Volunteer at Women's Money Matters

Volunteer Coach: 

~2.5 hours per week for the duration of the program (~3-4 months). Each week will include 1 hour of 1:1 time (or more if you choose), and a 1.5 hour WMM workshop.  If you need to miss a workshop or two, that is ok just communicate with us and your partner! 

Volunteer Presenter: 

~3-4 hours per workshop: 1.5-2.5 hours to prepare for the workshop and 2 hours on presentation day. Once you have presented a workshop, the preparation time will be less if you present again in the future!

Not at all! The majority of our programs take place in the evening, though some are offered during the day. The coach and participant paired together decide the best time to meet between workshops that will work for both of their schedules.

We understand that an unavoidable conflict may come up, people get sick, etc. The success of the program relies on a commitment from both the coach and their partner to attend as many workshops and one-on-one sessions as possible.  If it is something you know about in advance, be sure to let the Program Leader know so they will ensure that your participant has support during the breakout session/workshop. Also let your partner know that you will not be there and encourage them to attend in your absence so they do not miss the week’s lesson.  If you know in advance that you will be missing multiple workshops, our Volunteer Manager can help you find a program that will better fit your schedule.

Coaches can only coach one participant per Women’s Money Matters program. We pride ourselves in the meaningful one-on-one relationships that are built between coaches and participants, which have proven most successful in supporting participants in meeting their financial goals. Special circumstances where experienced coaches want to volunteer for multiple programs (e.g., if programs that may overlap shortly or meet at different times) will be considered on a case-by-case basis by program leadership.

Coaches and presenters are volunteers who give their time to women in our programs.

The women in our financial health programs need a different type of financial coach. Our participants come from a diverse set of backgrounds and, unfortunately, many have experienced some form of trauma in their lives. For these reasons, while our participants come to us to get support in meeting their financial goals, they really need someone who can take the time to understand their full life picture in a non-judgmental and compassionate way. Someone who cares about the participant holistically. Someone who is in their corner and wants to empower them and build their confidence to succeed, both personally and financially.

Although a financial background is not necessary to be a presenter, some workshop topics such as Building Credit, Repairing Credit, and Fighting Fraud require a level of expertise on the topic and knowledge of current trends in order to feel comfortable responding to questions during the presentation. These workshops are often led by volunteers directly from financial institutions.

Coaches are required to be women (cis and trans women) or a non-binary person who is comfortable in a space that centers around the experiences of women. 

Anyone, regardless of gender, is welcome to be a presenter as long as they are comfortable working in a women-centered space.

You can join from any device anywhere as long as you have the internet access to connect to Zoom, we just ask that you have your camera on when possible to build a rapport with the group. It is preferred that the Tech Support role connect with a computer that supports full zoom functionality.

Throughout the program, participants may be disclosing personal financial information with their partner via screen sharing or in person (example: credit reports, bank statements, online accounts). In addition to the our Life Launch program which may include participants under the age of 18, many of our participants are parents/caregivers of children, and it is entirely possible to encounter them throughout the program, especially during virtual programming and in-person one-on-one in meetings.  We want to maintain trust with our participants and collaborating organizations by ensuring our volunteers are fully vetted. 

At this time, materials (google slides for weekly workshops, zoom links, activities, etc.) are shared via google drive. This is expected to change with upcoming developments on our new website; regardless, materials will still be accessed electronically.

All volunteers (coaches, presenters) receive official training and orientations, as well as all needed materials and resources to adequately fulfill their role. A Coach Exchange (zoom event) is offered each month for new and experienced coaches to come together and share ideas, experiences, and support each other through any challenges they may be facing.

No, we already have a curriculum that was developed over many years in a really interactive way with many partners, participants and presenters providing input. Presenters are provided with materials and a lesson plan but are encouraged to augment the presentation with their own knowledge and flair while being sensitive to the audience to which they will be presenting.

As new programs are announced, volunteers will be notified (via email/newsletter) and will have the opportunity to review options and select which program they would prefer to enroll in based upon their personal schedule and availability.

Participants and coaches are matched by the Volunteer Manager and Program Leader based on answers provided on the intake application/survey submitted by both participants and coaches, as well as information shared during the Introduction workshops.  We encourage Coaches to let us know of any skills, abilities, or experiences that they feel would be helpful in the matching process.

Program schedules are set before we start the process of recruiting coaches.  Although very rare, if an adjustment needs to be made to an existing schedule after the start of the program, all participants will be notified in advance.

We have begun in-person programs again for collaborator organizations who request it. If you would like to volunteer in-person ask about the locations of our in-person programs. We will continue to offer a lot of virtual opportunities too!