In December 2009 Money 101 attended the sixth annual financial education conference, Securing The Future: Creating a Financially Sustainable Society. The staff presented its latest online financial education to attendees from more than 15 countries.

“The global economic downturn last year highlighted the damaging impact of financial illiteracy on individuals, families, communities and entire nations. It is very evident that there is a need to teach people how to spend, save, invest, borrow and manage debt wisely. It was also apparent that financial education is more important than ever, in both developed and developing countries,” said Birchall, CEO at Money 101.

As governments implement policies to promote economic recovery, financial education programmes should be targeted at all levels of society – the most vulnerable and the financially excluded, as well as the general public – to help sustain consumer confidence and create economies that can better withstand market fluctuations.

Staff from Money 101 presented its online education to the attendees at the Summit to more than 300 representatives of non-profit organisations, financial institutions, government agencies/regulators, multilateral institutions, microfinance institutions, consumer advocacy groups, educational organisations and private business.

The presentation enabled attendees to:
- Gain insight into how financial education can boost the financial security of individuals and communities 

- Consider the role of innovative use of mass media, technology and Web 2.0 in broadening the reach of financial education

- Explore how financial education can be integrated into workplace programmes and environmental education

- Learn about some of the best financial literacy initiatives for vulnerable groups such as low-income women, older people, and disadvantaged youth 

- Examine how asset-building combined with financial education can help achieve financial inclusion

Money 101’s experience providing services to more than 40 financial services groups within Australia enabled an interactive presentation and the program was well received and showcased as best practice to an audience that has tirelessly worked to teach financial education to those most disadvantaged within their communitiies.