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Community outreach
Forums: informing the
community through partnership
Our community outreach program continues to be an
important means of:
- informing consumers about issues to prevent problems
and complaints
- empowering consumers to discuss and resolve problems directly with their provider
- promoting our services to consumers so they know where to
go if other attempts to resolve utility issues are not successful.
The value of community utility assistance forums
We held our first forum in June 2004 in Newcastle and over the last two years we have also had forums in Gosford, Parramatta, Queanbeyan, Wollongong, Broken Hill and Penrith. Every forum has brought together the key local stakeholders in each area – local community and welfare organisations, local energy and water providers, Government, regulators and EWON – to discuss help for low-income and disadvantaged utility consumers.
The forums put people in direct contact with their local
suppliers. Community workers and advocates are then able
to contact appropriate people at each company if their clients need assistance.
One measure of the success of our forums is a stabilisation
in the number of complaint enquiries over recent years.
This indicates that advocates and customers are successfully dealing with the providers directly, without having to contact EWON for assistance.
This year we held two joint forums which brought together the
key services that provide utility assistance and relief to NSW consumers in financial hardship. The benefit of these forums is summed up by feedback from two community workers:
“The initiative to commence these forums
is much appreciated and congratulations to those concerned. This information will flow through community welfare organisations
and reach many people in need of assistance. ”
“ This makes my job… so much easier. ”
Anti-Poverty Week forum in Broken Hill
As part of Anti-Poverty Week EWON hosted a utilities assistance forum in Broken Hill with Lifeline Counselling Service. The forum, Utilities assistance – helping consumers make ends meet brought, together local community services and welfare workers to hear from agencies that assist people struggling to pay their utility bills – electricity, gas, telephone and water.
Speakers provided information on:
- Centrelink services
- Country Energy’s Country Support program
- Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA)
- EWON’s dispute resolution services
- Lifeline financial counselling services
- Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s
dispute resolution services
- Telstra’s ‘Access for everyone’ package
Affordability and Sustainability forum
Our Affordability and Sustainability forum was held in Penrith in May 2006. It outlined the range of help available for energy and water customers: financial assistance and support
programs as well as energy and water efficiency auditing and education programs.
The forum also featured information on NILS (No Interest Loan Scheme) – a program that helps low income customers to purchase more energy or water efficient white goods and appliances. This joint forum brought together energy and water providers, NCOSS (Council of Social Service NSW), NILS and the Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability. The forum was well attended by frontline community workers in Western Sydney and lower Blue Mountains areas.
Working with CALD communities
To respond to the needs of CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) customers, we have broadened our use of non-mainstream, culturally specific media channels.
This year we extended radio promotion of our services to include the Amharic, Khmer, Dari, Somali, Persian, Lao and Nepalese languages. Our aim was to introduce EWON to new and emerging communities, in particular groups with refugee or humanitarian entrants who may have limited exposure to complaint agencies.
Working with Indigenous communities
EWON maintained its presence at significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander events such as NAIDOC and Yabun festivals. Our Indigenous officer also attended Aboriginal interagency and community working party meetings in Western Sydney and the Illawarra, and visited rural agencies in the Broken Hill, Wilcannia, Dareton, Menindee and Riverina areas.
Good Service forums
This year EWON took part in establishing the Good Service Committee, along with Indigenous staff from the Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW, NSW Ombudsman, the Office of Fair Trading and Legal Aid. The network was set up on the basis that by working together, agencies could effectively engage and inform local Indigenous communities.
The first Good Service forum was held in Mount Druitt in September 2005, and since then the group has delivered community information days in Newcastle and Nowra.
Working with tenancy groups
and advocates
As part of our approach to keeping essential services within reach of everyone, we participate in forums which support low-income tenants living in private and public housing, and we work closely with tenant support services. We participated in various ways, such as the:
- Residential Tenancies Conference
- NSW Social Housing Tenants Conference
- Cumberland Community Housing Association AGM
- South Eastern NSW Regional Tenancy Resource Conference, Shoalhaven
- Shelter NSW conference
Focus on vulnerable sectors of the community
This year we focussed our outreach program on sectors of the community whose voice is not often heard. In particular we worked with people who come into contact with the criminal justice system, their families, and the advocates who support them.
We also began an information campaign to introduce our services to soon-to-be or new account holders, young people aged 16 to 25 years.
Prison related issues raised by customers
The following cases indicate the type of ‘prison related’ issues raised with EWON. In all these cases, EWON was able to negotiate a resolution for the customers including reconnection and reasonable payment plans, and where relevant referral to other agencies that could provide assistance.
Terry’s story: Terry was told by his local provider that he could not open a new electricity account because of an unpaid debt. The company said he owed $500 but Terry believed his bill should be less as the billing period included time when he was in prison. He thought squatters may have been using the power while he was in prison.
Tan’s story: Tan owed $500 on his electricity bill. He rang his energy provider from a remand prison to ask for more time to pay. The company wouldn’t give him an extension and said if he didn’t pay the whole amount within 45 days, the debt would be referred to a collection agency. Tan was concerned because he didn’t know how long he would be in prison before his hearing and he didn’t have any money because of his legal fees. Tan said he had always paid his bills on time, owned a house and didn’t want a bad debt listing.
Mark’s story: Mark rang EWON because his gas company threatened to disconnect his supply. He told EWON he had received a high bill and had rung the provider a few times to query this, but was told his consumption was normal. He wasn’t happy with this response as the billing period included time when he was in prison and the property was vacant. He said he was on a disability pension and living in public housing, and he had already paid $180 towards the bill.
Lana’s story: Lana was due to start home detention and received a disconnection notice from her electricity company. Lana lives on a homestead with her four children and relies on a supporting parent pension for income, as her ex-partner is in prison. She also looks after the house next door which is only used once a month by her visiting grandmother who lives in a nursing home. Lana had established a Centrepay arrangement of $20 per fortnight, but was told by her provider that this would only cover her consumption but not the arrears owing on her account. She offered to increase payments to $50 per fortnight but they rejected this and told her she would need to pay all of the $720 owing on both accounts.
Shona’s story: Shona’s electricity was disconnected for arrears of $1100. Shona, an Aboriginal woman who lives with her twelve children, wasn’t comfortable talking on the phone so she asked her friend Tracy to act on her behalf. Tracy explained Shona had taken over the house when her partner was imprisoned, and she was struggling to pay her bills with limited income. Shona was agreeable about going on a payment plan to pay off the debt, but the company wanted her to pay $180 per fortnight and she could not afford this.
Josh’s story: Josh was in prison for 10 months and when he returned to his property he found his electricity and water disconnected. He asked a community agency for help and they referred him to EWON. It appeared that squatters had been in the property during his absence. The providers told Josh he was liable for the bills because the accounts were in his name, but he couldn’t afford to pay up front. Josh was happy to follow up community welfare agencies for assistance, but needed help to have his electricity and water reconnected.
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People who come into contact
with the criminal justice system
Almost by definition, people who are in prison, or who have recently been released, have a number of problems which impact on them and their families. Over the years EWON has been contacted by a number of people with credit and billing problems including difficulty in payment, disconnection and liability for accounts. Often, these problems are the direct consequence
of imprisonment.
Analysis of cases over the past few years showed that a large proportion of those who have come into contact with prisons are usually on a low, fixed income (often a pension or benefit).
A number are also from a non-English speaking background and
a number identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
Based on our casework experience we planned an information program, targeting the NSW Department of Corrective Services and correctional centres. We consulted with the Department and prison groups to map out the best approach to this outreach work. Through our consultation we found that there was a great need to promote customer assistance programs provided by utilities and the dispute resolution services offered by EWON. Our aim was to reduce utility problems for people on their release from prison, and thereby the need for people to seek assistance from EWON.
Working with the NSW Department of Corrective Services
Since beginning the project in August 2005, we have worked closely with the Throughcare team at the Department of Corrective Services. The Department runs various training days for welfare officers from around the state and we have been invited to be involved in this program on a continuing basis.
We have conducted a number of information sessions for prison welfare officers through visits to St Heliers, John Maroney and Emu Plains correctional centres, as well as the Justice Health and Aboriginal Support and Planning Units based at Long Bay Correctional Complex.
Many prisons run pre release programs, and we have taken part in information workshops for inmates who are about to be released. This has provided a key opportunity for us to provide information to inmates, and to hear first-hand of the circumstances that contribute to utility problems.
We have participated in the pre release programs at Lithgow, Emu Plains, Silverwater, John Maroney and Parklea correctional centres. We have also liaised with Probation and Parole community services offices in the Mount Druitt, Blacktown and Newcastle areas.
Common problems, common goals
Many inmates we have spoken to raise common concerns about sorting out old utility debts, and the desire to manage their accounts and stay on top of their bills on release.
So far our project has seen us facilitate contact with energy providers to resolve a number of cases so that when released, inmates have the opportunity to start afresh with a payment plan
in place or Centrepay established to help manage their bills.
EWON and Boom Gate Gallery
At the same time our community outreach team worked with Department of Corrective Services we discovered the work
of Boom Gate Gallery at Long Bay Correctional Complex.
The Gallery runs an art program for inmates, and their work
is on public sale through the gallery.
Both the art program and EWON’s prison outreach program aim to assist prisoners and their families to reduce future problems. The Boom Gate art we bought for our office reflects our social purpose and is also an interesting and creative addition to our office.
Introducing our services to young people
The broad objective of this project was to increase awareness of EWON among young people aged 16 to 25 years. As with other projects, we began by analysing all complaints received to find out what energy and water issues affect young people.
Our casework showed that some young people who are living independently for the first time and often in share house situations, can struggle to stay on top of bills. Moreover, they are often not aware of their responsibilities in relation to opening, closing and managing utility accounts.
We contacted and distributed our resources to youth workers across the state and presented to youth worker interagency groups in Sydney. We collaborated with the NSW Ombudsman to host stalls at Sydney University and the University of NSW and participated in youth week activities in Western Sydney.
‘Speak up!’ campaign
To complement our focus on youth outreach, we coordinated a joint project on behalf of ANZOA (Australian and New Zealand Ombudsman Association) members. In total, eleven key dispute resolution agencies were involved covering such areas as energy and water, telecommunications, banking, government services, police and insurance.
The aim of the project was to inform young people about their right to complain and introduce them to the concept of an ombudsman. The result was ‘Speak up!’, a postcard distributed through free postcard racks across Australia. To date more than 70,000 postcards have been circulated.
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