Innovative financial literacy course to launch at Lancaster and Morecambe College

Interactive budgeting games and real-world scenarios will equip students at Lancaster and Morecambe College with essential life skills.

In partnership with Citizens Advice North Lancashire, LMC will deliver a comprehensive Financial Literacy course that will reach all 1,500 students across 80 courses this academic year.

The Level 1 course, running from September to December 2025, tackles the financial challenges young people face head-on with interactive budgeting games, real-world scenarios, and engaging activities designed specifically to appeal to college-age learners.

Far from traditional classroom teaching, the course uses dynamic learning resources that spark conversations about money management - skills that aren't always covered in school but are absolutely crucial for navigating adult life, including budgeting, debt and savings.

Through three focused units covering personal finance planning, saving strategies, and understanding borrowing, students will gain practical skills to make informed financial decisions.

‘’We're excited about this partnership because it represents exactly what Citizens Advice does best - reaching into our community to provide practical support where it's needed most,’’ said Joanna Young, CEO of Citizens Advice North Lancashire.

‘’By teaching financial literacy to young people before they encounter financial challenges, we're not just changing individual lives - we're strengthening our entire community's financial wellbeing.’’

Last year Citizens Advice North Lancashire supported over 8,000 people who had over 29,000 issues. Debt and financial difficulties are the top reasons why people seek help from the charity, which has offices in Lancaster and Morecambe.

The course goes far beyond basic budgeting. Students will learn to decode payslips, compare savings accounts, calculate loan repayments, and most importantly, understand the real risks and rewards of financial decisions. Interactive elements ensure that learning is engaging and memorable, with activities designed to drive meaningful discussions about money management.

Natalie Ashworth, Head of Performance and Improvement at Lancaster and Morecambe College said: “Our tutors have been trained by the adviser team at Citizens Advice North Lancashire so they can deliver this course to our students during tutor group time as part of our life skills curriculum.

‘’We’re grateful to the adviser team for giving up their time to support this important work and for the excellent materials they’ve developed. I know the tutors agree that this is a really important topic to cover.”

Charlotte Rawes, Vice-Principal of LMC said: “We are so pleased to be working with Citizens Advice North Lancashire. We want to equip our students with a range of skills and nothing could be more important than feeling confident and well informed about managing finances.”