Brush off your financial education line-up
With school in session, now is the perfect time to spruce up your credit unions' financial educational line-up by honing in on your target audiences’ communication and learning preferences.

First, consider the way you approach the subject matter. Catch and retain students’ attention with dynamic presentations that highlight the success savvy money management yields. Second, consider tweaking your delivery method. If you are doing 90% of the talking, you may be missing an opportunity to engage and dialogue with your audience. Students are eager to learn about financial matters, but find traditional instructional methods boring. Incorporating real-world scenarios and hands-on experiences allow students to experience the skills being taught and see how it can improve their futures. Update classroom presentations by using modern financial terms familiar to the current generation, such as “spending plan" instead of "budget." Swapping a few words can easily breathe life into any presentation.

For more inspiration, check out the following financial education resources.

Technology provides new spin on CU favorite
An online version of the popular “reality day” financial education event was launched by the Credit Union National Association and Wisconsin Credit Union League. Money Mission, a web-based simulation game, opens the eyes of older teenagers to the fundamentals of wise money management. The engaging, competitive online game presents credit unions with a unique opportunity to serve, attract, and establish a relationship with the younger demographic. Money Mission changes how youth members view financial literacy by teaching with animated videos and financial scenarios experienced though customized avatars. If your credit union is interested in making Money Mission available through its website, visit the link below for more information.
www.cuna.org/buy/moneymission/



Peer-to-peer teaching has never been hipper
A series on budgeting, saving, and spending decisions has been added to the FoolProof for High Schools program, and is available to all FoolProof credit unions at no additional cost. The new "Burning Money" series contains dozens of videos and interactive exercises that culminate with a virtual reality day experience. Playing the game may be easier than it sounds for some students as they attempt to put their new-found financial knowledge to the test. Winners must create and maintain a budget, make good buying decisions, and end the game with a positive balance. FoolProof's High School curriculum meets national financial literacy standards, exclusively features young people, and includes teacher guides. The program is free for credit unions with assets of $10 million or less. Reasonably-priced packages are available for credit unions that do not qualify for the discounted rate.
www.foolproofnational.com/ohiocul/



Report your efforts for public sharing, differentiating
An online platform from the National Youth Involvement Board (NYIB) enables credit union professionals to report their financial education presentations, in an effort to promote credit unions’ collective financial education efforts. Report any presentations that focus on financially empowerment youth under the age of 25. Presentations can be conducted in a broad range of settings, including a traditional classroom, scout troop meeting, community groups, etc. In addition to demonstrating the credit union difference, the collected information is used by national and state legislators to fight for mandated financial literacy programs in schools. Ohio Catholic FCU in Cleveland is currently the state’s only credit union reporting its financial education efforts. NYIB aims to triple its current national reporting figure of 137 credit unions by July 1. To report your presentations, or learn more about available NYIB resources, visit the link below.
www.nyib.org



Upcoming professional development opportunities
Professional development grants from the Ohio Credit Union Foundation can be used for an array of educational programs, including conferences, seminars, workshops, webinars, eSchools, and self-study programs. If you are interested in applying for an educational scholarship, visit the Foundation Web site at www.OhioCreditUnionFoundation.org for applications and scholarship information, or contact Ohio Credit Union League REAL Solutions Manager Laura Busque at (800) 486-2917, ext. 227, or lbusque@ohiocul.org.