Over 300,000 copies of "Money and Youth have been distributed since its first edition over 15 years ago. Investors Group has supported this initiative since its inception in 1997.
WINNIPEG, March 20, 2013 /CNW/ - The Canadian Foundation for Economic Education (CFEE) today announced the launch and availability of the newest edition of its highly successful program, "Money and Youth: A Guide to Financial Literacy", for young Canadians. Thanks in part to funding from Investors Group, Power Corporation and the Investment Funds Institute of Canada, the book and companion website are free to teachers to use with their students in any of the high school grades. The book is also available free to parents, guardians, and youth. Money and Youth has been supported by Investors Group since the initiative began in 1997.
Details of the program were unveiled at Westwood Collegiate in Winnipeg today with Gary Rabbior, President of the Canadian Foundation for Economic Education; Murray Taylor, President of Investors Group; Evelyn Jacks, Member of the Federal Task Force on Financial Literacy; Aileen Najduch, Assistant Deputy Minister of Education for Manitoba Education; Peter Bjornson, Minister for Entrepreneurship and Small Business in Manitoba, and guests that included students, teachers, and representatives from various stakeholder groups in Manitoba.
Money and Youth is about 200 pages in length and is available in English and in French. The book is written in clear language for a layperson audience and avoids use of jargon and math. The content aligns well with the provincial efforts to integrate financial education into the curriculum and teachers should find many sections of the book applicable to a wide range of subject areas, including social studies, career studies, mathematics, language arts, and more.
Money and Youth is supported by a companion website where visitors can view the book online, download sections or download the entire book. The website provides additional support resources and links for teachers. http://www.moneyandyouth.cfee.org/en/
Money and Youth has been used in school programs around the world and has been translated into a number of other languages.
Money and Youth is also an excellent support tool for parents and guardians who wish to play a greater role in teaching their children about money. The book provides background information in a style that is easy for parents to understand and the activities in the book are, in many cases, ones that would work well for family education opportunities.
"The goal of Money and Youth is to help provide a basic financial education foundation for youth for the future. The aim is not to try and teach all there is to know about money and financial matters. CFEE is trying to equip youth with the basics so that they are capable lifelong learners and will be able to ask the right questions when needed," said Gary Rabbior, President of CFEE. "Our aim is to reduce their vulnerability to frauds and scams, take greater control of their financial life, improve their opportunity to build a successful future. We want youth to be aware of sources of good and reliable information and to be able to undertake their financial roles, responsibilities, and actions with greater confidence and competence."
"The values you learn about money when you are young have a great impact on how you manage your money later in life," said Murray Taylor, President and CEO of Investors Group. "Sharing knowledge about financial literacy is an integral part of what Investors Group Consultants do for our clients and their families."
Commenting from the perspective of a member of the federal Task Force on Financial Literacy, Evelyn Jacks, a financial industry expert, said, "This is a great initiative. By giving young people knowledge and skills in managing money, we can also give them the confidence to make responsible financial decisions, and that is the definition of financial literacy. Manitoba is a leader in Canada with this project; something we should be very proud of, especially because it has been possible with the collaborative efforts of Investors Group, a great national Manitoba-based company and our education system."
Manitoba Education has provided a copy of the book to every grade 10 student in the province. Assistant Deputy Minister, Aileen Najduch said, "The Money and Youth booklet is an excellent resource that will help Senior Years teachers weave financial literacy into their curricula areas. The potential for sharpening students' critical thinking skills when making important financial decisions makes this a must-have document for all students in Manitoba."
Westwood Collegiate Math and English teacher Erica Reimer said, "Financial education is essential for our youth. Teaching them about money now will help them to become responsible adults who make informed, conscientious decisions concerning their finances in the future."
The new edition of Money and Youth is now available. Copies can be requested by going to the following link http://moneyandyouth.cfee.org/en/contactus.php or contacting Susan Lennox at [email protected] or calling toll free, 1-888-570-7610. Note that shipping and postage charges may apply.
Image with caption: "Westwood Collegiate (Winnipeg) students review their new copy of Money and Youth book. (CNW Group/Investors Group Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130320_C6529_PHOTO_EN_24689.jpg
SOURCE: Investors Group Inc.
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