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Innovative kit shapes young people's understanding of finance
Innovative kit shapes young people's understanding of finance
November 13, 2008
New product will help students avoid slide into "debt culture"
As global money markets sink deeper into financial meltdown the UK’s young people are learning how to look
after their finances responsibly.
An innovative learning tool called the Money and Finance Kit is available through the UK’s leading
independent supplier to the education sector, The Consortium.
This year, in a bid to combat rising numbers of young people being plunged into debt, the Government
introduced a brand new part of the curriculum based around finance and economics.
"A major contributing factor to the current ‘credit crunch’ is people who have borrowed money but can’t
afford to pay it back," said Brian Potter, Marketing and Sales Director at The Consortium, a company which
has South West Beacon Status.
"Not in our lifetime has global economics been such a hot topic in the media, so it’s imperative that
young people are given the skills required to help them deal with their finances throughout life.
"Clearly, finance and economics can be a bit of a dry subject, which is why the Money and Finance Kit
teaches young people in a fun and interactive way the basics they need, such as writing cheques, reading
bank statements and understanding payslips, which are things their parents probably wouldn’t think to teach
them but which are crucial life skills."
As young people mature they become ever-more exposed to financial products such as store and credit cards
and, without the knowledge of how these things work, can quickly run up huge amounts of debt.
As well as real-looking bank coins, notes, cheques and debit cards, the Money and Finance Kit also has
dummy store and credit cards so young people can learn about the advantages – and more importantly pitfalls
– of these products.
Mr Potter continued: "In modern life we’re bombarded by offers of credit, whether through the post or
while shopping, and it’s tempting to take up those offers without really taking on board the financial
consequences. This kit gives teachers the chance to give young people a priceless insight into how these
kinds of things work to help them avoid sliding into the ‘debt culture’."
To find out more view the Money Finance Kit for schools.