Collaboration at Work: Junior Achievement Finance Park

Junior Achievement of Central Virginia is an organization that provides young people with programs to help prepare them for the real world by showing them how to generate wealth, manage it effectively, how to create jobs in their communities, and apply an entrepreneurial mindset to their workplace.

In 2006 the Junior Achievement of Central Virginia began running the JA mobile finance park, which would go to various schools and organizations in the area allowing students to participate in the program. In 2011, with the financial support of Capital One, the mobile finance park was permanently installed in a location on Broad Street. Due to the overall success of the program, a new location was necessary in order to accommodate more students, as well as provide students with a more realistic immersion into the adult world.

 

The strong partnership between Junior Achievement of Central Virginia and Henrico County has allowed the JA finance park to expand to the third floor of the Libbie Mill Library. This new location will allow JA to to accommodate more students, and provide them with realistic business settings, and improved technology. Partners for the new Libbie Mill Library location include Henrico County and title sponsors, Dominion resources, Virginia529, SunTrust Foundation, and Bill and Alice Goodwin. The collaboration between JA and Henrico County provides JA with the opportunity to gain more exposure within the community. As people learn more about the organization’s efforts, opportunities could arise that will help them further their efforts. National outcomes from the JA Finance Park program show that

  • Students increased their scores by 26% in financial behavior from the pre-program survey to the post-program survey.
  • Students increased their academic aspirations by 18% from the pre-program survey to the post program survey.
  • Students who participate in the program exhibited a greater understanding of finances.

Locally

  • Students increased their average score from pre-test to post-test by 9.46%
  • 95% of all students who attended the site would recommend the program to their peers.

For more information about the organization or how to get involved, visit www.juniorachievement.org/web/ja-centralva


This example of regional collaboration not only brings together multiple partners, but also crosses our Education, Workforce Preparation, Job Creation, and Social Stability priority areas. Contact us if you have a collaborative story to share.