Small Group Sessions
We cap workshops at twelve participants. This lets everyone ask questions without feeling rushed or overlooked during discussions.
We Started With A Question
Why do so many people feel lost when managing their money?
Back in 2019, a small group of us sat around a kitchen table in Newcastle talking about the gap between what people actually need to know about budgets and what gets taught. That conversation turned into corynthi.
Our Mission
Making Budget Skills Actually Stick
Most financial education feels like homework. Spreadsheets and jargon that nobody remembers a week later. We wanted something different.
Our programs focus on the decisions you face every week. Rent versus savings. Emergency funds that make sense. How to track spending without feeling trapped. These aren't abstract concepts taught from textbooks.
We built corynthi around scenarios people deal with daily. A car breaks down. A bill arrives unexpectedly. Income drops for two months. Our participants work through these situations with guidance from people who've been there.
Real Situations
We use case studies from actual budget challenges. Not hypothetical perfect scenarios where everything works out cleanly.
Honest Conversations
Money mistakes happen. We talk about them openly instead of pretending everyone has it figured out.
Practical Tools
You leave with methods you can use immediately. Simple systems that fit into busy lives without adding more stress.
Our Journey
Building Something That Works
We started small and grew by listening to what people actually needed. Here's how corynthi developed over the past few years.
2019
First Workshop Series
Ran weekend sessions at a community centre in Wickham. Eight people showed up to the first one. We covered basic budgeting with notebooks and calculators. Awkward but genuine.
2021
Program Expansion
Added modules on emergency planning and debt management after participants kept asking about those topics. Started running evening sessions for people juggling work schedules.
2023
Regional Partnerships
Connected with community groups across New South Wales. Our facilitators began running programs in smaller towns where financial education resources were limited.
2025
Continuing Forward
Over 400 people have completed our programs. We're preparing autumn workshops and developing new content based on feedback from recent participants. Still learning what works best.
Kieran Blackwood
Program Director
Spent fifteen years managing community programs before starting corynthi. Lives in Newcastle with two teenagers who keep his budget realistic.
How We Work
Teaching Through Experience
Kieran built corynthi around a straightforward idea: people learn budgeting by doing it, not by reading about it. Our workshops create space for participants to work through real financial decisions with support.
We keep group sizes small so everyone gets individual attention. Sessions run for three hours with breaks built in. Nobody likes sitting through lectures, so we focus on discussion and hands-on problem solving instead.
Our facilitators come from different backgrounds. Some worked in financial counselling. Others ran small businesses or managed household budgets through tough periods. What they share is practical knowledge and patience.
Scenario Based Learning
Each session includes case studies from real situations. Participants work through budgeting challenges similar to ones they'll face outside the workshop.
Follow Up Support
After completing a program, participants can attend quarterly check-in sessions. These help people stay on track and adjust their budget systems as life changes.
Practical Tools Only
We skip complicated software and fancy apps. Participants learn methods that work with simple spreadsheets or even paper tracking if that's what they prefer.
