By Steve Conley, Founder of the Academy of Life Planning Background: Financial Education Returns to the Curriculum After more than a decade without review, the UK Government has announced plans to include financial education within the national curriculum for both primary and secondary schools. The proposals, warmly welcomed by many financial planners, aim to make … Continue reading 🧭 Structurally Trustworthy Education: Teaching Our Children Freedom, Not Dependency
Tag: financial-literacy
One Rule for SJP? Why We Must Question Who Teaches Our Children About Money
When your CEO sits on the CityUK Leadership Council and co-authors the Mansion House Accord, what can you get away with? Apparently, quite a lot. If your firm’s fee-for-no-service scandal gets waved away by regulators more interested in growth than justice…If your calls to deregulate are echoed by the Treasury while whistleblower complaints are ignored…If … Continue reading One Rule for SJP? Why We Must Question Who Teaches Our Children About Money
Case Study: Empowering Financial Independence After Bereavement
Background Sarah, a 56-year-old widow, approached us in June 2023 following the loss of her husband 18 months prior. In addition to grieving her husband, Sarah had also been a primary caregiver for her father, whom she also lost recently. These life-altering events left her emotionally drained and facing significant financial anxiety. Sarah's late husband … Continue reading Case Study: Empowering Financial Independence After Bereavement
A New Route into Financial Planning – No Sales Targets, No Barriers, Just Impact
If you’re considering a career in financial planning but only know the traditional route—the one that’s been around since the 1980s, where it was all about commission, sales targets, and high startup costs—it can feel daunting. The big academies still operate on that old model, tying new advisers into restrictive agreements and product sales to … Continue reading A New Route into Financial Planning – No Sales Targets, No Barriers, Just Impact
Lessons from the ASA Ruling on Zimran Ltd: A Wake-Up Call for Online Financial Education Providers
Today’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) decision against Zimran Ltd, trading as Prosperi Academy, highlights the critical importance of transparency, accuracy, and responsibility in advertising financial education services. The ruling serves as a valuable lesson for providers in this sector, urging all to reassess their marketing strategies to ensure they build trust rather than erode it. … Continue reading Lessons from the ASA Ruling on Zimran Ltd: A Wake-Up Call for Online Financial Education Providers
The M-Power Movement: Empowering Lives, Eradicating Poverty
Aligning with the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 1 Poverty is more than just a lack of income—it’s a barrier to opportunities, dignity, and the ability to live a fulfilling life. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1) challenges the world to eradicate poverty in all its forms by 2030. This ambitious target includes … Continue reading The M-Power Movement: Empowering Lives, Eradicating Poverty
🎄What an inspiring year it has been for the Academy of Life Planning! 🎉
As 2024 comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to pause and reflect on the milestones, growth, and impact we’ve achieved together. From empowering individuals to take charge of their financial futures to strengthening the community of values-driven planners, this year has been one of transformation and progress. Let’s take a look back 👇: … Continue reading 🎄What an inspiring year it has been for the Academy of Life Planning! 🎉
Empowerment, Not Nudges: A Better Way to Serve Underserved Communities
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) proposals on targeted support have been widely discussed as a step towards bridging the advice gap. But are we missing the bigger picture? For underserved communities—those who most need accessible, trustworthy support—there’s a crucial difference between empowerment and nudges. While targeted support offers well-intentioned suggestions, it risks funnelling people towards … Continue reading Empowerment, Not Nudges: A Better Way to Serve Underserved Communities
The Fight for Justice in UK Financial Services: A Call to Action
When it comes to protecting consumers in UK financial services, one thing has become abundantly clear: the system isn’t working as it should. With the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) bound by a framework that prioritises growth and international competitiveness, achieving genuine consumer justice seems increasingly out of reach. The FCA’s balancing act between protecting market … Continue reading The Fight for Justice in UK Financial Services: A Call to Action
Bridging the Empowerment Gap: Why Financial Empowerment, Not Advice, is the Future
For too long, the financial services industry has focused on solving the wrong problem. The buzzword has been the “advice gap” — a perceived lack of accessible financial advice for the masses. But the truth is, the real issue isn’t advice; it’s empowerment. People don’t need to be sold financial products disguised as solutions. They … Continue reading Bridging the Empowerment Gap: Why Financial Empowerment, Not Advice, is the Future
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