WoodGreen Community Services teaches money management to women
Toronto-based WoodGreen Community Services works to enhance self-sufficiency, promote well-being and reduce poverty through innovative program and services. Among its many initiatives is a "Money Management" course, offered as part of the Boundless Possibilities for Women Program, a 16-week job-training and college-preparation course for women, many of whom have experienced violence. The Program, and its Money Management course, have made a real difference in the lives of many women and one of them agreed to share her experience for this article.
Leila Abbas (fictitious name) arrived in Canada in 2003 with her husband and three children to begin a new life. But Leila's husband became increasingly abusive, and she was forced to flee to a shelter with her children. She had to begin rebuilding her life as a single parent, and found herself in charge of the family finances - something that was completely new to her.
For years, Leila had been forbidden to handle any household money - not even to buy food and clothing for her kids. Now, Leila was overwhelmed at the prospect of managing her finances alone. She turned to WoodGreen Community Services and found the critical social services she needed. Among others, she enrolled in the Money Management course where she learned about everything from credit reports to tax returns, and also began to understand how to address her student loan debt.
Leila was very afraid to speak up in public. She recalls, "so many times in class, everybody was talking but my mouth wouldn't let me speak. I remember when Elaine [the teacher] talked about loans and I had so many questions I wanted to ask, but my mouth wouldn't." As the course progressed, Leila gained financial knowledge and also increased her self-confidence. She was particularly nervous about dealing with debt collectors, but after learning about the collections system she gained perspective. "Before, I had a fear of my creditors, now I can tell them my situation and I'm not so afraid," she says. Leila says she is deeply grateful to WoodGreen Community Services for offering this class, noting how much she learned and how it helps her be optimistic about the future.
"I learned that I can have RESPs for my kids even when I'm on social assistance. I also learned about TFSAs. I want to manage my debt, I want to get my place, settle down, and then I'll need to make a budget, and WoodGreen taught us how in the Money Management class."