what we do
money and debt
Most young people make financial mistakes; it is part of learning and growing up.
But not everyone has a family safety net to help out. Girls and are at risk of losing so much more. Women become dependent on men which inhibits the choices they make.
Irresponsible lending
Women, espcially young women are often targeted by irresponsible lenders and persuaded to take out high-interest loans. What seems like a small loan can quickly spiral in to unmanageable debt. New mums need things for their baby, mums need to feed their families. Women sometimes use credit to help them buy the things they need and go without themselves.
Women are more likely to put their names on the household bills and so face the debt collectors when the bills cannot be paid.
Low pay
Many girls and women who work are so badly paid they experience so-called 'in-work' poverty.
Nearly two-thirds of low-paid workers are women. In the UK there is a 12.6% difference between what men and women earn. For more information visit our More than one rung campaign site.
Young people get a lower national minimum wage than adults but it does not cost any less to pay bills and buy food when you are young. The lower rate assumes that all young people have a family to support them. This is not the case for many of the girls we work with.
Working for change
Platform 51 works to challenge gender stereotypes and encourage women to learn about money, debt, work and pay.
We invite money and debt advisors to meet women at our centres. We run sessions on budgeting for healthy meals, making your own clothes, and numeracy, and we teach money management so that girls can cope with independent living in the real world.
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fact
In 2007, women aged 18 to 21 working full-time earned £6.96 and hour compared to men the same age who earned £7.28
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