CONCEPT
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Partnership project between organisations and institutions (KA220)
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Youth education sector
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Duration: 18 months (01/03/2023 – 31/08/2024)
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Funded by the Erasmus+ programme by the European Union
Individuals with fewer opportunities in the society (Roma youth, Latin America (LA) immigrants, minorities etc aged 16-29.) usually have limited amount of assets/money that they could earn. We believe that these individuals should become capable of saving money and building assets, therefore we have build their financial literacy skills and abilities. Furthermore, these youth group also lack the self-determination skills needed to direct their life decisions effectively. Specifically, they lack from the nine components of self-determination that include: problem-solving, choice-making, decision-making, goal-setting, self-regulating, goal-attainment, self-efficacy, self-awareness, and self-advocacy. Therefore, we have developed a financial literacy course (fully accessible and offered for free of charge) that incorporates financial literacy content taught through the lens of self-determination theory. More than 100 youth with fewer opportunities extended their knowledge and skills to make financial decisions; to obtain competitive, compensated employment; and to access financial services in order to build assets. Our financial literacy non-formal course (available in English, Bulgarian, Turkish and Spanish languages), delivered either at extracurricular school activities (teachers’ class) or via non-formal NGO’ s delivered training. The uniqueness of our course is that it provides financial content via digital media embedded within the components of self-determination and active citizenship.
With the realisation of pilot trainings, our motivation is to stimulate the financial knowledge of these youth in order to improve their ability to make sense of and manipulate money in its different forms, uses, and functions, including the ability to deal with everyday financial matters and make the right choices to meet one’s personal needs. This was confirmed by the feedback gathered at the end of the pilot trainings. In addition, we have improved their financial skills, which are including the ability to apply knowledge and understanding across a range of contexts, in both predictable and unexpected situations. These skills include managing and resolving any financial problems and taking advantage of financial opportunities. With this project we have improved their overall financial behavior: We have improved their ability to appreciate the wider impact of financial decisions on one’s personal circumstances, one’s family, and the community at large, and to understand rights, responsibilities, and sources of advice or guidance. Thanks to our project, more than 100 youth have now the ability to make decisions related to cash management, rainy‐day funds, life events planning, and benefits planning.
Overall, we have increased their inclusion to the society and labour market via financial socialization, which includes the ability to acquire values, attitudes, and information that contribute to one’s financial knowledge and skills. Friends, parents, community organizations, and institutional youth workers with whom youth develop and maintain relationships have provided sources of socialization, inclusion and acceptance in the society in Bulgaria, Spain and Turkiye. More information about the realisation of the project and its outcomes you may find in this website sub-menus.