Members of the FBAA are being encouraged to join a financial literacy program that teaches Year 10 students about money matters.
Broker members of the Finance Brokers Association of Australia (FBAA) are being urged to join the Financial Independence Training (FIT) Solutions financial literacy program and become “educators” within their own communities.
The program was first developed in July 2024 by Beth Comino, global CEO of HAS (Home Affordability Solutions) and Victoria Coster, CEO and founder of Credit Fix Solutions (and co-director of Credit Fix Lawyers), after identifying a gap in the national curriculum.
As such, they created FIT Solutions to cover topics such as how interest works, understanding credit scores and reports, how defaults affect lending options, the impact of buy now, pay later services, and responsible borrowing.
In 2025, the NSW Anglican School head office shared the program across its network schools, and a pilot program was run across three schools in NSW.
The FIT Solutions program ran as a grassroots financial literacy pilot for Year 10 students to teach them “real-world money skills” and give them the confidence to navigate their own financial decisions “before costly mistakes are made”.
During the program, students were introduced to practical concepts such as budgeting, saving, credit reporting, what is involved in the mortgage process, superannuation, and how everyday financial decisions compound over time.
Feedback from students and teachers involved in the initial pilots showed that there was a general lack of understanding about how credit and credit reporting worked, but participants were relieved to be taught financial literacy concepts in common English.
The students said the course showed them that financial literacy was complex but essential, that everyday money decisions have long-term consequences, and that understanding this early gives them confidence, independence, and security for the future.
The Finance Brokers Association of Australasia (FBAA) has supported the program from its inception, with Bluestone Home Loans also now coming on board to support the program as a sponsor.
The FIT Solutions program will soon be expanded more broadly, with FBAA members now being urged to sign up to become educators in their own local communities in 2026, when the program rolls out nationally.
It is hoped that the FIT Solutions program will be in 100 schools in 2026, with this expanding over time.
Coster and Comino said that brokers already “play a powerful role” in improving the financial literacy of Australian borrowers, but could be extending this to schoolchildren, noting that “early financial education matters”.
The co-founders of FIT Solutions said they see this work as an extension of what brokers already do best, helping people make informed decisions that shape their financial future.
They suggested that this would not only contribute to creating a “more informed generation” but could also create a pipeline of future broker clients.
“We spend our careers fixing financial problems that could often have been avoided with earlier education. FIT Solutions is about changing that cycle,” Coster said.
Comino added: “When young people understand money early, it creates confidence, choice and opportunity later in life. That’s the long-term impact we’re focused on.”
Speaking on behalf of the FBAA, managing director Peter White said: “The FBAA is always looking for ways to support Australians, and this grassroots program is helping to break the systemic problem of financial literacy. We are proud to be a part of this.”
Joanna James, chief development officer of the FBAA, added: “This will provide the opportunity for brokers to make a difference in their community, by educating students in high schools.”
The FIT Solutions program is the latest financial literacy program backed by the FBAA, after the broker association launched a loan education website for consumers earlier this year.
The Finance Brokers Association of Australia (FBAA) has officially launched its consumer website – beforeuloan.com – to help borrowers understand their borrowing process and find a broker to help them apply for finance.
The website, which was first teased at the FBAA national conference in 2023, aims to provide free resources and broker contacts for “people who are just looking to find answers about their loans”.
[Related: FBAA launches loan education website for consumers]
