Stepladder Plus
Financial Education Programme
Stepladder Plus is designed to help you when you are aged 15–17, are currently in care - and have been for 12 months or more - to build the skills, confidence, and knowledge needed for adult life
Through six interactive steps, you will improve your financial literacy, budgeting, money management and future planning skills while exploring education, employment, and independence. The programme is designed to be flexible and supportive, helping you learn in a way that works for you.
Earn as you learn
As you complete each step, you can earn up to £750 in total, paid directly into your Junior ISA (JISA) or Child Trust Fund (CTF) where possible.
Stepladder Plus is about more than money - it’s about helping you feel confident managing your future, making informed decisions, and recognising your potential.
The six steps
There are six steps in total, that will need to be completed in order 1-6 with each step earning a financial reward that totals £750 for completion of the whole programme. The steps are:
STEP 1
Financial Literacy £75
Build up your financial literacy knowledge.
STEP 2
Budgeting £75
Learn what a budget is and why its helpful, introduce budget sheets and explore future goals.
STEP 3
Making My Money 1 - £100
Learn to prioritise your spending and understand what costs may pop up in the future through a range of activities.
STEP 4
My Plans for the Future - £125
Step 4 is all about you and what you want from life. It’s your chance to make a plan that puts your goals into action.
STEP 5
Managing My Money 2 - £175
This step uses podcasts to go into further detail of money management with quizzes to check what you have learnt.
STEP 6
Complete My Mentoring - £200
Work with key adults or Stepladder Mentor to discuss your future Education, Employment and Training plans.
How do I get started?
Download our step by step PDF guide.
Check your eligibility
If you are a young person, aged 15-17, are currently in care (and have been for 12 months or more) then you are eligible for Stepladder Plus!
1
Register
If you want to take part, register with your personal email address and details at stepladderplus.sharefound.org.
2
Approval
We, that is The Share Foundation, check your eligibility and then contact your Local Authority to confirm your registration and email address.
3
“The Share Foundation has provided excellent support to Bradford Children and Families Trust and the young people we work with. Through the Stepladder Plus programme, our young people have gained valuable financial knowledge and life skills, helping them to prepare for independent living.”
— Vanita Lad, Bradford Children and Families Trust.
Stepladder of Achievement
We also provide an incentive-free version of the Stepladder programme, which is available to all local authorities across the United Kingdom for care leavers up to the age of 25.
Your Questions, Answered
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You can sign up and start Stepladder Plus once you have turned 15.
You will have up until your 18th birthday to complete. You cannot continue with the programme after you have turned 18, so try and get as many steps completed before you turn 18. This makes sure you can benefit from the whole programme, and earn incentives into your Junior ISA or Child Trust Fund!
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Yes, we require that you sign up to Stepladder Plus yourself using a personal email address – this is so we can contact you when you turn 18 to discuss savings accounts and incentive payments!
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Not to worry, there can be several reasons why you (or your young person) may not have been accepted. This could be due to personal details (such as full name or DOB) not matching our records or could be that we have not yet received your data from your Local Authority. Contact Natasha for more information natasha.richmond@sharefound.org
Need help?
You are welcome to contact Natasha, the programme manager, on 01296 310405 or email natasha.richmond@sharefound.org.