Local young people will benefit from a financial education programme as part of a new Leek Building Society partnership.
The Society has teamed up with national charity Young Enterprise as part of its ongoing commitment to make a positive difference to local communities.
The announcement comes during UK Savings Week, which aims to help people make the most of their money.
The Learn to Earn programme will be delivered by trained specialists to 12 secondary schools and education centres each year for the next three years, targeting those located in each of the towns where Leek Building Society has a branch.
Research shows nearly 5.3 million of the UK’s children and young people don’t receive meaningful financial education.
And, according to the Money and Pensions Service, the proportion of children and young people who received key elements of financial education at home or at school fell by four per cent from 2016 to 2019.
The new programme is aimed at motivating young people to consider financial plans for the future, set goals and think about their study options. Themes will include careers, salaries, financial planning, tax and the cost of living and budgeting.
Darren Ditchburn, the Society’s Deputy Chief Executive, said: “We’re excited to partner with Young Enterprise in delivering this programme, benefitting up to 550 young people in our local communities each year.
“We understand that far too many young people leave education without the essential knowledge or financial capabilities, leaving them vulnerable to future financial harm.
“Our goal is to inspire and empower young people from an early age, equipping them to take control of their finances and enabling them to make better, informed decisions when navigating their financial futures.”
Sharon Davies, CEO of Young Enterprise, said: “Leek Building Society will be playing a crucial role in helping young people to build the vital skills needed to earn and look after their money.
“A solid financial education will help young people feel more confident in navigating the current cost of living crisis and an increasingly cashless society.
“Improving young people’s financial capability is not only hugely beneficial to them as individuals, but also to their families, their communities and to wider society. Young Enterprise celebrates Leek’s commitment to making a positive difference to their members and local communities.”
This week, Leek Building Society is also supporting the Building Societies Association’s UK Savings Week initiative, which focuses on encouraging people, who are able to save, to improve their savings habits.
And is it currently midway through delivering a series of 12 money clinics with Potteries Moneywise, to support anyone facing financial hardship, as reported in Daily Focus.
