Family Lab: Financial Inclusion
COFACE has always considered financial inclusion as one of its priorities, especially since access to some financial services like a basic bank account is a pre-condition for social inclusion.
We encourage families to attend budgetary education classes that gives them basic financial knowledge and skills associated with owning a simple accounts and assets. This may affect their financial attitudes about financial service providers, encourage families to save money, and improve their financial goal setting and good budgeting.
Furthermore families also need access to certain financial services in order to make key investments during their life course: invest in housing, acquire means of transportation, cover common risks such as illness,… For each of these needs there is a corresponding financial service such as a mortgage, a consumer credit or an insurance policy.
COFACE gathered best practices covering many topics such as budgetary education and awareness raising campaigns, debt mediation initiatives, and courses to raise the low level of financial capability. It also showcases social innovations such as social mortgage credits that make financial services fair, accessible and affordable to vulnerable families.
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Explore best practices from around Europe here:
Household account book, Gezinsbond, Belgium (2016)
Reference budgets for families, UNAF, France (2016)
An easy-to-read guide and easy to understand guide to banking, UNAPEI, France (2016)
Access to property for large families through social credits, Walloon Housing Fund, Belgium
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Find more in the publication “Compendium on Financial Inclusion”
If you would like to include your programme in the Family Lab, please contact secretariat@coface-eu.org
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