Money, Power and Society: A youth guide to Financial Confidence

Course Description

Money isn’t just about dollars — it’s about identity, culture, family, and the social worlds we grow up in. This course is a youth-friendly, interactive introduction to financial literacy through the lens of Sociology. This course helps students understand not only how money works, but how society shapes the way we think, spend, save, and plan for our futures.

Students will explore big questions:
• Why do different families have such different money habits?
• How do culture, gender, class influence financial confidence?
• Why do some groups face more financial barriers than others?
• How do advertising and peer culture affect what we think we “need”?

Throughout the week, students learn practical money skills — budgeting, saving, credit basics, and beginner investing — while examining the social and cultural forces that shape our financial decisions. Activities include identity-mapping, budgeting challenges, inequality simulations, discussion circles, and real-life money scenarios.

The course features a special guest session with Shamuna Mizan, Executive Director of HerMoney Matters — a social enterprise dedicated to empowering women and youth through accessible financial literacy and confidence-building programs. She will share her journey, insights, and practical advice on building financial independence from a young age.

By the end of the program, students walk away with:
• A personalized budget
• A simple savings plan
• A “Money Confidence Plan” for the next year
• Stronger insight into how society influences financial behaviour
• Greater confidence in making everyday financial decisions