Women’s Economic Council is partnering with eight women-centred community economic development (CED) organizations across Canada to build women’s economic literacy.

WEC supports enhancing women’s economic literacy to help women build sustainable livelihoods for their families and communities.  Women-centred CED increases women’s economic security and reduces poverty by providing supports that equip women for financial independence including training, employment, self-employment, funding to grow businesses, safe housing, establishment of social enterprises and co-operatives.

Building Women’s Economic Literacy

WEC gathered effective practices in financial and economic literacy from across Canada, the United States and Australia
WEC developed an Economic Literacy Curriculum of resources appropriate for training diverse women and their families in economic literacy
Core competencies addressed: understanding economic literacy, measuring personal financial health, goal setting, using banks and credit unions, understanding credit, budgeting, saving, building the local economy

Train-the-Trainer

WEC provided delivered the Economic Literacy Train-the-Trainer to over 60 staff from 21 community-based organizations across Canada
The 8 women-centred CED organizations will each deliver leadership training to at least 30 women in 2010 and at least 75 additional women by 2013, documenting impacts on the lives of women, their families and communities

Impacts

By 2013, over 800 women and their families will have increased economic literacy skills
Practically speaking, this means women will have increased personal money management skills and understand how economic change impacts families and communities leading to better personal money management and increased financial independence