This course is designed to empower individuals across generations—from high school students getting their first jobs to established adults managing families and organizations—with essential financial skills. Using a practical "Learn + Do" format, each module pairs a concise, engaging video lesson with a hands-on exercise to ensure you can immediately apply what you learn to your own life, regardless of your current age or income level.

Target Audience:

Youth and adults ages 14–55 in Appalachian Ohio and beyond, including students, young professionals, parents, community members, and emerging leaders seeking to build financial stability and generational wealth.

Format:

Self-paced online course featuring video lessons ("Learn") and interactive, actionable worksheets/exercises ("Do").

Course Syllabus

Module 1: Your Money Values and Mindset

Understanding your relationship with money is the first step to financial empowerment. This module explores how personal values, family history, and external influences shape financial decisions, whether you are managing an allowance or a full salary.

•Learn (Video): The Psychology of Money – Identifying your financial baseline and setting meaningful goals at any age.

•Do (Exercise): Personal Financial Assessment – A worksheet to map out your current financial situation, define your core money values, and set three actionable financial goals tailored to your stage in life.

Module 2: Building a Sustainable Budget

A budget is not a restriction; it is a roadmap for your money. This module covers the mechanics of tracking income (from part-time jobs to full-time careers) and expenses to build a flexible spending and saving plan.

•Learn (Video): Budgeting Basics – How to track income, categorize expenses, and prioritize spending using the 50/30/20 rule.

•Do (Exercise): Build Your Zero-Based Budget – A template to track one month of income and expenses, ensuring every dollar has an assigned purpose.

Module 3: Mastering Credit and Managing Debt

Credit scores and debt can feel overwhelming, but understanding them early is a superpower. This module breaks down how credit works, how to build it responsibly, and how to tackle debt effectively.

•Learn (Video): Demystifying Credit and Debt – Understanding credit reports, scores, and strategies for building good credit or paying down existing debt.

•Do (Exercise): Credit Review & Action Plan – Step-by-step instructions on how to pull a free credit report (or understand what one looks like if under 18), check for errors, and create a personalized credit-building or debt repayment schedule.

Module 4: Saving and Investing for the Future

Building wealth requires looking ahead. This module focuses on creating a safety net and understanding the basics of investing for long-term growth, proving that time is your greatest asset.

•Learn (Video): The Power of Compound Interest – Strategies for building an emergency fund and an introduction to basic investing concepts, highlighting the advantage of starting young.

•Do (Exercise): Automate Your Savings Plan – A guide to setting up automated transfers for savings and identifying one new investment or retirement account to open or research.

Module 5: Financial Leadership in Your Community

Financial literacy doesn't just help you; it helps your community. This module translates personal financial principles into skills for leading student groups, small businesses, or local nonprofits.

•Learn (Video): Financial Leadership 101 – Understanding cash flow, group budgets, and financial sustainability for organizations and community projects.

•Do (Exercise): Community Impact Project Budget – A checklist and template to build a mock or real budget for a community event, student club, or small business idea, identifying potential funding sources and expenses.

Course Outcomes:

By the end of this course, participants of all ages will have a clear understanding of their financial standing, a functional budget, a plan to manage or build credit, a strategy for saving, and foundational knowledge to support the financial health of their community organizations.

www.jwhite2consulting.com

1747 Olentangy River Rd,

Columbus, OH 43212

jay@jwhite2consulting.com

(614) 377-4696

COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS LLC

The Plains, Ohio | Silicon Heartland