the friend online
18 July 2008

Quaker charity leads the way in tackling financial exclusion
• Two million people in the UK do not have access to a bank account
• Low-income consumers pay on average £129 a month servicing high cost borrowing
• At least three million people can't get mainstream credit

Quaker Social Action has been praised for its 'Made of Money?' project in a major report on financial exclusion published this week. The report Short changed, from the charity New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), appeared at the same time as reports on financial exclusion from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Runnymede Trust.

QSA's east London education scheme 'Made of Money?' is singled out as an example of best practice in assisting disadvantaged families deal with budgets.

'“Made of Money?” is distinctive in that it considers the social and psychological aspects of money, and targets families', says the NPC report. 'Through group sessions and one-to-one support, it addresses issues including budgeting, communicating about money, and the power of advertising, giving parents help to resist pester power.'

NPC were impressed with the project's creativity, particularly in how to deal with family shopping. 'There are sessions on how to budget for and cook pizza from scratch. There are also 'blind-tasting' sessions to look at branded versus value products… people learn that cheaper is not necessarily worse.'

NPC was impressed at the psychological profile of 'Made of Money?'. Poverty and fina ncial exclusion affect relationships and dignity, the report notes. QSA is a good example, the report says, of taking emotional and family aspects of money into account and delivering education in an engaging and memorable way.

As a charity, NPC helps donors in the way they support causes. It researches need and identifies organisations that it considers best able to use donated money. It researches mainly in the area of education, cancer treatment and mental health.

Last week the Joseph Rowntree Foundation published a report on minimum living standards expected by the public. JRF reported that the minimum income which people perceived as acceptable was £13,400 for a single person and £27,000 for a family with two children. Cars were considered an indulgence, unless people lived in remote areas, cheap mobile phones were a necessity – and so were bird feeders for elderly people.

Links
Quaker Social Action
Joseph Rowntree Foundation reports
New Philanthropy Capital
Quaker Social Action wins another award the Friend, 27 June 2008.
A year of 'knees-ups' in the East End the Friend, 20 June 2008.
Preparing for the inevitable by Judith Moran the Friend, 22 February 2008.
Banking on building communities the Friend, 4 January 2008.

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Quaker charity leads the way in tackling financial exclusion
news@thefriend.org
Tough times for war resisters in Canada despite parliament’s help
Jez Smith
FUM Triennial news
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Scottish government says no to Circles
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Challenging consumerism
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Comment
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Tackling financial exclusion
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Is there a gap?
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