More than Money: Mining the human and financial potential of Canada's education savings programs for low-income families

From Maytree:

This report outlines a number of specific recommendations on how service providers and government can improve low-income families' access to federal government education savings programs. Even modest savings can encourage these students to pursue post-secondary education, by helping them overcome the high costs of tuition and by encouraging them to perceive that post-secondary education is within their reach.

Quotes in this paper draw on in-depth interviews with low-income parents of diverse ethnic backgrounds, including those hired to conduct outreach, as well as a settlement worker and a school principal involved in the outreach. In Toronto, the Working Women Community Centre is running agency outreach sessions around the city, to introduce service providers to RESPs. SmartSaver and YMCA staff can also provide onsite training for service professionals to engage your clients in RESP education.

If you want to hold an RESP information session at your agency, or access more information for the families you serve email SmartSaver at info@smartsaver.org or call them at 416-966-2286.

The Q&A in the webinar recording includes many questions that are focused on newcomer/immigrant audiences/clients. The SmartSaver website has information in multiple languages: www.smartsaver.org/.