Empowering Students and Building Essential Skills – A personal reflection on being a King’s Student Money Mentor:
When I joined the Money Mentors project, one question persisted in my mind: What exactly does a Money Mentor do? The answer, as it turns out, is incredibly wide-ranging. The success of the project at King’s lies in its flexibility and the wide array of opportunities it presents.
Originally launched as a small project within the Money & Housing Advice Service at King’s College London in 2015, the King’s Student Money Mentors initiative has expanded significantly over the past eight years. Not only has the project grown in terms of the number of participants, but it has also evolved in the methods it employs to accomplish its mission of promoting student financial literacy.
What makes being a Money Mentor so unique is the absence of a rigid job list. Instead, it offers a dynamic platform where individuals can explore various roles based on their interests and strengths. Whether delving into social media management and honing marketing and design skills or taking the lead in organising and leading campaigns to flex their leadership muscles, Money Mentors have the freedom to adapt and seamlessly switch between roles, and we are encouraged greatly by our project leads to do so. This flexibility not only caters to the needs of busy students but also allows for the development of valuable skills that hold significance in the job market.
Furthermore, the multifaceted nature of the role ensures that Money Mentors are involved in every aspect of the team’s content production and distribution. This level of immersion enables us to create effective, relatable, and impactful materials that resonate with our fellow students. The content produced by the Money Mentors is not only informative but also highly relevant because it is created by students, for students. This collaborative approach brings together the diverse experiences and perspectives of the team, who, being students themselves from a wide range of backgrounds, can generate content that truly addresses the financial concerns and challenges faced by our peers.
Whenever the Money Mentors may lack in-depth technical financial knowledge, we can find support in the guidance and expertise of the Money & Housing Specialist Advisors, who provide us with the necessary insights to inform our content. This close relationship between the department and the student mentors is a huge factor in driving the project towards its ultimate goal of enhancing student financial literacy.
Becoming a Money Mentor goes beyond the role itself. It is a transformative journey that empowers individuals to develop invaluable skills, gain practical experience, and contribute to the betterment of their peers’ financial well-being by acting as confidants and friends in a way that university staff may not be able to do. Through this endeavour, we work towards a future where KCL students are equipped with the knowledge and tools to navigate their financial lives with confidence and success.
Yahye Mohamud & Shivam Chotai King’s Student Money Mentors Part of Money & Housing Advice
The King’s Student Money Mentors blog shares our students’ personal experiences and thoughts on money-related topics. Any reference, opinions or recommendations on a particular company/brand are only the views of the student(s) who wrote the blog post. King’s College London, the Money & Housing Advice service and the Money Mentor project do not share the views in the blogs nor endorse any of the companies mentioned. Readers should conduct their own research before using any companies mentioned in our blog posts.
Do you have any questions about money management during your time at university? Would you like to speak to another student about your budgeting concerns? If so, the Money Mentors are here for you! We are current trained students at King’s with a particular interest in being money savvy, and we hope to support our fellow students with all sorts of money-related matters. If you’re unsure of how to create a realistic budget, would like to explore various ways of saving money, and keep yourself safe from scams throughout the year, our Student Money Mentors would always be happy to support you. We will introduce our Money Mentor team below, which consists of students from different backgrounds and courses.
Tasniya Aktar
Hi, I’m Tasniya and I’m a second-year medical student. Being a Money Mentor is great as it means I get to help students manage their money better, which then leads to them having a better student experience! I only joined the team in 2022 but I’m already enjoying the variety of tasks and flexibility that comes with the role. I’m really looking forward to meeting new students, especially in-person, and creating online content through blogs and social media posts in the upcoming year.
Asmae Ait Abdallah
Hi, I am Asmae! I am a second year Neuroscience student and I have recently joined the Money Mentoring team, and I could not be more thrilled. I have a deep interest in financial literacy and its importance in education, which eases me into this role quite nicely. I have met many existing Money Mentors oozing with passion and ambition, and I cannot wait to collaborate with them to create great and useful content to share with our peers. I look forward to meeting students in our future events.
Amani Parvaiz
Hi, I’m Amani! I’m a second year Mathematics student and have joined the KCL Money Mentor team! I already really enjoy being a part of this great team as it allows me to explore different skills (such as blog-writing!), learn more about Student Finances and allows me to then pass on this acquired knowledge to other students. I’m looking forward to working with my fellow Money Mentors to bring a plethora of activities to everyone! I know I’m going to flourish in this role, and I can’t wait to fully get started!
Aanchal Raina
Hi, I’m Aanchal and I’m a second-year Medical student. I joined the team fairly recently and I am really excited for the upcoming year, where I can meet new students and hopefully pass on some money-saving tips and general advice about settling in! In particular, I am looking forward to taking part in campaigns and getting involved with the Money Mentor social media posts!
Sarina Sanghera
Hi! My name is Sarina and I’m a third-year Medical student. Having just recently become a Money Mentor, I have really enjoyed getting to know the rest of the team and working together to come up with lots of tips and tricks to help King’s students be as money smart as possible. I am excited to learn more about ways to save money and I look forward to passing on this advice to other students through campaigns and social media posts!
Ilinca Olteanu
Hi guys! I’m Ilinca, a second year Economics and Management student and I have been a Student Money Mentor since February 2022. I joined the team to increase my financial awareness, as well as to help fellow students looking for guidance. My work so far has included writing blog posts, writing and designing Instagram posts and attending the Money Mentors campaigns online and in-person. Most recently, I have become a permanent member of the social media team. Can’t wait to see what the upcoming year at King’s brings us!
Yahye Mohamud
Hi, my name is Yahye, and I am a second year Medical student. I joined the Money Mentor team because the opportunity to help my fellow students with tips and tricks on how to manage their finances seemed interesting and exciting. I have recently become a permanent part of the social media team and I look forward to working with the team to make financial literacy more accessible to the KCL student body.
Nazish Bibi
Hello, my name is Nazish Bibi, and I am a final year History student. I had initially joined the Money Mentor team to earn some income alongside my studies, but I’ve come to love creating posts for my fellow students on how to increase their financial awareness at university. My favourite part of this role so far was promoting our ‘Life after Graduation’ campaign which involved us being on campus and speaking to students about their financial concerns. I hope that in the upcoming year I will be able to do more in person events and write more blog posts.
Shivam Chotai
Hi everyone, I’m Shivam Chotai and I’m a fifth-year medical student. I initially joined the Money Mentors team so I could help other students with their financial life, and to experience having a job whilst at university. I’ve recently become part of the blogs team after writing several blog posts for the Money Mentors, and have been involved in the previous campaign and several budgeting-focused events. This year I will also be taking over the blogs team from Olivia (former Money Mentor) and will be leading our campaign on ‘Loan Sharking’ with a fellow Money Mentor, Hania.
Amber Naeem
Hi my name is Amber and I’m currently a second-year medical student. I wanted to join the Money Mentor team after learning about it at the King’s Welcome Fair in year one, and I’ve followed their posts on social media ever since. Over my first year at Kings I’ve learnt a lot about budgeting, managing my finances and juggling my academics with having a part time job – which I’d love to share with other students who may be looking for some advice. I only recently joined the team but I’m really looking forward to participating in future campaigns and hopefully meeting new faces at the in person stalls on campus!
Callum
Hi! I’m Callum and I’m doing a Master’s in International Affairs. I know firsthand how financially tough and stressful living in London can be. However, I also know it is doable with the right attitude and knowledge. Gaining extra money management knowledge and training that I can use in my personal life as well as helping my peers attracted me to join King’s Money Mentors. I look forward to helping others make their money go just that little bit further, and make life that little bit easier!
Iman Chala
Hi, my name is Iman Chala, and I’m in my first-year of studying social sciences. I’m so excited to have joined the Money Mentor team. I applied for the role because I want to help other students feel a little more comfortable and confident with managing their money. I can’t wait to start developing new skills and trying new things in the role that I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do otherwise, and I’m looking forward to having some interesting conversations with my fellow students!
Jessica O’Logbon
Hi, my name is Jess, and I am a 4th-year undergraduate medical student. I’m passionate about money and that has grown since my time at university. I’ve worked part-time along my studies and recently took a year out to intercalate in a Master’s at Cambridge on full scholarships. I applied to be a Money Mentor to bring what I’ve learnt from my experiences to my peers at King’s. I am looking forward to contribute to upcoming campaigns, help students navigate money and share creative ways to save (and spend) in the difficult financial climate we’re currently in.
Ami Jemide
Hello! My name is Ami Jemide. I’m a first year law student. I’m Nigerian-British and I love meeting new people and exploring different cultures (travelling and I are best friends really). I’m interested in skincare and selfcare as well as sustainability. I became a Money Mentor because I want to help people understand how to cultivate a healthy, sustainable relationship with money. It’s something I’ve just learnt and I think would be great to pass on to other people as well 🙂
Anmoyul Mohon
Hi I’m Anmoyul Mohon , I am currently a third-year student in MSci pharmacology so you might see me around ( if I’m not working with rats and mice in a lab!) . I’m French but ethnically Bengali and I’m so glad to have joined the Money Mentor team. I’ve found their work really interesting and very helpful when it comes to saving money, especially when I’d just arrived in the UK. I’m looking forward writing blogs to share my personal experience and tips that I wish I knew when I moved to London.
Where can students speak to or connect with the Money Mentors?
Students can reach out to Money Mentors on Instagram and ask any money-related questions they may have! You can also take a look at our Money Mentors blog for some tips on managing your money and staying (financially) safe during your time at university. However, if you need specialist advice tailored to any complex financial situation or have serious concerns that require urgent help, please contact the Money & Housing Advice Service where you can speak to a Specialist Money & Housing Adviser.
Can students apply to become a Money Mentor?
Yes! We are planning on recruiting more Money Mentors. If you are interested in getting involved, please keep an eye on our Instagram, as we will be advertising our recruitment opportunities there.
Whether you’re interested in speaking to another Money Mentor or are hoping to become a Money Mentor yourself, we hope this blog post gives you a better idea of who we are and what we do alongside our specialist advisers. Student Servies also has a page on Money Mentors, should you be interested in learning more about us! Finally, if you have any concerns about financial wellbeing or wish to know more about what we do, again, please do not hesitate to contact us on Instagram!
King’s Student Money Mentors Part of Money & Housing Advice
The King’s Student Money Mentors blog shares our students’ personal experiences and thoughts on money-related topics. Any reference, opinions or recommendations on a particular company/brand are only the views of the student(s) who wrote the blog post. King’s College London, the Money & Housing Advice service and the Money Mentor project do not share the views in the blogs nor endorse any of the companies mentioned. Readers should conduct their own research before using any companies mention
Throughout this week, our Money Mentor team thoroughly enjoyed interacting with our fellow peers on and off campus! We hope you found our various tips on money helpful. As we wrap up our campaign, a current and a former Money Mentor decided to write a reflection on our week.
Our ‘umbrella’ theme, ‘Navigating the numbers: cost of living’, sought to support students through the current cost of living crisis. We understand how stressful money management can be when the cost of household bills, food, and everything else continues to rise. By exchanging our personal experience and tips on money, we hoped to help students feel more confident about making their money stretch longer.
Monday 6th March – Sustainability
On day 1, we focused on living sustainably and making student money last longer.
‘Monday was all about the concept of helping students save their money, but in a sustainable way, and so this involved giving students tips and tricks on how they could be greener with their purchases and actions, for example upcycling old clothes instead of throwing them away or using apps like Olio or Too Good to Go to save waste food from being thrown away. The stall went extremely well with lots of students interested in taking part in the spin the wheel to test their knowledge, add their own tip to the ‘Tree’ or complete the prize draw survey. The recipe jars and mugs proved to be a big hit at the end!’
– Amber, Student Money Mentor.
Tuesday 7th March – Look after yourself
Day 2 involved our Money Mentors speaking with various students about mental wellbeing and money. We know financial concerns can have a profound impact on people’s mental health – we hope our conversations and plant pots helped to relieve some of your stress.
‘I have had the pleasure to be part of the stall running on the second day during national student money week, and let me tell you it was delightful, interesting, and fun! We got the chance to talk to hundreds of students about taking care of yourself when university, social life and cost of living crisis all come to knock at your door, and the wisdom and empathy that was exchanged between Money Mentors and students was mesmerising. In conclusion I believe it was an unforgettable experience that I will carry with me and remember as a highlight of my university career.’
– Asmae, Student Money Mentor.
Wednesday 8th March – Reducing costs and save
Day 3 was all about reducing expenses and saving money. We shared our personal experience and tips on using various strategies to cut down on some of the day-to-day expenses.
‘I had a great experience working as the team lead for theme 3. It was wonderful to see so many students interacting with us, as I know reducing costs and saving is a topic that we could all use some help with. I’m really happy that Money Mentors are available to give or signpost this help to students during the cost of living crisis, and it’s great that so many people came to see us on Guys Campus and our Mentors braved the weather to host a great stall!’
– Shivam, Student Money Mentor.
Thursday 9th March – Extra support from King’s
On Day 4, we shared information on the financial support King’s can offer and other funding opportunities that students may be eligible for. We gave out goodie bags in King’s App tote bags with informative leaflets for our students.
‘It was great fun meeting students and talking to them about NSMW at our stall in the Strand Building. Spin the wheel was the main attraction, even security and reception got involved and grabbed themselves a goodie bag with lots of free treats! Even with the poor weather our Money Mentor Team went out and about and met students all across Strand. All in all, it was a successful penultimate day of our campaign.’
– Yogi, Student Money Mentor.
Friday 10th March – Making cents of it all
Our Money Mentors handed out flyers on various campuses and spoke with students about money management and budgeting to make every pound count!
We also shared various information related to our themes throughout the week on Instagram.
‘While working on Day 5 of the NSMW, I really enjoyed speaking to various students at Waterloo, Strand, and Bush House. Something I found quite fascinating was the different perceptions of money held by each individual. Some third years were tired of London because of how expensive it was while other found a way to make it work and they are loving it. I also learnt new things! Speaking to students at the Vault, I found out all about the amazing lunch prices. I will definitely be taking advantage of those more often.’
– Ami, Student Money Mentor.
Missed us?
If you wished to speak with us but could not visit our on-campus stalls or attend our online session, you can still do so by contacting us via Instagram! We also organise other campaigns throughout the year, so we hope to see you in some of our future events.
King’s Student Money Mentor Team Part of Money & Housing Advice
The King’s Student Money Mentors blog shares our students’ personal experiences and thoughts on money-related topics. Any reference, opinions or recommendations on a particular company/brand are only the views of the student(s) who wrote the blog post. King’s College London, the Money & Housing Advice service and the Money Mentor project do not share the views in the blogs nor endorse any of the companies mentioned. Readers should conduct their own research before using any companies mentioned in our blog posts.
