SESSION OVERVIEW
With cost-of-living pressures hitting students harder than ever, university welfare programs are all seeing increasing demand for food relief, emergency assistance, hardship support and wellbeing services. But what if financial wellbeing support could do more than respond to crisis?
This interactive and practical session explores how financial wellbeing programs can deliver proactive and scalable approaches that help students build confidence, capability and resilience!
Through relatable student case studies, a live “Mystery Food Box Challenge”, as well as real world program examples, participants will discover how financial wellbeing initiatives can strengthen student capacity, literacy and resilience.
The session will showcase practical initiatives including:
- Budgeting and wellbeing sessions
- The power of coaching and a strengths-based approach
- Student focused resources and guides
- Scalable education and outreach strategies
- External links. programs and resources you can implement tomorrow
Expect practical ideas, fresh perspectives, relatable scenarios, audience interaction and plenty of take-home strategies you can adapt for your own students and services!
Session Outcomes:
Participants will walk away from this session:
- Aware of what financial wellbeing encompasses and how it sits within the framework of student welfare.
- Understanding how a financial wellbeing program could add value within their existing welfare programs.
- Armed with resources and links to consider actioning elements of a financial wellbeing program tomorrow.
- Knowledgeable of the impact of financial literacy and resilience on student wellbeing and independence.
- How financial literacy and wellbeing could take welfare programs from bandaid support to sustainable solutions.
PRESENTER
Joachim Cohen is the Financial Wellbeing Coordinator at the Deakin University Student Association (DUSA). He works to support food security, transport access and financial capability programs for students across Deakin University campuses in Melbourne, Geelong, Warrnambool and Online.
With more than 20 years’ experience spanning education, technology and community services, Joachim has held leadership roles including Schools Technology Innovation Lead with the NSW Department of Education and Education Outreach Programs Manager for Intel Australia. He also built financial capability with communities across the Northern Territory as a Senior Case Manager at CatholicCare NT.
Joachim combines an educator’s insight with strategic, people-centred leadership to deliver practical, dignified, and innovative support that empowers students to thrive.