With Talk Money Week launching today, Cobalt Housing has been getting involved to increase tenant awareness around the important of speaking up about their financial situation.
The campaign, run by the Money and Pensions Advice Service from 9-13 November, encourages people to open up about their financial situation and get to know their money better.
It signposts the support available to tenants and communities and highlights small changes people can make to help them maximise their income, as well as challenging the stigma around money by encouraging conversation and discussion.
The campaign week will see each day focusing on a different topic, from speaking to children about money and support for families on low incomes, through to the savings made by downsizing and the thousands of pounds in benefits going unclaimed by tenants.
Partnering with local food pantries, food banks, community groups, employment and training organisations, a local school, and the Money and Pensions Advice, Cobalt will be reaching out to people through a printed and digital campaign, with the aim of getting them to talk about their money and to get in touch to ask for support.
The Talk Money campaign says people who do talk money are statistically proven to make better and less risky financial decisions, have stronger personal relationships, help their children form good lifetime money habits, and feel less stressed or anxious and more in control.
Positive Footprints
As part of the campaign, Cobalt has worked with Positive Footprints to develop a new workshop aimed at teaching school-age children the importance of good money management, understanding money, and raising aspirations.
All children in Y6 at Monksdown Primary School, Norris Green, will be taking part, with the aim of rolling out to all schools in Cobalt’s neighbourhoods within the next year.
Jacquie Price, headteacher at Monksdown Primary School, said: “Now more than ever our children need to understand how financial management or mismanagement can affect people’s lives.
“We want them to understand the dangers of borrowing money from the wrong places and the joy of finally having enough money to pay for that one thing that they have been saving for.”
Josh Cliff, Partnerships and Programmes manager at Positive Footprints, said: “Building financial confidence, wellbeing, and a sense of resilience to face whatever the future throws at us is more important than ever before.
“Through our partnership with Positive Footprints and local primary schools, Cobalt are supporting children and young people in our Neighbourhoods to develop the confidence and skills to talk openly about money in a fun and interactive way.”
Pete Morris, Welfare Debt Advice officer at Cobalt Housing, said: “Our foremost priority is the removal of poverty and hunger within our community.
“We have a strong sense of duty to our tenants and work together with them to improve lives and ease the financial burden they may face.
“We can advise tenants about managing rent payments, energy bills, food bills and finances in general and can help with accessing information, applying for grants and making claims for welfare benefits.
“Just knowing what benefits you can claim or what help you can access could be the difference between you going without food, heating, or paying a bill.
“The positive effects of financial inclusion are far reaching and not only help to ease your financial struggles but have a positive effect on your wellbeing. We are here to help, it’s good to talk about money.”
Cobalt says the launch of the Talk Money campaign will see a “huge” social media competition take place, with over £1,000 in prizes donated by Cobalt contractors and suppliers – including Liberty Group, JC Construction, PH Jones, Trade Point, and Crown Paints – to give away in time for Christmas.
The competition will ask local residents to share their money saving tips and encourage people to get talking about money.
Cobalt Housing is a registered housing association based in North Liverpool, managing and maintaing around 6,000 affordable homes in the Fazakerley, Croxteth, and Norris Green.
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