|
|
Spotlight On...
Youth
Organization: Albany State University
Main
Office: Albany, GA
Albany State University (ASU) facilitates the delivery of Money Smart to
first-time homeowners and in support of micro-enterprises through its Regional
Center for Entrepreneurship, Business and Workforce Development. It also utilizes
Money Smart for Young Adults as a Continuing Education Community Outreach
course, and is introducing the curriculum to local public high schools in
Albany, Georgia.
ASU has trained over 120 staff and other partners to deliver the curriculum.
After completing the Money Smart training for First Time Homebuyers, ten families
purchased their first home. ASU also provided technical assistance that led
to the creation of five new small businesses inside its incubator, in addition
to four other businesses created outside the incubator partnership.
Organization: Campus Federal Credit Union
Main
Office: Baton Rouge, LA
Campus Federal Credit Union is an affiliate of Louisiana State University
(LSU) and is headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Campus Federal
prides itself on maintaining strong ties to its community. Over the past
several years, Campus Federal has used the Money Smart curriculum to
educate both its employees and students. Every semester, LSU requires
that its new incoming freshman students and their parents (when available)
attend an hour-long financial education session that covers budgeting,
saving and the proper management of credit cards. Campus Federal also
invites area high school seniors to their branches for financial education
workshops. Financial education courses are offered at all LSU Campuses
in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Eunice, New Orleans, and in Shreveport.
Organization: Monroe Bank & Trust
Main
Office: Southeast, MI
Monroe Bank & Trust’s primary service area is in Southeast Michigan.
To encourage bank employees to serve their local communities, Monroe Bank & Trust
established Employees Now Linked in Service Together (ENLIST), a bank-sponsored
volunteer organization that rewards employees with additional time-off for
participation. For every 25 hours employees volunteer for bank-approved projects
in the community, they receive one vacation day up to a maximum of five days
per year. As an extension of ENLIST, Monroe Bank & Trust has developed
MBTeach, a financial literacy program that provides similar incentives for
bank employees to volunteer. Designed as a formalized approach to the bank’s
existing educational outreach programs, bank employees participating in
MBTeach deliver seminars based on the FDIC Money Smart curriculum, including
to faith-based
organizations, service agencies, and high schools in low- to moderate-
income census tracts as well as any other organization requesting assistance.
Topics
expand upon those covered in previously offered seminars, such as basic
banking, mortgages, and first-time home purchases.
Organization: New Jersey Coalition for Financial Education
Main
Office: Trenton, NJ
The New Jersey Coalition for Financial
Education (NJCFE) consists of about 100 representatives of government agencies,
schools, businesses and non-profit
organizations that provides financial education and related services. NJCFE
developed and implemented Financial Health Day, a model whereby classroom
instruction is reinforced with reality based learning. With a grant from
Members United Federal Credit Union, Financial Health Days have been carried
out throughout
New Jersey regions. For example at Met East High School, students spend
their senior year learning the basics of handling their finances with help
from
their teachers and the Money Smart for Young Adults curriculum. The lessons,
however, do not stop in the classroom. To further prepare students to enter
the real world of money, students have an opportunity to apply what they
learn in a financial simulation called “On My Own.” Students
are assigned an income, family size and credit score, and then visit 10
different simulation
stations making financial decisions pertaining to areas such as housing,
transportation, and health care, based upon the assigned characteristics.
Met East teachers
and volunteers serve as simulation consultants helping students make informed
decisions. At the end of the simulation, students can open checking accounts
with Wachovia Bank.
Organization: International Bancshares
Corporation
Main
Office: Laredo, TX
International Bancshares Corporation (IBC) is a $12.4 billion multi-bank
holding company based in Laredo, Texas with over 200 branches throughout Texas
and Oklahoma. IBC works closely with the Laredo Independent School District
(ISD) to facilitate the delivery of financial education. For example, in 2009,
IBC taught a child-friendly lesson, Money Buzz, on personal finance and savings.
In recognition of the 2009 Teach Children to Save Day, several IBC employees
hosted a one-hour interactive lesson to teach children about money. IBC has
also formed a partnership with Victoria College in Victoria, TX to teach Money
Smart for Young Adults to their students. To date, IBC employees have taught
432 students the How to Pay for College and Cars module. IBC has a goal of
reaching more than 1,000 youths throughout Texas and Oklahoma. In addition
to providing financial education, IBC connects students with other community
resources.
Organization: Summer HEAT (Help Employ Area Teens)
Main Office: Trenton,
NJ
The Summer HEAT program was developed
as part of New Jersey’s Public
Safety Plan (PSP), which aims to reduce youth delinquency, gang involvement,
and gun violence in New Jersey’s cities through partnerships between
local government and the community to reduce the impact of risk factors on
youth. The HEAT program helps disadvantaged youth gain positive employment
experiences. When New Jersey’s Summer HEAT Program was created, New
Jersey Youth Corps recommended that Money Smart be incorporated into the
initial training phase for all participants. The idea was adopted, and Money
Smart
for Young Adults is now part of the orientation for all Summer HEAT participants
that must be completed prior to job placement.
As a compliment to New Jersey’s
Summer HEAT Program, New Jersey Youth Corps created a Summer Youth Corps
Program to help out-of-school youth ages
16-25 gain positive work experience. Due to the success of the Money Smart
Training Program with regular Youth Corps members, Money Smart has been
incorporated into this summer employment program as a significant component
of the life
skills training program, and the curriculum is offered at all 12 of its
program sites throughout New Jersey. One site enhanced its financial literacy
component
by partnering with Wachovia Bank. Bank staff, meet with HEAT participants
on an ongoing basis to share information on banking and discuss how to
open an account.
Organization: International Bancshares Corporation
Main Office: Laredo, TX
International Bancshares Corporation (IBC) is an $11.7 billion multi-bank holding company based in Laredo, Texas with over 200 branches throughout Texas and Oklahoma. IBC works closely with the Laredo Independent School District (ISD) to facilitate the delivery of financial education. IBC uses Money Smart in elementary schools. In addition, IBC employees create Micro-Communities, such as in HJM Elementary School in Port Lavaca, Texas. Called Shark Town after the school mascot, the community includes multiple actual businesses from Port Lavaca including an IBC bank. Students apply for jobs, interview and receive notice in the mail if they are hired for a position. The businesses provide training of the student “employees,” badges, and uniforms. Students are paid in sand dollars for their work as well as for attendance, good grades and good conduct. Money Smart modules are used to help students learn to manage the money they earn in micro time.
|
