Certification: Expert Skills, Knowledge and Experience

OACCS Certified Credit Counsellors are the highest skilled and trained professionals in the areas of personal finance, consumer credit and money management in Canada. The Counsellor Certification Program was developed to specifically meet the needs of the industry and ensure that clients of not-for-profit credit counselling agencies receive credible service from highly-trained, qualified counsellors who meet uniform standards.  Individuals wishing to achieve their Certified status must meet the rigor of the program.  If they are unable to do so, they would not be qualified to provide counselling at an OACCS or CACCS accredited not-for-profit credit counselling agency.

Counsellor Certification Overview

The Ontario Association of Not-For-Profit Credit Counselling Services (OACCS), developed and implemented it’s Credit Counsellor Certification Program in 2006.  

Providing counsellor certification for the industry is consistent with the objects of the OACCS’ provincial legislation, Bill Pr82, “An Act Respecting the Ontario Association of Not-For-Profit Credit Counselling Services,” specifically: 

1.     to establish, promote and regulate uniform province-wide standards of knowledge, skill and ethics for persons engaged in the practice of not-for-profit credit counselling;  

2.     to provide training and continuing education for its members; 

3.     to furnish means and facilities by which its members may increase their knowledge and skill in all things related to the practice of not-for-profit credit counselling. 

Program Structure

The Counsellor Certification program consists of the following three components, all of which are required: 

1.     Insolvency Counsellor Qualification Course

2.     Accredited Financial Counsellor Canada^SM program

3.     Counselling experience in an accredited not-for-profit credit counselling agency 

Details concerning these three components follows:

1.     Insolvency Counsellor Qualification Course

The Insolvency Counsellor Qualification Course is provided by the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals (CAIRP).

2.     Accredited Financial Counsellor Canada^SM Program

The Ontario Association of Credit Counselling Services is the exclusive licensee of the Accredited Financial Counsellor Canada^SM (AFCC^SM) program in Canada.  This program has been carefully designed to contain Canadian components in the study curriculum. 

The Accredited Financial Counsellor Canada^SM program consists of the following two course modules:  Personal Finance and Financial Counselling and Debt Management. Both program module components are required to earn the AFCC^SM designation and individuals must pass two examinations with a score of 70% or greater on each examination. 

The Personal Finance module curriculum examines the components of personal financial management.  The course exposes the student to basic principles, concepts and vocabulary of personal finance.  The course provides the information and financial management skills necessary for the financial counsellor to assist others in making effective financial decisions.  Such topics include but are not limited to:

-                 Financial Planning

-                 Money Management Strategies

-                 Taxes

-                 Financial Security and Insurance

-                 Credit

-                 Housing and Mortgages

-                 Saving and Investing

-                 Retirement

-                 Estate Planning

-                 Bankruptcy

The Financial Counselling and Debt Management course is the second module in the Accredited Financial Counsellor Canada curriculum.  The course examines the components of financial counselling including the counselling process and procedures, and counselling skills.  In addition, emphasis is placed on debt management, including judicial remedies, bankruptcy, and related credit laws.  Such topics include but are not limited to:

-                 Counselling Basics

-                 Counselling Skills

-                 Counselling Outcomes

-                 Financial Statements

-                 Credit and Credit Use

-                 Overuse of Credit

-                 Credit Laws

-                 Related Issues

-                 Special Issues in Canada

3.     Counselling Experience

The certification criteria includes a mandatory work experience component in an accredited not-for-profit credit counselling agency.  During that time, the counsellor must open and manage a minimum number of client files.

Certification Requirements

To be eligible for receipt and retention of Certification, the following criteria must be fulfilled:

·       Complete and successfully pass all required examinations and work experience components of both the ICQC and AFCC^SM programs.

·       Letter from Agency documenting experience and professional credibility.

·       Letter from a peer counsellor attesting to the counsellor’s ability and professionalism.

·       Letter from a client attesting to the counsellor’s ability and professionalism.

·       Signed adherence to a Code of Ethics.

·       Commitment to a Continuing Education Credit requirement.

·       Completion of 30 Continuing Education Units in every 2 year period following initial certification.

·       The mandatory Counselling Experience as noted above.

Employment Requirement

Counsellors of OACCS and CACCS member agencies are mandated to achieve their Counsellor Certification in order to be employed as a Counsellor.  Existing counsellors were required to achieve Certification within five years of the program’s induction in 2006.  Newly hired counsellors are required to achieve Certification within 3 years of their date of hire.  Failure to meet this requirement can hinder an agency’s ability to maintain their accreditation and disallow the Counsellor from being able to perform a Counselling role.

Continuing Education Units

The certification program requires the certificant to keep abreast of developments in the subject matter and practice of the specialty.  To that end, the certification program requires its certificants to acquire appropriate continuing education units (CEU) and to report these on a biennial basis.  If a certificant does not meet any post certification requirements for one reporting period (two years) or more, they must re-enroll in the certification program.  

CEU Opportunities and Approval Process

All CEU programs must pertain to personal finance subject matter, including credit, tax, housing, retirement, estate planning, insurance or budgeting; counselling theory or skill development; education theory or skill development; or financial practice management. The purpose of the CEU requirement is to increase the depth or breadth of a certificant’s knowledge and skills and enhance their ability to serve their clientele.  It is most appropriate for the certificant to attend programs that are designed for financial or counselling professionals.