SavY Trust

We are delighted to see our funding and resources are helping SavY Trust, which is a student-led charitable trust that empowers young people across Aotearoa with practical financial literacy.

Founded on the belief that everyone deserves the tools to make confident money decisions, they work closely with schools, communities, and other partners to deliver workshops, resources, and initiatives tailored to real-life situations. Their team is made up of passionate volunteers, many of whom are students themselves, bringing fresh energy and lived experience into everything we do.

1. What are you doing? 

SavY operates across two main fronts. First, we deliver interactive, curriculum-aligned financial literacy workshops in secondary schools across Aotearoa, tailored to different year levels and designed to build foundational to advanced knowledge. These workshops cover topics like budgeting, debt, KiwiSaver, investing, tax, insurance, and more, presented in a way that’s relatable, interactive, and practical.

Second, we invest heavily in developing our facilitators. All of our volunteers are students themselves, so we offer ongoing professional development, mentoring, and leadership opportunities. This ensures our delivery is both high-quality and peer-informed, while also equipping young leaders with skills in communication, education, and social impact.

2. What inspired you to do what you’re doing? and Why did you choose to focus on this topic?

SavY began in 2008, inspired by the gap we saw between the school curriculum and the real-world financial knowledge young people actually need once they step out of the classroom. Since then, we’ve worked to complement schools by delivering workshops on everyday, practical topics like personal budgeting, student loans, KiwiSaver, tax, insurance, online purchasing, and more... topics that are often overlooked in the traditional curriculum. 

Many of our facilitators, fresh out of high school and into university, have lived through that uncertainty and “figuring it out” firsthand. We’ve seen just how much of a difference it makes when financial literacy is taught by peers in a way that’s relatable and relevant. That’s what continues to inspire us today: the belief that every young person deserves access to financial tools and knowledge that will empower them for life.

We continue to grow on the vision of our founders from 2008, as we firmly believe that no matter what your background, you should have access to financial education.

3. What made you decide to apply for an HealthCarePlus Grant for Good? (where did you hear about it)

We first heard about HealthCare Plus Grants for Good through the Tertiary Education Union newsletters. We decided to apply as we felt that what we did aligned with the education category of HealthCarePlus. Of note, the information on the Grants for Good page, “Our 'Grants for Good' program will provide funding support for educational initiatives that can leave you, your colleagues, your workplaces, your communities, or your opportunities, better off.” resonated with our team, as we aim to empower and leave students better off through our workshops too.

4. How was your experience in Appling for the grant?

Overall, our experience applying for the HealthCarePlus Grant for Good was really positive. The process was clear and easy to navigate, and the communication from the team was responsive and helpful throughout. Compared to other grants we've applied for, this felt smoother and more user-friendly, though we did need a bit of clarification around how much funding to request and the intended timeframe for delivery. Once we had that sorted, everything else flowed well.

5. How has funding from HealthCarePlus helped? And what does this grant mean to you?

This grant allows us to grow our operations and continue to deliver more workshops to schools, students, and communities. Specifically, the grant has allowed us to support the delivery of 200 workshops, reaching more than 5,000 New Zealanders with practical, engaging, and insightful financial literacy workshops. Beyond expanding our reach, the funding has also given us the flexibility to support the development of our volunteer facilitators, all of which are students. We’re now better able to invest in training, mentorship, and industry engagement opportunities for our team, which not only improves the quality of our workshops but also helps our facilitators grow as leaders and changemakers in their own right.

8. What would you say to others considering but hesitant in applying for a grant?

If you have a vision or project that aligns with the Grant for Good programme, it would be an incredible opportunity to help grow this to the next level with a Grant for Good. There is no way to get what you don’t apply for, and there is nothing to lose!

9. What advice would you give to future Grants for Good applicants?

Be clear and specific about the impact the funding will have. Outline exactly how the grant will be used, who it will benefit, and what outcomes you’re aiming for. The more concrete your plan, the easier it is for the team at HealthCarePlus to understand your vision and see how it aligns with their values. Authenticity matters, but so does clarity, so focus on making a strong case for the difference your project can make.

10. What are you hoping to achieve?

We are hoping to achieve 200 workshops in 2025. This would reach approximately 5,000 students, with vital financial education across a range of different topics.

11. In what way will your course help make a positive impact on others?

For those that are attendees at our workshops, we expect them to get the positive impact of the knowledge about financial education that can benefit them for their future. Our key part of the workshops is also to help promote and encourage conversations about finances/money and finance topics. Having more conversations about these topics will help improve and positively impact not only those who attend our workshops, but also those with whom they converse and spark conversations.

If you are interested and want to know more this year's Grants for Good and how to apply for one then click below.

Got an idea to

MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE?

Then apply for our "Grants for Good" program.