Credit Canada GOLD Program Application Form
Credit Canada GOLD is an innovative and intense financial coaching program led by Kelly Cowan and Joanna Mackie. Kelly is a Professional Certified Coach (ACC) and facilitator with 28 years of experience in financial services. She sparks people to face their challenges with grace and get results. Joanna is a leadership and life coach, designer/facilitator and system change consultant with 30+ years of global experience. Her work focuses on supporting people to strengthen their awareness and capabilities to navigate complex change with increasing ease and effectiveness.
What is the GOLD program?
It is an intensive 6-week program with live virtual classes, small group coaching, accountability buddies, and homework, that focuses on changing behaviours, in addition to increasing financial literacy.
What is the objective of the GOLD Program?
The objective of the program is to help participants get out of debt so they can get back into life. While our focus is not on savings and investing, after completing our program participants may go onto reach that stage after first eliminating their debt.
We work on “hard skills,” like improving your credit score and building a budget, and “soft skills,” like developing productive financial habits and talking to others about money.
Who is this program for?
This program is for:
- Individuals who are dealing with more consumer debt than they can manage. (i.e. credit cards, loans, lines of credit) Note: You must have debt to be accepted into the program.
- Individuals who are not able to do, or currently enrolled in, a Debt Consolidation Program with us, or a bankruptcy or a consumer proposal.
- Individuals who are ready and willing to be coachable, and would benefit from new skills and additional support to make progress.
- Individuals who have not done the GOLD program before.
How long is the program?
The virtual classes and coaching sessions are over six weeks. After you graduate from the program, we continue to provide you with ongoing support for two years afterwards.
What are the dates?
There are 6 live virtual group classes, over 6 weeks. They are held on Wednesdays, starting on September 3rd and ending on October 8th. Each session runs from 6:30-8:30pm ET. You must be able to attend all six classes and be there for the full two hours.
There are also 5 virtual small group coaching sessions with your own personal coach, each lasting 1 hour. (One each week except for the last week.) We will be offering 4 days/times to select from. The day/time you select will be your set time for each of the 5 weeks. You must be able to attend all five small group coaching sessions.
This means there will be a total of 3 hours a week of virtual meetings that you must be able to attend, plus a weekly accountability buddy call.
What is a coaching session?
All participants are paired with their own coach during the program. Through weekly small group coaching sessions with your coach, you will receive support on assignments and developing a personalized financial plan. In past programs, this feature has been one of the most appreciated parts of our Gold program!
What is an accountability buddy?
A human outside of yourself to hold you accountable. We will partner you with an accountability buddy for you to talk to each week. These phone calls can be brief (typically 15 minutes) as the main purpose is to create external accountability for doing the homework. (Weekly check-ins must be done by phone or video call. Texting and emailing are a "bonus" but do not replace the value of verbal connection.)
Where does the program take place?
The group sessions will be held live over Zoom.
How much does it cost you?
Successful applicants will be granted a full scholarship ($700 value) so no cost will be incurred. In other words, it’s free to participate.
What will you need to do to participate?
To join our GOLD program, you will need to commit to the following agreements by clicking the button below. We will review this in more detail in the first session, but be prepared to arrive on time and stay for the entire evening, and know that there will be 2-3 hours of homework in addition per week. Specifically, you are agreeing to:
- Attend all 6 sessions
- Complete the homework
- Maintain confidentiality
- Maintain communication
- Be “coachable”
- Stretch yourself
- Reply to our requests for updates every 3 months for 2 years.
You’re interested. Now what?
Applying to the program is simple. Please complete the questions below and we will notify you by August 22nd if your application has been accepted.
Upon acceptance, we will send you an electronic agreement form to sign, which must be completed to secure your spot in the program. This agreement form will include allowing us to do a "soft pull" of your credit report. A soft pull means there is no negative impact on a credit report. By signing the agreement form, you are permitting us to look at your Equifax credit report now and approximately every 3 months for up to 2 years after completion of your program. This will allow us to provide you with ongoing support over your two years with us. We do not keep copies of your credit report. Your current credit score will have no bearing on your acceptance into the program. It is simply one of the many tools we use to see how you are doing and what support you may need over time.
Please monitor your spam/junk folders in case our emails go there. Note that we will have more applicants than spots, so you may be placed on a waiting list for a future program.Rest assured that all information will be kept confidential.
If you have any questions, please contact Becky Western-Macfadyen at bwestern@creditcanada.com or 1.800.267.2272 ext. 8063.