Become an AIM Volunteer Coach Today!

 

What is AIM?
AIM stands for Accountable-Inspirational-Motivational and is a financial capability program for low to moderate income families. AIM is a United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and private partnership funded program that involves financial counseling, classes, coaching and a matched IDA savings account to help clients establish emergency savings, increase their credit score and reduce debt.  

 

AIM clients participate in education, counseling and coaching to move toward financial stability. In education, they learn basic financial literacy. A counselor directs clients on the development of a savings plan and shows them how to resolve specific problems. A coach provides regular, client-driven sessions to facilitate performance improvements.
 
What is financial coaching?
Financial education, counseling and coaching are distinct but complementary activities using different skills, methods and processes. At its core, coaching embraces a philosophy that the client can achieve the change that s/he desire; the coach’s role is to support that effort. Financial coaching almost always includes the following components or steps in a collaborative, primarily client-driven process to reach client-determined goals:

1. Reviewing goals set by client and counselor
2. Assessing current situation
3. Action planning
4. Monitoring and providing accountability.
5. Coaches do not have to be content experts, but rather are people who can provide accountability to previously set goals.

They ask “What is your vision?” and “where are you currently in achieving it?” and, finally “What steps will you take to get from here to there?”

 

Why should you volunteer as a financial coach for AIM?
Financial coaches help people with little to no income make changes in their financial lives. You will provide an external force, an accountability system, to help people in need reach their goals and improve their overall financial situation. Clients appreciate being empowered and held accountable to meet the financial goals they desire. Overall, clients value the coach as a sounding board, motivator and mentor. They become more self-aware and better at goal setting, as well finding a better life balance and lowering their stress.  

 

What is the time commitment?
The time commitment will vary depending on the volunteer coach. Most coaching sessions will last 30 minutes and will be over the phone 3 times per month.  

 

How are you trained?
Topics will include basic overview of how to conduct a coaching session, facilitation skills, listening skills and more. Please register with the Transformance education department at Regina Blackwell at rblackwell@transformanceusa.org. 

 

 

PURPOSE:
The Accountability Inspirational Motivational (AIM) program is a financial capability program directed to low-to-moderate income consumers in Dallas, Collin, Rockwall, and Southern Denton counties. AIM provides free counseling, coaching and education for up to 400 clients during a 12-month period. Consumers enrolled in the AIM program must meet 12 touch points via counseling, coaching and education in order to qualify for a match in their IDA savings account.

 

The Transformance AIM volunteer financial coaches will be tasked with working with the Transformance AIM Coordinator to provide financial coaching for AIM clients. The coach will provide regular, client-driven sessions to facilitate performance improvements in their financial situation.

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ability to work with individuals in a respectful and nonjudgmental manner

• Good communication and interpersonal skills

• Sensitivity to and respect for individual differences

• Ability to maintain participant confidentiality and trust

• Able to volunteer to provide financial coaching for a least one client after the completion of the training and commit to working with that client for twelve months

• Ability to attend a training session and connect to a CBC required of all Transformance program volunteers

 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Meet with each AIM client assigned a minimum of three times over the phone or in person in a mutually agreed upon public setting

• Attend the volunteer training session

• Uphold the AIM program philosophy, goals and guidelines

• Participate by being prompt and well-prepared for each meeting with your AIM client

• Communicate problems, suggestions or concerns to Transformance staff in a timely manner

• Submit all required documentation to program staff as requested, within 24 hours of each session with your AIM client(s).

“What will matter is not what you bought but what you built, not what you got but what you gave. What will matter is not your success but your significance. What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.” - Michael Josephsen

 

Join Transformance in building, giving and teaching today!