Illinois Youth Involvement Council (IYIC)

The mission of the IYIC is to ensure the future of the credit union movement by involving young people as members, employees and volunteers. The IYIC strives to reach out to young people and share information about credit unions as a financial service alternative.

Contact Melanie Murphy at (800) 942-7124, extension 3414 for more information about IYIC, youth outreach or financial literacy.

Click here for information about 2008 National Credit Union Youth Week and 2008 Money Smart Week.

Click here for the 2007 IYIC News - Financial Literacy & Youth Outreach Information provided by the Illinois Youth Involvement Council.

Youth Outreach & Financial Literacy Links

Biz Kid$ - A new PBS television show designed to teach young people about financial literacy and entrepreneurship.  The show began airing in January 2008.  Click here for a list of PBS stations in Illinois that are airing the program.  Click here for general information about Biz Kid$.

CU Succeed - A dynamic, sharp-looking, cost-effective and easy-to-implement youth marketing program is just a click away!

National Credit Union Youth Week Information - Held annually during April; click on link to reach CUNA's website for promotional ideas, give-away items, and information regarding the Youth Savings Challenge where your new young members could win one of ten $100 prizes!

National Youth Involvement Board - Click here to go to the NYIB website where you will find an incredible amount of information on all aspects of youth outreach including classroom presentations, resources for financial literacy, ideas for youth and full-family marketing, how-to guides for establishing in-school and student branches, agenda and registration for annual youth conference, and much more!

Money Smart Week - Held annually during mid-Spring - date varies; sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Click here to find out more about this week-long event that is designed to help consumers of all ages better manage their finances and provide awareness of financial education programs available on topics such as budgeting and using credit wisely.

Operation Hope, Inc. (OHI) - "Banking on Our Future" is an economic education and financial literacy program for children in inner-cities and other underserved communities around the country. OHI created the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This kit is distributed as a free digital file or in hard copy through a network of OHI government and corporate partners. Click on this link to reach Operation Hope's website.

"Bank at School" - The Illinois State Treasurer sponsors this program, which is primarily aimed at middle school students, to help students learn the value of saving for the future and money management.  Click on this link to go to the IL State Treasurer's website.

National Endowment for Economic Education (NEFE) - The High School Financial Planning Program (HSFPP) is one of the premier financial literacy programs designed for high school age students. Materials are available for free to participating schools. Credit unions partner with local schools to teach sessions on budgeting, money management, and loans. Click on this link to reach the NEFE website.

Youth Program Resource Listing - Looking to start a youth program at your credit union, but don't know how to start?  Check out this resource listing compiled by youth advocate Heather Harris from Michigan.  It contains a variety of programs geared toward both kids and teens, and notes the name of the program, the company providing the program and contact information in an easy-to-read table.

Financial Literacy in a Box, Elementary School Series - The Michigan Credit Union League's Family Involvement Council created this outstanding resource that is available to all credit unions for free.  Choose from four downloadable financial literacy kits designed to provide credit unions with tools to make elementary school classroom presentations.  Kits can come with PowerPoint slides (where applicable), presentation tips, resources, classroom benchmarks and more.

Credit Union School Branch Handbook - Are you considering starting a student credit union branch at a local school, but don't know how to begin? The Michigan Credit Union League's Family Involvement Council compiled this handbook, which offers insight into many of the regulatory, marketing and logistical issues involved with establishing a student branch. There is no cost to download this invaluable guide, which comes complete with sample letters and forms!

Illinois Credit Unions with Student/Youth Branches - Click here for a link to a list of credit unions located in Illinois which have student or youth branches. This list is part of a nationwide compilation of student or youth branches and information regarding financial literacy on CUNA's website.

IYIC Youth Outreach Telecourse Information
(held August 2007)

The handouts for the IYIC Telecourse consist of the following items: Powerpoint Presentation (in 3 sections), list of Cooperative Extension Contacts and Tour of Student Guide Key.  All of these documents are below.  Please print them for use with the telecourse.

Part 1

Part 3

University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Contacts

Tour of Student Guide Key

IYIC My Money Telecourse Series - Extra Materials
(held March-April 2008)

Extra handout for "Using Credit Wisely" Session:  Credit Resources

Website for opting out of credit card offers:
https://www.optoutprescreen.com/

Toll-free phone number for opt-out service:  888-567-8688

Instructions for accessing the recorded sessions:  "How-To" Guide