Teachers, parents and guardians from the Territories (Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the Yukon) are joining their counterparts in all provinces to talk about money and help young people get a head start in their financial education. They are participating in Talk With Our Kids About Money Day (TWOKAM Day). The educational program, created by the Canadian Foundation for Economic Education (CFEE) and supported by Scotiabank, is celebrating its sixth anniversary.
In addition to money talks in homes and schools, money fairs, proclamations and special events are being held in communities across Canada today and throughout April to commemorate TWOKAM Day. The program's national showcase event this year is a money fair hosted by Scotiabank at the Scotia Plaza in downtown Toronto. Toronto Maple Leafs Alumnus, Nick Kypreos, is one of the featured guests at the event.
The TWOKAM program runs all year long, and the big day of celebration this year is April 18. In April 2017, over 5,500 schools and 650,000 young people participated in the program.
The TWOKAM program started in 2013 as a pilot in Toronto and Montreal area schools. Over the years it has expanded to include schools and homes right across Canada as educators, parents and guardians recognized the need to improve young Canadians' financial capabilities. Designating one day each year, the third Wednesday in April, was seen as an important way to profile and give momentum to the issue.
Talking about money is the first step to improving financial capability - and enabling young Canadians to undertake their financial decisions and actions with confidence and competence.
CFEE has built a comprehensive website - www.talkwithourkidsaboutmoney.com - that provides parents, guardians and teachers with the resources they need to have money talks with kids.
Highlights of the TWOKAM School Program:
Teachers are provided with easy-to-use lesson plans that are cross-curricular, and make it easy for them to integrate money topics into a broad range of subject areas, including social studies, math, science, environmental studies, music, and art. In addition, the program offers:
- A Money Fair Guide showcasing highlights of student learning gained through program participation;
- Group discussion and debate ideas;
- Resources and interactive tools for teachers; and,
- Links to background material on financial literacy and research results.
Highlights of the TWOKAM Parent Program:
Free online access to fun and engaging activities that offer easy opportunities for parents and guardians to talk about money with their children, engage their curiosity and stimulate questions that lead to learning. Resources are organized by the child's age range. The program also provides:
- A wide variety of activities including movies to watch, books to read, songs to listen to, crafts to make, local trips to take, and more; and,
- Helpful links and resources for parents, including a variety of articles offering different views on allowances.
Quotes
"CFEE couldn't be more pleased with the growing impact of the TWOKAM Program," said Gary Rabbior, President of the Canadian Foundation for Economic Education. "With our Scotiabank partner we have looked to be a catalyst for new initiatives to promote financial literacy and education across Canada. With about 7,000 schools registered to participate this year, I believe we are achieving that goal. Teachers and parents across the country are getting involved and helping prepare our kids for their financial futures."
"At Scotiabank, we're proud to support organizations that share our belief that investing in young people is an investment in the long-term well-being of our communities," said Ahmad Dajani, Vice President of Operating Practices & Financial Literacy, Scotiabank. "That's why we're so excited to support the Canadian Foundation for Economic Education with their program aimed at young people, Talk With Our Kids About Money. We know that supporting programs like this is crucial to helping young people reach their infinite potential."
