Volunteering Changes Financial Futures
Is Volunteering with 3rd Decade For You?
- Financial Planning & Goal Setting
- Budgeting
- Debt & Money Management
- Risk Assessment (Insurance Coverage)
- Tax Rates
- Retirement Planning & Investing
- Estate Planning
- Are skilled in Active Listening & Motivational Interview (or are willing to develop)
- Will adhere to 3rd Decade’s financial philosophy and procedures
Strong preference is given to those already in financial management or related fields, but not required. Completion of initial self-paced Mentor Training is required (up to 5 hours).
Common Questions
How much training does 3rd Decade provide?
All volunteer Financial Mentors receive roughly 4-5 hours of online, self-paced training prior to working with participants.
When would I be working with Participants?
Our program operates on a quarterly basis, with Mentor/Participant meetings occurring over a 3-month period after the Participant’s completion of the 3rd Decade curriculum. For example, if you commit to partnering with 3 Participants from Quarter 1, you would hold 3 mentoring meetings (1 for each Participant) during March, April, and May. Please see below for a breakdown of Quarters and their coinciding meeting months.
- Quarter 1: Meetings are held in March, April, and May.
- Quarter 2: Meetings are held in June, July, and August.
- Quarter 3: Meetings are held in September, October, and November.
- Quarter 4: Meetings are held in December, January, and February.
Meetings are spread out over the course of 3 months to accommodate for availability as each Mentor will be working with 3-5 Participants per committed Quarter.
What am I committing to as a 3rd Decade Mentor?
As a 3rd Decade Mentor, you are committing to working with one cohort and serving the same Participants throughout their time in the 2-year program. Your commitment totals 24 months beginning on a quarterly basis, with first-time Mentors receiving training as well. Mentors are welcome to volunteer to serve more than one cohort per year. See below for a timeline breakdown of serving one cohort per year. Please keep in mind that Financial Mentors serve between 3-5 Participants per committed quarter.
What are the availability requirements to be a Financial Mentor?
- Volunteers must reside within the United States.
- Volunteers must have access to a computer and reliable internet as all meetings and training are conducted virtually.
- Volunteers must be willing to provide availability for Participant meetings at least three days a week. Meetings can be held throughout the standard work hours (M-F, 7-5), evenings (M-F, 5-9), or weekends (Saturday & Sunday).
Who can I talk with to learn more about being a Financial Mentor?
Please feel free to contact 3rd Decade’s Mentor Training and Development Coordinator, Megan Stiles, at [email protected] for more information. She will be more than happy to walk you through what volunteering with 3rd Decade looks like and if it would be a good fit for you!
What does an ideal Financial Mentor look like?
Our ideal Financial Mentor…
- Is passionate about partnering with individuals to positively change their financial futures, through financial education, reinforcing beneficial financial habits and attitudes, increasing confidence in decision making, and empowering financial self-sufficiency.
- Understands securing the financial future of one individual with the vision of creating a new philanthropic generation has a ripple effect of change on a grander scale.
- Recognizes the importance of increasing trust in the financial industry and identifies with the relevance of mentoring under conflict-free, fiduciary standards.
What is the 3rd Decade Program?
To learn about the 3rd Decade program and who we serve, please click here. For additional recent information, successes, and achievements of 3rd Decade, check out our Annual Report.
The Mentoring Experience
Our Financial Mentors have helped 600+ Alumni increase their net worth over the 2-year mentor/participant relationship by an average of over $43,000! Learn about the mentor/participant relationship below.
The Discovery Meeting
A 2-hour meeting held upon the Participant’s completion of the 3rd Decade course curriculum, designed to review current budgets and create personalized financial goals.
The Progress Meeting
A 1-hour meeting designed to check in on progress made towards personalized financial goals and provide mentoring on any additional questions or changes.
The Final Meeting
A final 1-hour meeting to ensure the Participant is set up for success beyond the support of 3rd Decade and their volunteer Financial mentor.
Apply To Be a Financial Mentor
When you volunteer with 3rd Decade, you become part of a dynamic, diverse network of cause-driven volunteers dedicated to changing the financial futures of young people and strengthening trust in the financial industry.
