Good Shepherd and NAB partnership recognised in PM Awards - 22 August 2005
Monday, 22 August 2005
The affiliation between Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service and National Australia Bank (NAB) has earned the two organisations a Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships today.
The Large Business category in the Victorian division of the Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships was presented to Good Shepherd and NAB today for the work they have done together to make financial services more accessible to the socially and financially disadvantaged in the community.
Good Shepherd Director Michael Yore said: "We are very proud of the work we have done with the NAB that has made a real difference to people's lives.
"We have covered a lot of ground together, including providing people on low incomes with greater access to responsible financial services. We have also used NAB employees' expertise in our organistaion through the bank's employee volunteer leave scheme. And we have provided NAB staff with training on how to deal with clients who are undergoing genuine financial hardship.
NAB's Executive General Manager Strategy & Marketing, Greg Sutherland, said the relationship with Good Shepherd was an example of how beneficial genuine, open dialogue between the corporate and community sectors can be.
"We started working with Good Shepherd five years ago. Since then, we have sponsored their No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS®) and, most significantly, begun piloting the Step Up loan that provides low-income earners with a low-interest, unsecured loan of between $1000 - $3000.
"We are trialling this product in five sites in Victoria and New South Wales - Collingwood, Hastings, St Albans, Winmalee and Bathurst. We want it to expand it nationally."
Mr Yore said that access to financial services is fundamental to active engagement in society.
"Bank accounts and financial history validate an individual's ability to secure accommodation, employment, consumer rights and identity - the work we are doing with NAB is delivering some real benefits to the community."
Alison Hill
Manager Development and Communications
Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service
Tel: (03) 9419 5477
Mob: 0400 77 0502
Geoff Lynch
Head of Media Relations
Tel: (03) 8634 1564
Mob: 0405 319 819
* The information contained in this media release is for media advice purposes only. The contents are true and correct at time of publishing/issuing, however may change over time. For further information about NAB products or rates, please go to Interest Rates, Fees & Charges
