2024 Trinidad and Tobago Global Money Week

GMW NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

• National Financial Education Committee

PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS:

• National Financial Literacy Programme, Bankers Association of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission, Tobago House of Assembly - Financial Literacy Secretariat, Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange, Office of the Financial Services Ombudsman, Mutual Fund Association, Credit Union League, Association of Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Companies, Deposit Insurance Corporation Trinidad and Tobago

TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS:

• 10

NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE REACHED DIRECTLY:

• 300

NUMBER OF ADULTS REACHED DIRECTLY:

• 50

NUMBER OF PEOPLE REACHED INDIRECTLY:

• 300

The National Financial Literacy Programme (NFLP) engaged teenagers from the Civilian Conservation Corp and the San Fernando East Secondary School via in person financial literacy sessions. Trainees and students were exposed to the potential risks in the financial sector as well as the importance of adopting responsible financial habits. Approximately 120 students were reached and 15 adults. Additionally, the NFLP a carried out a Social Media Campaign providing tips for avoiding financial scams and falling victim to financial fraud.

The Bankers Association of Trinidad & Tobago (BATT) continued its annual Global Money Week (GMW) Caravan designed to raise financial awareness among young people. Under this year’s GMW theme “Protect Your Money. Secure Your Future,” BATT coordinated and hosted activities for students of Forms 4 and 5 in four schools – Sangre Grande Secondary School; Guaico Secondary School; Bates Memorial High School and Northeastern College. Through fun games and hands-on activities, over 200 students benefited from valuable financial literacy knowledge in areas such planning, saving, budgeting, investing, and earning money through entrepreneurship. Students were invited to pitch and defend creative business solutions to win attractive prizes. Among the business ideas presented were ecofriendly clothing lines, hair products and event planning and baked goods.

The Deposit Insurance Corporation created an informative comic strip which highlighted the ways in which the DIC helps to protect money through insurance protection. The coverage limited was also highlighted as well as the types of accounts that fall under this coverage.

The Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission also shared informational videos and short clips focused on safe money management and raising awareness of potential risks. Some of the risks highlighted were suspicious links and pop ups, affinity fraud and get rich quick schemes. These videos were made available via the TTSEC's social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram.

The Financial Literacy Secretariat (FLS) of the Tobago House of Assembly facilitated a number of engaging and interactive youth awareness activities. One such activity was the Be Money Smart Video Challenge.

2023 Trinidad and Tobago Global Money Week

GMW NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

• National Financial Education Committee

PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS:

• Banker’s Association of Trinidad and TobagoThe National Financial Literacy Programme The Office of the Financial Services Ombudsman Tobago House of Assembly - The Financial Literacy Secretariat Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission Trinidad & Tobago Insurance InstituteMutual Fund Association of Trinidad and Tobago The Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange Limited (TTSE) Deposit Insurance CorporationThe Cooperative Credit Union League of Trinidad and TobagoAssociation of Trinidad and Tobago Insurance CompaniesTunapuna Secondary SchoolSt. Augustine Secondary School Hillview College North Gate CollegeQueen's Royal CollegeDiego Martin Central Secondary SchoolServol Diego MartinSignal Hill Secondary SchoolMason Hall Secondary School

TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS:

• 22

NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE REACHED DIRECTLY:

• 745

NUMBER OF ADULTS REACHED DIRECTLY:

• 1 000

NUMBER OF PEOPLE REACHED INDIRECTLY:

• Not reported

The members of the National Financial Education Committee (NFEC) launched the Global Money Week celebrations with the Youth Entrepreneurship Forum entitled “Fostering the Entrepreneurial Spirit in our Youth". The forum commenced with key remarks by all members of the NFEC covering the importance of financial literacy for young people. Discussions were held by a panel of entrepreneurs on several critical areas of youth entrepreneurship. The panel included young established entrepreneurs: the founder and executive director of WHYFARMS, the Founder and Managing Director of Survival Scholars, Business Consultant and Virtual Financial Officer of ATR Business Solutions and the founder of The Modern Connoisseur, a luxury concierge. The panel discussions were moderated by a Business Coach and Consultant of the Marketing Dynamics Business Solutions. They included advice on starting a business, skills requirements, networking, the importance of financial education to young entrepreneurs, strategies for overcoming challenges faced by young entrepreneurs as well as agricultural and social entrepreneurship. Attending the forum were three schools, Diego Martin Central Secondary, Queens Royal College and Servol Diego Martin, reaching approximately 95 students and six teachers. Following this, the Bankers Association of Trinidad and Tobago (BATT), commenced a two-day GMW commemoration aboard a visually appealing GMW branded bus, themed Take Care of Your Money. BATT’s mobile campaign was warmly received by Forms 4 and 5 students of Tunapuna Secondary School, St. Augustine Secondary School, Hillview College and North Gate College. There were presentations about wealth management, followed by a question-and-answer session, a presentation on the four elements of creating a business (value proposition, customer segment, resources, cost) and a pitched (in 5 minutes) by students'  best business ideas around three themes social, environmental and agricultural impact.In Tobago, the Financial Literacy Secretariat also celebrated by visiting schools across Tobago to teach children and teens about money, which included fifth and sixth form students at Signal Hill Secondary and Mason Hall Secondary. Students learnt how to manage their finances better, set financial goals, budget, save and invest. Students engaged in the Money City Games winning tokens and prizes for their participation. Further, a financial awareness campaign entitled “D Money Talk” was created to encourage parents and guardians to be part of their children’s financial education journey. The series consisted of four informational videos posted to social media. The Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission (TTSEC) executed a social media campaign themed around Plan Your Money, Plant Your Future. This campaign included several informational videos with tips on planning for your future and investing wisely. In addition, the TTSEC, held an outreach session for 150 students of the University of Southern Caribbean.  The Deposit Insurance Corporation created and shared an informative and engaging comic strip to educate youth about the Corporation’s role and functions, highlighting how depositors’ money are protected.

2022 Trinidad and Tobago Global Money Week

GMW NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

• National Financial Education Committee

PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS:

• Bankers Association of Trinidad and Tobago , National Financial Literacy Programme, Financial Literacy Secretariat-Tobago House of Assembly, Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of the Financial Services Ombudsman, Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission, Mutual Fund Association of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange, Association of Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Companies, The Co-Operative Credit Union League of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Institute, schools

TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS:

• 11

NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE REACHED DIRECTLY:

• 324,746

NUMBER OF ADULTS REACHED DIRECTLY:

• Not reported

NUMBER OF PEOPLE REACHED INDIRECTLY:

• Not reported

The National Financial Literacy Programme, NFLP, of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago launched its web application called "Money World" on Wednesday, March 23rd. The launch featured remarks from the Governor of the Central Bank, Senior Manager, HR, Industrial Relations and the Financial Services Ombudsman and Manager of the NFLP. Additionally, local youth influencer and Entertainment Ambassador also endorsed the app. Money World is an innovative learning tool where children between the ages of 7-11 can learn about key concepts of money such as the history of money, savings, budgeting and making wise spending choices. In addition to the interactive infographic, seven games and quizzes were created to challenge users' knowledge and reinforce the knowledge acquired from navigating the interactive web portal. Since its launch, the Money World app attracted 640 players and the game portal 1,400 visits.

Additionally, The Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission, TTSEC, launched its Youth Entrepreneurs Series (YES) initiative called “Invest in your Start-Up Dream.” The YES campaign expanded on the GMW theme and aimed to promote an entrepreneurial mindset among the youth by highlighting successful entrepreneurs between ages 13-25. The participants shared their unique experiences in opening their businesses to encourage and inspire others to invest in their start-ups. The YES campaign also provided a platform for the country's young entrepreneurs to share their real-life stories, the challenges and successes, and offer advice and tips to motivate and encourage their fellow youth to open their start-ups. 35 applications were received and evaluated along with specific criteria, one of which was the uniqueness of the venture. Successful applicants were featured on all the TTSEC's digital platforms and highlighted in the Trinidad Express Business newspaper. The analysis showed 311,754 total views of the posts and 96,223 total engagements including views, likes, shares, comments, and reactions.

In Tobago, two main activities were hosted by the Financial Literacy Secretariat (FLS) of the Division of Finance, Trade and the Economy, Tobago House of Assembly. The “Be Money Smart” video challenge was geared toward secondary school students that allowed them to share their perspectives and ideas on money matters creatively. The video challenge attracted approximately 12,000 views, 800 likes and 690 shares, and 200 comments. Four winners were selected from the five finalists winning prizes such as UTC Units, book vouchers and digital devices. Other prize categories included the “Best Video Content”, “Most Creative Video”, and “Most Popular” video. In addition, the Money Talk campaign encouraged financial literacy discussions between parents and their children.

Lastly, the Bankers' Association of Trinidad and Tobago (BATT's) hosted 112 students from the Bishop Anstey High School East. Under the theme of “Build Your Future, Be Smart About Money”, BATT’s virtual event was led by media personality and comedian.

BATT's virtual session started with an exciting “Business Idea Challenge” facilitated by the General Manager, Youth Business Trinidad and Tobago under the theme of “Building an Entrepreneurial Mindset.” After presenting the fundamentals of how to start a business with a business model canvas, the students were invited to create a business in the agriculture industry. Following this, the students were placed in groups and had to pitch their business idea after 20 minutes of brainstorming in their groups. The programme also offered useful tips on how to be smart about money. Prizes were offered for answering financial education questions. The participation was made fun with interactive activities.

2021 Trinidad and Tobago Global Money Week

GMW NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

• The National Financial Education Committee (NFEC)

PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS:

• The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago via The National Financial Literacy Programme (NFLP), The Financial Literacy Secretariat - Tobago House of Assembly, Bankers Association of Trinidad and Tobago (BATT), The Association of Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Companies (ATTIC), Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Institute (TTII), The Co-operative Credit Union League of Trinidad and Tobago (CCULTT), The Office of the Financial Services Ombudsman (OFSO), Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange (TTSE), Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission (TTSEC), The Mutual Fund Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MFATT), Ministry of Education, 6 schools

TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS:

• 16

NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE REACHED DIRECTLY:

• 250

NUMBER OF ADULTS REACHED DIRECTLY:

• 250

NUMBER OF PEOPLE REACHED INDIRECTLY:

• 500

Through the National Financial Education Committee, Trinidad and Tobago joined Global Money Week 2021 during March 22nd-26th. This year the Committee and its members planned several online events and activities.

The Office of the Financial Services Ombudsman and the National Financial Literacy Programme presented a walk tour through the Central Bank Museum, hosted by the Central Bank Museum Curator. Participants learnt about the history of money, how money is made and more. The Central Bank Governor gave a short video presentation on the role of the Central Bank.

The Bankers’ Association of Trinidad and Tobago, BATT, virtually welcomed 226 students from different primary schools: Curepe Presbyterian Primary School, Montrose Government Primary School, Sacred Heart Girls R.C., Sangre Grande Government Primary School, and Siparia Road K.P.A. Primary School. The virtual event was hosted by a media personality, who led fun interactive sessions, including a financial education puzzle challenge to help children understand the importance of basic financial education topics such as saving, budgeting, investing and entrepreneurship. Prizes were given to all participating schools and the top ten students from the financial education puzzle. The students also enjoyed watching a film featuring the media personality and his thoughts on entrepreneurship.

Throughout the week, The Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission (TTSEC) engaged the public by creating new and engaging content for social media audiences. These included video tutorials on “3 Steps to Taking Care of your Money”, “Goal Setting – Completing your Goal Card Setting SMART Goals”, “Budgeting – How to do your own Budget”, “Saving Tips – Creating your own personalised Saving Jar/Box”, and “Investing – Posted in Story, on Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds.” The TTSEC also launched and premiered a video on Facebook and Instagram – on Friday, March 26th, to highlight the TTSEC’s Investor Education Website and Online Course – InvestucateTT.com. and the video titled, “The Little Investigator.” Additionally, the TTSEC developed and produced three videos on ‘Youth Voices’, which answered three specific questions for GMW2021: Why do you think it’s important to take care of money?, How do you take care of your money in these times?, What more do you want to learn about money? All videos were promoted from March, 22nd-31st. Over 143,900 people were reached with these videos on social media.

Lastly, the TTSEC Conducted a Virtual Investor Education Outreach Session for over 200 students at the Bishops Anstey High School and Trinity East College Secondary School (BATCE).

The National Financial Education Committee members hosted the “Building Financial Resilience in Our Youth” webinar. Members of the committee discussed the importance of building the awareness of financial responsibility for children and young adults as well as their active role in financial matters at home. They believe that this type of reinforcement at home will enhance their financial capability and financial well-being as adults.

2019 Trinidad and Tobago Global Money Week

LEADING ORGANISATIONS:

• Connect the Dots
• National Financial Education Committee (NFEC) - The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago

PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS:

• 21 Schools, Bankers Association of Trinidad and Tobago, Co-operative Credit Union League of Trinidad and Tobago, Drama Making a Difference (DMAD), Ministry of Education, Office of the Financial Services Ombudsman, Scribbles and Quills Ltd (Bookstore), The Association of Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Companies, Tobago House of Assembly- Financial Literacy Secretariat, Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Institute, Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission, Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange

NUMBER OF CHILDREN REACHED DIRECTLY:

• 609

NUMBER OF PEOPLE REACHED INDIRECTLY:

• 1 609

National Financial Education Committee (NFEC) - The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago
In Trinidad and Tobago, Global Money Week 2019 was organised by the National Financial Education Committee (NFEC), with four main events. The first event was hosted by the Tobago House of Assembly – Financial Literacy Secretariat (THA-FLS), and included a 45-minute interactive theater play, which highlighted responsible financial behaviour. Following this, the THA-FLS organised a youth financial education exposition, which included approximately twenty booths and the Money City Center, which featured several financial education fames. The students were also given the opportunity to engage with committee members, representatives of financial institutions, and successful young entrepreneurs from Tobago. For the second event, the Financial Literacy Team from Tobago visited Trinidad for a tour of major financial business and institutions. Students were exposed to the operations of local government and were given a tour of the Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. They also visited the Central Bank’s Money Museum. The students got a closer look of how entrepreneurship can be used to build wealth for multiple generations. During the third event, students from Trinidad schools were invited by the National Financial Education Committee to visit the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago. At the Central Bank, the students learnt about the importance of good money habits, through interactive theater plays. Each school was given a guided tour through the Central Bank’s museum, to learn about the history of money, the evolution and security features of money, as well as economic concepts, such as inflation. The final event was composed of the financial education exposition, where students learnt about responsible financial behaviour, through an interactive theater play, followed by a financial education exposition, where they participated in interactive sessions and education games. The students also competed in the “Bring Your Lyrics and Come” competition, organised by the Banker’s Association of Trinidad and Tobago. The competition was on the theme “Learn.Save.Earn”, where children competed in spoken word, poetry, rap, and calypso.

Connect the Dots
During GMW2019 celebrations Aisha Acres, the author and owner of ‘Connect The Dots’ launched her 2nd book "Mike's Mission" at Scribbles and Quills Bookstore. There were 15 children in attendance, with 9 of them aged 6 and over. Aisha read several chapters from her book. The children also played Coin Toss to see who could get the most coins in the alien's mouth, and another Money Game: Save or Spend. colouring activity was organised for the younger children. The winner of these games received ‘The Money Adventures of Mike Murray and Friends’ story and activity books.

2018 Trinidad and Tobago Global Money Week

LEADING ORGANISATIONS:

• Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (National Financial Literacy Programme)
• Connect the Dots

PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS

• Arts-In- Action, Association of Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Companies, Bankers Association of Trinidad and Tobago, Briggs Preparatory School, Co-operative Credit Union League of Trinidad and Tobago, Diamond Vale Government Primary School, Financial Literacy Secretariat- Tobago House of Assembly, Ministry of Education, Office of the Financial Services Ombudsman, Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Institute, Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission, Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange, YTEPP Limited, 14 schools in Trinidad, 9 schools in Tobago

NUMBER OF CHILDREN REACHED DIRECTLY:

• 570

NUMBER OF PEOPLE REACHED INDIRECTLY:

• 100

Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (National Financial Literacy Programme)
Throughout Global Money Week 2018, the National Financial Education Committee reached 500 young people through the Financial Education Expositions held in Trinidad and Tobago. The event was organised by the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago through their National Financial Literacy Programme. The Exposition was comprised of a short video presentation and a theatrical production, highlighting various financial literacy topics, such as setting financial goals, savings, budgeting and planning for the future. The first exposition was held at the Victor E Bruce Financial Complex in Tobago, where approximately 200 students between the ages of 15 and 19 were received. Following this, the second exposition was held in Trinidad and was attended by fourteen secondary schools, reaching out to approximately 300 students of the same age. Additionally, students interacted with participating financial institutions to gain knowledge to empower them to make responsible financial decisions. They were given opportunity to improve their financial awareness through interactive games and discussions. Students from Tobago visited Trinidad where they were hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission and the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago.

Connect the Dots
During GMW2018, the founder of Connect the Dots, Aisha Acres, visited two primary schools to read from her publication “The Money Adventures of Mike Murray and Friends.” The book explores core financial literacy topics such as saving and budgeting, but also exposes children to the power of goalsetting, determination and persistence. Approximately 70 children participated in the interactive reading - asking questions and summarizing the lessons they learnt. At the Diamond Vale Government Primary School, Ms. Acres spoke at the school assembly, where all students were present. During the assembly the students were told about Global Money Week celebrations and the importance of understanding money. Diamond Vale Government Primary is eager to have Ms. Acres back and the principal, Mr. Weekes, wholeheartedly supports financial education initiatives.