Case Study - Nicholas Caulkin

The Money Guiders Network supports organisations and individuals to confidently talk about money with customers and provide safe, effective guidance. Through the network, members benefit from free resources, including online webinars, in-person events, drop-in sessions and monthly newsletters.

We spoke with Nicholas, an Income Officer, responsible for monitoring accounts and collecting rent. Nicholas first connected with the Money Guiders network through an online training session they delivered to his team. As part of his company’s required training, he now uses the network to refresh his knowledge and stay up to date with best money guidance practice.

Nicholas shared the topics he values most from the Money Guiders network.

“A lot of the content is a refresher for me, but there are some topics l I purposely look for, such as limited capability for work (LCW). I come across lots of people in the Housing Association world, so it’s important for me to know about it. The rules are always changing and what I learnt three years ago isn’t going to be the same today.”

He adds how he has incorporated guidance from Money Guiders into his day-to-day.

“I like to sign up for sessions such as Access to Work as it’s more relevant to my role.

“It doesn’t matter what job role you’re in, people on the phone assume you know exactly what they’re talking about. So, when they start talking about Access to Work or other topics, they think you understand it and you don’t. You’ve got two choices: One, you can just blag it, or two you can have the right understanding.”

Nicholas shared how he decides which events to attend. He notes that the simplicity of the sessions makes them more accessible, even if you’re new to the topic.

"I attend the online events because I can’t make the in-person sessions. I like to go to ones that specifically relate to my role that I think would be applicable in my day-to-day.

“I think the best part of them is that is that they’re not overly complicated and they break each bit down. They can be very complicated subjects if you’re new to it. You have all types of people that attend these events, and I think to include everybody and keep it level is the best way.”

What would he like to see from the network in the future?

“I like the look of a few ones upcoming ones - I’ve already got a couple more to sign up to. One of them is about the vulnerability of tenants.

“In the future, I’d like to see sessions that affect more people. We get calls where people will say, I'm doing this and that, but you don' always know the impact of it. Those are the type of sessions I'm trying to pick out.”

For Nicholas, the Money Guiders Network continues to provide practical, accessible learning, that keeps his knowledge current and helps him deliver informed guidance and support in his role.