This study examines the effectiveness of a financial literacy program, Invest in Girls (IIG), in promoting financial capability among high school girls. Using a quasi-experimental separate-samples pretest-posttest design and a longitudinal qualitative study, the study aims to assess the program efficacy and investigate the perspectives of the female students on its impact on their knowledge, behavior, and future goals and aspirations. The results indicated that the participants had significantly higher confidence for engaging in financial literacy after the program. The findings from the longitudinal study also suggested that that the program was influencing the students in positive ways, increasing their financial capability and leading them to consider wide occupational pathways available in finance. Given the lack of female leaders in the world of finance, the IIG program aims to address gender disparity in financial knowledge and highlight the importance of building financial literacy skills among girls.

Background: This article shares the results of research on educator perceptions of the nature and value of social emotional learning (SEL) skills undertaken in four African countries: Burkina Faso, South Africa, Togo and Uganda. Social emotional learning skills make up a large component of the ‘deep human skills’, which are important academic and workforce development skills.Objectives: Using samples of 50 Burkinabe, 68 South African and 32 Togolese and 66 Ugandan educators, this study describes the (1) SEL skills educators should be using to effectively teach their students and the (2) SEL skills the educators believe students should be using to be effective learners and successfully transition into the world of work.Method: Data collection methods include online and offline surveys, with the exception of Uganda that complemented their survey data with interviews. Thematic content analysis, using modified grounded theory, was used to analyse the data, as well as the qualitative data analysis software NVivo.Results: The results indicated seven common SEL themes shared across the four African countries. The SEL themes identified were consistent with the existing framework of Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) to some extent, especially around interpersonal relationships and decision-making skills.Conclusion: The findings indicate that the salience and importance of specific SEL skills varied based on the unique history and context of each country.

This longitudinal qualitative study examines the impact of the Invest in Girls (IIG) financial literacy program on young women's financial knowledge, behavior, and skills in the USA. We conducted 98 interviews over four years with program alumnae and analyzed the data using thematic analysis. The study reveals a clear progression in financial literacy skills as participants transitioned from high school through college. Key findings include the evolving importance of budgeting skills—from basic tracking methods to sophisticated digital tools—a progression from basic financial concepts to complex real-world applications, and a persistent need for practical, in-depth tax education. The study highlights the importance of adapting financial literacy programs to meet young women's changing developmental needs. These insights inform the design of developmentally appropriate financial literacy programs that can respond to participants' evolving educational needs. This paper adheres to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies (COREQ).