Kirsten Stark, MSc AMRSC, is the financial literacy project coordinator for Williams Lake and area.
She works with the community to highlight the importance of financial literacy, delivering workshops, information and one-to-one assistance.
Stark also helps empower individuals to take control of their money and enable them to plan and budget for their life goals.
Here, she answers a few questions about what she does and what she is reading.
Q: What is the favourite part of your job?
A: Delivering workshops and engaging with the community to find out how people feel about money and discussing the challenges that many of us face when it comes to money.
It’s great to see when someone identifies with an issue and then we find a practical way for them to make a positive change. Also receiving feedback from individuals about how they have implemented those changes, that they are seeing immediate benefits and already planning on what to do next.
Q: What is one of the challenges?
A: Encouraging people to take control. Many people know that they could manage their money better, but just ignore it.
From personal experience I know that it is hard to get out of debt, even a small one when you are on a tight budget. But I also know that with determination and a little bit of help from the right people, it is possible to regain control and direct your life where you want it to go.
Q: What are you reading right now?
A: Nothing, but that’s because I’m busy co-ordinating Family Fest.
However, I usually have several books on the go and I just finished reading Snuff — The 39th Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett; The Walking Dead — a graphic novel collection by Robert Kirkman; and Abarat, Absolute Midnight — the third book in a trilogy by Clive Barker.