Real Solutions - A National Credit Union Foundation Program

From CUNA News Now – The Pennsylvania Credit Union Association and the Pennsylvania Credit Union Foundation, through the National Credit Union Foundation’s REAL Solutions Project Initiative, sponsored their first Financial Reality Fair at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa.

Have you seen this? It’s a neat tool I came across recently. It’s from the folks at Bank On and JoinBankOn.org by CFED in partnership with the San Francisco Office of Financial Empowerment, the National League of Cities and the New America Foundation, with support from the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

We’ve just released the first 1-page case study from the National Credit Union Foundation’s (NCUF)forthcoming national report from NCUF showing how the credit union movement is making a difference through financial education and counseling. This case study on Schoolsfirst Federal Credit Union is from the section of the report on classroom presentations.

Knowing the consumer need for trustworthy financial guidance while tight credit union budgets often restrict the number of staff able to attend a live training school, the Michigan Credit Union League (MCUL) offered a unique guided self-study financial counseling training program last year that resulted in 72 new Certified Credit Union Financial Counselors from 33 Michigan credit unions. Since then, MCUL has reached an estimated 170 credit union staff and more than1,850 consumers.

Credit unions trying to boost their auto loan portfolios now have an added aid, a Non-Prime Auto Loan Toolkit. Many households are struggling financially and a dependable automobile can be the key to having a job or having a better paying job. Many of these households may look at the corner buy-here-pay-here auto lot as their only option and find themselves caught in a costly loan and an unreliable car.

The National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions (Federation) has recently completed a new “Credit Union Foreclosure Intervention Toolkit” to help credit unions combat the foreclosure crisis in their communities. Among other activities, the Federation has also been holding “train-the-trainer” workshops about the toolkit to credit unions and state credit union leagues on the front lines of the foreclosure crisis.

Supporters of Biz Kid$ can now receive a new Biz Kid$ "starter kit" filled with DVDs and materials to teach Biz Kid$ to schools in their area. Biz Kid$ is the Emmy Award winning and credit union funded public television series that teaches kids about money management and entrepreneurship.

KS, IL & DE Pages Show how CU’s Financial Education Efforts are Making a Difference in their State

Three state pages were released from the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) and will be part of a forthcoming national report from NCUF showing how the credit union movement is making a difference through financial education and counseling. The Delaware, Illinois, and Kansas pages were put together from data collected by NCUF for its 2011 Credit Union Member Education Inventory.

The Texas Credit Union League has recently created two traveling Reality Fair sets for Texas credit unions to use and have already held six fairs in high schools across Texas since May. A Reality Fair is an interactive financial literacy tool for high school students that gives them the opportunity to participate in a hands-on event that guides them through the personal financial management process, including budgeting, saving and investing in a simulated real-world environment.

The New York Times pointed to the National Credit Union Foundation’s efforts to help borrowers with poor credit get car loans.

Several New Mexico families who belong to their local credit unions now have better awareness and knowledge of good financial habits after participating in the 11-month “Savings Challenge New Mexico” and one lucky family is now $10,000 richer. The Challenge goals were basic stepping stones that provided each family with the skills to achieve better financial well-being. The three goals were: reduce debt, build savings and improve their credit score.

Registration is now open for the Spring 2012 Credit Union Development Education (DE) training class taking place April 18-25 in Madison, Wis. Attendees of the six-day total immersion experience will learn about credit unions’ social responsibility and domestic and international development through interactive education and professional networking.

The Wisconsin Credit Union League is making a difference across the state with the Investor Education in Your Workplace™ (or “IEiYW™”) program. IEiYW is a free, online financial and investment education program made possible thanks to a grant from the Investor Protection Trust.

CUNA News Now – Nearly 30 individuals from 14 Illinois credit unions are on their way to graduating as Certified Credit Union Financial Counselors (CCUFC) of the REAL Solutions Enhanced Financial Counseling Certification Program (FiCEP).

Thanks to New York University Federal Credit Union’s “Making Ends Meet” financial education program, low-wealth students of New York University are better equipped to reach life-changing goals. Since starting the program in the 2010-2011 school year, over 5,000 students have attended one of the credit union’s seminars. New York University FCU (NYUFCU) has also seen their delinquency and overdraft fees decrease as a result of the program.