Calla Flannery is the assistant vice president of community and business development at Workers Credit Union in Littleton.
Updated: May 5, 2025
Advice
Helping neurodiverse students build financial literacy confidence
By Calla Flannery
April was both Financial Literacy Month and Autism Acceptance Month. Financial literacy is important, but can be elusive for many people, especially young people.
According to Moneyzine, 88% of Americans say they weren’t fully prepared to handle money in high school and the percentage of U.S. adults demonstrating a low level of financial literacy has increased from 20% in 2017 to 25% in 2023.
Many students living within the autism spectrum face unique challenges in accessing financial literacy in ways that will allow them to succeed, yet many support services in high schools end when they are 22 years old.
In my role on the Workers Credit Union Community Business Development team, one of the ways that we engage our communities is by bringing financial literacy to schools. Our work revealed a need for inclusive financial literacy tailored to help neurodiverse students achieve independence and confidence in managing their finances. Together, with schools including RFK Community Alliance in Lancaster and Nashoba Regional High School Transitions Class in Bolton, Workers Credit Union strives to fill this need.
The presentations cover budgeting basics, spotting scams, and the process of interacting with a teller to make a basic transaction. Special education professionals help ensure the lessons meet the students’ specific needs.This includes adjusting the communication style and modifying visual aids to minimize sensory overload, as well as incorporating tools like closed captioning in the presentations.
Interactive activities during the class help bring these concepts to life. A favorite game called “Keep or Toss” illustrates which documents should be saved, such as a pay stub, and which should be thrown out, like a food receipt. Students are able to get up and toss those documents they don’t want saved, creating a fun learning environment.
Another goal is to demystify financial practices, like filling out a check or completing a teller transaction. Workers Credit Union has a large erasable version of a check for practicing filling one out. Visiting a branch together makes the process of interacting with a teller a positive one.
I’ve seen firsthand how inclusive financial education can transform the lives of young people in the neurodiverse community. I had a former student come up to me at a job fair. He told me that he still uses the do’s and don’ts of debit cards he learned.
Together, we can create a supportive environment where every person has the opportunity to thrive.
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