Cape York Family Income Management (FIM)
The Cape York Family Income Management (FIM) project has been operating in three communities - Aurukun, Coen and Mossman Gorge in Cape York, Northern Queensland, since 2002. Negotiations to establish FIM in two more Cape York communities have since occurred.
The project has focused on improving living standards and family functioning by helping Indigenous families to budget and save.
The FIM project was designed by Indigenous people to help build financial literacy and implement budgets, stabilise family functioning, improve living standards and reduce household and individual debt in a culturally sensitive and practical way.
The project is run by local people in each location and overseen by a working group comprising representatives from each community, Australian Government agencies, Westpac and Cape York Partnerships. Westpac employees work alongside local financial management workers for one month every quarter.
Local facilitators and resource workers in each site assist families and individuals to negotiate budget and savings agreements, set up direct deductions from accounts and provide bill-paying and purchasing assistance.
Outcomes include debt reduction and debt management, better coverage of essential living costs, increased spending on food and reduced spending on alcohol and gambling, better access to medication, reduction in stress and conflict, and the ability to purchase whitegoods, furniture, TVs, videos and other household items.
Some participants have also purchased cars and boats, and set up small businesses. Arrangements with local stores, schools and pharmacies facilitate payment for food, education costs and medications.
FIM provides employment and skills development opportunities for local people and contributes to building local consumer capacity which helps the viability of local small enterprises.
Together with other strategies, FIM is contributing to building a more stable and peaceful environment for individuals and families leading to a general change in orientation from daily survival to long term planning.