Training a debt advice helpline

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How we helped the debt advice service to support its helpline callers who stammer. 

Background

With the rocketing cost of living taking its toll on the physical and mental health of many, organisations offering free money advice can be a lifeline. 

As the phone is a source of great anxiety — even dread — for many people who stammer, calling a helpline to talk about money worries might seem a challenge too far, leaving them unable to find solutions to their situations.

About Money Wellness

At the STAMMA Training Service, we help organisations to adjust their ways of working so that they're welcoming and appropriate for people who stammer. 

One such organisation is Money Wellness, who provide free debt and money advice to help resolve immediate pressures and support people in finding a way to 'Live more. Stress less'. They're commissioned by the Money and Pensions Service, so their support is completely free if you want to contact them.

Their advisors can help resolve financial difficulties by helping you budget effectively, understand any benefits you're entitled to, provide support with vouchers for food banks and, where suitable, provide access to debt solutions.

Actions

We helped Money Wellness understand the big and small things they can do to make their service accessible for people who stammer. 

So that they could train and support their advisors on recognising stammering and how to respond to callers who stammer, we explained what stammering is and how it can affect callers. 

We told them how people who stammer face all too frequent instances of being hung up, told to hurry up, spoken down to or even laughed at when using the phone, and how this can make them feel. Money Wellness were receptive to this, as they understand that a lot of their callers have issues affecting their money worries including mental health struggles, addiction and bereavement. 

We discussed 'silent calls' and not mistaking stammering for 'a bad line'. Money Wellness acknowledged that they may well have hung up on such calls in the past, not realising that it was maybe a caller who stammers and who was working hard to speak. So now their helpline advisors have a new line they use when the phone connects but they don't hear anyone speak: "Take your time. I'm listening. I'm here". (Read more in our blog post 'Call centres, 'bad lines' & silent calls.)

Outcomes

Within three weeks of introducing this new line, Money Wellness were delighted to receive four spontaneous feedback comments from callers who told them they stammer and how great the advisor had been with them. Here's a flavour of those comments:

"10 out of 10. The lady who I initially spoke to was absolutely great considering I have a stammer and was embarrassed about the situation. She made me confident whilst I was on the phone to her. Cannot thank her enough for her help and the way she dealt with me, and everyone else who I spoke to after was great as well, so yeah, 10 out of 10 from me."

"Wonderful service. I wish I'd contacted for help earlier. Absolutely brilliant. The advisor took her time to explain and help me understand. I suffer from depression and anxiety plus a stammer. I've been anxious waiting for the call all day. I felt so much better after the call. Thank you so much."

Together we can make a difference for callers who stammer. Changing the world. One phone call at a time. 

Visit the Money Wellness website to find out more and access their services. See how the STAMMA Training Service can help your organisation.