In June 2020, the Office for Women delivered funding to support women affected by COVID-19 through the Women’s Leadership and Development Program. As part of this investment, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led charity First Nations Foundation received a grant to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to build financial resilience in response to COVID-19.
Under their grant, First Nations Foundation is creating a culturally relevant online masterclass in money skills training and delivering financial literacy education to 700 First Nations women through My Money Dream – a digital financial literacy program developed for Aboriginal people by Aboriginal people. Storytelling and experiences shared by other Aboriginal women will form the foundation of the freely available online series, which is being developed in collaboration with financial experts and Aboriginal women who are community leaders.
My Money Dream will assist participants to be better financially equipped as Australia recovers from the pandemic. Participants will gain experience and confidence in managing their money and financial future. With culturally relevant, practical skills, these women will be equipped to share financial knowledge within their communities.