Opportunity Title: Financial Coach Volunteer
Location: Hybrid, Zoom and/or LA Public Libraries
State Date: Winter - January 2025
Duration: 4-6 months, Flexible hours

***** NOTE: This is an unpaid opportunity. *******

 

ABOUT US:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. At work in over 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities to restore safety, dignity, and hope, the IRC leads the way from harm to home.

 

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY:

Volunteer financial coaches will meet with coaching clients on Zoom or via in-person classes at LA county public libraries. Over the course of eight 1-hour 1:1 sessions, volunteer financial coaches assist clients with knowledge and skills-building around personal finance topics such as banking, credit, budgeting, asset building, goal-setting, retirement, and taxes. Volunteer financial coaches may also assist with group financial literacy workshops for IRC Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO) loan clients (IRC CEO is the consumer lending subsidiary of the International Rescue Committee).

 

RESPONSIBILITIES:  

  • Meet with financial coaching clients for one hour per week on Zoom or in person to discuss their priorities, challenges and goals with money and establish action steps for the week ahead.
  • Assist recent refugee, asylee, asylum seeker, and undocumented arrivals with building knowledge of the financial system of the U.S.; assist all coaching clients with building good money stewardship habits and establishing clear future goals.
  • Balance a financial coaching approach (open-ended questions; client drives the conversation) with a counseling approach (financial coach gives advice and demystifies unfamiliar systems/topics)
  • Create session notes within three days of each coaching session.
  • Prepare for upcoming coaching sessions by reviewing session notes, session one "goals and intentions" document, and personal finance resource library on Box. Total time commitment for one client = ~2 hours/week

 

OPPORTUNITY OUTCOMES:

  • Volunteers will gain nonprofit industry experience and a deeper understanding of US financial systems affecting newcomer Americans.
  • Volunteers will use IRC's financial toolkit and their strong personal finance background to assist a wide variety of clients with diverse needs.
  • Volunteers will gain cultural competency by working with clients of multiple diverse personal backgrounds.

 

REQUIREMENTS:  

  • Strong background in personal finance (especially credit, banking, budgeting, retirement, taxes, car purchase, home purchase, education and personal finance issues affecting renters)
  • Ability to build trust over the course of several weeks in a 1:1 setting
  • Culturally sensitive, curious, and clear communicator
  • Armenian speaker REQUIRED

 

Our Hiring Process: 

  • Attend an informational session. RSVP HERE.
  • Submit your online application here.
  • Interview with our team. 
  • A background check was done via HireRight (a donation of $49 to help cover the cost). 
  • Attend a program-specific orientation. 

 

Don't hesitate to contact [email protected] if you have any questions.