Real Solutions - A National Credit Union Foundation Program

From CUNA News Now – The Pennsylvania Credit Union Association and the Pennsylvania Credit Union Foundation, through the National Credit Union Foundation’s REAL Solutions Project Initiative, sponsored their first Financial Reality Fair at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa.

The Texas Credit Union League has recently created two traveling Reality Fair sets for Texas credit unions to use and have already held six fairs in high schools across Texas since May. A Reality Fair is an interactive financial literacy tool for high school students that gives them the opportunity to participate in a hands-on event that guides them through the personal financial management process, including budgeting, saving and investing in a simulated real-world environment.

Thanks to New York University Federal Credit Union’s “Making Ends Meet” financial education program, low-wealth students of New York University are better equipped to reach life-changing goals. Since starting the program in the 2010-2011 school year, over 5,000 students have attended one of the credit union’s seminars. New York University FCU (NYUFCU) has also seen their delinquency and overdraft fees decrease as a result of the program.

This video, shot and edited by Fred Brown, is a nice overview the National Credit Union Foundation’s (NCUF) REAL Solutions Program’s first D.C. Financial Reality Fair. The NCUF fair was held in conjunction with the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) in Washington, DC earlier this year. A Reality Fair is an interactive financial literacy tool for high school students.

The New Jersey Credit Union League and the New Jersey Credit Union Foundation are working to bring Financial Reality Fairs to high schools throughout New Jersey by leveraging existing credit union relationships with the schools. To help fund the initiative, the New Jersey Credit Union Foundation received a grant last year from the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) and REAL Solutions program. A Reality Fair is an interactive financial literacy tool for high school students.

Moving back in with your parents when you’re an adult is no joke, so the consumer advocates who founded FoolProof Financial Education Systems decided to share the Top 10 money moves that will land many back in their old rooms.

More than 375 students from 10 high schools throughout Connecticut converged at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, Conn. for the challenge of living within a budget as if they were striking out on their own Wednesday, March 31st. Over 50 volunteers from Connecticut credit unions and local businesses helped students through the paces of choosing housing, transportation, clothing, entertainment, and dozens of other life areas affecting their lives as young adults.

For the first time, the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) will be holding a Financial Reality Fair on March 2, 2011 in conjunction with the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) in Washington, DC. A Reality Fair is an interactive financial literacy tool for high school students.

The majority of young adults between the ages of 23 and 28 consider “making better choices about managing money” the single most important issue for individual Americans to act on today, according to a recent Charles Schwab survey. In St. Louis, Mo., St. Louis Community CU is doing something about it. The credit union is helping both youth and adults in their community become more financially literate thanks to outreach efforts in local schools and community partners. The credit union also offers products specifically for the unbanked and underbanked.

Credit unions’ success in delivering services and products to the next generation will define their ability to be relevant for the future. Membership growth is the number one issue facing credit unions. The young adult market provides a viable means for growth in membership and opportunities to recruit and retain talented young professionals and volunteers. Credit unions have the opportunity to engage the right tools and mindset to be relevant to this market.

For the first time, the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) will be holding a Financial Reality Fair on March 2, 2011 in conjunction with the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) in Washington, DC. A Reality Fair is an interactive financial literacy tool for high school students.

Here is another state using the very popular and successful reality fair concept. From the New Jersey Credit Union League – On Friday, November 12, New Jersey credit unions brought the first-ever Financial Reality Fair to Pompton Lakes High School as part of the REAL Solutions initiative. Eighteen volunteers from throughout New Jersey spent the day at the high school manning booths and interacting with over 80 students, providing them a hands-on experience completing a monthly budget.

11 credit unions recently met at a REAL Solutions workshop sponsored by the Credit Union Association of Oregon (CUAO) to share their resourceful approaches to young adult outreach. I particularly find the iPad project interesting! The meeting was highlighted in CUNA News Now

More young adult news this week, this time from a NY program made possible by a REAL Solutions grant. Representatives from 11 New York credit unions participated in the Credit Union Association of New York’s Young Adult Outreach Initiative last week. During the one-day workshop, the group explored the Gen Y market and experimented with design thinking, a unique approach to product and service innovation. The workshop was funded by a REAL Solutions grant and offered free of charge by the Association and the Filene Research Institute.

Connecticut credit unions’ Financial Reality Fair program won the national Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award for Leagues for the 2009-2010 school year. The fair is for high school students, who research their career choice and starting salary prior to the fair date. They are provided with a budget worksheet identifying their career choice, and during the fair, must budget according to their salary.