Caerphilly youths step up to the Challenge and set their sights on national award success
The Quit and Save from The College Ystrad Mynach (from left) Kay Coombes, Demi Barnes, Amy Kedward, Bethan Phillips, Elisha Toghill and Shayla Britton.
Local Youngsters’ Money Skills Celebrated by Lloyds TSB Money for Life Challenge
A team of 16 to 18 year olds from Caerphilly are in the running for a prestigious national award after impressing judges in the first round of the Lloyds TSB Money for Life Challenge, a competition designed to inspire better money management skills.
The students from The College Ystrad Mynach are now gearing up to go to the Welsh final at Cardiff City Stadium on 23 April where they will showcase their Money for Life Challenge project called Quit and Sav£. Since becoming one of 250 projects in the UK to receive a £500 grant in December, the young people have put their project into action as money saving experts by identifying the money saving opportunities and benefits from cutting down or quitting smoking.
Demi Barnes, aged 18, from Quit and Sav£ says: “I have really enjoyed taking part in the Money for Life Challenge and I plan on taking part next year.”
Quit and Sav£ will be joining a shortlist of five Welsh teams whose inspiring money management projects are having a positive impact on their local communities, families and friends.
The team’s sponsor, Kelly Watkins, a SuCCEED Co-ordinator at Ystrad Mynach College says: “The group of learners thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the Money for Life Challenge. It has been an excellent opportunity to develop their skills and build on their confidence.”
On the day of the Welsh final of the Money for Life Challenge, the lucky teams will present their projects to a panel of judges and the winning team will then go on to the UK Grand Final in London on 23 May. If Quit and Sav£ is crowned national winner they will also receive £1,000 to donate to a charity of their choice and £50 shopping vouchers for each team member.
Sarah Porretta, Head of the Money for Life Programme at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “The Money for Life Challenge is a great way of empowering young people to manage their money well through supporting others with the exact same skills. Now in its second year, the calibre of the projects never ceases to impress and what’s most striking is the creativity and passion shown by the young people in bringing their original idea to life to make a real difference in their communities.
“We look forward to hearing all about Quit and Sav£ project at the Wales final and wish them all the best of luck.”
The winning team at the Grand Final on 23 May will win £2,500 for a charity of their choice, £100 of shopping vouchers for each member and a Lloyds Banking Group mentor. There will also be an overall People’s Prize winner selected by guests at the event.
Money for Life Challenge is part of the Money for Life programme, a unique partnership between Lloyds Banking Group and further education sector partners in the four nations of the UK, including Colleges Wales and the National Training Federation for Wales. The competition aims to find the most successful and innovative ways to improve the money management skills of learners, their friends, families and communities. Team members are between 16 and 24 years old and in further education, work based learning or adult community learning.
The additional Welsh finalists are: Grow and Save from ITEC Training Solutions, a community based project that aims to encourage people to grow their own fruit, vegetables and herbs to help them save money; Sk8 Swap Shop from Carmarthen Youth Project, which aims to promote money management through a swap shop, inviting members of the community to their event to swap their stuff; Rampart Rebels from Employment Training Centre in Swansea, a project that aims to inform the public about loan sharks in Swansea; and Swimming with the Sharks from Neath Port Talbot College, raising awareness of the dangers of lending money from loan sharks and providing information on alternative ways to borrow money.
For more information on the Money for Life Challenge, please go to moneyforlifechallenge.org.uk, or join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moneyforlifeuk and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/moneyforlifeuk
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