Notes from the Executive Director

Written By: Rebecca Wiggins

As the warm summer days are upon us, I think about all of the hard work and growth that have happened last Spring—growth that would not be possible if not for the diligence, creativity and passion of our staff, Board and task force volunteers. Together these teams work to support our organization and advance our field.
Each quarter, I look forward to this newsletter, because it’s an opportunity for us to share the seeds we are planting and the initiatives we continue to grow. And each and every project we advance, we do so with your feedback and input in mind.

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was greater than the risk it took to bloom” —Anais Nin

Introducing “My AFCPE”

We are excited to announce the first phase of our database redesign! We have heard your feedback and have been working over the past year to rebuild a more efficient, user-friendly tool where you can access resources and information regarding your AFCPE Certification and  AFCPE Membership. We are planning additional features for implementation over the next several months, but hope you will find these changes useful and helpful.

2015 Symposium

The AFCPE Staff, Board and Symposium Task Force are busy planning another exceptional Symposium for 2015, focused on the theme of Building the Bridge
from Research to Practice. This year, the Symposium will feature our first University Student Competition and a Community Event for AFC^® professionals! Mark your calendars for November 18–20, 2015—this is one program you won’t want to miss!

Program Updates

AFCPE is a proud partner in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)’s National Financial Coaching Project, which requires the AFC^® designation.
The Financial Coaches have trained with Master Financial Coach Trainer and AFCPE partner, Saundra Davis of Sage Financial Solutions, and are beginning their work in sites across this country. AFCPE will continue to partner on this project to offer ongoing professional development training.

For financial professionals who are not part of this project, but are interested in ways that financial coaching techniques and skills can enhance their work with clients, we have introduced two new Financial Coaching certification programs. The programs, which include the comprehensive financial content and experience of our existing counseling curriculum, provide virtual and/or onsite coaching practice to support the integration of coaching skills and financial expertise.

Accreditation

AFCPE is pursuing Accreditation for the AFC^® through the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). Accreditation ensures that the AFC^® program aligns with the best practices from an outside accrediting body and demonstrates AFCPE’s commitment to continuous quality improvement. Accreditation will enhance the value of AFC^® certification to employers, colleagues and consumers; it sets the AFC^® mark apart from others in the field. The AFC^®program’s compliance with NCCA standards shows that the educational content and testing for the AFC^® is psychometrically sound and has been developed, maintained and governed at the highest standard. We plan to submit the application in August 2015 and look forward to sharing the results with you.

We hope to see you in November where we will share more about the growth of these initiatives and the seeds we are planting. Regardless of the season, the organization continues to grow, bloom and evolve. We remain passionate and focused on our mission and we appreciate your support and participation each step of the way.