The Curriculum
The Financial Literacy curriculum is relevant for youth ages 13 – 25, though we typically recommend a 16+ age range for the more complex topics (e.g. credit cards, paycheque deductions and taxes).
Here’s the thing about financial literacy: the number one determinant of financial literacy rates in Canadian youth is whether financial topics are discussed at home. Obviously this means that youth are sitting down at the financial literacy table with very diverse levels of exposure. For this reason, these workshops are designed as an introduction to key concepts of financial literacy, iteratively building knowledge, skills and confidence as the workshops progress.
Few people feel inclined to release balloons and confetti when the term ‘financial literacy’ is mentioned; however we know that youth are craving this information! We have made these workshops as interactive as possible, featuring group discussions, self-reflections, worksheets, activities and additional resources.
The Workshops
1. Financial Wants vs. Needs
This workshop acts as an introduction to the concept of financial literacy and highlights the key differences between financial wants vs. needs in our lives.
A central goal is to not only define the terms ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ but to explore the dynamic, ever-changing and highly personal factors that go into determining what a ‘need’ looks like.
2. Budgeting
Ah, budgeting. A concept that makes some people very excited about creating colourful, beautifully formatted spreadsheets, and makes others nauseous.
This workshop is all about listening to that gut feeling and playing to our strengths. We discuss why budgeting matters, how it works, and present a variety of ways that youth can engage meaningfully with this incredibly important life skill.
A central goal of this workshop is to break down the intimidation factor that budgeting often brings to mind by focusing on accessibility of different budgeting tools, and the importance of playing to our own personal strengths.
3. Banking Basics: Accounts & Services
This workshop explores the ins and outs of chequing and savings accounts, getting down to the very practical, real-life nitty gritty. We discuss the purpose of each type of bank account and best practices for use when it comes to debit cards, ATMs, online/mobile banking services and sneaky fees.
Several major financial literacy themes are explored through this workshop content, including interest, the long-term benefit of saving money, and the rights and responsibilities of being a bank account holder in the financial world.
4. Everything Credit Cards Pt. 1
Holy smokes do youth love to explore the world of credit cards; it’s a place full of myths and intrigue. In Part I, we explore credit cards in a practical and real-life context: what they are, how they work, credit scores, interest rates, and best practices for credit card use.
We answer questions like: how many credit cards can a person have at one time? Is a credit limit increase a good or a bad thing? How do I pay a credit card bill?
A central goal of this workshop is for participants to understand both the benefits and the risks associated with credit cards, and instill the knowledge that will assist youth in acting as responsible and well-informed consumers.
5. Everything Credit Cards Pt. 2
The previous workshop (Part I) provides a very comprehensive overview of credit cards as a whole, connecting the card to the greater world of credit scores in addition to introducing key terms like interest rates, credit limits and minimum payments. Part II is about the details. This workshop is almost entirely activity-based, using a credit card bill as a mechanism to dive into important terminology and best-practices (e.g. why is it important to review the purchases on a credit card bill every month? What do I do if I lose my card? What the heck is a cash advance and why is the interest rate so high?)
6. The Workflow of Earning Money: Paycheques, Deductions & Taxes
This workshop is a biggie: it examines the workflow of getting paid by an employer, understanding where the heck those paycheque deductions went, and the big picture of how taxes work.
We do not complete manual tax-related calculations pulled from forms in the bowels of the CRA. Instead, we aim to answer questions like: When should I be filing taxes as a youth/student? What are the different options available to me to file my taxes? What if I mess them up? What is the purpose of filing taxes in the first place?
7. Bonus Mini Workshop: The Personal Tax Credits Form (TD1)
This mini workshop pairs closely with the Workflow of Earning Money workshop above. We have included this supplementary workshop should your youth be interested in diving into a detailed exploration of this mandatory tax-related form that makes people of all ages stop to scratch their heads.
In this workshop, we explore (1) why folks have to fill this out when they get a new job; (2) the key fields and checkboxes and (3) understand how these pesky forms bite into the bigger picture of filing an income tax return.
Are you ready to book a workshop? Have more questions that aren’t answered here, or maybe just want to speak to a real person? Get in touch with us and we can chat further.
Explore our other Pillars
If you’re looking for more information on our curriculum pillars, you’re in luck! We have dedicated pages for each of our three pillars; Workplace Readiness, Financial Literacy, and Mental Health & Resilience.
Workplace Readiness
Click here to learn more about the Workplace Readiness curriculum.
MENTAL HEALTH & RESILIENCE
Click here to learn more about the Mental Health & Resilience curriculum.