Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network Ltd (ICAN) provides consumer education, advocacy and financial counselling services to Indigenous consumers across the nation, with a vision of “Empowering Indigenous Consumers”.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in regional and remote communities often experience heightened consumer disadvantange. Structural barriers and an noncompetitive marketplace create conditions in which consumer and financial exploitation may occur. In its ten years of service delivery, ICAN has assisted people through a range of consumer and financial issues including: dealing with unscrupulous used car dealers, finance companies, payday lenders, telemarketers and door-to-door salesmen. In line with its vision to empower Indigenous consumers, ICAN provides Indigenous consumers with assistance to alleviate consumer detriment, education to make informed consumer choices and consumer advocacy services to highlight and tackle consumer disadvantage experienced by Indigenous peoples.

ICAN’s services are free, independent and confidential. Our services are available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as well as non-Indigenous peoples, from Townsville to the Torres Strait. We specialise in providing quality financial counselling and consumer advocacy services, financial capability and financial literacy training.

ICAN Learn

ICAN Learn (Registered Training Organisation) offers two national Diploma of Financial Counselling programs:

Indigenous Financial Counselling Mentorship Program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and a Multicultural Diploma program, for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse peoples.

ICAN advocates on behalf of Indigenous consumers in the following national forums:

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission – Consumer Consultative Committee
Australian Securities & Investments Commission – Consumer Advisory Panel
National Indigenous Consumer Strategy
Credit and Investments Ombudsman
Financial Counsellors’ Association of Queensland

Awards

2009 – Finalist Queensland Government, Reconciliation Business Awards (Partnership)

2007 – Minister’s Award for Excellence & Consumer Advocacy Award, Queensland Office of Fair Trading, Consumer Protection Awards

2005 – Consumer Advocacy Award, Queensland Office of Fair Trading, Consumer Protection Awards