Cost of living pressures are hitting many people right now, especially people living in community housing.

Around 70 tenants got some tips on all things money at one of four Money Matters sessions held in February and March.

The free sessions – in Taree, Broken Hill as well as Lake Macquarie and East Maitland in the NSW Hunter region – were designed to be a one-stop-shop for money matters.

The Lake Macquarie session was a drop-in mini financial expo. There were representatives from the Salvation Army’s Money Care program, the Energy and Water Ombudsman of NSW, Edgeworth Memorial Neighbourhood Centre, Second Bite, Wesley Mission Opportunity Pathways, Lake Macquarie City Council, Services Australia and Community First Bank on hand.

The organiser of that session, Newcastle Community Participation Officer Meaghan French, said the sessions are an example of how Home in Place supports tenants to maintain their tenancy and participate in their community. She said bringing a range of services together is helpful to tenants, rather than them having to seek each service out individually.

“Our tenant engagement activities are about giving people skills and information about other service providers who can support them too,” Meaghan said.

“In the Money Matters sessions it is about helping to build the financial capacity of our tenants,” she said.

The response was so positive that additional Money Matters sessions will be held later this year.

“These tenant engagement sessions are also an opportunity to bring tenants together so they can learn from and support one another – to build community,”

“We put on a free BBQ lunch so people could get to know each other over a feed.”

She said Home in Place has collaborative partnerships with many other agencies and non-government organisations.

“By working together we can more effectively make a difference to people’s lives.”

“Lake Macquarie City Council and Edgeworth Memorial Neighbourhood Centre were very supportive in providing a free space to hold the session and promoting it to others in the community.”

Home in Place is this year holding a series of sessions, in different formats across a range of themes, including NAIDOC Week, RU OK Day, Mens Health, Youth Week and Christmas. Meaghan also organised a learn to surf lesson and lunch attended by women tenants from Newcastle, the Central Coast, Lake Macquarie and the Lower Hunter to coincide with International Women’s Day.

“We want the topics and the events to be practical and relevant to our tenants needs.”