Press Release
Date: Wednesday 24 March 2010 (NR/04/10)
‘Talk About Money!’
Yesterday Northern Ireland’s first Financial Education conference, ‘Talk About Money’, took place at the Ramada Hotel, Belfast. Hosted by local actress Nuala McKeever, and with keynote speakers from the world of Finance and Education, the ‘Talk About Money’ conference did just what it promised!
This topical event was led by CCEA and the Financial Services Authority (FSA). CCEA and FSA were inspired to join forces in order to raise the profile of money management amongst primary and secondary pupils. Almost 200 guests turned up, including primary and secondary teachers from across Northern Ireland (NI) and senior representatives from the local banks.
Already CCEA’s Financial Capability team has worked with nearly 300 primary and post-primary schools across NI to lay the foundations for good financial management for the post-recession generation.
One of the most pro-active schools has been North Coast Integrated College who organised a special ‘Money Week’ in their school. Innovative Year 10 pupils from the school attended the conference to showcase the handmade jewellery they designed to sell at the schools Money Week initiative.
Richard Hanna, Director of Education Strategy, CCEA, commented:
Our curriculum has literacy, numeracy and ICT at its core, supported by a range of skills which cross subject boundaries. Financial capability is a key element of Learning for Life and Work. At the heart of CCEA’s approach to Financial Education has been the importance of working in partnership with other organisations. The FSA has been an important partner for CCEA for some time and their support has made this conference possible. It is very encouraging to see the diversity of representatives and the level of interest in developing financial awareness in children and young people.
Chris Pond, Director, Financial Capability, FSA, commented:
Good financial capability is a vital life-skill which all young people should have the opportunity to develop in order for them to avoid making the same financial mistakes as previous generations. Knowledge of money and responsible spending is an empowering tool that will give young people the confidence to handle their personal finances, especially as they grow older and have to make key life decisions which will impact on their finances, such as what university to attend. This conference has been such a useful event for bringing financial capability to the fore in schools..
Rosamond Bennett, Head of Communications, Northern Bank, commented:
Northern Bank was delighted to take part in the conference. Alongside our work with CCEA and our collaboration with the Consumer Council through the NI Financial Capability Partnership, local Northern Bank branches are forging partnerships with enthusiastic teachers and schools across Northern Ireland, supporting confidence with both numeracy and financial capability. Our Moneyville and Money Talks programmes are helping to bring money management to life for children and young people through fun activities and resources.
Additional Information
Ramada Hotel
Shaw’sBridge
117 Miltown Road
Belfast
County Antrim
BT8 7XP
Keynote Speakers
Nuala McKeever, Actress (Host)
Richard Hanna, Director of Education Strategy, CCEA
Antoinette McKeown, CEO Consumer Council
Rosamond Bennett, Director of Communications, Northern Bank
Chris Pond, Director of Financial Capability, FSA
Paul Gray, Education Manager, Financial Capability, CCEA
Workshops to be held throughout the day include:
- Scottish Approach to Financial Education - Scottish Centre for Financial Education
- Organising a Money Event in Your School (Primary) - CCEA
- Delivering the resource ‘Money Talks’ (Post-Primary) – Northern Bank
- Exploration of the Online Resource ‘Moneyville’ (Primary) – Northern Bank
- Launch of the revised resource ‘Adding-Up to a Life-Time’ (Post-Primary) – Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
- NI Strategy for Financial Capability (Partnership Approach) – NI Financial Capability Partnership
- Financial Capability within Special Schools - CCEA
- Exploration of the online resources ‘MoneySense’ (Post-Primary) – Ulster Bank
Media enquiries to Ruth Maguire on (028) 9026 1216, Mobile 07796947993. E mail rhmaguire@ccea.org.uk
ENDS
Note to Editors
CCEA is the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.
CCEA places learners and those who have a concern for their educational and personal development at the forefront of its thinking. CCEA's mission is:
"To enable the full potential of all learners to be achieved and recognised"
What we do
CCEA is a unique educational body in the UK , bringing together the three areas of curriculum, examinations and assessment.
Advising Government – on what should be taught in Northern Ireland ’s schools and colleges.
Monitoring Standards – ensuring that the qualifications and examinations offered by awarding bodies in Northern Ireland are of an appropriate quality and standard.
Awarding Qualifications
– as Northern Ireland’s leading awarding body we offer a diverse range of qualifications, such as GCSEs, including the new GCSE Double Award specifications in vocational subjects, GCE A and AS levels, Entry Level Qualifications, and Graded Objectives in Modern Languages.
- CCEA also offers a range of Awards and Certificates in Education, Training and Skills (ACETS) targeted at learners who want to get
the knowledge, understanding and skills needed
to hit the ground running in the world of work.
Financial Services Authority (FSA)
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is an independent non-governmental body. It works in partnership with Government, financial services industry, the voluntary sector and consumer and education groups. It aims, through its financial capability programme, to reach at least ten million people by 2011. This includes projects with schools, further and higher education, employees, and young people not in education, employment or training.
