“We asked if we could present one workshop a week for four weeks on basic finances in three YMCAs,” Crowell says. The workshops were taught by advisors and other professional staff members, such as accountants and tax experts, who volunteered their time.
The classes were so popular that parents of the teenagers were asking if they could come. “The presenters and the public loved it and it showed we were meeting a real need,” Crowell added.
The courses also covered grants and loans that are available for college, knowledge the high school students would need in the near future. “We wanted to empower the students” by giving them knowledge they need, he said.
Moneywise will be expanded next summer to 13 more of the Los Angeles YMCAs, where it could potentially reach 7,000 teenagers. The curriculum is being refined so it can be repeated in other locations.
“We hope this will snowball all over the country and advisors can work with YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs and other organizations to promote financial literacy,” Crowell said.