Nationwide issues over 5,000 money guides to schools and colleges

Nationwide Building Society begins the distribution of over 5,000 copies of The Teenager's Guide to Money to secondary schools and colleges across the UK today. With financial education firmly on the curriculum, the Society thinks it is important that schools encourage their pupils to read and learn more about money and money management and a reference book of this kind could prove very valuable.

Research from Nationwide Building Society has found that teenagers are ill-prepared for the financial struggles they will face as they approach adulthood, with two-thirds of them believing they do not have a good knowledge of finance. To help tackle this problem, Nationwide has sponsored The Teenager's Guide to Money as it aims to educate teenagers about the world of finance. The book, written by Jonathan Self, is available in bookshops and from online retailers and teaches readers the basic skills on how to manage money.

Maxine Taylor, corporate affairs director at Nationwide, says: "The Government has been working hard to provide every young person in the UK with a solid financial education. However, many teenagers will unfortunately miss the opportunity to be taught this in their schools and the world of finance will remain a complicated and perhaps daunting place. Because of this, Nationwide is working hard to educate young people on financial understanding and we are delighted to be able to supply all secondary schools and colleges in the UK with a copy of this valuable book.

"The sponsorship of this book is just one element of the Society's commitment to education having launched the interactive website nationwideducation.co.uk in October 2007 and distributed road safety reflectors to primary school children for over 10 years."