Students and Financial Capability

1
Students and Financial Capability

• Vanessa Postle

2

• The next 15 minutes
• Student Finance in Context and barriers to
  studying abroad
• Northern Bank Study Travel Fund What is it?
• Our criteria
• Your help to get the message out
• Need for students to learn how to budget

3
Student Finance

• Current situation
• Finance can be a barrier to opportunities most
  students just focussing on surviving financially.

4
Credit - Alternatives

• Northern Bank Study Travel Fund
• Hoping to study abroad?
• Would you like to complete part of your studies
  abroad but are worried about the cost?
• If so, a new community programme being introduced
  by Northern Bank could help.
• Northern Bank Study Travel Fund is an innovative
  new grants programme which will distribute
  20,000 to students planning to study abroad for
  a semester.
• 20 non-repayable grants of 1000 each will be
  issued on a lottery basis across Northern
  Ireland.
• See literature at the back.

5
Northern Bank Study Travel Fund
6
Who can apply?

• The Northern Bank Study Travel Fund programme is
  open to all students who-
• have completed at least two years of full-time
  study on a first degree course (or other higher
  education course as prescribed in Schedule 3 of
  the Education (Student Support) Regulations
  (Northern Ireland) 2007
• have passed end-of-year course exams
• can provide a letter of confirmation from the
  institution of education they are attending in
  the UK or in Ireland
• can provide a letter of confirmation from the
  institution of education abroad that they have
  been accepted to study here for at least three
  months
• are 20 years of age or over by September in the
  year they wish to travel
• have a home (family) address in Northern Ireland.
  
• The programme is not open to employees of
  Northern Bank and their families.

7
Timeframes

• Pre-publicity - Direct mail and/or direct
  promotions to-date
• Postcard produced and distributed to all
  universities by September 2007
• Presentation at Stranmillis 27 November 2007
• Attendance at University of Ulster, Jordanstown
  Campus on 14 February 2008 at the Work Experience
  Careers Fair
• Application process launches/ supported by press
  activity
• Application forms launched in branches shortly
  look out in your local press for details

8
Application closing and awards deadlines

• Closing date 27June 2008
• Draw to take place July 2008
• Reception for winners at your local branch end of
  July 2008
• Additional Press activities during summer with
  successful applicants

9
Holistic View

• Study Travel Fund is one initiative which forms
  part of Northern Banks community programmes.
• Northern Bank is keen to ensure that every
  student can make informed financial decisions and
  manage their budget (which may be limited). We
  work with organisations such as Citizens Advice
  and FSA Education Team to play our part as a
  socially responsible company to ensure that
  students can become financially confident.

10
Money Talks Money Management resources for young
people

• Money Talks Topics
• Consumer Rights Income
• Banking Savings
• Credit Debt
• Budgeting
• Money Talks Resource Kit comprises of
• DVD locally produced drama featuring a young
  man who finds himself in debt a great ice
  breaker to get discussion going
• Online board game for individual use
• Resource Kit with practical money management
  activities and games for use by teachers and
  youth workers
• Money Talks Handbook provides detailed
  information on each of the topics covered
• Youth booklet one for every young person
• Additional Resource
• Citizens Advice and Northern Bank staff will
  deliver an hour long talk in schools and youth
  clubs using the Money Talks resources.

11

• The National Strategy for Financial Capability
  vision of achievement is
• We share a vision of better informed, educated
  and more confident citizens, able to take greater
  responsibility for their financial affairs and
  play a more active role in the market for
  financial services.