George Tsounias reflects on Volunteers’ Week 2022 and the positive impact volunteers are having in UK schools through the My Personal Finance Skills initiative
Volunteers’ Week is an annual celebration that takes place this year on 1-7 June, to recognise the outstanding effort and work of volunteers far and wide.
This year’s theme is ‘A time to say thanks’.
For the team at the My Personal Finance Skills initiative, it is about more than saying thank you. Without the dedication, commitment and passion of the growing Education Champion network, the programme would not be achieving the success it is currently seeing in schools and colleges up and down the country.
Your programme, your impact
This academic year alone, more than 550 sessions have been booked in nationwide and delivered by the unwavering supporting of Education Champions. This number of sessions equates to more than 18,000 young people from schools, colleges, community groups and charities who have received some form of financial education support and insight into the world of financial planning from the Education Champions.
What’s more, more than 90% of teachers we have talked to about the programme answer favourably to students having a better understanding of the topic covered in one of either the seven workshops or three personal finance talks that the programme now is able to offer.
As part of Volunteers’ Week 2022, we caught up with some Education Champions, as well as other volunteers across the CII group, to hear about their contributions to the profession and the wider community. Visit www.pfp.thepfs.org/pfs-radio to listen now.
Rewarding dedication
Do you want to be recognised for your work as an Education Champion and be crowned the best of 2022?
The Education Champion of the Year award is in its third year. Previous winners are Yogesh Nakarja, financial adviser at Lighthouse Financial Planning and joint winners Hazel Bowen, Chartered financial planner at Coutts UK and Robert Boland, Chartered financial planner at Cotswold Independent Financial Services.
Find out more about this award at https://pfsawards.org
Spread the word
Are you involved with any local secondary schools or colleges that might be interested in the programme being delivered? If so, get in touch and we can facilitate setting up sessions and providing more information. You might not want to deliver yourself but everyone can help by spreading the word about My Personal Finance Skills.
To find out more, visit: www.mypersonalfinanceskills.org or email volunteers@thepfs.org
George Tsounias is education relationship manager of the PFS
Image credit | Shutterstock
What participants say
“The feedback from my colleagues is very positive and we will be keen to do this one again with our next Year 13 cohort. Even the staff learned things about their own payslips!” Kingsbury High School
“It is always helpful to have someone different delivering sessions for us, particularly when that person has a particular expertise.” AKS Lytham
“A huge thank you to you and your team for all of your efforts last term in the delivery of your workshops. I know the students and staff found the sessions very useful and factual in supporting them.” John F Kennedy Catholic School
