The Financial Mentor Introductory Course (FMIC)
Is the FMIC NZQA accredited?
How do I get on a FMIC programme?
The FMIC sounds full on, and I have some difficulties learning. Can you support me if needed?
Is there other training provided?
Already a financial mentor seeking training information?
I’ve finished FMIC, what should I know about supervision and the provisional period?
What’s the aim of the provisional period
What is financial mentor supervision?
What is reflective practice?
What is Community Heart?
Are there any other training opportunities?
How do I get access to Community Heart?
I can’t get into Community Heart
Te Papa Hou
Do you hold records of my learning? I’ve lost my certificate.
Training
The Financial Mentor Introductory Course (FMIC)
To support the financial mentor role and equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge, the FinCap Training Team delivers a number of programmes relating to the Building Financial Capability (BFC) sector and in particular, the financial mentor role. Initially, all new financial mentors, (known as provisional financial mentors), will attend the Financial Mentor Introductory Course (FMIC).
An intense programme, the FMIC covers those foundation skills required to support and mentor an individual and/or their whānau navigating their financial difficulties. Also included are the technical skills such as creating a budget worksheet, debt schedule and cashflow, the bread and butter of the role. Te Tiriti o Waitangi is threaded throughout the programme.
The face-to-face programme is run over seven full days (not always consecutively) and are scheduled throughout New Zealand. The programme is also delivered via Zoom, through our online learning platform, and through distance learning. There is a final assessment to confirm you have understood the components of the programme.
Once successfully passing the assessment, participants receive a Certificate of Completion.
Is the Financial Mentor Introductory Course (FMIC) NZQA accredited?
Yes. This is an NZQA accredited micro-credential, the equivalent of Level 4 and 16 credits. Six credits relate to the FMIC and 10 to the provisional period. You will be required to complete all modules and components of the programme to receive the micro-credential.
How do I get on a FMIC programme?
To access this training, you will need to be associated with a FinCap recognised financial mentoring service, either in a volunteer or paid position, nominated by the manager, and supported by a trained supervisor throughout your learning journey.
The FMIC sounds full on, and I have some difficulties learning. Can you support me if needed?
Yes. It is very important to discuss this with the service manager prior to attending the FMIC. We want you to clearly understand the course requirements and know you have the confidence to successfully complete it. If we know you may have some difficulties, we can organise and put into place appropriate support for you. The training team and programme facilitators have tools and skills to share to support your learning.
Is other training provided?
Yes. FinCap provides an online learning platform which offers a multitude of professional development modules relating to the financial mentor role. You can study these in your own time and at your own pace. Your service may also provide extra training for you.
Once you have successfully completed FMIC, you will receive access to the online learning platform, and our intranet, which is our connection to everything a financial mentor needs to know and includes externally offered training, articles, resources and discussion platforms. Regular updates keep you informed about new initiatives, law changes, how to address consumer issues and a range of other interesting stuff.
Already a financial mentor seeking training information?
I’ve finished FMIC, what should I know about supervision and the provisional period?
After having successfully completing your FMIC, supervision and the provisional period are vital components in the training of new financial mentors. As your role in community health and well-being can be intense, it requires strong levels of knowledge, skill, and the ability to utilise fundamental people skills with a range of clients. Successful completion of the provisional period concludes the requirements of the overall FMIC programme and micro-credential requirements. Once signed off by your manager and supervisor, you will be awarded the Certificate of Achievement and gain recognised financial mentor status.
What is the provisional period?
This is when you embed the knowledge, skills, and strategies of financial mentoring into your practice while working with clients in a supported environment. Supervision is your journey with a trained supervisor, that supports this process. The provisional period is 10 out the 16 credits of the FMIC micro-credential, which accounts for at least 100 hours of learning. Ideally, your supervisor was appointed when you first started at the service, and continues post provisional period, in an ongoing mentoring relationship.
What’s the aim of the provisional period
The aim of this process is to guide and support you to gain confidence in the role and meet the competency requirements prior to working with clients by yourself.
What is financial mentor supervision?
In your case, supervision is about your supervisor supporting and guiding you to embed the range of skills needed to ensure best practice in delivery. This is done within a reflective practice framework.
What is reflective practice?
Reflective practice is the ability to reflect on one’s actions so as to engage in a process of continuous learning. Reflective practice considers:
- what went well and why it went well, in sessions with clients, so these techniques and skills can be used again
- what did not go well and why it didn’t go well, so you can make adaptations and changes to their service delivery.
In FMIC this is taught through reflective practice models by Gibbs and Kolb.
What is Community Heart?
Community Heart is an online learning platform for the New Zealand community sector. Once you have been awarded your FMIC Certificate of Completion, provisional financial mentors will get automatic access to the platform and be able to complete other interesting modules in their own time.
Are there any other training opportunities?
Yes. Community Heart is a community based online learning platform which FinCap uses to deliver online training courses. Keep an eye on our events calendar on Te Papa Hou to see available learning opportunities.
How do I get access to Community Heart?
You can only be registered onto the FinCap section of the platform through FinCap. Financial mentors will get an automated email from Community Heart with log in details, instigated by the FinCap training team.
Please do not attempt to register yourself onto the site, as you will not be able to access the FinCap section.
If you have registered yourself in this manner, please contact one of FinCap’s training team members so they can provide the correct access. When we issue your FMIC Certificate of Completion, we automatically hook you on to Community Heart. Community Heart sends you an automated email detailing how to access the platform. If you have any difficulties initially getting access, please contact training@fincap.org.nz.
Te Papa Hou
At the same time we connect you to Community Heart, we will also connect you to Te Papa Hou, FinCap’s knowledge base for financial mentors. Read more about getting access.
Do you hold records of my learning? I’ve lost my certificate.
All programmes completed by participants through FinCap are recorded on our database. All participants receive certificates for each programme they complete including those on Community Heart which can be printed directly from the platform. Those attending FMIC receive a certificate of completion on successful completion and a certificate of achievement once completing their provisional period and are deemed competent in the role. These certificates and other training information you may have completed through FinCap is held by us. If you have lost your documents or want to know what you have completed, contact training@fincap.org.nz
Certificates for professional development not provided through FinCap should be kept on record with your service.