ALBANY, N.Y. -- The New York Credit Union Foundation has recently hosted a workshop focused on discussing coordinated youth financial education solutions.

Twenty representatives from New York credit unions, Junior Achievement state offices, the Foundation and JA Worldwide participated in the partnership event that looked at how the entities could develop a "best practice" statewide strategy that would bring sound financial education and economic empowerment to young people.

The partnership meeting began with an overview of the participating organizations, the National Endowment for Financial Education's new High School Financial Planning Program and JA's Biz Kid$.

Group brainstorming activities on how each organization could work together to help achieve their mutual goals followed. Facilitating the workshop was Geoff Wilson from JA Worldwide headquarters in Colorado.

"The meeting was a very successful first step for this collaboration," said Diane LaVigna-Wixted, executive director of the Foundation. "We examined how to communicate and promote the NEFE FSFP and JA's Biz Kid$; as well as how to recruit, enlist and retain volunteers. The next step is to bring the meetings to the local level with credit unions reaching out to JA representatives in their respective communities."

New York State is one of five pilot states working with JA Worldwide and the NEFE to develop programs geared toward helping students understand personal finance.

The Foundation is among more than 70 foundations, credit unions, leagues and service providers underwriting the JA's production of Biz Kid$, a PBS financial literacy program aimed at improving the financial literacy of elementary and middle school students.

The Foundation is also hosting training programs for the 2007 edition of NEFE's School Financial Planning Program, a seven-unit course of study that presents basic personal financial concepts, in partnership with Cornell University Cooperative Extension. JA representatives have been invited to speak at these programs to provide an overview of their educational programs.

The New York Credit Union Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the New York State Credit Union League, works to help improve the financial literacy and independence of New Yorkers.