Awards Categories

Financial Education / Youth Engagement Award

The Financial Education / Youth Engagement Award recognises a credit union or team that has made a real, measurable impact in improving financial literacy and engaging with young people or youth groups.

In simple terms, it celebrates work that:

• Helps young people understand money, savings, borrowing, and budgeting
• Builds financial confidence and life skills in schools or youth groups
• Strengthens the credit union’s role as an educator, not just a financial provider
• Creates meaningful outreach programmes that go beyond day-to-day services

It’s focused on education + community impact, not just marketing or general service delivery. This award is about:

Who is doing the best job at teaching young people how to understand and manage money—and proving it makes a difference.

Typical Requirements:

1. Financial education impact

• Delivery of financial literacy programmes (schools, colleges, youth clubs, community groups)
• Workshops, talks, or interactive learning initiatives
• Clear evidence of improved understanding among participants

2. Youth engagement

• Active involvement of young people (not just passive information delivery)
• Initiatives designed specifically for under-18s or young adults
• Engagement that encourages participation, questions, or hands-on learning

3. Measurable outcomes

• Number of students or groups reached
• Growth in programme participation year-on-year
• Feedback from teachers, students, or youth leaders
• Evidence of behavioural change (e.g. savings habits, budgeting awareness)

4. Innovation in delivery

• Creative approaches (digital tools, gamification, social media, apps, competitions)
• Fresh ways to make financial education engaging and accessible
• Tailoring content to different age groups or needs

5. Community and credit union impact

• Strengthening the credit union’s reputation as a trusted financial educator
• Long-term relationship building with schools and youth organisations
• Contribution to financial wellbeing in the community

• Specific programmes (e.g. “Transition Year Financial Literacy Programme” rather than “we do school visits”)
• Clear numbers (schools visited, students reached, sessions delivered)
• Testimonials from teachers, students, or youth leaders
• Evidence of improvement (pre/post understanding, engagement levels, repeat participation)
• A clear story of why it matters locally