Assuming credit doesn’t affect teens is a mistake. In the US, 11% of adolescents from 12 – 19 have their own credit cards. The average 18 – 24 year-old uses 30% of annual income to repay debt. Of all people who filed for bankruptcy in 2011, 19% were college-aged. With the dearth of financial education resources for teens, Habitat has mobilized for the cause.

Our three part series provides students with insights into the financial world before they enter it. The series will be offered to students in the month of April. After months of intensive planning, we created a curriculum based on the questions students had about credit and money management. I had an open discussion with College Track students during the process. They had many of the same questions that adult participants have in Homebuyer Readiness courses – questions that aren’t addressed in school.

The first class in the series will address students’ concept of credit, the importance of credit and how to establish and maintain credit. The second class focuses on creating sustainable budgets, helping students contextualize the value of money. The second class also provides insight on goal creation, savings and compound interest. The final class is an open dialog about ‘life after high school’, addressing different career paths and experiences after graduation. The youth program came out of Habitat Greater SF’s push to use the resources at hand to help the broader community.

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