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UCC Centre for Co-operative Studies Launches New Financial Literacy Resources During Global Money Week 2025
Global Money Week (March 17th-23rd, 2025) is a global initiative led by the OECD to promote financial awareness among young people. To support this, Dr. Olive McCarthy has collaborated with partners to develop a series of five short financial literacy videos, funded by SOLAS. Covering key topics like budgeting, saving, and financial fraud, these resources aim to equip young adults with essential money management skills.
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This week marks Global Money Week (March 17th-23rd, 2025), an annual initiative led by the OECD International Network on Financial Education (OECD/INFE) to promote financial awareness among young people worldwide. The campaign aims to ensure that individuals, from an early age, acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to make sound financial decisions, leading to financial well-being and resilience.
To support this initiative, Dr. Olive McCarthy from University College Cork (UCC), with PhD Candidate AJ Nagle (Centre for Co-operative Studies, UCC), in collaboration with Katy Wareing (Ludgate), Cork ETB, and Citizens Information (West Cork), has successfully developed new financial literacy resources for adults. The project, funded by €24,000 from Solas through the Collaboration and Innovation Fund, administered via Adult Literacy for Life (ALL), includes a series of five short videos aimed at improving financial literacy among young adults, particularly third-level students.
The video topics cover key financial issues, including:
- Digital Financial Fraud – Recognising pitfalls and prevention strategies
- Buy Now Pay Later – Understanding the risks of deferred payments
- Money Muling – Identifying and avoiding fraudulent money transfers
- Saving – Highlighting the importance of regular savings habits
- Budgeting – Strengthening money management skills
Sincere thanks also to UCC President, Professor John O'Halloran, for his encouragement and willingness to support this initiative, and many others, especially in MABS (Money Advice and Budgeting Service), the CCPC (Competition and Consumer Protection Commission) and the Department of Finance, who have been nothing but positive about building the financial literacy of young adults.
The full suite of videos is now available here These resources, produced by UCC AVMS, feature UCC student actors and are freely accessible to all who may benefit from them.
Dr. McCarthy emphasized the significance of these resources, stating:
“The OECD survey of financial literacy reveals that four out of ten adults in Ireland do not meet the minimum OECD standard for financial literacy. Many individuals struggle with money management, debt, and overall long-term financial well-being. Areas needing improvement include budgeting, saving, managing debt, and digital financial literacy. This new suite of videos aligns with the government’s financial literacy strategy, which seeks to enhance the financial well-being of young adults.”
For further information, please contact:
Dr. Olive McCarthy o.mccarthy@ucc.ie
Centre for Co-operative Studies, UCC
About Global Money Week
Global Money Week is an annual global campaign that aims to raise awareness about financial education and financial inclusion. Organized by the OECD/INFE, the campaign promotes financial education for young people worldwide. More information can be found at https://globalmoneyweek.org/.