In Full Swing for the 2024/2025 Academic Year: Irish Funds Financial Literacy Transition Year Programme

We are excited to be back in schools again for the 2024 / 2025 academic year of the Irish Funds Financial Literacy Transition Year Programme. It is a robust, modular, and interactive programme, covering financial literacy, digital finance, sustainable investing, and life competencies.

Thank you to our programme sponsor Deloitte for their support for a second year in a row – helping to develop and build on the programme from previous years. 

Programme sessions started again in October at Cashel Community School, Loreto Balbriggan and Ardscoil Ris in Dublin and following the midterm break we’re also now in Loreto Foxrock in Dublin, Waterpark College in Waterford and in St. Mary’s Edenderry in Offaly.

At a recent programme session at Loreto Balbriggan, Joe O’Brien TD, Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and at the Department of Social Protection and at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth joined us along with our lead facilitator Eibhlin Johnston, our industry volunteers Shaun Gilbride (Deloitte) and Fiona de Burca (PwC) as well as our sponsor Deloitte, represented by Paul McGarry. Declan Casey, Director of Regulatory Affairs was in attendance, as was Ronnie Griffin, Irish Funds Talent Group Chair.

Programme sessions at Cashel Community School are in full swing as well, with Aislinn O’Keeffe and Andrew Downey from Waystone participating as industry volunteers in the classroom. Loreto Foxrock began the programme last week with Ailbhe Flynn from Deloitte delivering an interactive session on markets, pensions and saving for the future. Waterpark College and St. Mary's Edenderry also got under way, with industry leads Emma Stephenson from PwC and Brendan McGrath from Waystone attending. Students got the opportunity to learn about markets, research local companies on the stock exchange and also create their own Financial Times Schools Portfolio. Last week also included a session at Ardscoil Ris joined by industry Tara Clements and Keith Masterson from Caceis.

View the full Irish Funds announcement emphasising financial literacy as a critical life skill that impacts individuals and communities and is essential for increasing household investing rates and laying the groundwork for long-term financial wellbeing.  

Enabling greater financial literacy and education is foundational. It is key to ensure all individuals make informed choices about their life goals such as savings, travel, buying a house, their children’s futures and retirement. Providing financial education at an early age will help individuals to better understand the impact of borrowing and saving decisions upon creating a more secure future and enjoying long-term financial well-being. 

We would like to thank everyone involved in delivering this course and look forward to seeing the programme role out and progress over the next couple of months.  

Read more about Financial Literacy and the Irish Funds Transition Year Programme.