The Human Safety Net is expanding the Financial Education for Families program in Italy and introducing it in five new countries: Germany, France, Spain, India, and Poland. Over 5000 parents are expected to go through the education program, enhancing their capacity to prioritise family budgets and plan for their children's future. Pilots have taken place in 2022 in Italy and Indonesia.
The focus in 2023 was on training trainers from The Human Safety Net's partner organisations that will deliver the training to the families at a local level. We visited the training for trainers in Milan to see what the needs from the ground are.
The study developed by Aflatoun International provided the basis for a partnership with UNICEF to build and test a financial literacy training module, including topics such as 'identifying sources of income', 'smart saving', 'budgeting' and 'borrowing money'. Collaborating with UNICEF and Aflatoun, The Human Safety Net implemented the "Enhancing Parenting Support with Financial Literacy" pilot project. Over 1800 parents participated, and 60% reported increased awareness of their children's needs and the impact of economic issues on their well-being.
Financial education is now a strategic component of the For Families Program at The Human Safety Net. This integration addresses both the financial needs of parents and caregivers while fostering responsive caregiving and creating more opportunities for early learning. Supporting parents by enhancing their financial decision-making is a powerful strategy. It equips them to use limited resources optimally, ultimately enabling them to provide the best care for their children.