MONEY COACH PROGRAM
The years leading up to high school graduation are critical to the formation of strong money management habits. Personal attention and guidance are the most effective ways to empower teens for a stable and successful financial future. Money Coach, specifically designed for teens from under-resourced communities, is our one-of-a-kind, semester-long financial mentoring program. Small groups of teens are matched with teams of volunteer coaches who guide them through in-depth financial literacy curriculum and provide one-on-one support as they put concepts into practice.
Money Coach is a multi-week program completed over a semester with high school juniors and seniors (Sept-Dec or Feb-May). Group sessions are held every other week, last 60-75-minutes, and focus on specific financial topics with interactive activities and discussion. One-on-one check ins (about 30 minutes each) are held on the weeks between the group sessions and allow for more in-depth focus on each teen's individual budget, expenses, and goals. As a volunteer, you'll mentor teens on their path to financial capability using well-designed curriculum and resources.
Money Coach is delivered in select high schools and community-based organizations in the Milwaukee area. Teens must be enrolled at one of these partners to be eligible to participate. The list of partners changes each semester, but has included: Riverside, Rufus King, Vincent, Golda Meir, North Division, James Madison, Hamilton, Washington, Reagan, South Division, St. Joan Antida, Messmer, St. Anthony, Bay View, Bradley Tech, Carmen (NW, SE, & S campuses), Teens Grow Greens, and PEARLS for Teen Girls.
VOLUNTEER ROLES
SecureFutures' Money Coach program is a hands-on financial coaching program delivered to a group of high school students by volunteer coaches. The program aims to provide a deeper understanding of financial concepts and hands-on goal-setting through a lesson plan that focuses on direct volunteer-to-student interaction. The primary role of all SecureFutures volunteers is to engage students in financial education lessons by asking questions, leading discussions, and sharing professional and life experience. There are two distinct volunteer roles in the Money Coach program.
The Group Coach volunteer engages and encourages participants and leads the group sessions. The sessions serve to educate participants on financial literacy and to guide them in the development of action plans to achieve financial needs and goals. The group sessions take place every other week for the length of the program (about 6 group sessions). All curriculum and materials are provided. We intend to hold the group sessions in person, but sites will determine their visitor policies as they relate to COVID 19 safety protocols. Groups are generally consist of about 12-18 students.
The One-on-One Coach volunteer engages and encourages participants and conducts one-on-one check-ins. The check-ins enable the coach and students to build meaningful and supportive relationships. These take place every other week while the program runs (about 5 one-on-one check ins) and will be conducted by phone or virtually. One-on-one coaches are expected to attend the group sessions, as well. One-on-one coaches will be assigned 3-4 students to mentor.
Coaches help students to develop action plans to achieve financial needs and goals and guide them if they are faced with obstacles while working toward those goals. Students practice healthy money management skills and are provided the opportunity to earn a scholarship as they meet program benchmarks.
Preferred Talents and Interests:
● Desire to work with teens who come from economically disadvantaged families and communities.
● Desire to build meaningful relationships with teens.
● Experience with public speaking, presenting, or teaching.
● Working knowledge of foundational personal finance concepts. (Training and curriculum will be provided.)
● Basic computer skills.
Training:
All volunteers complete a 3 hour, in-person training. The training covers cultural humility, trauma-informed care, and student engagement techniques, as well as all of the logistics and curriculum for the program.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
- Have questions about Money Coach? Contact Maria Fuller, maria@securefutures.org or 414-310-5917.
- Want to learn more about all of SecureFutures' volunteer roles? Review these materials:
- Ready to get started? FILL OUT THIS FORM to receive more information about volunteering for Money Coach in Spring 2024.
