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Young Investors Society Access Initiative

Understanding Under-Resourced Communities:

A study by the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) analyzed census data from 2008 and found that household income dramatically impacts youth outcomes. Youth from low-income families are more likely to be teen mothers, engage in gang activity and delinquent behaviors, and are less likely to graduate from a 4-year college than are youth from middle-income and high-income families.

Underserved Youth Statistics:

  • 40% of children in the United States lived in low-income families, families with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level (ASPE).
  • Nearly 1/3 of youth from low-income families (29%) fail to earn high school diplomas (ASPE).
  • Only 1/10 of youth from low-income families (10%) go on to graduate from a four-year college (ASPE).
  • 2/3 of High School students fail a basic financial literacy test (JumpStart).

Underserved Youth are at Risk of the Following: 

  • Not graduating high school
  • Being a victim of violence
  • Having a child before the age of 18.
  • Using alcohol or drugs on a regular basis.
  • Committing a crime before the age of 24.

YIS Access Initiative Goals:

The YIS Access initiative provides access to FREE, quality, financial literacy education, mentorship, STEM career education, and scholarships to a variety of talented students in under-resourced communities. We would like to provide financial literacy education to under-resourced communities that otherwise would not have access to finance programs due to demographics, income levels and other socio-economic disparities among communities, increase minorities and women in finance and STEM careers and empower youth to take an active role in their financial future.

Objectives: 

  • Increase access to financial literacy programs to under-resourced communities.
  • Expose students to a variety of careers available in financial markets and STEM disciplines via mentorship programs.
  • Raise awareness that financial market and STEM opportunities are available to students regardless of gender, race, or socio-economic status.
  • Enable students to apply observational, practical, modeling, inquiry, and problem-solving skills in finance related coursework.

Curriculum:

Our curriculum was written by investors representing the biggest names in the industry and professors at Harvard, Wharton, Fidelity, UCLA, BYU and Pepperdine. We teach many valuable concepts including accounting, ethics, economics, psychology, mathematics, business strategy and entrepreneurship all in an online setting that is fun and engaging for students.

Courses, Lessons and Videos:

We offer over 30 engaging 45-min lesson plans to help students learn the basics of investing, personal finance, economics, and accounting.  Our lessons are comprised of online interactive activities, engaging presentations and curriculum support videos along with peer-led activities focused on financial literacy lessons that emphasize the importance of saving and investing for the future.  You can see a sample curriculum support video here: https://youtu.be/xyD03G4oLzw

We have recently launched our Money Skillz Bootcamp that provide personal finance curriculum to our At-Risk students that is comprised of earning money, saving, budgeting, banking, investing, and career exploration that will lay the foundation for future YIS programs. The Money Skillz Bootcamp is structured as a student self-study course and meets all the criteria for current distance learning methods.

School Sponsored Clubs:

To ensure a rich experience, YIS will teach students to create life-changing habits to save and invest for the future in a fun team environment. Each local chapter will learn the fundamentals of personal finance, such as Account Management, Budgeting, Credit Profile, Loans & Debt, and Entrepreneurship, Saving, and Investing. Students will compete with other YIS students using the MyYIS Portfolio, gain leadership experience and learn many life lessons (e.g. hard work, patience, teamwork, etc.) They will also have an opportunity to participate in all YIS programs.

YIS Programs:

YIS has a variety of enrichment program offerings throughout the year. Students can participate in the Dollar-A-Day Challenge, Fireside Chats, Stock Pitch Competition, CYIA Designation and our newest Mid-Year Finance Competition!

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“You see a lot of disparity and poverty when you look at black and brown communities. There is a huge wealth gap there and a lot of it has to do with the knowledge of money, the stigma around money, how people manage their money, and the decisions that are made in those communities, as well as outside those communities that impacts those communities. If we can help the youth to have a better understanding of how to best use their money and how to grow their money and build businesses within those communities, that’s one way you can better develop those communities and the next generation to build something greater than what they have now.”

-Brandon Miller (Charlotte Independence Goalkeeper & YIS East Coast Advisory Board Member)