Project Growing Tour with Visa is back
For financial education month, the training project on the basics of economics with Visa, volunteers are back in primary and first-degree secondary schools.
Youth who know how to use their money well are more likely to become adults who are more aware of managing their finances. And in our country, the need for early financial education is very strong. This issue has also been reiterated by the latest Consob (the financial market supervisory body) findings according to which basic financial knowledge is not yet sufficiently widespread: for example, the notion of investment diversification is only understood by 50% of those interviewed. Investors are increasingly aware of the need to increase their skills and the most frequently indicated reference are financial intermediaries, as well as public institutions (reported in 30% of cases) and schools (26%).
The objective of strengthening financial education among the desks of primary and first-degree secondary schools is the driving force of Project Growing Tour. The training course, promoted by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale and Visa, teaches economic sustainability, finance, and self-entrepreneurship to students through laboratory experiences, bringing them closer to STEAM subjects.
By combining the use of technology with a culture of financial education, primary and first-degree secondary students can enjoy two hours of training with Visa volunteers and tutors from the Fondazione Mondo Digitale. Financial education becomes fun and dynamic thanks to games, tests, tests, exercises, challenges, and training sessions with digital tools. The pilot project, which will be held in schools in Rome and Milan, represents a successful experience of skills volunteering. Visa employees share their experiences and skills to contribute to the success of the projects presented by students.
The proposed activities, calibrated according to the different ages of the students, include video-animation experiences, debates with concrete examples of entrepreneurship and consumption, practice on barter and virtual currency, surveys on sustainable life and work choices, focus on gender gap. The reception from the teachers who participated in the first training sessions, held in May, was positive, as demonstrated by the first opinions collected. In October, for the financial education month, the second phase of the project will kick off.
“Courses like Growing Tour are not limited to acquiring useful knowledge but include workshops and engaging activities to promote confidence and awareness in managing one’s money. Interactive training stimulates a sense of personal responsibility and self-entrepreneurship. We aim to support young people's ability to put themselves at the centre of their own world by developing the right tools to move independently and make informed choices," declared Mirta Michilli, Director General, Fondazione Mondo Digitale.
“Financial education in schools is a key element that allows citizens to be informed and responsible for managing their finances, even in the face of the technological innovations that will arise in the future. Visa's commitment to greater digital payment literacy promotes everyone's access to the global economy, regardless of who you are, what you know, or where you live," explains Stefano M. Stoppani, Country Manager, Visa Italia.
“The attention of children to the economy is increasing and I believe it is very important that schools educate them on the virtuous use of money, making them more aware of its value, so as not to be fooled by those promising easy earnings and leading them down the wrong path.” Lucia Lops, Professor, IC Tommaso Grossi Milano.
“It is an activity that involved students totally, also from a sentimental, emotional, and relational point of view; their entrepreneurial and problem-solving skills and their ability to collaborate and cooperate in groups are brought into play,” Daniela Liberatori, Professor, IC Fratelli Cervi.
“Meeting Visa volunteers was an inspirational moment for the students, as they had the opportunity to interact with financial industry professionals. I was impressed by the commitment and enthusiasm of the class, and I am sure that this experience helped them develop fundamental skills for their future,” Enrico Bersani, FMD Coach.
