Thames Valley Financial Capability Forum (TVFCF)

Citizens Advice has set up and funded 14 regional financial capability forums throughout England and Wales with support from Bank of America Foundation.

Reading Citizens Advice Bureau acts as the lead for the Thames Valley Financial Capability Forum.  However, the Forum seeks to develop a diversified membership base so that a wide range of agencies with access to different communities are represented.

The overall objective of the Financial Capability Forums is to ‘help people develop their own skills and confidence to avoid financial crisis'.

This is to be achieved by:

• Citizens Advice Bureaux and forums throughout England and Wales making a significant contribution to, and extending the reach of, the delivery of financial education services within their communities; and
• Citizens Advice providing financial education resources and guidance to bureaux/ forums, and positively influencing the national policy agenda of Government and other delivery organisations.

In both cases we will pay particular attention to reaching more socially excluded adults and empowering them to manage their own finances.  This means addressing the basic personal skills needs related to fundamental budgeting, borrowing and saving behaviour.  

The Thames Valley Financial Capability Forum meets at least 4 times per year in various locations.  They have speakers on a range of topics and provide opportunities to network with other local organisations and collaborate on initiatives.  Some members, either alone or in collaboration with other partners, offer workshops for both frontline workers and end users.

Examples of workshops are:-

• Basic Bank Accounts
• Budgeting
• Choosing Credit
• Saving
• Energy Best Deal which gives information on getting the best deal from your energy supplier or switching to another provider.
• Save Christmas which helps explain about the many options available to save for Christmas or other times

The Forum circulates to all forum members news of funding opportunities, training materials and initiatives in which organisations can get involved. 

If you have an interest in delivering financial capability programmes, or in offering programmes for your employees, tenants or service users and wish to join the Forum or find out more about what is available please contact:-

Rachel Morgan 0118 952 3039

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