Charity aims to help children learn about money and personal finance.
Schoolchildren at all schools across the West Midlands are being given the opportunity to learn more about money and personal finance during the seventh annual My Money Week, run by the UK’s leading financial and enterprise education charity Young Enterprise, incorporating pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group).
The week will run from the 8th to the 14th June, and aims to improve young people’s financial skills, knowledge and confidence through special lessons and activities. Teachers will also benefit from access to free My Money Week resources in the form of weekly planners full of creative and engaging activities and ideas on how to deliver financial education to young people.
The ability and confidence to manage money well now and in the future is an essential skill for life. Research by the Money Advice Service shows that adult learning habits can be formed by the age of seven, meaning that early intervention is key in order to have a positive impact on young people’s futures.
This year My Money Week features a competition themed around digital finance, supported by Visa Europe. The competition challenges primary school children to design a set of top trumps style cards – The Spender, The Saver and The Giver, and secondary school students to develop a comic strip from one of three starting scenarios. Special lesson plans have been developed to support learning and to generate creative competition entries.
Kevin Jenkins, UK & Ireland Managing Director Visa Europe said: “With technology change influencing all aspects of society, including how we spend and pay, it is hugely important to equip young people from an early age with the understanding and financial capability needed in today’s increasingly digital world.
We are very pleased to be working with Young Enterprise on the competition element of My Money Week. This is a brilliant initiative which has supported 4.3 million young people to improve these skills over the years.”
Michael Mercieca, Chief Executive of Young Enterprise, incorporating pfeg, added: “My Money Week is an important part of the educational calendar, giving young people the chance to improve their financial literacy and enabling teachers to empower their students through online resources and support. Being able to manage money well enables us to fulfill our potential and is increasingly important in today’s fast-paced world.
“Visa’s support this year means we can run the competition and continue to provide the high quality resources and support that pfeg have previously delivered.”
This year’s My Money Week is the first since financial education joined the National Secondary School Curriculum for England and Wales. The initiative supports young people from the age of four up to 19, benefitting both teachers and students.
Since the first My Money Week in 2009, millions of young people have been helped to understand more about money and personal finance through focused activities in schools.