Youth Financial Resilience Programme

Aim

We want to deliver workshops about managing money to young people across Essex, Southend and Thurrock

My Story

My family and I were made homeless when I was aged 6 in the early nineties due to the recession. I spent my life watching my parents work incredibly hard to better our circumstances and then dedicate their lives to helping others avoid the same pitfalls when it came to managing money and debt. My mother trained to be a teacher, my father has spent the past 30 years working for Citizen's Advice Bureau. I have been inspired by their commitment to giving back once they reached financial security. I followed in my Mum's footsteps and spent my career supporting vulnerable children in secondary schools. Then five years ago, I set up a social enterprise called Evolve Intervention in response to the alarming numbers of children sat on waiting lists for the help they need; we provide early intervention and support for children, young people and families across Essex through mentoring, coaching and group work. We work with our local authorities, schools, youth services and many other organisations. 

The Need for Further Support

So many of the children and young people we work with tell us how worried they are about money and debt; with the current climate these anxieties are rising. There are so many families in crisis and most young people feel unsure of how to navigate the financial landscape. 

We want to deliver Financial Resilience Workshops to the young people in our county, upskilling them and building their knowledge so they can feel competent and resilient to manage their money and avoid the crippling effects of debt as they move into adulthood. 

How Will We Deliver This?

We will collaborate with the secondary schools and colleges across our county to deliver workshops around budgeting, understanding bank accounts and credit, learning about the psychology and behavioural science behind debt and gambling, finishing with making smart savings and spending decisions. We already have strong relationships with many of the schools and would want them to be part of the workshop delivery so that they cascade pertinent info about where to go for help etc to their parent communities. 

What Will We Achieve?

The young people who participate in these workshops will come away with the tools and knowledge they need to make smart decisions for themselves as they move towards leaving school and taking their next steps. They will have the benefit of knowing the hidden issues of credit and debt, and use this knowledge to side-step the common mistakes that are often made by young adults relating to their money management. They will also be aware of exactly where to go and what to do if they are facing a problem with their money. We hope that the schools we work with will be able to be part of the workshops and subsequently repeat delivery year on year, with or without our support. 

This project successfully funded on 20th September 2022