Enterprise on demand - Why use Face to Face?

I have used the Face 2 Face materials in schools for the last eight years. In all that time I have never visted a school where the pupils did not learn something about banking and finance in general terms. By that I mean a piece of information that they can use almost immediately to assist them or knowledge gained to enable them to use a product or service, e.g. A better understanding of the services available through their account.

It is even more important that students are introduced to 'financial literacy' today than 10 years ago when the Face 2 Face programme was launched in schools and colleges. If you think about way the government is trying to encourage more students to go into Higher Education, the changes in tuition fees and the student loan system. Even before this stage the Education Maintenance Allowance that is paid to a number of students during Further Education. In order for students to access payments that may help them through college or university, they have to have a bank account. Not only that, the account must be one that they can use on a daily basis - in other words an account they themselves manage.

Information and knowledge about the banking system in this country is therefore a necessity. Every UK student is entitled to a student loan, 75% of the entitlement is not means tested. If the students are uninformed how can they make the right 'financial choices' from all those available on the High Street. If they are making informed choices, you will in due course get to the stage where we have 'managed or controlled debt', as opposed to the cycle of debt that appears for so many to be increasing all the time. Please remember that most people will borrow money for a car, home improvements etc and this is an acceptable for of debt. It is the credit card balances that are never repaid or those that are overdrawn every month just to meet normal living expenses that financial education will help to prevent.

Apart from the changes to student finance, you have the Work Related Learning Curriculum or the 9 point plan, that was introduced to all schools this year. The Face 2 Face programme can help schools deliver the financial elements of this government led education initative. Financial competence is a life skill we all require.In my opinion we must ensure our students are financially prepared for life outside school. It is too dangerous to let them learn through trial and error in this particular subject.

Why use Face 2 Face ?

Ruth Sullivan