“Tailoring” money coaching
During the month of August we’ll be “tailoring” money coaching for our Republic of Ireland context. This is to ensure that the content is as relevant as possible to a wide range of participants from this Autumn. money coaching includes an interactive and accessible 4-week course with 23 videos and a My Money Journal for each participant to reflect and take notes. For the Coaches and Befrienders, who’ll receive induction training first, there’s a Coach Guide with supplemental resources available.
What is money coaching?
Money coaching is an accessible financial education programme including simple online budgeting tools so that anyone can get to grips with their money. Coaches and befrienders will build trust engaging face-to-face with participants from all types of backgrounds and circumstances, sharing general tips, triaging and then signposting to specific supports available.
Our delivery model will be “church-centric” and “people-centric”. This means that CAP will seek to work collaboratively with local churches, while engaging with individuals in a compassionate and caring manner. Whether it’s balancing a household budget; overcoming a few payments in arrears; or needing a formal insolvency resolution process, CAP will journey with each individual so that they are not alone. Individuals seeking help with certain attitudes and behaviours giving rise to money management issues, will also be offered guidance in a relevant manner.
CAP will help clients with their financial challenges through a “triaging” and “signposting” model with existing agencies, including those funded by the Irish Government and under the 2012 Personal Insolvency Act. Several of these civil society partners have already indicated a willingness to work with and support CAP’s work in IRL, incl the Money Advice and Budgeting Service; Insolvency Service of Ireland and the Association of Personal Insolvency Practitioners (the professional body representing Personal Insolvency Practitioners or PIPs).
CAP IRL’s main method of engagement and collaboration with local churches, will be through its new money coaching programme. This new resource, including videos, will be “localised” over the summer. Starting late summer/early autumn, the new money coaching programme will include the following three elements:
- Four-week money coaching induction delivered by CAP primarily aimed at church and lay leaders volunteering as CAP Coaches and Befrienders, ideally with a cluster of churches in a geographical area or region e.g. north Co. Dublin or Galway City
- Four-week money coaching course delivered with trained CAP Coaches and Befrienders aimed at individual participants within the church(es) and the wider community offering face-to-face financial education. Money coaching course content will be tailored as much as possible to the relevant needs of the participants in advance and may be focused on prevention or addressing specific types of debt like a) priority or secured debt involving mortgage/rent arrears or b) non-priority or unsecured debt like credit cards.
- Participants “buddy up” with a befriender. Money is a complex and emotional issue requiring emotional support as well as financial know how. There is often a sense of embarrassment and regret involved and money “problems” can be symptomatic of deeper entrenched social issues, which may need emotional support in a discreet manner, with a trusted befriender by their side. An “anam cara” – a soul friend.
To sign up to receive news about money coaching as a potential coach and befriender, please click on this link:
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