Housing Counselor Certification – and More
Opportunities to earn housing counselor certification are available through HUD and other agencies. The National Financial Educators Council has programming that certifies counselors to do far more – giving them credibility, expertise, and confidence to become respected financial counselors capable to help clients build financial wellness.
Financial counseling requires specific proficiencies, so that the counselor can address the fact that individuals have unique financial practices, money relationships, and personal finance circumstances. The Certified Personal Financial Wellness Consultant certification program is dedicated to helping counselors accomplish optimal outcomes with their clients.
How NFEC Financial Coach Proficiencies are Measured
In addition to what’s required for housing counselor certification, NFEC Financial Coaches must meet stringent requirements to earn their credentials, so the designation means that they have demonstrated proficiencies and methods in place for client support. Program graduates are qualified to conduct a diverse array of activities that increase financial well-being at both the individual client and community levels.
The training program adheres to rigorous academic standards and includes implementation and practical facets to help enrollees practice the skills they’re learning. Competency levels for graduation are measured according to the NIH Competencies Proficiency Scale. Graduates must achieve a high score on a proctored exam after finishing ~180 hours of training (18 Continuing Education Units [CEUs]). Some training pieces are eligible for testing out.
The NFEC continues to support its financial counseling graduates post-completion, so they become well-recognized and respected members of the financial counseling community.
Topics Covered in NFEC’s Training – as Opposed to Housing Counselor Certification
Housing counselor certification helps build skills related to housing, but the NFEC Financial Coach training hones a wide range of abilities designed to increase the counselor’s impact. Subject matter covers the spectrum from personal finance management to psychological and counseling techniques. The lessons are supplemented with active virtual learning for skill development.
Sections of the Financial Counselor Coursework
Experience Sharpens Counseling Abilities
There may be a few online housing counseling certification programs, but the NFEC Financial Coach program involves much more than watching training videos – there’s a stringent practical component that requires experiential training.
Think about it. You wouldn’t want to have a doctor perform surgery on you who learned the operation from watching a podcast. It’s no different with financial counseling. People will only trust those counselors who have proven track records.
The NFEC Financial Coach training incorporates practical and experiential training so you learn how to serve clients effectively, building your confidence and adding to your credibility.
Training Across Four Experience Levels
The NFEC Financial Coach program has you gain experience across four learning activities:
Standards for NFEC Financial Coach Graduates – Do they Apply to Housing Counselor Certification?
NFEC Financial Coach graduates can be distinguished from those who obtain housing counselor certification by their adherence to the NFEC’s proprietary standards, which are founded in the principle that counselors have main fiduciary responsibility to clients. Over 12 regulatory authorities were cited in the development of these standards, including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), International Coaching Federation (ICF), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
These standards were created for the purpose of protecting both clients and counselors. The NFEC poses an evidence-based teaching frame that assures the excellence and effectiveness of education. The benchmarks also propose common language for the counseling profession to streamline communications, and offer tools to raise awareness about the importance of checking the qualifications of financial educators.
What Materials are Included in Housing Counselor Certification?
Housing counselor certification may offer some materials related to finding and maintaining housing, according to HUD. However, the NFEC’s NFEC Financial Coach training gives enrollees skills to maximize their impact as financial counselors. In addition, NFEC Financial Coaches receive the NFEC’s package of excellent resources, client management processes, and training in how to use the materials.
The materials involved at each phase of the counseling practice are incorporated right into the training program. You will practice skills with the exact resources you’ll use when you begin counseling on your own. The materials built into the NFEC Financial Coach training include:
More than 100 Instructional Videos
Optional Online Webinars Each Week
Workbooks & Manuals
Embossed Certification Award
Counseling Materials Also Provided
When people obtain housing counselor certification, they may gain access to housing-related resources. NFEC Financial Coaches are provided not only with materials they can use to educate clients about financial topics, but also with resources related to starting and running a counseling business. The full package of resources includes:
Software & Client Management System
Counseling Processes & Communications
Forms and Counseling Practice Resources
Client Financial Education Resources
Business Plan Materials
Marketing, Promotions, & Client Leads
Delineating the Life Stage Individuals with Housing Counselor Certification Serve
Housing counselor certification trains individuals to serve clients with certain needs. Specifically, they serve people who need assistance with purchase or rental of a home, maintaining a mortgage, or avoiding foreclosure on a mortgage. Part of that process might involve limited assessment of the client’s financial status.
The NFEC Financial Coach designation indicates that the counselor is qualified to support clients through a diverse range of personal finance situations and as they transition through different life stages. Certified Personal Financial Wellness Consultants trained by the NFEC are prepared to help with financial problem areas and increasing one’s financial health and security. They also are well-trained to conduct re-planning with clients as the client’s personal finance situation evolves over time.
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