Justin helps YMCA residents become more ‘money savvy’

Two chaps walked into the room at 3pm on the last Wednesday of June. One was visibly shaking from his anxiety, clearly finding the whole experience quite a challenge. But he had turned up wanting to learn.

These two gentlemen are residents at the YMCA in Bournemouth and had come along to a workshop to learn some basic money and budgeting skills. The whole experience was humbling, as I reflected on my brief stint at the YMCA in the West Midlands when I first left home many years ago.

This time I was back for a very different reason; to help those in real need to have a little more left in their pocket at the end of each week.

Delivering ‘money savvy’ workshops

This was the first in a series of four workshops I am volunteering to run with the lovely people from a financial services company called The Verve Group.

Verve have set up a charitable foundation which plans to create and invest further into the future of finance. One of their projects hopes to educate the masses about finance and support vulnerable people to become more financially independent. Hence, the project with the YMCA, starting in Bournemouth - just down the road from our offices in Christchurch.

Judging by the response from the first week’s participants, this venture could make a tangible difference to people’s lives. It’s great to be a part of it.