THE PROJECT
For more than 60 years, Junior Achievement (JA) Canada has helped prepare students across the country to participate in the global economy. With support from a CIRA Net Good Grant, JA expanded that mission in a new direction—combining financial literacy and online safety for the first time. JA created Scam Smarts, a three-part digital learning series that teaches youth how to identify and avoid phishing, website and social media scams. Designed as short, interactive lessons, the modules can be used in classrooms or completed individually through JA’s open-access learning platform, JA Campus.
The goal was to make sure every young person, no matter where they live, could access trustworthy and relevant information about digital safety while also exploring the dimensions of finances. As Erin Barton, JA Canada’s Chief Development Officer, explained, “We knew we needed to adapt our financial literacy programs to reflect the realities of Northern and rural youth—what scams actually look like in their communities, how financial transactions are made, and how to help them build confidence in those online spaces.”
Working with Indigenous educators and youth advisors—including leaders such as Jasmine Dreger, Senior Director of Indigenous Relations at Innovation Federal Credit Union and Nikki Osborne, an educator serving Indigenous youth in Northern Ontario—the JA team developed content rooted in real-life experiences. Scenarios were shaped by stories of young people from Northern Ontario, rural Manitoba and Indigenous communities across Saskatchewan and Alberta, many of whom are navigating digital banking for the first time in regions with limited in-person financial services.
Each module encourages decision-making and reflection, showing the consequences of choices rather than simply marking answers right or wrong. One subject-matter expert said they appreciated “how the negative answers in the scenarios end up telling you why choosing that option was wrong, and how the characters are able to deal with the aftermath of falling for a scam—it raises their own question of how and why.” For many students, it was their first time learning that they could actively protect themselves—that online safety isn’t about fear, but about empowerment. By walking through familiar situations and seeing how small, careful choices can prevent major losses, youth came away not just informed but confident that they could take control of their digital lives.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
The Scam Smarts program reached over 2,400 students—more than double the original target—and proved particularly effective in remote and underserved communities. Surveys found that 91 per cent of students felt more confident recognizing the signs of scams and 83 per cent said they better understood how to protect their personal and financial information online. Teachers reported that the lessons didn’t stop in the classroom. Many students shared what they learned with their families and peers, helping parents and grandparents recognize online scams that were already circulating in their communities. In this way, Scam Smarts became more than a youth program—it became a tool for community-wide learning.
Many students described how the lessons changed the way they think about the internet. One Grade 10 student said, “I was aware of some of these scenarios but not the name of these different scams. These modules were super informative, easy to use and well-designed.” Another student reflected, “I’ve learnt how important it is to confirm identities when talking to a new person online.”
These outcomes, Barton noted, are not only a sign of improved digital literacy—they also show the power of tailored education. “For the first time, we were able to bring digital financial safety into communities we hadn’t reached before. The response shows how deeply needed and valued this type of learning is.” Because the modules are hosted openly on JA Campus, teachers and students can continue using them without additional costs or access barriers. This open-access model ensures the learning spreads organically each year, even as technology and scam tactics evolve.
The project’s success also inspired new partnerships and sustained investment. The CIRA grant provided the foundation JA needed to secure multi-year corporate funding, ensuring the Scam Smarts modules remain freely available on JA Campus for educators, volunteers and youth nationwide.
By bridging financial literacy and online safety, JA Canada is closing a growing digital divide, helping young people across Canada protect their money, their data and their confidence online. And in the process, it’s giving entire communities the knowledge to stay safer together.
RELATED LINKS
- Junior Achievement Canada Website – https://jacanada.org/
- Scam Smarts – https://www.jacampus.org/scam-smarts/
