Charity Launches UK’s First Debt Education Centre

Debt Advice Foundation has funded the development of a ground-breaking initiative that aims to improve financial awareness through education.

The funding has enabled Southlands High School in Lancashire to launch a Debt Education Centre, which will help pupils and the wider community get to grips with money matters.

Debt Advice Foundation has funded the development of a ground-breaking initiative that aims to improve financial awareness through education.

The funding has enabled Southlands High School in Lancashire to launch a Debt Education Centre, which will help pupils and the wider community get to grips with money matters.

Building work is now complete and the centre has been kitted-out with 34 new computers, financial literature and an area for seminars and workshop groups. Video conferencing will also be installed, to aid communication with schools across the country.

The debt advice charity's Chairman, Dennis Benson and Managing Director, David Rodger, attended the official opening at the school last week, along with special guest Jonathan Warburton, Chairman of Warburtons bakers and Graham Lillis of the Citizens Advice Bureau.

During the event Brian Souter, Deputy Head Teacher at Southlands High School said: “We’re delighted to launch this new initiative, which is part of the school’s on-going commitment to financial education development.

“Debt Advice Foundation’s funding has enabled us to create a fully equipped financial education centre, which will be used by pupils throughout the school to support our money management syllabus. We’ll also be hosting workshop sessions for other schools and will extend the resources to the wider community.”

Southlands High School will receive educational input from the charity and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

The charity believes that education is the key to rebalancing the relatively recent shift in attitudes towards borrowing and saving. By educating the younger generation about appropriateness and affordability of credit, we are helping to prepare the next generation for the financial challenges that lie ahead.

Debt Advice Foundation has an on-going partnership with Southlands High School and its pupils have written a series of ‘Money Diaries’ books, which are now available for schools across the country to utilise. Click here to view more information about our educational initiatives.

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From left to right : Dennis Benson (DAF), Brian Souter (Deputy Head), Graham Lillis (Citizens Advice Bureau),
David Rodger (DAF), Mark Fowle (Head Teacher), Nicola Haresceugh, Jonathan Warburton (Chairman of Warburtons)