Salford students get smart about money with thanks to Salix Homes funding

Students in Salford are getting financially savvy, learning the skills to budget, save, and stay safe from online gambling and gaming risks.

Community Safety Education, a Community Interest Company (CIC), has received a £1,400 grant from Salix Homes’ Springboard Community Fund to deliver their innovative financial literacy project, Moneywise, at Albion Academy in Salford.

Founded in March 2021, Community Safety Education has over 20 years’ experience working directly with schools to support young people across the Northwest. Their mission focuses on tackling the root causes of poverty and violence within communities by empowering young people with essential life skills, beginning with financial education.

The Moneywise project was designed to address the lack of financial education in secondary schools and aims to support young people aged 11 to 16, teaching them important financial skills such as budgeting, saving, spending, credit, debt and dangers like online gambling.

Thanks to funding from our Springboard community fund, Community Safety Education was able to stock up on resources and learning materials to run their Moneywise programme, as well as provide teacher training to support ongoing education.

Community Safety Education believes that financial awareness is fundamental to young people’s health and wellbeing. Financial disadvantage is closely linked to stress, anxiety and poor mental health. Through preventative education, the Moneywise programme tackles issues such as predatory lending, online gambling, and the dangers of gaming disguised as gambling.

Callam Smith, Project Manager at Community Safety Education said: “We are sincerely grateful, and proud to be working with Salix Homes on such a relevant and important topic – financial literacy in young people.

“With Salix Homes’ help, we are confident of having a profound impact for young people in Salford, making them aware of contemporary financial dangers, whilst encouraging responsible financial habits. In the current climate, it is essential that young people are equipped with this knowledge as early as possible, and with the Springboard funding, we estimate that 400 young people will benefit from the Moneywise project.”

Salix Homes’ Director of Communities, Warren Carlon added: “Debt levels among young people are rising, and many face financial pressures that can make them vulnerable to exploitation.

“We are proud to support projects like Moneywise which is helping young people build the skills, confidence, and awareness to manage their money responsibly and stay safe from online risks, including gambling and gaming. We hope this Springboard funding will help even more young people in Salford benefit from this vital financial education and support their overall wellbeing.”

To find out more about Community Safety Education visit their website.

For more information and to apply for a Springboard grant, visit our Springboard Community Fund pages.