JA Worldwide and HSBC Announce a Three-Year Partnership to Drive Youth Financial-Literacy Education Around the World

BOSTON, Aug. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- JA Worldwide (JA) and HSBC announce the renewal of a partnership to build youth financial-literacy skills through the JA More than Money program, a global financial-education initiative. For continued support and implementation of this and other JA financial literacy programs, HSBC will contribute $6.3m over the next three years, allowing JA organizations in over 30 countries to offer the program to students, ages 7–11, through the 2018–2019 school year.

For too many young people, financial literacy is taught too late in life or not taught at all. Working with JA to actively combat global financial illiteracy, HSBC has supplied both funding support and volunteers to JA More than Money and additional JA financial literacy programs for eight years in a row, reaching more than 520,000 students through 8,200 dedicated HSBC volunteers worldwide.

Through hands-on activities and a program designed to support a variety of learning styles, students discover how to earn, save, invest, donate, and track their spending. Students use innovative thinking to master money-management skills, become smart consumers, and find out how to earn income by starting a business. Students also learn about the significance of personal money management and deepen their understanding of the relationship between what they learn at school and how they can succeed in a global economy.

HSBC volunteers are at the heart of JA More than Money and enrich the overall learning experience. The program serves young people in both developed and developing countries, where HSBC volunteers lead interactive discussions, play games, and introduce online tools. Young people benefit from the different perspectives and unique professional experiences each HSBC volunteer brings, as well as learning at an early age about potential careers.

According to Simon Martin, Global Head of Sustainability at HSBC, "Our commitment to education is about investing in the future of young people, and we're delighted to extend the support and implementation of JA More than Money for another three years. Our investment and, more importantly, the dedication of our volunteers over the past eight years, has ensured that more than 470,000 young people have learned about the importance of money management."

JA and HSBC are also pleased to announce that, in time for the 2017–2018 school year, JA will release a revitalized JA More than Money, with an updated curriculum developed by experts in finance, education, and technology. For both students and volunteers, technology will play a much larger role in the updated program materials, which will continue to focus on the fundamentals of healthy financial decisions.

Asheesh Advani, President and CEO of JA Worldwide applauds the renewed partnership: "The JA More than Money program fuels our ability to build financial-literacy skills in young people in both developed and developing countries. We're excited to continue this partnership with HSBC for three more years, and are especially grateful for HSBC's support of the next generation of this important program. As we redevelop JA More than Money, we'll improve technologically on a foundational financial-literacy curriculum."

About HSBC: 

The HSBC Group
HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from over 6,000 offices in 71 countries and territories in Asia, Europe, North and Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa. With assets of US$2,410bn as of December 31, 2015, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations.

HSBC Global Education Programme
HSBC has been involved with education projects throughout our history. The first HSBC scholarship was awarded to a social worker in 1965. Since then, education has grown to be a core component of the Group's community investment activities. Globally, in 2015, we invested US$75 million in education projects and thousands of HSBC employees got involved. Together, we help young people fulfil their potential by: providing access to education; developing life-skills and entrepreneurship; and promoting international and cultural understanding. Find out more at:
www.hsbc.com/sustainability

About JA (Junior Achievement) Worldwide:
JA Worldwide designs pathways to improve youth employability by teaching practical skills in financial literacy, workplace readiness, and entrepreneurship to young people worldwide. Our innovative, experiential programs enhance the ability of young people to proactively engage in their economic success and enrich their capacity to contribute to the strength of their families, communities, and economies. As a result, our focus on employability in general—and entrepreneurship specifically—helps tackle global socio-economic challenges. After nearly 100 years, the JA model remains impactful, with more than 100 member countries, a network powered by over 450,000 volunteers and mentors, and a reach of more than 10 million young people every year. Visit https://jaworldwide.org/ for more information.

SOURCE JA (Junior Achievement) Worldwide