Lets Talk About Money

A European Social Fund (ESF) funded financial literacy project

The Let's Talk About Money project combines a research element with development activity, will support the delivery of other initiatives designed to support offenders', ex-offenders' and their families financial needs and will help support the National Reducing Re-offending Action Plan.

In 2006 a Let's Talk About Money Poster Campaign was launched consisting of 3 posters highlighting the need to save, avoid debt and improve reading, writing and number skills. Response to the campaign has been good and they were used as a basis for the offender discussion workshop giving NIACE very useful feedback on the needs and response to promotional material. The posters were distributed to all prisons (resettlement, education and the libraries), all probation offices and to Citizen Advice Bureaux and other community based advice centres.

The Let's Talk about Money Offender Discussion Workshops.
24 workshops were delivered across 22 sites including category B, C and D prisons, Young Offenders and the probation service. A total of 160 offenders have taken part in the workshops. The workshops have produced a wealth of information about how to conduct this type of activity in a prison environment and the type of financial learning offer offenders would welcome.

In 2007 we developed the Let's Talk about Money - Your Money Guide. The Guide is an information pack which includes a pencil, a Keeping Track of Your Money pad and a hybrid cd (which has interactive elements for off- line computer use, however, it can also be played on a normal CD player) plus the Guide itself. The Guide is made up of 20 cards covering a range of financial subjects which range from who to contact for further advise to insurance.

The contents of the Guide were informed by feedback from the Offender Workshops plus consultations with Jobcentre Plus, DWP and NACRO regarding the content and we are in regular contact with the Home Office and NOMS regarding their Finance, Benefits and Debt pathway (part of the National Reducing Re-offending Action Plan) to ensure synergy between various projects and initiatives.

2007 saw the development and delivery of Financial Education Taster Sessions to support practitioners. To date the project has gathered information, via a tutor questionnaire, about the training needs of practitioners in relation to the delivery of financial education.

In 2007 and extending into 2008, the project will build on the BSA's Introduction to Financial Literacy work and develop a taster session to reflect the specific needs of offenders and ex-offenders.

Links with other organisations and agencies
The project is in regular communication with a variety of agencies working in the field of offender financial education including the FSA, CAB, BSA, Lincolnshire Action Trust, UNLOCK, the Home Office and NOMS.

NIACE is a member of the Finance, Benefits and Debt NOMS/Home Office Reference Group and Chairs the Regional Finance Partnership in the West Midlands.

The project is being managed by Jo Knight (NIACE) and Silvanna Harvey (NIACE) with the help of Julia Crimes (NIACE Consultant) and consultants and professionals from within NIACE and across the country.

For more information please contact Jo Knight on jo.knight@niace.org.uk