Checking how young people manage their finances. Financial Games in new cities
The fourth edition of the educational workshop “Financial Games” for students of grades 5-8 has started. So far, Santander Bank Polska has trained 8,000 students from 32 cities in this project. This year, about 2,500 teenagers from other Polich cities will join the campaign. Workshops will be held in Giżycko, Suwałki, Słupsk, Kołobrzeg, Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Bielsko-Biała, Siedlce, Biała Podlaska, Chełm and Zamość.
“Financial Games” is an educational project for young people from grades 5–8 of primary school. Its aim is to familiarize students with financial topics in an accessible, engaging and age-appropriate way. Thanks to the hands-on workshop formula, young people learn, among other things, about managing a budget, saving money and about cyber security rules. The project is carried out by Santander Bank Polska in partnership with MCA BIS Sp. z o.o.
Learning through play
During the workshops, students learn about different payment methods, how advertising works, about supply and demand, loans and interest and how to stay safe online. They also take part in a strategy game in which they have to manage a budget in the best possible way.
According to the survey “Children and teenagers' attitudes towards finances”, which we conducted in 2024, more than half of teenagers are interested in economic topics. Many of them talk to their parents at least sometimes about saving money, smart shopping or earning money. However, they often lack the initiative to broaden their knowledge or ask questions. And although most young people already have some experience with finances, in come areas they still fall short of essential knowledge. Hence our initiative of interactive workshops, which prove that young people can handle finances. You just need to show them how.
Financial literacy is on the rise
The effectiveness of the “Financial Games” is confirmed by data from evaluation surveys conducted before and after the workshops. In 2024, the average increase in students’ knowledge level was as much as 34 p.p. The greatest improvement – up to 52 p.p. – was recorded in knowledge concerning deposits, loans and interest. Such good results are the effect of, among other things, the engaging lesson plan and gamification. The high quality of the project is also confirmed by teachers, who appreciate how the content is tailored to the age of the students and the professional preparation of the workshops.
Our Bank supports education
Financial education is an important element of Santander Bank Polska’s activities for the community. In addition to the “Financial Games” workshops, since 2016 the bank has been developing, among other things, its proprietary program called 'Finansiaki’, which supports the development of financial and entrepreneurial competences among the youngest. The project is aimed at teachers and parents of children aged 3 and over and is designed to make it easier for adults to talk to children about finances.
The website at https://www.santander.pl/finansiaki offers useful articles, animations, audiobooks, as well as lesson plans and a guide entitled 'Finansiaki. It’s us!’ Tips on how to introduce children to the world of finance can also be found on the project’s social media pages called “Finansiaki. It’s us!” on Facebook and Instagram.
