Meet Ugbaad Keynan, Financial Capability Manager at United Way of Washtenaw County, who generously shared her thoughts on Change Machine’s platform. Ugbaad oversees financial coaching, financial education, and financial navigation services at the Michigan-based organization. According to Ugbaad, “Change Machine’s platform lets us meet people where they are…as coaching and financial education has changed drastically in the aftermath of COVID-19.”
About the Platform
The platform allows you to do your job easier, because you have everything that you need consolidated in one place. Tipsheets and worksheets are available in the toolbox. You have a full picture of your members’ experiences, allowing you to meet them where they are and support them. You are able to look over notes and plans in one area. Change Machine is a leader in helping to establish best practices. Also the CFPB survey being built in is a really big thing for us.
The platform allows you to do your job easier, because you have everything that you need consolidated in one place.
I also appreciate the fintech product recommendations. It has definitely helped to have products that are vetted, and to have products that I would not have known about.
Community of Practice
In our area, we have one housing counselor and a few practitioners. There are not a lot of us so we don’t necessarily have a community. SHARE – the platform’s social networking component – fills this gap and connects us to a broader community of practice.
I also attended a couple of [community] events around debt, credit, loss of income, and COVID-19. I found them helpful because we saw the shift that was happening, and we were able to get outside information and a deep understanding of resources that people could take advantage of.