Updated on: 04.04.2017г.
The European Money Week 2017 is going to be held from the 27th to the 31st of March 2017. The common initiative of the European Banking Federation whose member is the Association of Banks in Bulgaria /ABB/ and the national banking associations has been celebrated in Europe for a third subsequent year.
The aim of the European Money Week is to increase the information in society on the issues on financial education and financial literacy by organizing different activities for pupils both on national and European level. In the long run the aim of the campaign is to improve the level of financial education in Europe, particularly for pupils in the primary and secondary schools. The ABB is going to exchange best practices with other European banking associations regarding the increase of financial literacy among pupils.
The banking sector in Bulgaria has adopted as its mission to support actively and to contribute for increasing financial literacy of the young people in the country as their knowledge on finances is highly beneficial and important for the society. For that reason, the banks perform activities on a regular basis in order to provide knowledge to the Bulgarian pupils about their activities and to provide support for the realization of different students’ initiatives, e.g. creation and development of the activities of the ”training banks”. Similar campaigns contribute to understanding by the kids how the banking sector functions and to acquire more knowledge on basic financial issues, e.g. basic rules on how to manage the money they have, how to make their weekly budget or how to save in order to buy the desirable things.
The following banks are going to have activities during the European Money Week 2017: DSK Bank EAD, Piraeus Bank AD, United Bulgarian Bank AD, Postbank AD, First Investment Bank AD, Raiffeisenbank /Bulgaria/ EAD, CIBANK EAD, Citibank Bulgaria AD, UniCredit Bulbank AD and Central Cooperative Bank AD.
The European Money Week 2017 is going to be celebrated by DSK Bank by organizing an Open Day. On the 29th of March 2017 5th grade pupils from 96th Secondary School in Sofia who study the subject Technology and Entrepreneurship were invited to the main office of the bank. They were hosted by the chief executive director – Mrs. Violina Marinova and the manager of the Human Resources Department – Mr. Penkov.
DSK bank foresees to make presentations of the banking activities. Interactive amusing quiz on the financial knowledge is going to be held by the head of the Training Department of the Human Resources Unit – Mr. Ivan Georgiev. The most active pupils during the quiz are going to receive piggy banks provided by the Association of Banks in Bulgaria and gift sets. The quiz will be followed by a short walk to the bank lounge and the bank offices.
DSK bank foresees the ideas expressed by the kids to be published in the Facebook web page of the bank in the section “Financial Vocabulary” under the heading “What do our kids think about finances”.
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Representatives of Piraeus Bank Bulgaria are going to be guest lecturers in different school classes as the aim is by a short presentation and discussion with pupils to increase their financial literacy and to tell in a simple and easy way the kids what a bank does.
Schools that are going to be visited by the guest lecturers are 122nd Primary School “Nikolay Liliev” in Sofia – 2nd grade and Sofia High School of Mathematics ”Paisii Hilendarski” – 7th grade where Mrs. Iva Draganova, Manager Retail Banking is going to be a lecturer as well as Secondary High School ”Hristo Botev” in Kozloduy – 9th grade, professional high school ”Hristo Botev” in Oryahovo – 8th grade where Mrs. Petya Ochkova, head of the bank’s branch in Kozloduy is going to be a lecturer.
In addition to the agenda of mobile lectures Piraeus Bank Bulgaria is going to organize an Open Day in its head office for 5th grade students from the 19th Secondary School Elin Pelin /School on Entrepreneurship/. Pupils will have the possibility to visit different departments at the bank and to learn more about bank’s operations and duties. They are also going to visit a bank branch in order to get acquainted with its main operational activities. At the end of the program the pupils are going to be guests at the office of the chief executive director of the bank – Mr. Emil Angelov.
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United Bulgarian Bank AD (UBB) is going to participate in the European Money Week as the bank is going to open the doors of its branches for the youngest and it will send lecturers – bankers to events related with the increase of the knowledge and literacy of the kids.
On the 29th of March 2017 the UBB head offices are going to host the children of their employees under the moto ”Come to work with mom and dad”. On that day the children of the employees depending on their age can get acquainted with the following activities of the bank:
- How does the ATM work – placing and withdrawing money, payment of utility bills;
- What does the bank branch do – counting cash and performing operations on the cash desk, clients’ servicing;
- The secrets of the public vaults;
- How is the bank secured – systems for video observations;
- What is online and mobile banking;
- Introduction with the process of loans approval;
- Introduction with the activities of Dealing room.
The activity will be hosted Mrs. Radka Toncheva, CEO and member of the Board of Directors of UBB.
Also, on the 29th of March the bank branches in the whole country are going to be open for kids who can get acquainted with the things the bankers and to make their first meetings in the world of money.
In collaboration with Muzeiko the UBB is going to organize a visit to Muzeiko for disabled kids where Mrs. Raina Peneva, manager SME and international loan programmes at Corporate Banking is going to talks about the job of a banker and the main things the children should know.
Aneta Savova from Corporate Banking is going to be the UBB representative in the initiative of 119th Secondary School “Akademik Mihail Arnaudov” in Sofia high Tech Park with a lecture on money.
During the European Money Week UBB is going to participate in the organized by Junior Achievement “Financial Literacy Day” in Vratsa, where Mr. Bisser Lilov, head of the UBB branch in Vratsa is going to discuss different financial and bank cases with pupils from 9-12th grade from the professional technical high school “N. Vaptsarov”.
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In the context of the European Money Week 2017 Postbank is committed to hold open classes and trainings for students from different towns in the country.
Regional managers of the bank will hold open classes to increase the financial literacy of eighth graders from the Professional school of commerce in Burgas and from the English Language School “Geo Milev” in Ruse.
At the initiative of Postbank, students from the 10th grade of the American College in Sofia will attend a half-day training at the headquarters of the bank, which will be held under a program created especially for them, with a series of meetings with five units of governance “Corporate Banking” including special training from management “Corporate communications and marketing.”
During the European Money Week, bank experts will be mentors for children from the 10th and 11th grade of the National Trade and Banking High School in Sofia and will assist them in developing their “training banks” as well as in the preparation process for the best ”training bank” competition.
Postbank foresees the production of specially developed training material for financial literacy adapted for young people. It will present the objectives of the European Money Week as well as the activities and products of banks, the origin of money, options for saving, investing and managing personal budget.
First Investment Bank (Fibank) will mark the European Money Week 2017 with film screenings, open classes, movie and a book dedicated to money, and discussions aimed at early childhood financial education.
On March 28, 2017 Fibank will show the film “Kids and Money” to 5th and 6th grade students from Uwekind: International School in Sofia.
On March 29, 2017 a working breakfast will be held on “Early Childhood Financial Education” with the participation of representatives of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria, First English Language School, Sofia High School of Mathematics, 119th Secondary School, Association “Parents”, other associations and foundations, parents and teachers.
On March 30, 2017 Fibank organizes open lesson for students from 5th grade from Sofia High School of Mathematics, and on March 31, 2017 the initiative “Banks and Children” will be held, within which there will be a short lesson on ”Financial Culture for Students” and other educational activities for 4th grade students in the 119th Secondary School. Also, on March, 31 there will be a special screening of the movie “The Smurfs”, part of the Fibank program for early childhood education supported by Sony Pictures.
In the context of these and other initiatives Fibank will distribute the book “Kids and Money” and the movie “Kids and Money” to schools, teachers, students and other participants in the initiatives.
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Raiffeisenbank Bulgaria joins the initiative, dedicated to the European Money Week through a series of activities aimed at improving the financial literacy of students in the areas of personal finance and savings.
A team of experts of the bank will deliver short lectures on the following topics: “What is money?” and “How does a bank work?” in front of the children from the 5th grade in the 129th school “Antim I” in Sofia, as well as the students from the 8th grade of the National High School of Mathematics “Academic Lubomir Chakalov” in Sofia.
Raiffeisenbank supports the implementation of numerous sustainable socially significant projects, educational programs and cultural events. By its charitable initiative “Choose to Help”, whose eighth edition was completed earler this year, Raiffeisenbank has supported a total of 211 major projects in four main directions, including education.
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Within the European Money Week the CIBANK team will organize open classes and students’ visits at the bank’s head office.
Mr Svilen Zahariev, Head of Card Payments at CIBANK, will give an open lesson to students of 11th grade of the National Trade and Banking High School on ”Lending. Contactless payment technology and payment security” at the bank’s headquarters. Ms. Svetla Georgieva, Executive director ”Risk” will also take part.
There will be lessons as well for 3rd to 5th grade students at 73rd school “Vladislav Gramatik” and students at 119th school “Akad. Mihail Arnaudov”.
CIBANK EAD is also preparing a lesson for 10th grade students at 19th SU “Elin Pelin”. In the First English Language School the lesson will be delivered by the Executive Director Mr. Christof De Mil. A quiz will be organized for the pupils and the winners will be rewarded with a piggy bank supplied by the Association of Banks in Bulgaria.
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Within the European Money Week 2017 Citibank Bulgaria will realize several initiatives aimed both at reaching school and university students.
The bank plans to organize a national financial camp for high school students as part of the programme “Student Company”. During the camp, the students will be able to learn about the various options for financing a start-up company by working for two days on a case study in this regard. Volunteers from the bank will be involved as business consultants and mentors.
Citibank Bulgaria will announce an essay contest and the winners will get the opportunity for an internship in the office of the bank in the framework of the national Junior Achievement initiative “Manager for a Day”.
During the European Money Week representatives of Citibank Bulgaria will hold an open lesson to students (4th-6th grade), in order to introduce them to the profession of the banker as well as basic banking services.
Volunteers from the bank will tell students, participating in the program “Student company”, what are the criteria by which a bank funds start-ups. Then the volunteers from Citibank Bulgaria will work with the teams as mentors and business consultants.
UniCredit Bulbank will support the European Money Week 2017 through its National programme: “Finance for non-professionals.” The programme aims to provide wider access to information about personal finances management. Numerous studies have shown that raising these skills directly contributes to people’s financial stability and welfare.
Bank officials from across the country will participate in meetings and discussions with students in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas and Ruse.
During the European Money Week UniCredit Bulbank will participate in the “Day of financial literacy” organized by Junior Achievement for more than 50 pupils in Sofia. Mrs. Tsvetanka Mintcheva, Director of “Retail Banking” and member of the Management Board of UniCredit Bulbank along with other financial sector companies, will discuss with the children case studies related to the money management.
Central Cooperative Bank (CCB) will invite in its headquarters pupils from Sofia who will be able to learn about the actual functioning of some of the main activities of the bank.
Students will have the opportunity to learn about the services provided in the front office. They will be able to observe the performance of banking operations in customer service, to examine money counting machines and learn more about the techniques for detection of counterfeit notes.
Representatives of the CCB will show students what the ATM looks like “inside”. They will explain the process of loan approval and key moments in securities trading.
Mentors from CCB will be glad to show and explain other banking activities which might be interesting for the children.
