Report and evaluation of the FRANS financial literacy project

1. Description of the programme
2. The study
3. Key findings
4. Points to consider

• Description of the programme
• The study
• Key findings
• Points to consider
• Full report

Description of the programme

The programme was an eight-week financial literacy course for teenagers and adults with an intellectual disability to help them become more financially independent. The course had three levels (basic, intermediate and advanced), and participants were placed into an appropriate level based on an initial assessment. Content was delivered by a trainer in weekly group lessons. Each level was comprised of a resources book, homework book and a final assessment. The course was delivered to 70 participants aged 14 to 40 years. Participants were grouped into teens and adults allowing them to develop friendships and work together on tasks.

The study

The evaluation included:

1. Pre and post-measurement of participants’ money knowledge, skills and maths levels
2. Weekly review of goals. A participant workbook was completed at the end of each week, documenting learning, needs and future goals. This provided feedback during the implementation of the course.
3. Qualitative feedback was collected from carers and participants about their experience.
4. Post-programme staff evaluation. Staff provided qualitative feedback at course completion on:
5. Participant workbooks
6. Initial and final assessments
7. Group dynamics
8. Participant engagement.

Staff provided feedback on the difficulties they faced when teaching the course, what worked well, along with suggestions for future delivery.

Key findings

The course was delivered to 70 participants over two terms. Eight staff were trained to deliver the course. Thirty-seven students completed the assessments.

• Financial capability (ability): There was an improvement in the financial skills of participants by the end of the course.
• Financial capability (mindset): Participants exhibited increased confidence with maths and handling money by the end of the course.
• All carers believed that the course had assisted the participants.
• Carers believed that homework tasks and practical shopping excursions included in the course were particularly valuable.
• FRANS increased the number of trained staff and increased the duration of the course from five to eight weeks.
• The course has been expanded to other similar organisations.Following the evaluation:
• Course delivery continued beyond the evaluation period
• The course has been modified for use on tablet devices
• Course materials are now available for others to use.

Points to consider

• Relevance:
  • The evaluators did not indicate for whom the course was most beneficial or what were the key drivers of change. However, they indicated that including practical activities in the course (e.g. shopping trips) appeared to increase effectiveness.
  • The authors note that small improvements were significant with this sub-population given the barriers to learning.
• Methodological limitation:
  • Changes in participant scores are provided in a graph format only.
  • There was no comparison group to determine causality, and caution must therefore be exercised when interpreting the results.

Full report

Report and evaluation of the FRANS financial literacy project - full report