"Australians are notoriously very bad at budgeting and managing their finances. And that's a cycle we're trying to break."
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Facilitator for The Smith Family, Eleanor Hansen hopes the organisation's Financial Literacy program will help break that cycle by providing students with the knowledge and skills to successfully manage their finances.
Students at Goulburn High School recently took part in the program, learning about budgeting, superannuation, taxation, the Australian financial systems, savings, borrowings, credit, debt and "all the things that make up adult financial life".
"Until these things are put to them, they really just don't understand," Ms Hansen said.
"They don't understand the impact that super can have on their lives or the impact that spending leaks can have on their lives.
"[It's been] really good, they're picking up on it. I've heard some of them say when I get home I'm going to have to change this or change that."
Ms Hansen said it was great that students were able to better understand how to manage their finances and it was knowledge that would help them throughout their lives.
"One of the things we understand is a lot of these kids aren't actually going to put everything into practice for quite a few years. Once they're working or finished their secondary education, that's when a lot of this stuff will come more into play," she said.
"What we hope is that what they're learning in this course will trigger patterns at that point."
The program has run at Goulburn High for the past few years.
Careers advisor Jennifer Kennedy said all students who had participated in that time had enjoyed the program.
"It's fabulous, the kids really enjoy it -they're obviously engaged with what they're learning because they can see the relevance," she said.
Students who complete the program also receive a Certificate I in Financial Services which is an AQF (Australian Qualifications Framework) Qualification.
The program will run again later in the year.
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