Volunteer Credit/ Financial Empowerment Coaches

The New York City Financial Network Action Consortium (NYCfNAC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping low-income city residents gain access to affordable financial services and achieve financial security, is looking for volunteers to serve as credit/ financial empowerment coaches during and after the 2009 tax season (Jan-April 2010). 

Background:  NYCfNAC provides financial, technical and operational assistance to the city's leading community development credit unions.  These credit unions are non-profit, financial cooperatives dedicated to promoting economic opportunity for their members through access to affordable financial services. They also facilitate economic development of their communities by reinvesting their members' deposits in the community through their personal, business and housing loans. 

NYCfNAC established the VITA(Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program in 2004 to respond to the exploitation of low-income taxpayers by commercial tax preparation firms, which often charge excessive fees and encourage these taxpayers to borrow their refunds at high interest rates.  The VITA Program permits these families to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and receive the entire refund they are due.  In addition, it helps bring in more of the estimated $500 million being lost annually to New York City by EITC-eligible families that do not claim their refunds.  The program also promotes financial literacy and offers filers, particularly those without a bank account, the opportunity to open an account at a credit union to receive their refunds and gain access to savings, credit and other financial services. Last year, NYCfNAC's VITA program served 5,700 low-income households. 

Position Description:  Volunteer credit/ financial empowerment coaches will work 3 to 4 hours per week during weekdays, evenings or Saturdays at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites operated by community-based credit unions in East Harlem, the Lower East Side, Bedford Stuyvesant, Bushwick or Queens.  The credit coach will provide interested taxpayers with a Credit Checkup, which involves reviewing the individual's credit report, explaining its contents, the credit score, and how the credit score is used to make credit and employment decisions.  The counselor will also discuss how the individual can improve his/her credit history and resolve debt issues.  Depending upon the demand for follow-up counseling services, the volunteer may be asked to continue in this position after the tax season to provide more intensive one-on-one counseling with financial goals, budgeting, and credit issues.

Eligibility Requirements:  We are looking for motivated individuals who meet these minimum requirements:

*Strong computer and communication skills;

* Basic knowledge of financial planning issues;

* Willingness to attend financial planning/education training sessions;

*Commitment to promoting opportunities for low-income city residents and communities;

*Desire to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds;

*Individuals who speak Spanish are also especially needed.

To Apply: Please contact Pamela Davis, NYCfNAC's Program Manager, at 212-254-6060, ext. 102 or by e-mail at: pdavis@nycfnac.org.