RFC Recruitment, Training and Development

Rural Financial Counsellor recruitment

Interested in working as a rural financial counsellor?

If you would like to work as a rural financial counsellor, please contact the head office of the service provider in the region where you would like to work and speak to the executive officer. You can also download the national selection documentation for rural financial counsellors, which includes the job description, duty statement, selection criteria and minimum qualifications.

What qualifications must rural financial counsellors have?

Rural financial counsellors are required to hold at a minimum a Diploma in Community Services (Financial Counselling). A counsellor may undertake training towards this qualification once commencing with a service provider. Unqualified counsellors must commence the Diploma within six months of commencing employment with a service provider.

Rural Financial Counsellor Selection Documentation

The national selection documentation  PDF [21kb] for rural financial counsellors includes the expected remuneration package, duty statement, job description and the qualifications and experience counsellors must have.

Rural Financial Counsellor Training

Diploma of Community Services (Financial Counselling)

The CounsellingFinancial Counselling and Community Support Section requires all rural financial counsellors to complete the Diploma of Community Services (Financial Counselling).

The Diploma consists of 17 units; 13 core and 4 elective. The elective units are to be undertaken from the rural financial counselling and case management elective groups.

As part of the diploma, all rural financial counsellors must complete the introductory unit as one of the 4 elective units.

• Work Effectively in Rural Financial Counselling 

The CounsellingFinancial Counselling and Community Support Section also requires rural financial counsellors to undertake a ‘preferred pathway‘ for elective units which includes:

• develop climatic risk management strategies from the rural financial counselling elective group 
• one case management unit from the case management elective group

The diploma is a nationally recognised qualification delivered by Registered Training Organisations. The qualification applies to financial counselling which is a specialist service assisting people faced with debt and other financial issues.

Further information on the diploma is available on the Australian Financial Counselling and Credit Reform Association (AFCCRA) website.

Case management workbook

Rural financial counselling has a case management focus through an action planning approach to help primary producers and small rural businesses manage the challenges of change and adjustment, including the impacts of climate change.

A workbook has been prepared by the Financial Counselling and Community Support Section and TAFE Western Institute on case management processes for rural financial counsellors. The workbook focuses on providing rural financial counsellors with background information on case management and its application in the service provision to clients of Rural Financial Counselling Services.

The case management workbook is compulsory reading for rural financial counsellors undertaking a case management unit within the Diploma of Community Services (Financial Counselling).

For information on the appendices in the case management workbook contact the Financial Counselling and Community Support Section on 1800 686 175