Social mobility and financial literacy can be pretty much summed up for me in one of my favourite lines from one of my favourite Pulp songs (there’s also a reference to broken biscuits – could it be any more perfect?).
“Oh, what’s the point of being rich
If you can’t think what to do with it?”
Speaks volumes (as does the line that follows this on how working class people are sometimes viewed).
The connection between social mobility and financial literacy
During today’s webinar for Lawyers On Demand I spoke about the transformational power of financial literacy and how I benefitted from access to free financial advice throughout my career. Being given the language and time to understand the alien concepts of share options, pension schemes and ‘commitment based incentives’ meant I got to leave corporate life way before some of my contemporaries.
It helped that coming from a low-income background meant there was no expectation on me (or within me) to have more than one house, educate my children privately or participate in holidays and hobbies that cost the equivalent of a mortgage payment. There was no loss of status in stepping away and that should not be underestimated or glossed over. People from low-SEB don’t always leave corporate because they don’t feel able to progress. Sometimes they’ve earned a true luxury: financial security.
Desperately seeking financial literacy services
At the end of the session, one person asked: “How can I access financial literacy services?” and, whilst you would NEVER come to me for financial advice, you might be interested in the organisations I highlight on The Common Good Network UK&I for their work in poverty alleviation and prevention. This includes financial literacy services and the likes of Money Ready whose website states:
“Almost two-thirds of young adults do not recall receiving any financial education at all, and 53 per cent are worried that they will never be financially secure.”
Barriers to financial literacy – and how to overcome them
It took for me to enter corporate life to encounter the kind of support the likes of Money Ready are taking into schools. Being equipped with the language and facts about money makes a material difference to our future outcomes.
In the context of social mobility, when you begin life in scarcity, it can be especially hard to feel comfortable and confident in conversations about money. We can’t shy away from this part of social mobility mix. So if you’re looking for someone who’s confident to talk about cash (and who has an ear for a song that speaks volumes about working class experiences), get in touch.
And if you’d like to check out some clips of me talking about my experiences – visit my YouTube channel for showreels and snippets!
And finally…..if you’d like to read a brief testimonial of today’s session – here’s some feedback I just received:
“Thank you so much for running today’s webinar. I personally found it absolutely brilliant! You are an extremely engaging speaker, I can’t remember the last time I properly laughed (a fair few times!) watching a webinar. Thank you for sharing your story, the feedback we have received so far is excellent.”
Looking for a speaker on social mobility and financial literacy?
Money, and who gets taught how to manage it, is a subject I speak on often. If financial literacy and social mobility would land well with your audience, see what I offer as a expert keynote speaker on social mobility, or reach out using the contact form.