Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale MP David Mundell is urging young people in the constituency to take part in the Lloyds Banking Group’s Money for Life Challenge.
Now in its third year the Money for Life Challenge is a national competition to encourage young people to improve their money management skills.
The Challenge awards £500 grants to hundreds of 16 to 24 year olds who want to run a money management activity in their community, with the best projects going head to head to win a coveted place at the National and UK Grand Finals.
The competition aims to find the most successful and innovative ways to improve the money management skills of learners, their friends, families and communities. Project team members are between 16 and 24 years old and in further education, work based learning or adult community learning.
Last year the Money for Life Challenge inspired an impressive number of innovative money management projects and in 2013, Lloyds Banking Group is encouraging even more young people to take part.
Now local MP David Mundell is encouraging young people in his constituency to sign up to the challenge. Teams can apply for one of 250 grants before 22 November simply by visiting the Money for Life Challenge website: www.moneyforlifechallenge.org.uk
Mr Mundell said: “This initiative is a great means to help give our young people the skills they need for the future and these sorts of skills are also very important in a number of careers. All the evidence suggests that learning financial skills and independence early on in life makes a real difference and can prevent people from getting into debt and money management issues in later life. This competition also gives contestants the chance to work on other skills and demonstrate their initiative and team work.
“As the difficult economic conditions we have been facing show us, it is vital that people can make the most of what they have and I hope our young people will take the opportunity to join in this competition,” he added.