CAPping debt rewarding for Jacqui

PRACTICAL HELP: Jacqui Lockyer, debt coach and Wairarapa centre manager for Christians Against Poverty, says her job is "showing Christ's love" in a practical way.

For Jacqui Lockyer, the ultimate job satisfaction is knowing her clients are now able to save for their children's weddings, or put money aside for Christmas.

Mrs Lockyer, a teacher and former missionary, is the centre manager and debt coach for the Wairarapa branch of Christians Against Poverty (CAP), an international money management programme brought to the region by Masterton's Lighthouse Church in 2013.

CAP, which has run in New Zealand for six years, assists people struggling with paying back debt or managing their finances, both through one-on-one support or regular budgeting courses.

In her role, Mrs Lockyer meets people who are down on their luck -- buried under mounting credit card interest, fielding calls from debt collectors, considering insolvency, or having no money for their kids' Christmas presents.

Helping get their accounts in the black sounds like a daunting responsibility -- but one she considers a privilege.

"They have hardly anything to live on, as all their money is going on debt -- they are overwhelmed by it," Mrs Lockyer said.

"They feel like they're in a hopeless situation.

"But when they start learning to manage their finances, you begin to see change, and you see hope in their faces.

"It's showing Christ's love in a practical way."

As a debt coach, Mrs Lockyer receives referrals from the CAP New Zealand head office, visiting clients in their homes.

Over three appointments, she and the client will devise a strategy for paying back debt, based on what they can afford, and draw up a household budget.

Afterwards, the client will deposit money into a personal CAP account, from which funds will be distributed to their creditors to cover mortgage and rent payments, power bills and debts to finance companies or collection agencies.

Some money paid into the CAP accounts is put aside as the clients' personal savings.

"Some of my clients have never saved in their lives, so it's really empowering for them," Mrs Lockyer said.

She said many of her clients are in debt thanks to high interest 'quick fixes', such as to 'loan sharks', credit card companies, Q cards, or clothing trucks.

"They seem like an easy solution, but people don't realise the difficulty they're getting into.

"But every case is different -- you can't box people in.

"It's easy to say people get into debt through pure carelessness, but some people get stuck with it after a relationship breakup, or they become sick and can't work."

Mrs Lockyer has seen three of her clients become completely debt free, and has others who are "well on the way".

Some of her favourite moments include seeing the relief as she walked a client through the no asset procedure, another realised she could live independently without her family's help, and another tell her she finally felt she could save for her daughter's wedding.

"One person went debt free quite recently, and she rang to tell me personally, which felt really special.

"It's cool when people see there's light at the end of the tunnel."

More information on Cap is available online at www.cap.org.nz, or by phoning 0508 227 111.