Ask Izzy Connect
Hardship and vulnerability awareness training for people in front-facing customer roles
About Ask Izzy Connect
People working in frontline customer service and support roles often encounter people who are going through hardships such as financial stress, mental health crises, social or housing issues. Yet they often don’t have the confidence to address these situations adequately, leaving staff unsure and customers unsupported.
The Ask Izzy Connect training program teaches people working in these roles the skills they need to provide confident and empathetic support to people experiencing hardship and vulnerability. The training focuses on recognising people who might need help, responding to their needs and emotions and referring them to professional support services.
Ask Izzy Connect has been proudly designed and delivered in collaboration with Infoxchange's Community Advisory Group, a committee of professionals with lived experience in homelessness, domestic violence and the social welfare system.
Your team will learn how to:
» Recognise people experiencing hardship and vulnerability.
» Respond to someone who shares something challenging with you.
» Refer people to appropriate support and professional help using tools such as Ask Izzy.
» Reflect on your interactions and how to protect your own mental health and well-being.
Training Overview
Ask Izzy Connect is delivered in 4 modules:
» One self-paced e-learning module
(~30 minutes, free)
» One online interactive workshop covering 3 modules (Respond, Refer, Reflect), delivered by our expert trainers
(~2 hours, $1,200 ex GST total – NFP discount available)
By equipping your team with vulnerability awareness and referral skills, your organisation will:
» Improve service outcomes – customers will be better supported and staff will feel more confident handling emotionally complex situations.
» Reduce mishandled escalations, complaints, or disclosures – better responses at first touch.
» Strengthen reputation and social responsibility – aligning your organisation with care, responsiveness and safety.
» Support staff wellbeing – tools to manage difficult conversations while maintaining boundaries and self-care.
» Ensure safer, more consistent referrals – direct people to trusted services instead of ad hoc or incorrect information.
Who this training is for
Anyone working or volunteering in frontline-facing roles who may:
» Encounter people experiencing hardship, vulnerability or distress who may need health and well-being support.
» Be the first point of contact for complaints, crises, or human services queries.
Industries and settings that typically get the most benefit from Ask Izzy Connect:
Banking, financial services
Insurance
Energy, utitilites, telco
Emergency services, public safety
Healthcare, hospitals, allied services
Education, schools, universities
Local government
NFPs, community services
Whether you are a call centre agent, customer advocate, case coordinator, support officer, or frontline admin, this training gives you the language and skills to manage the human side of support better.
To organise training for your team or to enquire about the NFP discount, get in touch with us today for more details.
What past course participants say about Ask Izzy Connect:
“The workshop is presented in a practical way that allows you to refresh and build on your skills to support vulnerable customers.”
Jenna Ford, Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria)
“The training has been invaluable in helping library staff better identify, relate to and assist individuals to connect to services who can help them in their areas of need. Many people in our communities go to the library seeking assistance, either directly or indirectly and this training has helped library staff to be more insightful, respectful and helpful in their assistance. All staff have highly rated and sincerely appreciated this training and we can’t recommend it highly enough.”
Michelle McLean, Public Libraries Victoria
“The training was very well prepared, clear and engaging. The team and volunteers now feel more confident at finding the right services for clients if required.”
Kelly Maughan, Melbourne Polytechnic