Explore the basics of ethical investing.

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State Pensions are an important part of many peoples’ financial plansplans and in this video we explore the considerations.

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Foundation amounts

In 2013, we set out with a simple ambition: To create an informal gathering designed by paraplanners for paraplanners to exchange views, learn things, fix things and share things.

Taking inspiration from the unique quality of teepees to create space for conversation and cooperation in-the-round, we settled on the idea of staging an unconference event held in rolling countryside under open skies – in teepees.

And because of the teepees’ association with Native American tradition, we named the event the Paraplanners Powwow. The language and imagery and props and furnishings we adopted drew on the depictions of the 19th century United States popularised in ‘Western’ films and TV.

Despite being intended as a one-off event, the organising principles adopted for that original event proved compelling.

So much so, in fact, that paraplanners who attended the very first Powwow decided to organise their own events: Powwow Up North was born, and then Powwow Down South, and then Powwow North of the Border, and so on and so on.

The Paraplanners Powwow name stuck and so we stuck with the whole Powwow theme.

But in recent weeks we’ve had plenty of reasons to think again about persisting with the ‘Powwow’ theme – not least because we received an email challenging us directly about our adoption and use of the powwow idea, naming and associated branding.

To be confronted with the idea that our events contribute to cultural appropriation of Native American tradition and, in doing so, perpetuate prejudice has been upsetting. And we know that participants in our events would feel exactly the same as us.

But as organisers, we should have recognised the harm that the adoption of the powwow would cause. We didn’t and we are sorry.

What we can do is make changes now.

We have already begun to take steps to remove the Powwow and Howwow names and end the use of imagery and props that contribute to cultural appropriation of Native American tradition.

That’s why, from now on, we’re the Paraplanners Assembly.

And although we’re changing our name, the idea that’s made our events and the community that’s flourished around them remains exactly the same: To create informal gatherings designed by paraplanners for paraplanners to exchange views, learn things, fix things and share things.

We’re learning from our mistakes. We’re fixing it. And – today – we’re sharing our news.

We’ll be publishing details of new events coming up and will see you at an Assembly soon.

From revision tips from seasoned exam sitters to thoughts on how to study together in groups, a group of paraplanners share best practice on revision and exam preparation.

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Autoenrolment has led to millions of people going into DC pension schemes. But a little birdie called the Financial Conduct Authority, found out in their 2017 Financial Lives Survey, that despite people getting a statement every year, only 52% read theirs and only 23% say they understood it ‘very well’.

To address this, Quietroom were tasked to write and design a new Standard Annual Statement – a statement that would provide people with information they needed presented in a way they could understand.

Why is all this relevant to Paraplanners?

Having spent 18 months collaborating with the DWP, Eversheds, and in consultation with lots of different parties and over that time, Quietroom learnt lots of lessons. Many that are relevant to Paraplanners and our ongoing task to turn the complex into something meaningful to clients in reports.

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In this session we explore the practical implications of PROD for Paraplanners.

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In July 2020, the FCA’s new platform rules came into force and in this session we seek to understand it better.

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A second exploration of FE and what paraplanners can do with it.

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Exploring everything paraplanners need to know about cash management.

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Following the ‘This time it’s personal’ Howwow in November, we asked Chris Hindle, Director and Paraplanner at Frazer James and outsourced Paraplanner to share his thoughts. It was Chris’ first Powwow event, and our first time focussing solely on soft skills, so his insight is doubly interesting. Thanks for sharing Chris 🙂

Do paraplanners need soft skills?

That was the question I was asking myself after a colleague suggested I attend an all-day course to develop my soft skills.

An introvert by nature, I was initially resistant to the idea. Why do I need soft skills training, surely this was the domain of advisers?

The thought of a full day workshop on soft skills development made me slightly uncomfortable, which in itself told me that it was probably a good idea to attend!

So I signed up.

My first ‘Powwow’

Having not previously attended a ‘Powwow’, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Would it be leading from the front like most workshops, or would it be something different entirely?

The first thing I noticed is the sense of community. This was an event organised by paraplanners, for paraplanners. We were coming together to learn, fix and share in a non-judgemental way.

A loose agenda kept the day together, but the event was largely driven by the needs of the attendees. We were treated as participants, not delegates.

Why paraplanners need soft skills

Despite initially being resistant to the idea, I came around to believing that soft skills are as much the domain of paraplanners as they are of any other role.

Whilst the role of ‘paraplanner’ differs widely between firms, one commonality is that in all firms paraplanners interact with other people. This holds true for both in-house and outsourced paraplanners.

Being able to communicate with clarity and confidence, is the key to developing and maintaining successful relationships.

The feedback from advisers confirmed this:

What I learnt

Although there was lots to takeaway, there are three things that really stuck with me:

  1. Giving effective feedback.

I’ve been guilty of being very direct with my feedback. For some people this can work well, but it’s not for everyone. It can damage relationships and make people feel undervalued.

In the future, I will ask the recipient how they like to receive feedback. Everyone has a different style, so if we want to get the most from people, we need to communicate in a way that suits them.

  1. Listen, don’t speak.

Sometimes, I prepare my response whilst somebody is still speaking. I’m not actively listening to them; I’m just waiting until it’s my turn. It pains me to write this, but it’s true.

In the future, I will work harder on actively listening to the other person. If something comes into my head, I’ll write it down. This keeps my head clear so that I can focus on what they are saying.

  1. Enjoy the silence.

Silence makes me uncomfortable, so I fill it the only way I know how, by filling the space. This was made painfully clear when I listened to recordings of telephone conversations I have had with clients.

In the future, I’m going to give people the space to think. I will keep in mind that they may not have had the time to think through the information I’ve just provided and need the space to do so.

What next? 

It’s clear that paraplanning has come a long way in a short space of time. It’s also clear that there is still a long way to go, particularly around soft skills training.

Personally, I’m going to be spending 20% of my continuing professional development on developing my soft skills.

I’ll be doing things like:

How about you? Do you think soft skills training is important? What will you be doing to improve your soft skills?