Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Carmarthenshire Trading Standards Service officers are developing a web-based resource to encourage youngsters to learn online how to handle money wisely. The department has a financial literacy programme called Synnwyr Arian – Money Sense, which it delivers in either English or Welsh to year six classes in county primary schools using specifically designed work books. Trading Standards Officer Heidi Neil said: “We are currently developing a web-based resource to accompany or replace the work books. Pupils will be able to access it on laptops, iPads or Tablets for lessons. It will be more interactive for them. “The web-resource will cover the same themes as the work book - employment, tax, budgeting, credit and consumer rights - but will allow us to cover these matters in greater depth in the allotted time.” Synnwyr Arian, Money Sense consists of a series of five one-hour lessons where pupils are sequentially taken through the ‘concept of money’. Pupils are initially taught about the...

A new service offering free advice and assistance on money matters to the residents of rural Carmarthenshire is now available through RDP Sir Gâr. If you have problems with debt and don’t know where to start, you can call Fflur Thomas (Debt and Benefit Officer) and her team and they will help you access a range of financial services in your area, with specialist support where needed. Fflur has years of experience with the Citizens Advice Bureau and is part of Carmarthenshire County Council’s Community Regeneration section. Besides offering financial management assistance, she hopes to ensure rural Carmarthenshire residents are getting what they are entitled to as many could claim benefits or tax credits that they don’t know about. Her project staff can undertake a check on your behalf and can also help with claims and appeals. They are also looking for volunteers to work with her on this exciting new scheme. Training to enable you to provide basic debt and benefit advice will be p...

Pupils at Ysgol Teilo Sant in Llandeilo have been taught to look after their money. The school is the first in Carmarthenshire to offer financial literacy lessons through the medium of Welsh. A new financial literacy initiative, Synnwyr Arian, Money Sense, was taken to the school by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service. The programme consists of a series of six one-hour lessons aimed at years five and six pupils who are sequentially taken through the "concept of money". Pupils are initially taught about the actual source of money, focussing upon different forms of employment, and payslips etc. Further sessions focus upon budgeting, the different methods of borrowing money, and the associated risks, finally finishing with information on consumers’ rights when purchasing faulty goods or services and how to get ‘value for money’. Fair Trading Officer Quita Davies said: “The pupils are introduced to income, outgoings, debt, and balancing money. The course al...

Pupils at Ysgol Bryn Teg in Llwynhendy, Llanelli, have been taught not to have more money than sense. And other schools are being urged to give their pupils the chance to learn the same lesson. A new financial literacy initiative, Synnwyr Arian, Money Sense, was taken to the school by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service. The programme consists of a series of six one-hour lessons aimed at years five and six pupils who are sequentially taken through the "concept of money". Pupils are initially taught about the actual source of money, focussing upon different forms of employment, and payslips etc. Further sessions focus upon budgeting, the different methods of borrowing money, and the associated risks, finally finishing with information on consumers’ rights when purchasing faulty goods or services and how to get ‘value for money’. Fair Trading Officer Heidi Neil said: “The third lesson introduces pupils to concepts including income, outgoings, debt, and ba...