YBS launches new online financial education lessons for children at home

Yorkshire Building Society has launched two new online lessons of its financial education programme Money Minds, to support Key Stage 2 pupils through the coronavirus pandemic.

Money Minds is a free programme consisting of a series of activities and projects designed to promote discussion and learning amongst children and young people and is usually delivered in schools by colleagues from the Society as part of its volunteering programme.

Due to current government guidance and the closure of schools, the Society has launched two new Key Stage 2 digital Money Minds lessons on the topics of ‘Vacation Venture’ and ‘Project Party’ to teach them about the importance of budgeting.

This follows the launch last month of two Key Stage 1 digital lessons on ‘Keeping Money Safe’ and ‘Wants and Needs’. The 25-minute lessons are presented by colleagues from the Society.

Sharon Stirling, manager at Yorkshire Building Society’s Edinburgh branch filmed the ‘Project Party’ lesson which teaches children how to budget whilst planning a party.

She said: “This is the second set of our digital Money Minds lessons and these are specifically aimed at Key Stage 2 pupils. We received great feedback from our Key Stage 1 lessons as they provided quality content that parents could use for home schooling children and it’s another great way we can support our members and local communities through these challenging times.”

The Society will be adding more digital lessons for the remaining Key Stages for older children over the coming weeks and months on further topics ranging from pensions, salaries, tax, calculating interest and responsibilities for repaying mortgages and loans.

Louise Neill, Community Manager at Yorkshire Building Society has developed the financial education lessons. She said: “We’re committed to supporting children and young people in teaching financial education through our Money Minds programme. As we usually have our colleagues volunteering in schools we have had to adapt the way we deliver these. It’s incredible that our branch colleagues, classed as key workers supporting customers with essential financial services through the last few months, have been able to extend the help offered by providing these lessons which will continue to improve financial capability in the next generation in the UK.”

More than 25,000 pupils across the UK have now received a Money Minds lesson since the programme launched in 2015.

When children have completed the lesson their parents or guardians can e-mail the Society and they will be emailed a certificate.

Parents, guardians and children can view the Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 1 lessons at www.ybs.co.uk/media-centre/money-minds-KS2.

More information about Money Minds can be found at www.ybs.co.uk/your-society/money-minds.