How ECEs Can Enhance Education Access through Wealthsimple Foundation
Anisha Grossett • December 18, 2023
Wealthsimple Foundation
is on a meaningful mission to make post-secondary education more affordable and inclusive for all. We know you've got questions, so read on to discover everything educators need to know about how WSF enhances education access in Canada.
Tell us about Wealthsimple Foundation and the work you do:
At Wealthsimple Foundation, our mission is to break down the barriers to education for everyone living in Canada. We do this in three ways: education savings promotion, accessible personal finance education, and bursary programs for modest- income students. We believe that everyone deserves access to education, regardless of background or income level.
What types of programs do you offer, and who do they help?
We design our programs with simplicity and impact in mind. They include:
1. Education Savings Promotion: This includes helping families access government grants, specifically the Canada Learning Bond,
a $500 - $2000 per child benefit, and open Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs).
2. Financial Literacy: Delivered in partnership with community organizations across Canada.
3. Bursaries: Low-barrier bursaries for modest-income students.
4. Career Support: Innovative future-focused programming for young people.
What work has WSF completed or on a mission to complete for the education community?
Wealthsimple Foundation is committed to making post-secondary education accessible for all. To date, we have helped over 12,000 people across Canada access $7M in Canada Learning Bond payments - a $500 - $2000 contribution free benefit that ~⅔ of young people are eligible for - helped 4,863 people access personal finance education through community partners, and provided $136,000 in bursary funding to students to help them attend post-secondary.
What is Financial Literacy Month?
Financial Literacy Month is a dedicated period to shine a spotlight on the importance of financial literacy. It’s a time for organizations, educators, and financial experts to come together, share resources, and educate the public on how to achieve financial well-being.
Why is financial literacy critical? How does it connect to early childhood education?
Financial literacy is foundational—it equips individuals with the skills to make smart financial decisions, paving the way for a stable and secure future.
For early childhood educators, it’s about planting the seeds of financial awareness that can lead to well-informed financial decisions in adulthood.
We also believe that when educators are financially empowered, this extends to the children, families, and communities they serve.
Early childhood educators play a key role in our communities by shaping young minds and connecting families with the tools and resources they need. Imagine ECEs equipped with robust financial education—this knowledge doesn’t just stay within the walls of the classroom. It has a positive ripple effect, extending into their communities. Through their interactions, ECEs can weave financial literacy into everyday learning. They are in a powerful position to impact generations, turning lessons into legacies.
What tools and resources do you have for early childhood educators?***
1.
RESP calculator:
Our
online tool
helps families figure out how much they could save and earn for their education goals.
2.
Website resources:
We provide a wealth of information on our
website, including guides on opening a RESP, understanding government grants, and a number of financial know-hows.
3.
1:1 RESP onboarding support:
Our team is available to answer any questions you may have about
opening an RESP
for your own family or your students' families.
4.
Host events in their community:
We can work with early childhood educators to host financial literacy events in their communities, helping parents and caregivers understand the importance of saving for post-secondary education.
How can early educators get involved to support families and children?
Early educators hold a special key to unlocking a brighter future for families and children, and there are several impactful ways they can get involved:
1.
Get to know the education savings incentives available,
like the Canada Learning Bond (CLB), a $500-$2000 benefit for modest-income families to kickstart their children’s post-secondary education savings without personal contributions.
2.
Share the knowledge:
With as little as $500 saved, students are 3X more likely to pursue higher education and 4X more likely to graduate.
3. We invite you to connect with us through the ECE Hub on Facebook.
You can join the
ECE Hub on Facebook and reach out to Gina or Emily for personalized guidance on making informed decisions to support your children and communities.
4.
Keep an eye out for our upcoming workshops and training to further your impact.
Stay engaged with our community through our social channels and newsletter for updates on upcoming
events, financial education content, and more.
Interested in finding out how you can contribute to improving education for everyone? Join the
ECE Hub
on Facebook and connect with Gina or Emily from the Wealthsimple Foundation!
Why Summer Is the Perfect Time for Early Childhood Educators to Reconnect With Themselves July often brings a shift in energy within the world of early childhood education. For some educators, it means summer programming, outdoor adventures, and changing routines. For others, it brings a slower season, time off, planning for September, or moments to finally pause after months of pouring into others. But no matter what July looks like for you, one thing remains true: ECE professionals deserve time to reset too. In a field centered around nurturing children, supporting families, and leading learning experiences, educators can easily forget to nurture themselves in the process. July is the perfect opportunity to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with the passion that brought you into this field in the first place.
Move over trips and falls and organized sports, we have a new injury inducer in town for our children and it’s starting to raise some heated debates. When we look at what’s happening with the injuries we see with children today, it’s not the same from when I was a child. I was falling out of trees, cuts and scrapes on knees and elbows from going too fast around a corner or down a hill on my bike. I was learning physics in the hands-on experiential way, so that when I was a 16 year old driving my dad’s pickup truck, I was already familiar with sliding tires and changing road conditions. I took the lessons I learned going over the handlebars and the feelings of losing control and used them to become more aware and resilient during stressful situations as I grew older into adulthood. I recently read an article online talking about emergency room injuries with children in British Columbia and the number one culprit on the list comes from E-scooter accidents. I definitely have my opinions on these scooters, but we’re not gonna dive into that one today. I want to tell you how easily these injuries can be prevented with a little bit of background education, situational awareness, and some foundational motor development. A lot of these children likely missed the opportunity of learning how to ride a bike properly, they don’t have the vestibular development and appropriate proprioceptive skills to get their balance and their coordination correctly on a scooter. If they never learned the mechanics of how to ride a bike, then how do they know that when they go around that sharp turn and hit a little bit of loose gravel that the back end might slide out a little bit. These foundational fine and gross motor skills are imperative for children to use these conveyances safely, not to mention the spatial awareness needed to navigate the world around them while travelling at high speeds. Parents often send their children out on these scooters without helmets, further exacerbating the risk level. Scooters pose a much higher risk than a traditional bike because you don't need to invest the same amount of time learning to “ride” it. The physics and mechanical lessons I learned as a child are often missed in this day and age and it’s showing up in our emergency rooms across the country.