Building financial literacy on the West Coast

The University of Tasmania, supported by the Tasmanian Community Fund (TCF), is helping embed long-term financial literacy skills amongst young people, aged 8 to 19, and their families through the West Coast Financial Literacy Project.

Over September, the project team visited schools across Rosebery, Zeehan, Queenstown and Strahan to deliver engaging activities for students.

Primary school students took part in interactive sessions featuring Savings Tower Jenga, Money Match Flip and Money Bingo which presented fun, hands-on ways to spark conversations about needs versus wants, spending and saving.

High school students built on Ecstra Foundation’s Talk Money sessions by delving deeper into payslips, tax and superannuation.

Beyond the classroom, UTAS facilitated two community co-design sessions in Queenstown and Zeehan with 30 community members and representatives from organisations such as Services Australia, Eat Well Tasmania, Loaves and Fishes and the Australian Taxation Office.

“This project is all about empowering our young people and their families to feel confident making financial decisions that affect their futures,” UTAS Project Officer Nicole Gale said.

“The support from TCF and Bank of Us, along with the enthusiasm of the West Coast community, is helping us make financial literacy part of everyday life.