Course Title: Develop and use financial counselling tools and techniques

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2016

Course Code: BAFI5209C

Course Title: Develop and use financial counselling tools and techniques

School: 365T Global, Urban and Social Studies

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5334 - Diploma of Community Services (Financial counselling)

Course Contact: Jo Wallwork

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 3983

Course Contact Email: mary-josephine.wallwork@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 55

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None.

Course Description

 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to assess and respond to the immediate and ongoing needs of clients in the context of a strengths-based and client-focused financial counselling model.

This course addresses four (4) units of competency:

  • CHCFIN501A Facilitate the financial counselling process
  • CHCFIN502A Identify and apply technical information to assist clients with financial issues
  • CHCFIN503A Develop and use financial counselling tools and techniques
  • CHCLEG411A Use relevant legislation in response to client needs

These four units are delivered and assessed together.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CHCFIN503A Develop and use financial counselling tools and techniques

Element:

E1. Clarify client's financial position

1.1 Use available information to prepare a statement of assets and liabilities for the client
1.2 Work with the client to prepare a statement of income and expenditure in line with their immediate and ongoing financial situation
1.3 Identify and clarify for the client the different elements of their financial position
 

Performance Criteria:

 

1.1       Use available information to prepare a statement of assets and liabilities for the client

1.2       Work with the client to prepare a statement of income and expenditure in line with their immediate and ongoing financial situation

1.3  Identify and clarify for the client the different elements of their financial position

Element:

E2. Develop and use advocacy and negotiation tools

2.1 Develop written tools for use in advocacy and negotiation
2.2 Apply appropriate negotiation tools and techniques to advocate and negotiate on behalf of client
2.2 Undertake telephone and face-to-face negotiations as required to meet and/or improve client's financial position
2.3 Obtain signed letter of authority to act on behalf of client
2.4 Collect and use appropriate documentation to support the advocacy process
 

Performance Criteria:

2.1       Develop written tools for use in advocacy and negotiation

2.2       Apply appropriate negotiation tools and techniques to advocate and negotiate on behalf of client

2.2       Undertake telephone and face-to-face negotiations as required to meet and/or improve client's financial position

2.3       Obtain signed letter of authority to act on behalf of client

2.4  Collect and use appropriate documentation to support the advocacy process

Element:

E3. Collect and develop resources to assist and inform clients

3.1 Use standard checklists to develop and review resource materials that contain relevant and current information
3.2 Maintain currency and completeness of available resources
3.3 Prepare resources as a basis for addressing duty of care requirements when undertaking financial counselling with clients
 

Performance Criteria:

3.1       Use standard checklists to develop and review resource materials that contain relevant and current information

3.2       Maintain currency and completeness of available resources

3.3  Prepare resources as a basis for addressing duty of care requirements when undertaking financial counselling with clients

Element:

E4. Provide client with relevant resources

4.1 Provide client with relevant, clear and targeted resource materials to inform and assist the client to improve their financial position
4.2 Use a standard format to develop an action plan in partnership with client
4.3 Undertake research as a basis for preparing an information package on client issues for their later reference
 

Performance Criteria:

4.1       Provide client with relevant, clear and targeted resource materials to inform and assist the client to improve their financial position

4.2       Use a standard format to develop an action plan in partnership with client

4.3  Undertake research as a basis for preparing an information package on client issues for their later reference 

Element:

E5. Produce quality written materials to assist client outcomes

5.1 Ensure writing is succinct and clear and presented in a logical and sequential way to match third party needs with client objectives
5.2 Ensure all written documentation produced addresses financial counselling sector standards and practices
5.3 Prepare and provide appropriate and timely correspondence to clients and other parties as required
 

Performance Criteria:

5.1       Ensure writing is succinct and clear and presented in a logical and sequential way to match third party needs with client objectives

5.2       Ensure all written documentation produced addresses financial counselling sector standards and practices

5.3  Prepare and provide appropriate and timely correspondence to clients and other parties as required


Learning Outcomes


 

On successful completion of this course you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate competency in the above elements. By applying these skills and this knowledge, you will be able to analyse and use technical and legal information and develop the appropriate written tools and resources to assist individuals to understand their rights and make informed decisions about financial issues within the context of a strengths-based and client-focused financial counselling model.


Details of Learning Activities

 

In-class activities

  • Group discussion
  • Industry speakers
  • Teacher directed group activities/projects
  • Class exercises to review discussions/lectures

Out-of-class activities

  • Independent project-based work
  • Online and other research
  • Independent study


Teaching Schedule

 

Please note: While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the weekly order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of speakers and resources.

Workshop

Content

Assessment due

Units of competency addressed

1

 

  • Introduction to the course structure and assessment
  • Introduction to financial counselling
  • Introduction to Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC)
  • Introduce complex client needs and ways to approach client service delivery
  •  Exploration of personal values that may impact on financial counselling relationships with client
  • Code of Ethics – how ethics impact on  people within a workplace. Exploration of various codes of ethics and practice

Assessment 1 Part A

Due: 13 April 2016

 

2

 

  • Non-Judgement approach
  • Problem –solving approach
  • Accountability as a financial counsellor
  • Recognition of stress within the role of financial counsellor          
  • Boundaries – maintaining client-counsellor boundaries during financial counselling process
  • Conflict of interest
  • Informed consent
  • Confidentiality –policies and processes

Expectations of the client / worker relationship

 

 

3

  • Initial Interview
  • Initial intake information
  • Developing a rapport
  • Client intake and assessment – how to get the client to tell their story
  • Options for management of debts
  • Legal ramifications
  • Legal remedies for the client

Assessment 1 Part B

Due: 9 May 2016

CHCFIN001

E1. E2. E3.

4

  • Working on intake and assessment of clients
  • Clarifying roles and expectations
  • Working with couples and families
  • Working with aggressive behaviour
  • Strategies for time management
  • Introduction to the Law Handbook and how to use the resource
  • Appropriate referrals –Networking
  • Understanding of industry reflective process

 

CHCFIN001

E4. E5. E6. E7.

5

  • Understanding a statement of financial position
  • Client intake and assessment –support
  • Support an understanding of liability and legal debt
  • Credit law
  • Consumer law
  • External dispute resolution
  • What constitutes a dispute
  • Resolution processes

Assessment 3 Part A

Due: 29 June 2016

CHCFIN002

E1. E2. E3.

6

  • Role of financial counsellors
  • External dispute resolution mechanisms in the consumer world relevant to financial counselling practice
  • Centrelink
  • Centrelink payments/ entitlements
  • Overpayments and debts
  • Debt resolution
  • Prosecution

 

CHCFIN002

E1. E2. E3.

7

  • Beginning Financial counselling case work –options for management of debt
  • Support client with understanding and options
  • Support of appropriate referrals
  • Contracts / credit law
  • Presentation by Consumer Action Law Centre- relating to role of CALC as referral point for legal assistance for financial counsellors
  • Financial counsellor role in client support
  • Building a client case
  • Social Security Appeals Tribunal
  • Administrative Appeals Tribunal

 

Assessment 3 Part B

Due: 13 July

CHCFIN002

 E4. E5. E6.

8

  • Beginning Financial counselling case work –options for management of debt
  • Support client with understanding and options
  • Fines: landscape for client assistance
  • Mental health/ alcohol and other drugs and client impacts
  • Case scenarios about how fines can be easily achieved
  • Cost of various fines
  • Types of fines
  • Debt resolution relating to fines
  • Payment plans
  • Affordability and negotiation
  • Bankruptcy and fines
  • Civic  compliance processes
  • Magistrate court fines
  • Criminal fines- relating to common fines I.e. drink driving; driving without  licence; driving an unregistered car
  • CALD clients and impact of fines
  • How to negotiate
  • Special circumstances court

 

CHCFIN002

 E4. E5. E6.

9

  • Focus on Codes that are used in financial counselling
  • Breakdown of Acts and Codes and the relationship that exists
  • Standard letters used to defend client rights
  • Law resources
  • Approach with creditors
  • Debt management and effective advocacy
  • All resources used in resource folder

Assessment 4

Due 24 August 2016

CHCFIN003

E1. E2. E3.

10

  • Insurance
  • Financial services
  • Credit services
  • External dispute resolution
  • How /when to lodge a dispute
  • Client support mechanisms
  • Presentation/ discussion on bankruptcy
  • Focus of debt recovery
  • Legal processes
  • Processes of bankruptcy
  • Understanding of the Judgment Debt
  • Recovery Act
  • Protections under the Bankruptcy Act
  • Debt collection practices
  • Complaints mechanisms for harassment
  • Credit law relating to debt collection and recovery

 

CHCLEG002

E1. E2. E3. E4.

11

  • Presentation/ discussion on bankruptcy
  • Focus of debt recovery
  • Legal processes
  • Processes of bankruptcy
  • Understanding of the Judgment Debt
  • Recovery Act
  • Protections under the Bankruptcy Act
  • Debt collection practices
  • Complaints mechanisms for harassment
  • Credit law relating to debt collection and recovery

Assessment 5

Due: 3 November 2016

 

CHCLEG002

E1. E2. E3. E4.

12

Student presentations of projects relating to research into a prominent financial counselling issues

Assessment 6

In-class presentation

CHCLEG002

E1. E2. E3. E4.

13

Student presentations of projects relating to research into a prominent financial counselling issues

Assessment 6

In-class presentation

CHCLEG002

E1. E2. E3. E4.

14

Overview of clustered units

Assessment 6

In-class presentation

CHCFIN001 CHCFIN002 CHCFIN003 CHCLEG002

15

Overview of clustered units

Assessment 6

In-class presentation

CHCFIN001 CHCFIN002 CHCFIN003 CHCLEG002

 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

 

Your knowledge and understanding of course content is assessed through:

  • Case study scenarios and written responses
  • Research projects
  • Presentations
  • Construction of client files


Assessment Tasks

 

Assessment Task 1: Case studies and written activities

Due date: Part A 13 April 2016 and Part B 9 May 2016

Assessment Task 2: Case studies and written activities

Due date: 15 June 2016

Assessment Task 3: Case studies and written activities

Due date: Part A 29 June 2016 and Part B 13 July 2016

Assessment Task 4: Case studies and written activities

Due date: 24 August 2016

Assessment Task 5: Case studies and written activities

Due date: 3 November 2016

Assessment Task 6: Research project and presentation

Due date: October/November


Assessment Matrix

 

The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant unit of competency. These matrices are available through Program Administration.

Other Information

 

Please refer to the RMIT student page for extensive information about study support, assessment, extensions, appeals and a range of other matters: http://www1.rmit.edu.au/students

Course Overview: Access Course Overview