Moving Peers Beyond Content Distribution

Abstract

Working with undergraduate and graduate students has many benefits for financial wellness programs. However, many times the focus (especially if housed in an academic department) is pigeon-holed into the students taking the role of distributing financial education without the additional skills needed to be successful. Whether you have an established peer program already or are looking to set a solid foundation, this session will provide tangible examples of working with student interns/employees on BOTH the financial content and the non-financial content needed to maximize the ROI on having financial wellness students provide services including presentations, appointments, and developing resources for your program, especially for programs with minimal professional staffing and limited resources. This behavioral-finance approach to providing services provides an alternate perspective to impact long-term changes in behaviors of the populations you are attempting to reach with your financial wellness services.