1. Agenda
Youth-Inclusive Financial Services:
Implementing Good Practices in the Field
Course Goals:
The main purpose of the “Youth-Inclusive Financial Services: Implementing Good Practices in the
Field” is to provide microfinance practitioners and youth enterprise and livelihoods practitioners
an overview of today’s relevance of financial services to youth in the developing world and how to
design and implement interventions to expand youth-inclusive financial services.
This course offers a practical step-by-step framework for exploring youth-inclusive financial
services. Through hands-on activities and case study discussions, you will learn about emerging
good practices in this field and walk away with tangible tools, youth-inclusive financial services
packages, and action plans that are tailored to the specific needs and interests of your
organizations and the young people you intend to serve.
This course is appropriate for those who are committed to or are already offering services to
youth entrepreneur or future entrepreneurs. It is not for students with only a passing interest in
the topic.
Course Outcomes:
By the end of the four-day workshop, participants will have:
 Discussed the relevance and necessity of financial services to youth from a financial
institution and a youth-serving organization perspective.
 Reviewed different market research approaches and practiced use of a youth-friendly
market research tool to understand current demand for financial services by youth market
segments.
 Discussed the importance of the “holistic” package of services such as mentoring, financial
literacy and other services that youth require alongside financial services.
 Reviewed diverse financial products (including savings) currently offered to youth by
financial institutions worldwide.
 Explored the role and value of, and key considerations for partnerships.
 Developed a list of critical success factors that should be in place to maximize youth
inclusive financial services.
 Discuss the role and depth of monitoring and evaluation.
 Developed an organizational action plan.
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Making Cents International  1155 30th St. NW, Suite 300  Washington, D.C. 20007
Tel.: 202-783-4090  Fax: 202 -783-4091

2. Day 1
Morning
Welcome and Introductions
Course Overview and Objectives
Youth-Inclusive Financial Services? Why Now?
Connect relevance of financial services to your work and identify your
opportunities and challenges to offering youth-inclusive financial services.
Framework of course
Visulaize how the course is structured by understanding the framework,
which can be compared to a road map that shows the entire route and the
places worthy of a visit.
Afternoon
Emerging Guidelines
Familiarity with key principles to avoid pitfalls in the design and
implementation of youth-inclusive financial services. You will be invited to
watch a filmed presentation by Claudia Pompa from Fundación Paraguaya, a
youth finance expert from the field. (Case study)
Market Research: The Tools
Familiarity with different tools and methodologies used to conduct market
research to understand current demand for financial services by diverse
youth market segments. Special focus will be given to how to conduct “youth
friendly” market research. (Role play and group work)
Day 2
Morning
Market Research: Conduct Market Research
Hands-on experience conducting market research with youth from Friendship
Charter School. Participants will work in groups to analyze field work results.
(Focus group discussion and group work)
Afternoon
Is Finance Enough? Role of the “Holistic Approach”
Familiarity with different aspects of the holistic approach including life skills
training, mentoring, safe spaces and financial literacy using a case study
from Bangladesh. You will be invited to watch a DVD of a presentation by
Farzana Kashfi from BRAC, a youth finance expert from the field. (Case
study)
Financial Products & Services: Youth Savings
Familiarity with key savings terms and concepts. This session will explore
different examples of savings products provided by both formal and informal
financial services providers. This session will also focus on key product
adjustments needed to serve youth and some of the organizational
challenges. You will see a presentation narrated by Karen Austrian from
Population Council, Kenya. (Short lecture, case studies)
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Making Cents International  1155 30th St. NW, Suite 300  Washington, D.C. 20007
Tel.: 202-783-4090  Fax: 202 -783-4091

3. Day 3
Morning
Financial Products & Services: Credit
Familiarity with key credit terms and concepts. This session will use four
case studies to explore different examples of credit products offered by formal
financial institutions. This session will discuss how financial institutions are
addressing the balance between outreach to youth and financial
sustainability. You will see a presentation narrated by John Schiller from Plan
International, USA. (Short lecture, case studies)
Achieving Objectives through Partnerships
Identification of key steps to form partnerships and alliances between
financial services providers and youth serving organizations. (Role play, case
study)
Afternoon
Critical Success Factors
Examine the role and creation of social networks, involvement of community
and family as well as how to avoid harmful effects that youth inclusive
financial services may have. (Role play, plenary discussion)
Monitoring & Evaluation
Look at preliminary work done in M&E at both the level of financial
institutions and the level of the client (young person).
(Short lecture and group work)
Action Plan Development
Participants will develop action plan on how their organization will take action
in youth financial services. Peers and trainers will participate in peer assist
to discuss action plans and/or other program-specific challenges they face.
(Individual work and game show)
Final Evaluation and Closing
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Making Cents International  1155 30th St. NW, Suite 300  Washington, D.C. 20007
Tel.: 202-783-4090  Fax: 202 -783-4091