June 29, 2022 – British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI) and JA British Columbia (JABC) are pleased to announce BCI’s sponsorship of financial literacy programs intended for Indigenous youth across the province.
This sponsorship will support programs such as Dollars with Sense and more that teach financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills to help prepare students for life and work. By partnering with JABC, BCI can help to provide support for more students in Indigenous communities to take part in programs taught by Indigenous volunteers.
“We continue to build up and expand our programs to reach more Indigenous youth living in-community,” said Kimberly Sommer, program director of Indigenous communities at JABC. “Our annual target of 30 Indigenous programs has nearly doubled since January. Thanks to the support of donors and sponsors such as BCI, we aim to provide many more programs to Indigenous schools and communities next year.”
Since 2014, more than 60 employees from across BCI have volunteered their time to deliver over 100 programs with JABC. In 2019, members of BCI’s public markets department established an internal financial literacy committee to develop a deeper partnership with JABC and to continue to expand BCI’s work in furthering financial literacy. Together, these volunteers have reached an estimated 2,600 students ranging from grade four to 12.
BCI supports access to education that empowers youth and adults to build foundational financial skills, as well as gain exposure to the possibility of a career in finance. This sponsorship recognizes and encourages the growing number of BCI employees contributing time through classroom and virtual program deliveries.
“As one of Canada’s largest investment managers, BCI appreciates the impact that developing financial acumen, understanding money management, and long-term planning have on the life of every individual,” said Sarah Dorrington, associate, partnership portfolio, public markets at BCI, JABC volunteer, and co-founder of BCI’s internal financial literacy committee. “JumpStart Coalition for Financial Literacy recently reported that only 26 per cent of young people ranging from 13 to 21 were taught by their parents how to manage money. BCI’s volunteer work with JABC over almost a decade helps us to further give back to our communities in a meaningful way.”
About JA British Columbia
JABC is a member of JA Canada and JA Worldwide. As the first JA charter in Canada and JA’s first international chapter, JA has been a leader in youth business education programs for over 65 years. We are dedicated to preparing people who will create and shape the jobs of the future, foster stable economies, contribute to a healthy community and enjoy lifelong success. Our programs focus on financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship and are requested by educators across British Columbia. Thanks to the funding of generous donors, programs are delivered, free of charge, by local volunteers who provide their real-life experiences to students.
About BCI
With $199.6 billion of managed assets as of March 31, 2021, British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI) is a leading provider of investment management services to British Columbia’s public sector and one of Canada’s largest asset managers. BCI generates the investment returns that help their institutional clients build a financially secure future. With a global outlook, BCI seeks investment opportunities that convert savings into productive capital that will meet their clients’ risk and return requirements over time. BCI invests across a range of asset classes: fixed income; mortgages; public and private equity; real estate; infrastructure; and renewable resources.
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