Our Story
Small Village is a boutique small business specialising in supporting and advocating for those in financial stress. We have a background in both financial advocacy and mental health support, and our aim is to provide the mental health and well-being support when needed,
along with financial advocacy and debt management services to help you get back where you want to be. Most importantly, we’re here to help, not to judge.
Where we came from
Small Village began back in 2010, originally known as Community Financial Assistance. Primarily, we were a financial advocacy/debt counselling service, helping people who were struggling with debt, and occasionally offering access to mental health services where required. By 2019, we began to recognise an intrinsic link between mental health issues and financial stress, and saw that we had an opportunity to do more.
Today, Small Village provides both mental health services, as well as helping people escape from the pressures of debt.
We’re all about you
Our services are not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to managing financial difficulty/debt relief. Rather, your own personal circumstances play a key role in determining how we can help, and the best way to move forward. There’s also no set ratio of the support we provide for mental health vs financial difficulty. Everybody is different, so while one person may need more financial help, another may need only a small amount of financial advocacy but more support for their mental health.
Our experienced and dedicated team is all about you. We listen, and we work to understand the circumstances that have led to you seeking help before jumping to a solution. You’re an individual, and at Small Village, that’s how you’ll be treated.
Support to break the cycle of mental health and financial difficulties
We understand clearly that mental health issues and financial problems often go hand in hand. People suffering from mental health issues are more likely to experience financial difficulty, and similarly, people with financial problems are often subjected to more stress and a greater risk of developing mental health conditions. This also applies to other vulnerable parts of our community, such as victims of family violence and Indigenous Australians.
Our mission is to help break the cycle of mental health and financial difficulty, taking a unique and personalised approach to help those who are most in need.
Building a network of support
Our dedicated team of mental health professionals, case managers and advocates work together to build the support network that you need around you. We completely understand that it’s difficult to focus on your financial problems while you’re experiencing mental health issues. That’s why we find it so important to build a team around you who genuinely wants to help.
Our case managers and advocates can work on your finances, attempting to have your debts waived or reduced. This part of our business also involves helping you repair a broken credit history that could be holding you back.
While we work on your financial situation, our mental health professionals can help you get the help and support you need, and the space to focus on yourself without the threat of debts and legal action hovering over you.
Acknowledgement of Country
Small Village acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.