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Since 2003, Westpac has been helping young people around Australia to better manage their money and avoid financial pitfalls through our financial literacy program, Financial First Steps™. In a new initiative, Keryn Myers, Westpac's Head of Responsible Lending is now looking at how the workshop might be adapted for disadvantaged groups in the community.

Using the experience we have gained through Financial First Steps, Westpac is now working with staff ar the Mission Australia Centre Surry Hills in Sydney to develop a financial literacy program for disadvantaged groups in the community.

Since 2003, Westpac has been helping young people around Australia to better manage their money and avoid financial pitfalls through our financial literacy program, Financial First Steps™.

Westpac is now working with Mission Australia to gauge how this successful program might be adapted for disadvantaged groups in the community, and further deepen our relationship with a key community partner along the way.

Westpac works with Mission Australia on many levels, from promoting its Winter and Christmas Appeals to our customers, to the creation of innovative employee volunteering projects that have yielded signifi cant value.

Following initial discussions with Mission Australia about the special needs of a group of men who are involved in the Centre's early intervention program, an informal workshop was convened so that we could learn first hand about their experiences.

We were encouraged by the level of initial interest. Around 14 men chose to attend the initial workshop at the Mission Australia Centre Surry Hills.

At the workshop, Keryn Myers and Graham Paterson, Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, spoke to the participants about spending habits and basic money management skills. The group also explored the issue of which types of bank accounts are best, what identification is required to open an account, bill payments and how best to put aside savings.

As a result of this initial session, we are developing materials that will be freely available to Mission Australia clients and staff.

This will include brochures and further information on general banking services for Mission Australia staff and clients to have on hand to use whenever the need arises. This approach is used as the workshop format is not always the most appropriate medium, as clients and staff need flexibility to take into account their individual needs and situations.

Following the success of this initial workshop, Mission Australia is keen to make a CD ROM version of Financial First Steps™ available to young people around Australia as well as its own staff. Like the workshop, the CD covers a wide range of topics including budgeting, saving, compound interest, risk and spending.

This initiative has provided Westpac with rich information on the challenges faced by various groups in the community in accessing our banking products and services. It is only with practical experience like this that we can truly provide stronger community services and help our customers build financial prosperity more generally.