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Next week marks the official start of spring—a season many look forward to after a cold winter. At the Maine Credit Union League, we especially love this time of year because it’s one of our busiest, particularly when it comes to empowering Maine’s youth through financial education. During the month of April, credit unions will be hosting Financial Fitness Fairs across the state, leading lesson plans in classrooms, and promoting both Credit Union Youth Month and National Financial Literacy Month.
Credit Union Youth Month offers a great opportunity to engage with members and community partners in promoting financial wellness. To help your credit union connect with younger members, we invite you to join the League in celebrating this year’s theme, “A Sea of Savings.” By teaching kids the value of saving for the future, we’re helping them build a strong foundation for lifelong financial success!
To echo this concept in your activities, the League has created materials for your credit union to use. Along with social media graphics and sample messaging, the League has developed a coloring page, crossword puzzle, and word search to engage younger children. All these materials can be found on our website. The hashtag #CUYouthMonth can also be utilized on social media to demonstrate the power of our collaborative efforts.
In addition to sharing Credit Union Youth Month materials, credit unions should consider reaching out to their local schools about scheduling Financial Fitness Fairs and to offer the Elementary and Middle School Curriculum—as well as the adult lesson plan, which is insightful for those in high school. These turnkey programs are highly impactful and provide students with age-appropriate lessons that are easy to understand.
“Talking about money has, for some odd reason, long-been taboo,” said Jake Holmes, the League’s Director of Outreach & Strategic Planning. “Children inherit the stigma from their parents and the cycle continues. With Credit Union Youth Month and National Financial Literacy Month, we can make money-talk fun and engaging, and establish confidence and familiarity when it comes to saving.”
If you have any questions about promoting financial wellness, or to inquire about April Credit Union Youth Month, Financial Fitness Fairs, or the Maine Credit Unions’ Curriculum program, please email Holmes at jholmes@mainecul.org.