Wales Co-operative Centre
Canolfan Cwdweithredol Cymru

North Wales Financial Inclusion Partnership Scoops National Awards

A creative DVD designed by residents of North Wales Housing Associations to help new tenants manage their money and ‘bite back’ at loan sharks has been honoured with two national awards. The DVD, which was produced as part of a campaign run by the North Wales Financial Inclusion Partnership, won the Service User Involvement Award at the 2011 Promoting Independence Awards. The Partnership has also scooped the top award at the ‘MoneyActionNet Awards’ 2011, an annual event which celebrates projects that help social housing tenants to improve their money management.

The Promoting Independence Awards (PIA's) 2011 is a joint event between Cymorth Cymru and Welsh Local Authorities. The aim of the event is to raise the profile of the Housing-related support, Homelessness and Supported living sector and to showcase and celebrate the amazing work that is being done within the sector to help some of the most vulnerable members of society.

The DVD, entitled ‘My Home: Making Every Penny Count’, followed the fortunes of two families, one of whom stays in credit by following the guidance within the ‘My Home’ booklet, whilst the other gets into difficulty when they ignore the advice and fall prey to a loan shark. The DVD was developed in response to feedback from residents who felt that it would help make financial literacy information more accessible to Housing Association tenants.  The initiative involved residents of different ages from the Housing Associations concerned, ranging from residents in their teen years up to the oldest participant who was eighty. The DVD was produced by NorthWales social enterprise TAPE.

 
The North Wales Financial Inclusion Partnership, who funded the project, is comprised of representatives from Housing Associations across North Wales, including Clwyd Alyn Housing Association, North Wales Housing Association, Cartrefi Conwy, Cymdeithas Tai Clwyd, Wales & West Housing Association and Cymdeithas Tai Eryri.

Anthea Hogg, Chair of the North Wales Financial Inclusion Partnership said: “These awards are a wonderful tribute to the hard work and commitment of the residents and officers who took part and shows what can be achieved by working together on such a creative project.”

The collaborative project was also supported by the Wales Co-operative Centre’s Financial Inclusion Champion, Rhian Hughes, who said: “The DVD was part of a package of information to help ensure that new housing association tenants have access to the basic financial services they are entitled to, and give them help to manage their day-to-day money, plan for the future, cope with financial pressure and deal with financial distress. In the long-term, this approach can help prevent tenants getting into arrears with their rent and ultimately becoming homeless.”

The Partnership works to assess the regional need for financial inclusion-related support services, provide information about financial services and management, ensure accessible and appropriate financial services are available and ultimately to have a positive impact on the individuals accessing financial services.

Rhian Hughes added: “By working together through the North Wales Financial Inclusion Partnership, local agencies have been able to do much more and provide a consistent approach to tackling financial exclusion.  We are absolutely delighted to be given the PIA Service User Involvement Award and the MoneyAction Net Award. Hopefully, it will encourage other agencies to take a partnership approach and to work collaboratively with their residents.”