Talking with youth about budgeting, debit card use and common sense spending has been made easier with the Canada-wide release of Make it Count, an interactive money mentoring program and information resource from the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA).
Launched in conjunction with Investor Education Month in October, the Make it Count program includes a parent\u2019s guide, an instructor\u2019s guide and an online daily budgeting program that uses everyday situations like errands to engage youth in discussions about money management.
The program was successfully introduced in Manitoba in early 2009 and the CSA is working together to make the program available across Canada.
\u201cWhen The Manitoba Securities Commission began to receive orders for the program from across Canada and the U.S., it was evident that Canadians were ready to start talking about financial literacy and a national roll out of the program was the obvious next step,\u201d says Jean St-Gelais, chair of the CSA and president & CEO of the Autorit\u00e9 des march\u00e9s financiers.
\u201cThe CSA is a proponent of financial literacy and we wanted to make sure everyone had access to the Make it Count resources,\u201d he says.
The program centers around a series of activities, tips and lesson plans that are simple to follow and more importantly, simple to teach. \u201cOne of the most exciting new elements of the program is an online, interactive money management tool that allows mentors and youth to set up a daily budget, start and track savings goals and chat with other money mentors in an online forum,\u201d explains St-Gelais. \u201cUsers can see where their money is going, track their financial progress and provide their own insights and activity ideas to the online community.\u201d
According to a recent survey conducted by the CSA, there is a need for financial skills educational resources that are family-friendly. The survey found that 78% of Canadians believe that teaching financial skills is among the most important things a parent can do for their child. And less than half of parents with children 18 or younger have actually taught their children about personal finances and investing.
The Make it Count resources, including the interactive online budgeting program can be accessed at MakeitCountOnline.ca. All resources are free and available in both English and French.
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