​Waterford, Michigan – Oakland County and Oakland County Michigan Works! today announced a partnership with the Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLHSA) to provide free, confidential financial coaching to county residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting June 15, trained financial coaches will work with clients to assess their financial wellness, identify realistic budget goals and solutions, and create customized action plans for them to follow. Coaches will remain in close contact to monitor customer progress and keep them on track to enhanced financial security.

“Millions of people in our state impacted by COVID-19 have filed for unemployment over the past few months, including tens of thousands in our county,” said Oakland County Executive David Coulter. “We know this has led to financial concerns for many residents. The trained financial coaches are ready to help people establish budgets and make other choices to help stabilize their finances. I thank the Oakland County Board of Commissioners for approving the funding for this critical program.”

To meet social distancing requirements, financial coaches will initially be available via phone and virtual appointment only. Interested residents can schedule an appointment at 1-248-858-5520 or their nearest Oakland County Michigan Works! location. Oakland County Michigan Works! service centers will resume in-person appointments sometime later this year.

Program participants will receive budget guides and other resource materials to track their progress. Financial coaches also will make referrals to additional county and community resources as needed. Virtual and in-person financial wellness workshops are being planned as well.

“We’re very excited to be partnering with OLHSA to launch this important program during this time of uncertainty,” said Jennifer Llewellyn, director of Oakland County Michigan Works! “Their financial coaches will bring a wealth of knowledge to this program, as well as a portfolio of programming and partnerships that will help ensure client success.”

Five financial coaches will be available to meet with residents and are assigned to work with the teams at the Oakland County Michigan Works! service centers, as well as the Oakland County Community & Home Improvement Division.

“We’re pleased to be part of this financial recovery partnership with Oakland County and Oakland County Michigan Works!” said OLHSA Chief Executive Officer Susan Harding. “Securing financial health, along with providing access to asset development techniques and opportunities to be connected to vital services, is critical for community members impacted by the pandemic to fully recover. OLHSA’s financial coaches use a strengths-based approach that’s a supportive collaboration with residents to pave the way to achieve financial success.”

Financial coaching is one of many services Oakland County Michigan Works! offers to help residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic move forward from the crisis, Llewellyn said. It is expected many people will be looking for new career opportunities soon and the trained staff at Oakland County Michigan Works! offers counseling sessions on resume development and interviewing tips and techniques by phone and virtual appointment.

A virtual workshop program for job seekers is available, covering a variety of topics from resume building to using LinkedIn and gig job opportunities to career transitions. For more information, visit www.OaklandCountyMIWorks.com.

Oakland County Michigan Works! operates service centers in Novi, Oak Park, Pontiac, Southfield, Troy and Waterford. Combined, they assist more than 105,000 job seekers annually. Services include career coaching, interviewing and job search workshops, placement assistance, training courses and job trend information.

The service centers also assist more than 3,000 employers seeking assistance with talent recruitment, apprenticeship programs, job fairs, candidate pre-screening, hiring and training support, layoff support and labor market data.

Service center staffs remain available by virtual appointment to work one-on-one with job seekers to build their resumes, prepare for job interviews and help address other needs. To schedule a virtual meeting, call 1-248-858-5520. The service centers are hosting several virtual workshops for job seekers. A schedule can be found at www.OaklandCountyMIWorks.com.