New money offer new opportunities

For people who had problems understanding pounds and pence there's an opportunity to get to grips with euro and cent in a new series of workbooks entitled Know your Euro.

The series aims to help people with special learning needs to understand the new currency and cope with money management. Four separate books deal with numbers and counting, adding and subtraction - manually and with a calculator, a close-up on coins and the practical use of money including understanding prices and shopping and budgeting and saving. The workbooks are accompanied by a booklet which deals specifically with the changeover.

People with learning difficulties are at a particular disadvantage when it comes to dealing with money, says Monica Macnamara, author of the books. "If such people carry and use money, they are vulnerable and open to exploitation. If they don't use money, they can't integrate into their community by purchasing goods and participating in activities."

Through her work as an occupational therapist, Macnamara has found that people with learning difficulties feel the new currency could give them opportunity to catch up with the rest of the population.

"People who have limited understanding of money feel they are getting another chance to improve their skills while everyone else is confused too," she says.

The series is sponsored by the AIB, the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland, NALA and St Michael's House. Work books are available from NALA at €7.00/£5.50 each.