Volunteering your time
Your opportunity to share your financial expertise with schools local to you
Primary schools
pfeg is currently working in partnership with HSBC on its What Money Means programme, designed to help local authorities and schools across the country develop innovative approaches to teaching personal finance.Through this programme, trained Criminal Records Bureau-checked volunteers from HSBC offer their support in the classroom by working alongside teachers to bring 'real life' experience to money matters. If you are an HSBC employee you can find out more from the HSBC UK intranet.
Secondary schools
pfeg has developed a website which aims to help volunteers from the financial sector work effectively with secondary schools in delivering personal finance education.
The website - www.useyourexpertise.org (needs a password - see below for how to access) - helps volunteers understand issues such as the curriculum, school culture and current challenges and opportunities in developing financial capability. Volunteers are given ideas and suggestions about how they can use their knowledge and experience to contribute to student learning and guidance on how to get the most out of their relationship with a school. Volunteers are also able to match their individual expertise to the needs of local schools that are looking for help in delivering personal financial education.
Expanding the scheme
In 2006, the Use Your Expertise project began in partnership with the Institute for Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and GE Money. The project explored how volunteers from the finance industry could work best alongside teachers in the classroom to help young people acquire the skills, knowledge and confidence to manage money. The success of the project so far in bringing financial expertise and experience to financial capability lessons shows how the financial sector and schools can work in partnership to provide real life learning for young people.
One ICAEW member who volunteered in a school in Coventry said: "the most rewarding thing for me was planting some seeds of knowledge to help these teenagers think before getting into debt".
Encouraged by this success pfeg began expanding Use Your Expertise in January 2009 and is currently welcoming volunteers from Rathbone Brothers PLC, The Personal Finance Society, Co-operative Financial Services, The Association of Accounting Technicians and The Coventry Building Society.
Links with My Money and My Money Week
Use Your Expertise complements the work already being carried out by pfeg through My Money, a pfeg led project funded by the Department for Children Schools and Families.
My Money Week 2009, the first ever annual My Money Week held in June 2009 provided a nationwide focus for schools on financial capability giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to manage their own finances successfully for the future. During My Money Week, pfeg ran a series of taster events across the country which volunteers were able to attend. These events aimed to show how schools will utilise the expertise of a volunteer and how much fun they will have taking part. Here are some examples of events that took place:
- In Liverpool, activities took place aimed at developing pupils' financial capability including an activity, ’Deal or no deal’, to help pupils learn about choosing a mobile phone contract
- A ‘Stock Market Challenge’ day was held in London. Pupils took over the role of City investors in a role play simulation of the stock market. The buzz of the trading floor was captured in a frenzied rush to buy and sell stocks and shares based on what they read or see in newspapers or on television. This was an exciting opportunity for volunteers to take part in an activity that gives pupils an insight in to the financial world and develops their enterprising skills
- In the North East, Use Your Expertise volunteers participated in a theatre workshop.
See www.mymoneyonline.org for more details about these events.
Mark Hutchinson, Head of Marketing at The Personal Finance Society commented: “our members are very excited about getting involved in Use Your Expertise and My Money Week. We received over 250 expressions of interest in 24 hours. They are keen to apply their skills in an educational setting as well as giving something back to their local community”.
Benefits for everyone
By volunteering you will help deliver significant and long lasting benefits for future young consumers. Your support will:
- assist young people to develop financial skills fundamental to building a successful and independent future
- support schools in creating knowledgeable and responsible consumers
- bring information to life in an engaging and relevant way
- open up opportunities for working in the financial services sector that students may not otherwise have appreciated.
There are also benefits for you and your organisation:
- working with young people is challenging, fun and rewarding
- working with pfeg will enhance your profile and raise awareness of your organisation's contribution to financial education and corporate responsibility
- building relationships with schools will help you build a stronger profile in your local community
- you will have the opportunity to polish your presentation, influencing and public speaking skills
- Use Your Expertise provides a structured and cost effective way of getting involved in My Money Week.
How to get involved
Training for volunteers
To help you get the most from your volunteering experience training is now available to all useyourexpertise volunteers. To find out more and book your place please go to the ‘Get Involved’ section of www.useyourexpertise.org and remember the site is password protected so follow the guidance above!
