Aim

To support and empower young people with Down syndrome to take necessary steps to achieve financial wellness based on their financial goals

Our idea is to work with graphic designers to design, create and produce an easy-to-read, pocket-sized, concertina financial booklet in partnership with each of young people with Down syndrome and in collaboration with our Down Right Crafty Social Enterprise project. This booklet will contain essential information and pictures created by participants outlining how to manage money, creating a spending plan, effectively using banks and also tips and resources to help them build and maintain financial wellness that are inclusive to our young people with learning disabilities. 

Prior to getting to work on the above-mentioned part of the project, a financial adviser from AIB will facilitate a 8week Financial Wellness and Capability Education programme with our young people to ascertain what financial wellness means to them, how best to stay in control of their finances, being on track for a healthy financial future, the impact of disability on their financial wellness and the barriers and challenges they face.  The questions, discussions, suggestions and information from this workshop will form the format and content of their financial booklet.   

Our vision for this valuable project is one of hope and heightened expectation that the financial toolkit will be used by other young people with learning disabilities in our area and their advocates to -

Campaign for policies and interventions to improve the financial wellness of all disabled people.

Inform policymakers working in financial wellness, advice and guidance to inform policy, practice and product design.

Provide a springboard for future studies that look at practical ways of improving financial wellness and education for young people with learning disabilities.

Offer a baseline measure against which the financial wellness of people with learning disabilities can be tracked over time.

This project successfully funded on 26th March 2025