Consumer Affairs Victoria has developed the following curriculum resources that are aligned to the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) and the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL).
The materials focus on life skills that enable young people to become smart consumers. These resources are available online and can be downloaded. Print copies are not available.
Commerce
This resource examines how to make consumer choices, going shopping, affluenza, consumers and the marketplace, how to be a consumer detective, consumer rights and responsibilities, managing your money, and the global consumer.
Download a copy of A resource for the teaching and learning of commerce (PDF, 3.3MB).
English
This resource examines different types of text, the lure of advertising, informative and instructional writing on credit and shopping, making a complaint, and reading the fine print.
Download a copy of A resource for the teaching and learning of English (PDF, 2.8MB).
Environment (Consuming Planet Earth)
This resource examines environmental and sustainability issues concerning consumers, including buying 'green', the real cost of food, smarter transport options, and the consuming culture.
Download a copy of A resource for teaching and learning about consuming Planet Earth (PDF, 11MB).
Health and wellbeing
This resource includes curriculum material for teachers of health, human development, home economics, food studies, physical education, and VCAL Personal Development.
Download a copy of A resource for teaching and learning about health and wellbeing (PDF, 2MB).
Applied Learning Handbook
This resource is comprised of units of work that utilise activities from the other resources in an integrated format.
Download a copy of the Applied learning handbook (PDF, 1.7MB).
More resources
Help your students learn about credit and debt, mobile phone ownership, moving out of home and other finance issues, with free online tips and tools.
MoneySmart Rookie
MoneySmart Rookie is part of the Australian Securities & Investments Commission's (ASIC) MoneySmart website. It provides engaging and interactive educational content tailored to young people under 25. The website features informative videos about mobile phone contracts, buying online, moving out of home, studying, getting your first job, understanding credit and debt, and buying a car.
Visit MoneySmartRookie.
MoneySmart Teaching Program
ASIC also offers free resources for teachers on its MoneySmart Teaching Program page.
Visit MoneySmartRookie.
National Curriculum Teaching Guides
Australian Consumer Law regulators have developed a set of resources for teachers to assist in teaching consumer and financial literacy in Australian schools for Years 5 to 10. The resources have been mapped to the National Consumer and Financial Literacy Framework and the Australian curriculum.
Visit Resources and guides for teachers - Australian Consumer Law.
Understanding consumer rights with mobile phones
ASIC and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) have developed multimedia classroom activities to help teenagers navigate the costs of mobile phones and their consumer rights.
Visit Helping students be mobile savvy - ACCC.
School Gambling Education Program
The Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation (VRGF) School Education Program supports secondary school communities to help students develop healthy and informed attitudes to gambling. It features a suite of curriculum-based units of work that are mapped across a variety of subject areas and written for Year 10 to Year 12 students, including VCAL.
Visit School Education Program - VRGF.