Financial Coaching

Over the last few months, we have been working hard to identify ways in which Brookes can support staff to navigate the increased cost of living.

We are therefore pleased to announce that we have formed a partnership with Navigate, an experienced charity who offer financial coaching to support individuals experiencing financial hardship or emergency.

Navigate are able to offer tools, knowledge, support and advocacy to help colleagues to navigate financial difficulties and achieve stability in the longer term.

This support is strictly confidential and Brookes will hold no information relating to individual members of staff.

Please contact Jessica McGinn via staff-financialcoaching@brookes.ac.uk if you have any queries.

Feedback

This partnership has already received glowing feedback from staff, including Mary, who has asked us to share her experience:

Mary sought support to help manage the unprecedented intensity of pressure including rising rates of inflation and interest.

"My Financial Coach from Navigate, Jo, is expert, empathetic and pragmatic. Even during our initial meeting I started to feel a bit freer from my barrage of unpayable bills.

I warmly recommend you to take advantage of the practical tips (and tricks) Financial Coaches can share. For instance, mine has already has helped me cut costs and access funding that has freed up money for a bit of well earned fun with my young family this summer."

Navigate Charity

Navigate are a registered charity who provide accessible, impartial, and confidential and money and debt advice.

The team offer individually tailored support that provides the skills and knowledge required to enable you to overcome the cost of living crisis and financial emergencies.

The charity will also act as advocate as required and for example, will speak to mortgage lenders or creditors on your behalf.

Please click the Introducing Navigate button to access a short video that introduces the team and the support they can provide.

How can Financial Coaching Help Staff at Brookes?

If you are experiencing issues or would like help to navigate any of the following topics please get in touch:

A stack of coins and monopoly houses on a seesaw

Managing the increase in cost of living for example food, gas and electric, and rent/mortgage payments.
Reviewing finances and preparing a flexible budget based on available income to meet day to day costs
Identifying further financial revenue and progressing applications e.g for benefits.
Reducing debt and repaying creditors.
Resolving a financial emergency.
Managing wellbeing whilst experiencing money worries.

Accessing coaching sessions and support

The coaching sessions and support provided by Navigate are free to colleagues, as these will be funded by Brookes.

Accessing Support Via Brookes

Please complete a Financial Coaching Referral Form. We do not ask you to provide details of circumstances, but instead, to select a coaching topic and provide a preferred method of contact, time and contact details.

Navigate will then contact you via your preferred method of contact to discuss how they can help. To enable you to access this support as quickly as possible, please can you ensure that you are available at the preferred time provided.

If you are unable to access the Financial Coaching form or require this in a different format please contact Jessica McGinn via staff-financialcoaching@brookes.ac.uk.

Accessing support via Navigate

Alternatively, you may wish to contact Navigate directly to progress a referral on:

01823 299050
enquiries@navigatecharity.org.uk.

We are currently trialing this service and are therefore looking to support as many staff as possible so that this service can continue to be accessed by those who need help.

Confidentiality

Please note that referral requests and any associated information will be kept in the strictest confidence and only shared with Navigate Charity.

These sessions are strictly confidential and therefore Brookes will hold no knowledge or record of financial circumstances or the issues discussed.

Our role in this partnership is to ensure that those who need this support are able to access and to fund provision.