Empowering Future Generations by addressing youth financial knowledge gap

Do you know that women retire with half the amount of superannuation that men do?

In a recent interview with Professional Planner, Dawn Thomas (Senior Adviser at The Wealth Designers) shared her experience of teaching financial literacy to young students, highlighting the importance of early education in this vital area.

When Dawn Thomas asked a group of Year 9 students at Penrhos College which cohort has the least amount of superannuation, their answers were imaginative and unexpected. 

“Being kids, they threw out the most imaginative answer, which I’ve never heard before,” Thomas said. “They said babies.”

While technically not wrong, the correct answer is women. Thomas explained to the students that women retire with significantly less superannuation than men, sparking a conversation about fairness and financial equality. 

“Do you know that women retire with half the amount of superannuation that men do?” Thomas asked. The students were surprised and agreed that this disparity was unfair.

Thomas’s presentation, part of a program that brings financial advisers into high schools, covers essential topics such as budgeting, financial goals, compounding, investing, and superannuation. This initiative aims to equip young people with the financial knowledge they need for a secure future. 

For more insights from Dawn Thomas and to read the full interview, visit Professional Planner.