Search Results for: grinter

Meet Tracey Grinter: ICAN Learn’s newest recruit!

Tracey Grinter, ICAN Learn Course Coordinator and Compliance

We caught up with ICAN Learn’s latest recruit and proud Gulidjan woman, Tracey Grinter, to have a yarn about her new role and why she’s passionate about developing partnerships to upskill the financial capability sector.

Welcome Tracey! We’ve interviewed you before haven’t we?

Yes – I’ve was previously interviewed about my work as a casual teacher with ICAN Learn. I’ve taught the Financial Literacy Skillset and Financial Counselling Diploma casually since 2019 and really love it, but it’s great being here to talk about my new role!

What made you join ICAN Learn full time?

When the opportunity came up to take on the Course Coordinator and Compliance role, I jumped at it! As a casual teacher for ICAN Learn, I already understand the vision and culture organisation, so this was a fantastic opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. I’m also obviously passionate about the work as I’ve been in the financial counselling sector for 15 years! Another reason it appealed to me is that I’m Indigenous, so the fact that our parent company is an Indigenous organisation makes me really proud. I feel like I’m in the right place at the right time.

That’s too deadly! What Country are you from?

I’m from Gulidjan country, whose traditional lands cover the Lake Colac region of Victoria. My family originated from Colac – that’s my mob, that’s my people.

What is a day in the life of a Course Coordinator and Compliance role like?

I’m still learning! In a nutshell, I’ll be responsible for reviewing all of ICAN Learn’s courses and course direction, as well as our assessment processes and procedures. As a training provider approved by the Department of Education Skills and Training, ICAN Learn’s compliance must be in top shape, so we need to ensure we’re compliant with all relevant standards and meeting all of our RTO obligations.

ICAN Learn is developing more agency, government, and corporate partnerships in 2022. Is this part of your new role?

Definitely. I work closely with ICAN Learn Executive Officer Bernadette Pasco, so we’ve discussed what we can do with Yarnin’ Money and the Financial Literacy Skillset, especially in this region. I think there’s a lot of potential to be more involved in this space, especially now that ICAN Learn has its head office in Castlemaine. I also sit on local Reconciliation Action Committees, so it would be good to have ICAN Learn a bit more represented in those spaces too.

Why is ICAN Learn’s partnerships with Indigenous organisations so important?

The focus on financial counselling and financial literacy across this region hasn’t been that strong for our Aboriginal controlled health organisations. ICAN Learn could help strengthen the work of those organisations by upskilling some staff around financial literacy and then see how we can pass it onto the communities and mobs across the region. There aren’t any Indigenous financial counsellors employed by Aboriginal controlled health organisations in this region, so the long-term vision is what can we do in terms of service delivery for our Indigenous communities and how can we best support them.

What’s the benefit of having skilled financial capability workers on staff?

Some agencies rely on clients accessing mainstream financial counselling and financial capability services. But as we know, our Indigenous populations are often reluctant to access mainstream services. Upskilling staff around financial capability – especially within Aboriginal organisations – is a great start and could lead to having a financial counsellor on staff. I knew a financial counsellor who volunteered one day a week at the local Aboriginal Co-op. You could see the benefits of having a financial counsellor on staff trusted by the mob. It was really powerful.

What are your career aspirations?

I see a big gap within the corporate sector around financial capability and financial literacy, particularly around creditors and debt collectors. If we can improve their understanding of the impacts of financial literacy and how they can better support their clients and customers, it will improve outcomes for everyone. And of course, as I mentioned earlier, working with Indigenous organisations, our mob, and how we can better support them. They’re two of my goals for first 12 months!

Who inspires you?

Michelle Obama is the first person that comes to mind, she’s someone I’ve always looked up to and admired. And of course, my mob. Seeing what they have achieved and the barriers they’ve overcome inspires me every day.

Joining Forces: ICAN Learn Partners with the ADF

Tracey McCurdy

This month, Tracey McCurdy, ICAN Learn Executive Officer, took some time out of her hectic schedule for a quick chat about the exciting new training partnership between ICAN Learn and the Australian Defence Force.

Welcome Tracey!

Can you tell us about ICAN Learn’s partnership with the ADF?

The ADF’s Financial Services Consumer Centre (the Centre) engaged ICAN Learn to support the provision of financial education to its members.

The Centre provides independent, professional financial education to ADF members throughout their career with the objective of ensuring personnel and their families achieve greater financial wellbeing.

The ADF engaged ICAN to support the delivery of their education programs and educate the Centre’s staff with a particular focus on supporting the Centre’s education to Indigenous audiences.

What training programs is ICAN Learn delivering?

ICAN Learn predominantly supports the ADF with delivering education to personnel within its Indigenous Development Programs. The ADF facilitates several programs to support Indigenous recruits to meet the education and fitness recruitments. The Financial Services Consumer Centre facilitates education programs for Indigenous recruits engaged in the program. ICAN Learn has been assisting in designing, developing, delivering, and evaluating a number of specialised training programs.

How does the training benefit ADF participants?

ICAN Learn provides subject matter expertise to the ADF in relation to the delivery of financial education. ICAN Learn brings its years of experience in the delivery of training to provide guidance and mentoring, including the delivery of the Financial Literacy Education Skill Set to the Centre’s staff.

Have the participants provided any feedback?

The Centre has received very positive feedback about the training ICAN Learn has been involved with. The participants reported enjoying the high level of engagement within the training, which has been redesigned to be highly interactive.

The Centre staff also report feeling more confident delivering the content and in their training delivery methods.

Why is ICAN Learn’s training delivery so unique?

ICAN Learn’s delivery is unique for a few reasons! Firstly, ICAN Learn is a registered training organisation, so we can provide both accredited and non-accredited courses in a range of fields. Our trainers are industry experts with many years of experience in the sector. Finally, any delivery to an Indigenous group is undertaken by an Indigenous trainer.

Another point of difference is that any surplus funds generated by fee-paying training delivery is invested in supporting scholarships and education for Indigenous peoples and communities.

What organisations or teams would benefit from Financial Literacy Education training?

Any organisation whose workforce assists consumers who are experiencing hardship! The skill set set allows attendees to support consumers who may be facing issues related to the basic day to day management of their finances and who may be at risk of increasing debt and its associated risk. It provides attendees with the skills to empower others to make informed financial decisions whilst also providing the opportunity to learn and network with others from a range of sectors.

Can ICAN Learn customise training programs for any organisation?

Yes! We can customise our existing training packages to suit the needs of any corporate, government or Not-for-Profit and can assist in the design of a training package to suit organisational need. The team is currently writing training packages to support staff within industry hardship teams. Our trainers are highly skilled in Vocational Education and Training with specialist skills in community services, financial counselling, and other related fields.

To find out how ICAN Learn can help with your training needs contact us on (03) 5471 777 or email administration@icanlearn.edu.au

Advance your career in 2023 with ICAN Learn’s Lead and Support Colleagues Skill Set

This month ICAN Learn RTO Manager, Tracey McCurdy, tells us about the exciting Lead and Support Colleagues Skill Set course starting in March 2023. The course is also available as an Indigenous Scholarship thanks to ICAN Learn’s partnership with Commbank.

Hi Tracey! Can you tell us about ICAN Learn’s Lead and Support Colleagues Skill set kicking off in March 2023?

Many workers in the Financial Counselling, Financial Capability and Community Services sector usually end up being leaders of teams, even if they didn’t set out to be one!

Leading others in a workplace is complex and takes specific skills, emotional intelligence, and specific skills and knowledge. It’s vital to understand key aspects of leadership and ways of working with others to do this well and to develop and retain personal and team wellbeing.

This course is a three-unit accredited skill set that provides students with knowledge and information about working with others in a team to develop best practice and confidence in leadership.

Are there scholarships available for this course?

ICAN Learn has scholarships in partnership with CommBank that are available for people that identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

Will students receive a certificate on completion?

This short course is an accredited skill set from the National Community Services Training Package. It is suitable for those working in Community Services, including Financial Counselling and Financial Capability roles, who want to explore or develop their leadership skills as the next step in their career development. Students will be issued a Statement of Attainment upon achieving competency in the required assessments.

Who is eligible to apply?

You must work in a role related to Financial Counselling, Financial Capability, or Community Services, and if you wish to apply for a scholarship, meet the eligibility requirements.

When does the course start, and how long does it run?

The course starts on 9^th March 2023, with induction, 8 classes and then 4 weeks to complete assessments. The course will be facilitated again later in 2023 with an after-hours class.

What’s the weekly study commitment?

The course will require a commitment of approximately 6 hours a week (including class time, pre-reading, and completion of assessments). All classes come to you live and in real-time via the Zoom platform for 3 hours each week. All classes are mandatory, including induction.

Do you have to be a team leader to enrol in the course?

No, if you are interested in leading or supporting your colleagues now or in the future, this course is for you!

What opportunities can this skillset open up to people?

The skillset can provide career pathways for someone to move into a leadership role, such as Team Leader or Manager within their current or future organisation.

Lastly, when do applications close?

Applications close on Monday 27^th February 2023

Course Info: ICL-Course-Brochure-CHCSS00084-GP223.pdf (icanlearn.edu.au)

Indigenous Scholarship Info: ICL-Scholarship-Brochure-2023.pdf (icanlearn.edu.au)

Or email any questions to enquiries@icanlearn.edu.au

Fast Track your financial counselling career with our discounted Diploma!

Take 12 months off your study time and 32.5% off your fees when you enrol for ICAN Learn’s Diploma of Financial Counselling CHC51115 Fast Track course. We caught up with Tracey Grinter, Acting RTO Manager for ICAN Learn to find out more about this special offer.

Hi Tracey – a fast-tracked Diploma of Financial Counselling and a discounted rate? Please tell us more!

ICAN Learn is very excited to be offering a fast-tracked delivery of the Diploma of Financial Counselling (CHC51115) starting in October 2022. This course will look a little different from our previous Diploma deliveries as it will see students graduate and be ready to work as a qualified Financial Counsellor within 12 months, instead of 2 years.

The course has a huge discount of 32.5%, why is that?

I know right –that’s a saving of $3,256 – what a great deal! Due to the structure of the course, we can offer this one-time special offer. If anyone was thinking of studying with us – now is the time!

Sounds great! Who is this course suitable for?

We know a fast-tracked Diploma isn’t for everyone, so it’s really suited to people who are already working in the sector and can commit to their studies, or someone who isn’t working and wants to get their qualification and gain employment as soon as possible.

If it’s not quite the right fit, that’s OK – our normal 2-year Diploma delivery will resume in March 2023. Details are on our website here.

Are there any prerequisites for the course?

There are no formal prerequisites for the course. However, it’s desirable that applicants demonstrate an interest and relevant experience in the social and community services field and that they have the appropriate maturity and interpersonal skills to work with a diverse range of people. Applicants must demonstrate functional verbal and written English literacy skills equivalent to Year 12 or beyond.

Why is a Financial Counsellor a rewarding career choice?

We know many people from marginalised socio-economic backgrounds are not afforded their financial rights as consumers and members of society. Your work in financial counselling will empower people for change, develop their capacity to be in charge of their financial choices, and share that knowledge with their families and communities. You will be an instrument for them to create new money stories in their lives.

What career development opportunities are available?

A graduate can apply to become a member of the financial counselling peak body in their state or territory and be recognised as a practicing Financial Counsellor at successful course completion. Career advancement is possible through comprehensive professional development programs in the Financial Counselling sector and additional accredited education, like the Rural Financial Counselling specialisation, Problem Gambling Skill Set or Professional Supervision.

What should someone consider before committing to the course?

The Diploma of Financial Counselling is a course that requires a significant application. Students must be able to put aside at least 8 – 10 hours per week of personal study time and be prepared to attend a weekly 6-hour class for 12 months. Attendance at classes according to the timetable is a requirement. Students must also complete 200 hours of Learning in the Workplace within the next 12 months.

When do applications close?

Applications for this one-off Fast Track course close on 13 October 2022, so be quick! People can also register for our special online information session about this course on Thursday, 29 September at 11 am.

Download the brochure here

No Experience Necessary for this Indigenous and Multicultural Scholarship!

ICAN Learn, in partnership with Commbank, is currently offering a Certificate IV in Community Services Scholarship for Indigenous and multicultural peoples wanting to get into the sector to help their communities. We caught up with Tracy Grinter, Course Co-ordinator at ICAN Learn to tell us why this is such a fantastic opportunity.

Tracey Grinter, proud Gulidjan woman, and ICAN Learn Course Coordinator

Hi Tracey!

Can you tell us about the Certificate IV in Community Services Scholarship?

The Certificate IV in Community Services Scholarship is an excellent entry-level qualification that offers a variety of career pathways and ongoing study opportunities for Indigenous and multicultural peoples wanting to get into the sector. The course is open to people of all ages, from school leavers to mature-aged students. The course runs for 12 months with breaks in between, so it’s really manageable for people wanting to start studying or for those getting back into study. It’s not a huge commitment, so it’s great for balancing work/life commitments, and no experience is needed. Being an online course, it can be completed from just about anywhere in Australia.

Who is the Cert IV Scholarship designed for?

It’s specifically designed for Indigenous and people from multicultural backgrounds interested in getting into the Community Services sector that may not have any previous experience. Indigenous or multicultural people know their communities, so they understand what will work best for their mob or community. Being able to take the skills, experience, and knowledge gained from the course and give back is one of the main reasons why people choose this particular path.

What if someone has never worked or has been out of the workforce for a while?

The wonderful thing about this qualification is that it’s open to both school leavers and mature-aged students, so previous employment experience isn’t a prerequisite. We deliberately keep our class numbers to 15 or less so we can really embed the training with practical examples and case studies that people can relate to in their day-to-day lives. We also have online breakout rooms where people can really engage in the training and share their life experiences and knowledge. Our teachers are also experienced community service workers and are always available to provide extra support.

Can someone start working in community services while they’re still studying?

Yes, definitely! The financial capability skill set is the first component of the Cert IV, so people could go off and get a job as a financial capability worker – helping people to make informed financial decision and build their capacity to manage their money – after they complete those first three units. At the end of the course, they can also choose to branch off into another field, such as mental health, disability, youth work, or housing. The Cert IV in Community Services is also a great pathway to completing the Diploma of Financial Counselling if someone wants to continue their education.

What other sort of jobs can a Community Services Worker do?

This qualification offers many job options such as financial capability worker, intake or support worker, health educator, and case management, to name a few. It really opens a lot of doors for people into different employment pathways. These are really just the tip of the iceberg.

Are there any other ICAN Learn/Commbank Scholarships coming up?

Yes – ICAN Learn and Commbank is offering 60 Scholarships, so in addition to the Certificate IV in Community Services, we are also offering scholarships for the Diploma of Financial Counselling and the Lead & Support Colleagues course. People can follow the ICAN Learn Facebook page, or check our website to see when these applications open.

ICAN Learn is grateful to Commbank for their support and recognition of the benefit of having Indigenous and multicultural students working within their own communities and the capacity that builds within the community. It’s pretty amazing having a corporation like CommBank that sees the value in the benefit it brings to people’s lives.

Find out more information about the scholarships here: https://icanlearn.edu.au/courses/scholarships/

For more information about any of ICAN Learns courses including Certificate IV in Community Services go to https://icanlearn.edu.au/course/ican/ or register for our free course information session here

Get a job and a qualification when you join the ICAN Thrive team

The ICAN Thrive™ team is currently recruiting for identified positions in Queensland and Victoria, giving successful applicants an opportunity to be employed and get a qualification at the same time.

As ICAN Thrive™ Financial Capability Development Manager, Damian Finitis, explains, The ICAN Thrive™ program builds upon the work that ICAN has been doing in the Financial Counselling and Capability space for many years. Participants will gain practical financial knowledge through budgeting, discussing consumer issues, debts, insurances, superannuation, and a whole lot more. Additionally, we’ll also be exploring goal setting (both financial and personal), and the interconnectedness of money with other aspects of people’s lives, such as health (physical, mental, emotional); basic needs, skills and employability; relationships; and sense of self.’

Majella Anderson, Indigenous Financial Capability Trainer with ICAN said, ‘The ICAN Thrive™ program is a step up from the usual basic financial literacy program. We’re decolonising the money conversation to make it more meaningful and relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Talking about financial literacy from a cultural perspective is important for ICAN; adding cultural language and activities to the training makes it relevant to First Nations people. With ICAN Thrive™, we’re not just talking about money, we’re talking about how money impacts all areas of a person’s life.’

All of our new recruits will complete their study through ICAN’s Registered Training Organisation, ICAN Learn.

Bernadette Pasco, Executive Officer of ICAN Learn said, ‘Financial capability work is crucial to bring financial wellbeing to Indigenous communities; it’s the glue between people in the community and their understanding about their financial rights and changes people’s money story.

‘We have Indigenous staff that can provide culturally safe contexts, and our one day per week course structure means that the trainee meets other Indigenous students and gets support from the course teacher each week to explore the complexities of the role.’

Building an Indigenous Workforce

These new positions in Queensland and Victoria are also critical for developing the financial wellbeing sector.

‘In Victoria, Indigenous financial capability workers are almost non-existent, and we really want to build opportunities for Indigenous Australians to explore their money story.’ said Bernadette. ‘Building an Indigenous financial capability workforce here means we can link financial wellbeing to health and other community services that people use. Financial capability is an employment pathway that can really make a difference.’

Tracey Grinter, Course Coordinator and teacher at ICAN Learn, has trained and mentored many financial capability workers and is very passionate about the development of Indigenous financial capability roles.

‘There’s a real shortage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander financial capability workers in Australia’, said Tracey. ‘It would make a real difference to Aboriginal Controlled Community Organisations (ACCO) to have financial capability workers in the future. It means that there is a different kind of employment, and it links clients to financial counselling services and opportunities to have a yarn about money. This is the first step.’

‘Our program aims to take a holistic view of people’s lives and to do so in a culturally informed and culturally safe manner, said Damian Finitis. ‘I’m working alongside a team of incredibly passionate and knowledgeable individuals who have drawn upon their lived experiences as Indigenous people to curate the program’s content. It’s an exciting time for the ICAN Thrive™ program, and we can’t wait to welcome new people to our team.’

Apply Now! Financial Counselling & Financial Capability Workers (Identified) QLD & VIC Job in Cairns & Far North – SEEK

Out & About with Alex (Episode 11- Castlemaine)

Alex connects with the ICAN Learn team at their new office in Castlemaine, regional Victoria. They talk about their future plans. For more information on ICAN Learn courses visit: https://icanlearn.edu.au/course/ican/

Professional supervision services

ICAN Learn is committed to supporting the financial counselling sector by providing accessible and affordable professional supervision and related education for

Individual financial counsellors
Groups of financial counsellors
Financial counsellor professional supervisors

Professional supervision in groups [PSG]

Professional supervision in groups provides an opportunity for high level professional supervision discussion in a group setting. It facilitates conversations between financial counsellors, explores various elements of professional supervision and facilitates professional development and a way to meet membership obligations.

Who are our professional supervisors?

ICAN Learn has teachers who are financial counsellors and meet the requirements of the financial counselling sector to provide professional supervision. All have expertise in various areas and love sharing their knowledge and support with other financial counsellors.

Donna Letchford – Located in Victoria – expertise in family violence complex case work

Michelle Ludwig – Located in Victoria and teaching nationally

Tracey Grinter – Located in Victoria; expertise in disaster, problem gambling, complex casework

Lisa Simpson – Located in Queensland, formerly Victoria;

Jill McKinlay – Located in Queensland; expertise in counselling, problem gambling and complex casework

Sharon Trebse – Located in Victoria; expertise in elder abuse, complex casework

Tukie Belanzategui– located in Queensland; expertise in working in prisons, mental health, complex casework

Is there a fee for these services?

There is a fee for services but there is no ongoing commitment, just register and attend for each session as you wish.

Individual professional supervision $100 per session
Specific agency group requests by arrangement

What are the benefits?

Our services give you

An opportunity to develop expertise and build professional skills
An opportunity to link with other professional supervisors across Australia
Individual support for curly challenges

How big are the groups and how will it be structured?

Group numbers are capped at 8 as per National Professional Supervision Policy.

Refresher only session is capped at 10.

Sessions are structured as per policy and focus on wellbeing, casework and other related matters that assist the wellbeing of financial counsellors. You can contribute to the agenda!

What will the focus of the education sessions be?

Education sessions will be focused on relevant topics such as managing secondary and vicarious trauma; supporting someone when there are agency challenges; maintaining empathy in the professional supervision relationship; the impacts of parallel processes; exploring lenses of supervision etc. Consideration is given to topic requests.

Want to find out more or register your interest for our next session?

email professionalsupervision@icanlearn.edu.au

Meet Laura Powell, ICAN Learn’s new teacher!

For Laura Powell, completing her Diploma of Financial Counselling wasn’t enough. She wanted to teach it as well.

Welcome to ICAN Learn Laura!

Can you tell us about the pathway that led you to financial counselling?

I’m originally from England, so I’ve worked in various financial services in both England and Australia, from debt collection, investment banking, and a financial administrator with State Trustees Victoria, so I’ve seen a lot! I could see many people had enough basic financial knowledge to get by, but if something went wrong in their lives, they didn’t know what to do or who to talk to. My intuition told me there must be an independent service out there somewhere that was free and nonjudgmental to help people with their money issues and improve their financial literacy. Eventually I found Jenny Elvey, General Manager of Bendigo Family and Financial Services, who immediately said, ‘come around and talk to me about financial counselling!’ I couldn’t believe what I’d been searching for was right on my doorstep!

How did you end up with the EnergyAustralia Scholarship?

After my conversation with Jenny Elvey, the stars aligned and within days I was enrolled in the EnergyAustralia Diploma of Financial Counselling Scholarship with ICAN Learn, it was that quick! I also received a couple of Recognition of Prior Learning credits for my experience working with vulnerable clients and managing casework. The timing of the scholarship couldn’t have been better, and industry connections led to Tracey Grinter, Regional Development Manager for Anglicare Victoria, offering me a student placement which turned into full-time employment. I’m now the Team Leader for Financial Counseling in North Central with Anglicare Victoria and a part-time teacher for ICAN Learn.

When did you decide that you wanted to teach financial counselling?

Straight away! Tracey is also a casual teacher for ICAN Learn, so I did a bit of guest speaking in her classes which gave me exposure to what teaching financial counselling would be like. I’m very passionate about financial counselling and capability and really wanted to teach it. I completed my Certificate IV in Training and Assessment online during COVID, which turned out to be beneficial. I understand what it’s like for students learning online, so I already come with that perspective. Course content designed for face-to-face training doesn’t translate online, so you need to get people engaged using other techniques such as breakout rooms for side conversations that could otherwise be lost online. I love this sector, so to have the opportunity to teach and inspire other people to make a difference is hugely rewarding.

What courses have you been teaching?

I’m teaching the Diploma for ICAN Learn and delivering non-accredited financial literacy training for community service workers at Anglicare. By providing financial literacy training, we can give community service workers the basic skills to assist their clients with their money. It also allows Anglicare to help people in the community to get immediate assistance rather than being put on a waitlist for financial counselling. It upskills the workers and clients, not just the financial counselling team.

As a teacher you bring a lot of experience to the role, including your specialist knowledge of working with family violence and helping with the bushfire response. Can you tell us a bit about that?

I started as a generalist financial counsellor and took up the family violence specialist role, so my casework was entirely about family violence. I was very keen on networking and building relationships to improve access to services, so it was great working with different groups and networks in a systemic approach, as well as doing the casework. The bushfire financial counselling team response was entirely different, but the experiences I’ve had supporting people with trauma helped prepare me for it. It’s seeing the systemic angle of the chaos and then working out how it can be managed better next time – because there will be a next time – and how we can support financial counsellors through the process.

When you’re not working, where will we find you?

My husband works as an accountant, but after hours we’re busy looking after our animals – our dog, two cats, a rescue alpaca and two sheep. We’re also about to get some ducks. At some point we have to put a limit on our menagerie – maybe – stay tuned!

Building Real Relationships through Real Education

When ICAN’s Registered Training Organisation (RTO) ICAN Learn launched in 2017, it was the realisation of a dream. Now in its fifth year, Australia’s first social enterprise RTO dedicated to the professional development and advancement of the national financial counselling, capability and resilience sectors continues to go from strength to strength.

With the number of Australians suffering financial hardship currently at an all-time high, the demand on community service agencies has never been greater. People are presenting for assistance with complex financial situations to community services agencies with limited experience and sometimes, an untrained workforce.

Financial capability workers and financial counsellors are the unsung heroes of any agency. Passionate about improving the financial and emotional wellbeing of their clients, these frontline workers often need support themselves. Professional development training provides support, empowering staff to produce even greater outcomes for their clients, agencies, and communities.

Empowering regional and remote organisations

‘ICAN Learn was created to link workforces to real education to the develop the financial counselling and capability sectors.’ said Bernadette Pasco, ICAN Learn Executive Officer.

‘The best way to develop the financial counselling and capability sector is to build open, trusting relationships with people and agencies. At ICAN Learn we listen to what the agency seeks to develop; then we work out how we can work within the agency framework to jointly discover a new way forward.’

Anglicare NT; Anglicare Vic; and Christians Against Poverty [CAP], are just some of the organisations that ICAN Learn has worked with to innovate education and support that suit their business and environment. Whether educating a team of financial counsellors remotely from Bendigo or providing financial literacy to staff in remote communities, tailoring education to meet specific needs is key to supporting the financial services sector as a whole.

Tracy Grinter from Anglicare Victoria, Bendigo, explains, ‘I needed to employ eight financial counsellors within a 12-month period. I knew I wouldn’t get qualified staff because we’re in a regional area, so I needed a flexible training strategy. Having regional staff travel to Melbourne 3 days a week for training was not going to work. I needed something that would work within the framework I had, otherwise I couldn’t meet our targets. ICAN Learn really listened and understood what we needed. They offered us a model that delivered things like the financial units straightaway, so our staff could start working immediately. In fact, two of our original staff are now team leaders.’

Phil Pickering from Christians Against Poverty said, ‘ICAN Learn provides thought leadership to empower organisations for change. What I’ve found helpful and distinctive of ICAN Learn is rather than me just saying, “hey, I want to train some people in Financial Literacy Education”, then get sent a prospectus – I could have done that online. Instead, what I found was an ongoing conversation, training that suited us, and a way to develop our plan for the next steps of our organisation. Another big point of difference for us is ICAN Learn providing both the diploma and financial literacy education, as it meant we could use the one training provider.’

Fiona Pettiford from Anglicare NT is the Program Manager of the Money Support Hub in remote East Arnhem, NT. She engaged ICAN Learn to deliver financial literacy education to her staff in the remote community of Nhulunbuy.

‘We were looking for some sort of standardisation across Anglicare NT’, said Fiona, ‘so even our qualified financial capability workers completed the ICAN Learn accredited Financial Literacy Education Skillset to ensure we had a consistent approach across the Hub which outreaches to many remote areas including Groote Eylandt, Ngukurr and other places

‘As a Program Manager and someone who’s employing financial counsellors and financial capability workers, I know ICAN Learn’s products are excellent. It’s not just about the quality and course content, it’s also about the values base of their course.

‘Having training delivered by people who’ve actually done the work is so pertinent in remote areas like ours. I need trainers that understand the space we work in and the cultural sensitivities. We’ve all got different experiences, but together, we all build each other’s knowledge.’

Bernadette said, ‘ICAN Learn has many different partnerships, from organisations to individual students. Our primary goal is to make sure that our students are work-ready and that organisations we work with get to explore different options to work out what works for them. It’s truly focused on the self-determination of organisations and individuals, whilst supporting best practice at all times.’

To discuss how ICAN Learn can help your organisation, contact Bernadette Pasco, Executive Officer, ICAN Learn at bern.pasco@ican.org.au

Our courses https://icanlearn.edu.au/course/ican/

A Focus on Regional Relationships

Tracey Grinter is the manager of Financial Counselling, Victims Assistance Program and Gambler’s Help at Anglicare Victoria [AV]; Tracey’s also a financial counsellor with a background in social work, who still sees some clients and is passionate about having a skilled up team that makes a difference to consumers. Over the past two years, ICAN Learn has had the privilege of utilising Tracey’s casual teaching services to ensure the smooth integration of learning into the workplace at AV.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Anglicare Bendigo.

“I’ve been working at AV for nearly seven years now. I commenced my employment in the Financial Counselling team and have had a few role changes since then. It’s a busy role as there are staff spread across the Central and Northwest region in Victoria, and I spend lots of time travelling between Mildura, Bendigo, Melbourne etc.

I’ll always been passionate about Financial Counselling and enjoy being involved in the day to day delivery of the program. I even still see clients when I can!”

The FC team at AV has 10 Financial Counsellors and 3 volunteers across a number of sites, and provides significant outreach services. AV receives funding from Consumer Affairs Victoria, Department of Social Services and the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation.

2. This is the first time that the Diploma of Financial Counselling has been delivered outside of the CBD in Victoria. Tell us what led to the development of a training group at Bendigo and a bit about the processes involved?

Recruitment of staff in regional areas is always a challenge, with the need to release staff for training and associated impacts on casework. AV was able to recruit staff with the right attitude, approach and significant backgrounds from finance to welfare, but all needed the Diploma of Financial Counselling.

“The AV FC team experienced a lot of staff changeover, the team going from being very experienced to having six new Financial Counsellors in the space of six months.

Whilst all those we recruited for financial counselling positions were keen to undertake the required Diploma of Financial Counselling, there were a number of barriers. With the course only offered in Melbourne, costs of accommodation, travel and impact on time with clients, were significant barriers.

“As a manager engaged with local networks, I was aware Bendigo Family & Financial Services [BFFS] also had a number of staff and volunteers that were wanting to undertake the Diploma of Financial Counselling, which would allow them to expand their services to the region.”

To try and resolve the challenges of getting new recruits qualified, AV began conversations with ICAN Learn through Tracey Grinter. With most of the potential students already beginning to provide casework support under the direct supervision of a qualified Financial Counsellor it became clear that the use of a mentorship model (a model that replicates the traineeship approach) would be best suited to the meet the needs of both student employees and their organisations. Workplace-based learning could be truly integrated with the theory of financial counselling.

“ I met with ICAN Learn which undertook a gap analysis, and developed a timetable that reflected the needs of new staff; an immediate focus on the Financial and Legal units came first to enable some learning of basic financial counselling facts. Our format was a block mode with two one week blocks and a series of weekend workshops. This was complemented by daily support from myself and other qualified Financial Counsellors in a number of workplaces. The delivery was tailored to the students, allowing them to use their real casework scenarios to inform discussion and to complete assessments. The use of guest speakers from within the students’ organisations and from other key organisations within the region was also embedded in the delivery. This not only allowed the students to increase their knowledge but also their networks.”

ICAN Learn was excited to deliver the Diploma of financial counselling and support the development of 4 organisations: AV, BFFS, Child and Family Services [Ballarat] and Rural Financial Counselling Service in Gippsland, through this new regional place based approach.

3. The partnership between industry and ICAN Learn has been vital in the development and delivery of this program. Tell us about Anglicare’s and your role in the training delivery for this course?

“AV has been very supportive of the training delivery. They have allowed me to teach units within the Diploma during my paid work time. They have also allowed us the use of training rooms and other resources, such as photocopying and administrative support. I have been able to support and mentor both staff within AV and the other organisations where students are employed in work time. This has facilitated me meeting with students regularly, either in person (involving travel) or via Skype or telephone. It’s been a great arrangement!

I’ve also had to put in my own time to mark assessments, which has allowed me to develop my training and assessing skills. It has enabled me to be better informed about how to support and educate my team and other Financial Counsellors in the region.”

4. Do you think this program can be replicated in other regional areas?

“It would be fantastic and certainly possible to replicate this model other regional areas. It requires the support of an organisation and a Financial Counsellor / Manager with Certificate IV Training and Assessment 40116 [TAE40116] to drive the model.”

ICAN Learn has supported Tracey to upgrade her TAE40116 which in turn builds organisational capacity.

“I would encourage other FC’s to give back to the sector – I have gained so much from being involved in the Diploma. Talk to your organisations – ask what kind of support they could provide to a model like this.”

5. What’s your key message to agencies across Australia about developing the capacity for educating financial counsellors?

“My key messages are about the success of the ‘mentorship’ model. The FC’s that are now graduating from the Diploma are highly skilled and experienced. They are also well supported by the networks they have developed through the course and their employment. I think the mix of workplace and classroom-based learning is key to sector development.”

Christmas surprise for Bendigo group

EnergyAustralia, as part of a larger partnership with ICAN Learn to mobilise and strengthen the financial counselling sector gave 10 fee paying Bendigo Diploma of Financial Counselling students the opportunity to recover their expenses, in what is seen by all involved as an amazing gift to the region.

As a sector driven registered training organisation, ICAN Learn wanted to kick its first year off with a training initiative that would address a regional issue within the financial counselling sector. The issue in this story reflects the concern of many regional areas, in that recruiting qualified financial counsellors in areas of high need is almost impossible. Located in the northern area of the Central Goldfields in Victoria, Bendigo is a large regional city that’s had its challenges recruiting qualified financial counsellors.

ICAN Learn had the opportunity to work with the local financial counselling agencies Bendigo Family and Financial Services and Anglicare [formerly St Luke’s] to design and deliver the first industry focused Diploma of Financial Counselling program in a regional city. The win-win approach would allow for training to be provided locally, with financial counsellors from the region being involved in the training design and delivery. Most importantly the initiative would provide participating FC service organisations with a traineeship style recruitment opportunity.

Financial counsellors and managers from both organisations met with EnergyAustralia’s Kane Stella and Louise Nicolidis in the week leading up to Christmas, where this generous opportunity was announced. Kane and Louise were able to hear first-hand about the need for financial counselling and the difference that this opportunity has made for both the students and agencies involved.

As a new RTO, ICAN Learn was unable to access VETfeeHELP, a government payment system that allows students to defer payment of course fees. Regional training and employment funding initiatives were also dependent on the training provider having access to VET feeHelp. This resulted in potential employees committing to paying upfront fees in order to meet requirements of the financial counselling sector, showing amazing dedication and commitment.

To reduce fee costs, ICAN Learn’s Bernadette Pasco negotiated with Anglicare Manager, Financial Counsellor and Trainer, Tracey Grinter to provide free teaching time and a training space for the course. Two Jan Pentland Foundation Scholarships, administered by Financial Counselling Australia also helped reduce costs of the overall program. Agencies involved provided placement support and ongoing employment, with Child and Family Services Ballarat and Shepparton Family Care also benefitting from the initiative.

Outcomes from the initiative have gone way beyond Bendigo, with Anglicare now providing financial counselling outreach services to Echuca and Maryborough, areas living with high disadvantage. This regional initiative is proof that we can achieve amazing social impacts if and when we all work together.