(TORONTO) March 22, 2021 – A group of students at Dalhousie University have created Cash Grab – an interactive video game aimed to teach basic financial literacy skills in a fun and comprehensive way to youth.
Options Online is an online platform for youth created by the Enactus team at Saint Mary’s University to learn the skills necessary to make a successful transition into the labour market.
The Enactus Team from the University of Ottawa have created Project FLY – a workshop series that empowers youth to take control of their financial futures.
InterACT & Endure are projects created by the Enactus team at St. Clair College that provide students with skills and resources to achieve financial stability as well as mentorship programs tailored to individuals with developmental disabilities.
A group of students at George Brown College have created Tenacity – a financial education program tailored to newcomer and domestic youth ages 15-25 through interactive workshops.
PossABILITY is a research-based curriculum focused on providing financial education for high school students with diverse abilities created by the Enactus team at the University of Calgary.
Thanks to these initiatives, Enactus Dalhousie University, Enactus Saint Mary’s University, Enactus University of Ottawa, Enactus St. Clair College, Enactus George Brown College and Enactus University of Calagry have been named 2021 CWB Financial Education Challenge Regional Champions. The teams were chosen by Canada’s largest experiential learning platform, Enactus Canada, and program supporter Canadian Western Bank.
“Financial security is a priority for all Canadians, especially during this difficult time.” said Nicole Almond, President of Enactus Canada. “Through the CWB Financial Education Challenge, our students have demonstrated their ability to make a positive impact on Canadian lives through financial literacy.”
To date, Cash Grab has helped educate 30 people on financial literacy. Options Online has helped increase participant’s income by over $29,000 and has generated over $11,000 towards local businesses during COVID-19. Project FLY has educated over 100 people on financial literacy and partnered with 12 schools. InterACT & Endure has educated 275 people on financial literacy and helped participants gain a 30% increase in employment and 53% in net worth. Through Tenacity, debt reduction and savings totaled over $1,900 for participants and have created a partnership with the Student Association of George Brown Income Tax Clinic. PossABILITY was able to positively impact 10 individuals this year by educating them on financial education.
In addition to the above-mentioned Regional Champions, Enactus University of British Columbia – Vancouver received the Best Project Idea Award for their financial education app idea after competing in a national live project idea pitch competition Friday morning.
“Canadian Western Bank is proud to support Enactus students as they strive to improve financial literacy within and outside of their communities,” said Jeff Wright, a senior vice president at Canadian Western Bank. “We believe all Canadians should have the opportunity to achieve financial empowerment and the work Enactus students are doing to help drive that is both innovative and thoughtful. They are making impacts on a diverse group of people, building financial literacy throughout the country, which will in turn strengthen our economy.”
These Enactus teams will now move on to the national level of competition taking place virtually in May 2021.
The CWB Financial Education Challenge empowers Enactus teams to identify, create and deliver projects that address the specific and unique financial education needs and opportunities in their communities. Student teams from Western, Central and Atlantic Canada presented the impact of their financial literacy projects through video-based presentations to panels of business executives serving as judges as part of the Enactus Canada Regional Competition. Over the past two years, this challenge has engaged 1,715 students across the country, resulting in 180 financial education outreach projects, and educating 57,640 people on financial literacy and/or inclusion. The CWB Financial Education Best Project Idea Award was launched in an effort to encourage the generation of new project ideas.
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ABOUT ENACTUS CANADA: Enactus Canada, a national charity and the country’s largest post-secondary experiential learning platform, is shaping entrepreneurial leaders who are passionate about advancing the economic, social and environmental health of Canada. Guided by academic advisors and business experts, more than 3,000 post-secondary students led 275 community empowerment projects and business ventures last year in communities coast to coast, directly impacting over 39,000 lives.
As a global network of 35 countries, Enactus uses the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world. For more information, visit enactus.ca.
ABOUT CWB FINANCIAL GROUP: CWB Financial Group is a diversified financial services organization providing proactive business and personal banking, trust and wealth management across Canada. Headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, we’ve offered customized financial solutions for over 35 years and operate with a clear focus on meeting the unique financial needs of business owners. We’re obsessed with providing the right banking, lending and investment solutions for our clients – by asking the right questions, sharing our industry and financial services expertise, and genuinely believing that great relationships get results. Learn more at www.cwb.com.
Media Inquiries:
Gaston Calzato
Manager, Marketing & Communications
Enactus Canada
gaston@enactus.ca | 647.867.6357
Marcus Miller
Manager, External Communications
Canadian Western Bank
Marcus.Miller@cwbank.com
780. 508.8289