STOCKPORT COLLEGE STUDENTS GET SAVVY WITH THEIR MONEY

Over 300 students from Stockport College took part in the Barclays Money Week, learning how to manage their money.

Barclays and the National Skills Academy for Financial Services developed the week-long series of money related activities to provide students with an awareness of money management issues and give them the tools they need to stay in control of their budget. 

Barclays Money Skills Week is a money management programme which has been designed to strengthen financial skills of further education students. The events help build knowledge and confidence; reduce financial stress and increase chances of achieving their goals. Staff from at college have, this term been delivering group tutorials to students which gave them the opportunity to explore how to avoid debt, plan for University and how to shop around for the best deals.

A new and exciting element of this year’s programme is the introduction of Barclays Money Skills ‘college champions’. Staff trained 10 students to deliver a number of specially designed lunchtime activities to their peers, whilst building vital employability skills for their CV’s in the process. Student Matt Ferns said ‘Being a part of Barclay Money Week has been an exciting challenge! It is a brilliant opportunity to educate others whilst learning about dealing with money myself. Something that is sure to be useful to us all in the future”.

All this work cumulated in a week which comprised of several financial based activities. These included lunchtime activities such as University Quiz, Money Personality Quiz, Online security, Food Tasting & Guess the Shopping Basket Amount and Career Presentations, all supported by Barclays Volunteers.

Left: Stockport students getting savvy with their money

This project formed part of Barclays Money Skills, an industry leading initiative to support one million young people to strengthen their financial skills, delivered by Barclays in partnership with leading UK charities including Action for Children, the National Skills Academy for Financial Services and the National Youth Agency.

Schools & Younger Learner Manager Julie Mountford said:

“It’s fantastic to be able to offer this innovative money management at a time when students are increasingly being put under pressure due to higher cost of day to day living. Good financial decisions are essential in today’s tough economic climate, and by building students’ financial knowledge we are giving them vital skills for the future.”

Prizes where presented by the Colleges Dean of Higher Education, Tina Sproson.

Photo of the Champions include Vanda Ira Arana, Rose Brocklesby, Shannon Conboy, Matthew Ferns, Narwan ghani, Zeneb Habib Aweys Sheekh, Jordon Stoddard, David Pye, Alex Toir & Daniel Taylor.