Financial Education for Children and Youth
Using an innovative and engaging 2Gen approach, Branches is creating an intergenerational cycle of opportunity for underserved children, parents, and families by generating a measurable increase in their social capital, economic security, improving educational success, economic supports, health and well-being. We believe that by providing Financial Capability services to the entire family, we help to create real opportunities to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.
Our Financial Wellness program incorporates the entire family when providing financial services, turning our families’ needs into opportunities to grow and learn. Branches has pro-actively chosen to invest resources in the 2Gen approach of The Aspen Institute’s Ascend Network, a national network advancing the holistic approaches to family well-being.
Our Services include:
- Financial Coaching 101: prepares students to play an active role in managing their personal finances and make informed decisions about saving, spending, investing and borrowing through one-on-one coaching
- Building credit for the first time
- FAFSA Applications
- Public Benefits Applications
- Free Tax services and advocacy for parents and students
- Specialized coaching for transportation options including car buying
- College financing options
- Understanding the debt-to-potential-income proposition for post-baccalaureate degrees by degree type, field of study, and chosen occupation
- Alternative post-secondary options including technical and trade schools
- Cost of living considerations
- The long-term impact of everyday spending and saving decisions using common student expense categories
- Navigating the transition from student to career professional
Our 2Gen Programming focuses on:
1) Providing age-appropriate workshops for children and youth to engage them early and get familiarized with financial terms, how money works, tools, and products that will help with long‐term goals. We want all of our student to graduate with a solid money management and investing foundation.
2) Providing group financial education and one-on-one coaching to children, youth and their parents so they can implement what they have learned and develop tailored financial plans with achievable financial goals that can enhance their credit and spending power while decreasing expenditure. Families will also increase their knowledge of the true price of college and how to apply for and assemble financial packages to support post-secondary education.
3) Engaging the parents of our students in financial education and financial coaching to create a budget, pay off debt, prepare their taxes properly, and save for the future.
4) Working with our children and youth using a holistic approach and considering each individual as whole. As our students prepare to graduate from high school we help them navigate post-secondary success including college, technical and trade schools, or starting their own businesses.
Branches’ Financial Wellness Resource Library for Children and Youth
Who said financial education has to be all serious and boring?
Branches has invested in a library of effective and entertaining financial education content designed to engage and teach children, teenagers and young adults by presenting financial concepts through storytelling and fun lessons for all ages. And we are doing it in a way that entertains while educating!
The financial concepts presented are sophisticated, while the simple animated approach perfectly appeals to children, teenagers, young adults and their parents. We offer videos, full lesson plans, links to related apps, worksheets, and social media templates that will cover topics about money, budgeting, savings, credit and asset building. The content is grounded in extensive research based on the needs and learning processes of children and young adults.
EXAMPLE VIDEOS
