The South Australian Financial Counsellors Association is the professional association for Financial Counsellors in South Australia. They provide resources and support to financial counsellors. Financial Counsellors assist South Australians in financial difficulty by providing information, support and advocacy, and work within the community sector. Services offered by the South Australian Financial Counsellors Association are free, independent and confidential.
SAFCA is a professional organisation that promotes excellence in the delivery of client services by providing advocacy and support to the financial counselling sector.
Their vision is to provide key leadership in advancing the financial counselling sector to alleviate poverty in South Australia.
SAFCA works with financial counsellors in a number of ways. As the peak body representing financial counsellors, SAFCA advocate for the continued funding and expansion of the sector to meet community need. SAFCA are also the primary support and development body focused on professionalizing and resourcing the sector.
SAFCA do this is a number of ways, including:
- Providing professional development training;
- The co-ordination and delivery of a bi- annual statewide conference focusing on issues relevant to FCs and their clients;
- Representing the sector to industry and government; and
- Assisting financial counsellors to meet the ongoing requirements which allow agencies who employ them to hold an ASIC Exemption.
SAFCA works with government (both state and federal), the banking, utilities, debt collection and other industries, and with many other sectors and organisations that impact upon those who do it tougher than most.
SAFCA meet regularly with industry and government to communicate issues of concern for financial counsellors and their clients.
Through their relationship with other state bodies and the national peak, Financial Counselling Australia, they are often able to resolve issues and reach consensus on how hardship provisions and communication with the sector should occur.