Victoria has a large family. She grew up in Prince Edward Island, the eldest daughter of seven siblings. Victoria was like a second mom in the family, taking care of her siblings and working while she was in high school. When she was in grade 12, she wasn't sure what she wanted to do, but she knew she was interested in biology.

When it came to choosing a profession, Victoria wanted to gain experience in a career where she could support her family and herself, but she realized that she could do much more than that. "I realized that nursing could be a really good fit for me because I could take care of people, and I could apply my love for biology and chemistry and make a significant, positive impact on people's lives," Victoria said.

When Victoria moved to Alberta to start her education in nursing, everything was new to her, and she was busy trying to establish herself in a new city and province. She worked hard. was awarded a scholarship for school, and was committed to working through university but relied heavily on student loans to cover her tuition and living expenses.

"I'd been saving a bit of money; I think when I moved to Calgary, I had $2000 to my name to do university and live on my own," Victoria explains.

That's when Victoria heard about a matched savings program at Momentum called Youth Fair Gains. She was immediately interested.

Momentum's matched savings programs support participants to learn financial literacy skills, and every dollar saved in the program is matched at a ratio of up to 3 -1.

"Being a post high school graduate, I thought that finances were something that you always had to worry about and be concerned about. And while there is some concern there, they taught me about so much more, like investments and savings and how to critically analyze your spending to be the most efficient and prepared for your future," Victoria said.

Victoria was able to connect with the material, she made friends with others in her program, and she was thrilled to have the opportunity to learn new things. She says that Momentum really opened her mind to things that she expected to learn in high school but wasn't taught.

After graduating from a matched savings program at Momentum, Victoria now feels like she has the financial knowledge and skills she needs to manage her life. She feels confident in her ability to move forward and make good decisions with her money.

Victoria's new financial literacy skills have paid off in a big way. "I feel a lot better about my future, compared to before."

Using the skills and knowledge she learned at Momentum, she was able to pay off her student loan debt of $45,000 in just a year and a half — an amazing achievement. Moreover, she experienced a boost in confidence; after graduating from the program, she has a credit card that she knows how to use, she has opened a TFSA and an RRSP account, and she used her matched savings to help her with tuition. She has also developed a savings habit.

"I feel a lot more confident. I don't have any debt now, and I'm trying to put all the knowledge and experience that I've gained over the past couple of years into producing the most stable, efficient future for myself moving forward," Victoria said.