Financial Education for Children and Youth

Financial education is essential to building economic mobility and financial freedom for children and families. At Branches, we believe that introducing children to financial decision-making early, within supportive and relationship-centered environments, helps them develop the confidence, habits, and skills they need as they grow toward financial independence.

We provide financial education classes for students ages 5 to 25, beginning with foundational concepts such as needs versus wants and intentionally building on financial topics each year as students mature. For students in high school and post-secondary programs, we also offer individualized financial coaching to support real-life financial decisions related to education, work, and the transition to adulthood. Through engaging, brain science-informed financial coaching and financial education videos, we meet students where they are and empower them to understand, use, and make informed choices about money, laying a strong foundation for lifelong financial well-being.

Our financial education programming equips children with age-appropriate knowledge and skills to build a strong foundation for making smart financial decisions. To expand their learning opportunities, we engage external partners to provide additional financial education classes and hands-on learning experiences. We also use It’s a Money Thing, an engaging financial education program featuring animated videos that make important money concepts easy to understand, relatable, and fun for kids.

Grow:

• Branches Bucks: Children earn Branches Bucks through participation and positive behaviors, introducing them to the concept of earning money.
• Saving & Spending: Kids practice deciding whether to save their Branches Bucks or spend them, helping them understand choices and the value of money.
• Money Basics: Age-appropriate activities and engaging resources like It’s a Money Thing introduce concepts such as needs vs. wants, budgeting, and saving.

Climb:

• Budgeting Skills: Students learn how to create a simple budget, manage their money, and make thoughtful spending decisions.
• Financial Education: Interactive lessons, It’s a Money Thing, and classes with external partners help youth explore saving, credit, banking, and other important financial topics.
• Real-World Practice: Hands-on activities give students opportunities to apply what they learn and build confidence making financial decisions.

Climb Higher:

• College Cash: Teens earn College Cash through participation, goal achievement, and positive behaviors, giving them a practical way to experience earning and managing money.
• Preparing for Independence: Students explore real-world topics such as budgeting, banking, credit, saving, and managing everyday expenses.
• Financial Readiness: Through workshops, external partners, and hands-on learning, teens strengthen the financial skills they’ll need for college, careers, and adulthood.