The Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network Ltd (ICAN) invites expressions of interest from community organisations committed to advancing financial counselling and capability in First Nations communities. If you’re striving to develop a local First Nations workforce and enhance financial wellbeing in your region, this partnership could be the key to making a lasting impact.
Why Partner with ICAN?
Recruiting and retaining skilled financial counselling and capability workers in regional and remote areas is an ongoing challenge. Through our registered training organisation, ICAN Learn, we’re here to help you build and sustain a robust and effective workforce.
We’ve created a vocational education and employment pathway tailored to the financial wellbeing sector, ensuring your team stays engaged through accredited training and professional development opportunities. This support equips your workforce with essential skills and aligns with the growing focus from funding bodies on measuring the real-world impact of financial wellbeing programs.
Our Approach: Strengths-Based and Holistic
ICAN’s financial counselling and capability model is rooted in the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, a strengths-based approach that guides individuals from a crisis (‘surviving’) to ultimately thriving state. This model offers practical tools for capturing and measuring the positive outcomes of your organisation’s work, showcasing the impact on client financial and social wellbeing.
How We Can Support Your Organisation
Through our partnership, ICAN will provide:
Workforce development support including:
- Working with partners organisations to conduct a skills audit and map training and workforce development needs.
- Developing organisational cultural competency through our Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Cultural Safety CHCDIV002 accredited training course.
- Providing mentorship and leadership development for partner organisations.
Training scholarships: Your team can benefit from scholarships that cover various stages of professional development in financial capability and financial counselling, ensuring they have the tools to deliver impactful services.
Scholarship Opportunities Include:
1. Entry Level Financial Capability Worker
– Financial Literacy Skillset (CHCSS00077)
– ANZ MoneyBusiness Coach Training (Non-Accredited)
2. Financial Capability Worker
Certificate IV in Community Services (CHC42021): A specialised training program designed to implement the holistic financial capability framework.
3. Financial Counsellor
Diploma of Financial Counselling (CHC51122): Focused on applying holistic, strengths-based financial counselling practices.
4. First Nations Teaching Pathway (suitable for a First Nations Senior Financial Counsellor/Capability Worker)
Build internal training capacity with the *Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40122).
Additional specialised skillsets include:
- Lead and support colleagues
- Problem gambling counselling
- Rural financial counselling
- Small business applications in financial counselling
- Domestic and family violence response
- Professional supervision for financial counsellors
What We Ask of Our Partners
To ensure success, we’ll ask our partner organisations to:
- Participate in a two-year research project evaluating ICAN Learn’s contributions to sector development.
- Engage in our communications efforts, helping promote the partnership to funders and stakeholders.
- Nominate a key contact to facilitate project planning, development, and reporting.
The Benefits for Your Organisation
This partnership offers a unique opportunity to develop your workforce and strengthen your organisation’s standing when applying for funding. ICAN’s workforce development model is supported by government, industry, and philanthropic partners, providing a cost-effective, high-impact solution to enhance your services.
Join Us in Making a Difference
ICAN’s 17-year history of developing First Nations financial counselling has paved the way to organisational success. Our registered training organisation, ICAN Learn, builds on this success, offering career pathways and tailored support to help your organisation deliver high-quality, culturally relevant financial wellbeing services.
By partnering with ICAN, you’ll contribute to professionalising the financial wellbeing workforce while providing meaningful opportunities for First Nations peoples. Let’s work together to create a lasting impact on the communities we serve.
For more information on ICAN’s Financial Counselling and Capability practice model, visit our report, From Surviving to Thriving: https://tinyurl.com/icanreport .
If your organisation is interested in becoming a partner, please contact:
ICAN CEO, Aaron Davis aaron.davis@ican.org.au or
ICAN Learn Executive Officer, Tracey McCurdy tracey.mccurdy@icanlearn.edu.au
Or call us on 1800 369 878