ABC Life Literacy Canada is offering workshops covering a variety of topics to help Canadians build confidence and reduce anxiety around managing their money.
Since 2011, the Money Matters program has reached more than 80,000 Canadians and is offered through online workbooks and through workshops in communities across the country.
The workshops are offered through organizations in communities and are adapted to the needs of the group being served, with support from ABC, and the local TD Bank group.
“There are a lot of different topics that we know people are looking for more support with, and we have different needs for money at different points in our life,” Director of ABC Life Literacy Canada Alison Howard said. “There are a lot of different questions depending on where you are at your life stage, your situation, and your community.”
Through workshops in the past, Canadians looked for tips on how to spend clearly, how to master the basics of banking, information on how to borrow money, ways to save, smart shopping, investing, how to retire, and how to know if they have enough to retire.
“There are a lot of different tips and advice to help you move forward from where you are. From wherever you are starting, there is something to help you out, and a lot of support,” Howard said.
The workshops feature activities, discussions, and glossary financial terms about spending plans, banking basics, how to build confidence, and ask important financial questions.
“Money is a very personal matter, and as adults, we’re automatically expected to know how to manage our own money,” Howard said. “This is an opportunity for adult learners to find the information they are looking for, and it’s going to help them build confidence and the understanding that there are resources out there for free and for the taking.”
This year, ABC has seen an influx of Canadians seeking advice on how to manage inflation, and how to budget during the holiday season.
“We focus on areas that are relevant to the current economy, we know that these are concerns. All Canadians are facing high cost of living concerns, we know there is a demand for this,” Howard said. “That’s a focus on our end in making sure we’re providing supports that address those specific issues and making sure we can provide those kinds of learning supports and materials where they are needed.”
Through the workshops, Howard is hopeful that Canadians will see themselves as capable learners, and know the workshops are there to improve their self-confidence so they are able to take on any financial challenge.
“It’s difficult, and it’s challenging to admit that you might actually need some help, but it’s important to find someone you can trust to ask those questions of and to get the information that you can use,” Howard said. “We want to make sure we are providing supports that people can use that are relevant, and that are going to help them answer their questions.”
To access the Money Matters program, or to download the workbooks visit, the ABC Life Literacy Canada website at, https://abcmoneymatters.ca/.
