ve taken it onto my shoulders to actually educate our clinicians in my organisation and various other organisations what financial counsellors can do for gambling or impacted gambling clients and that has been very very rewarding.