Not all young people in Macedonian society have access to quality (in)formal education. There are opportunities, but real skills and self-confidence are needed for young people to approach employers.
Financial literacy is not part of formal education, and young people are interested in understanding new financial concepts, protecting themselves from financial risks, learning to save, invest, thinking about whether to try and become entrepreneurs, bankers, economists, to look for work and to think about how to find sources of funding for the multitude of ideas that are spinning in their heads.
Only financially literate and educated citizens can make correct decisions which directly affect their lives and the overall economy.
In cooperation with the National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia, trainings for trainers were organized as part of the preparations and the implementation process of the National Strategy for Financial Education and Inclusion 2021-2025.
In cooperation with GIZ and Konekt, Global Shapers Skopje Hub Skopje held a “Financial Literacy Summer School” where young people acquired basic and advanced levels of financial literacy, conducted by experienced professionals in various fields.
Huge interest! In two weeks, basic and advanced level financial literacy trainings were held for 217 young people (129 for basic level/88 for advanced level) from more than 30 different settlements in the country and abroad. The essential difference is that these trainings covered topics that are not covered by formal education.
In addition, a training on the basics of financial literacy was held for the youth from SOS Children’s Village, where 20 youth actively participated in the training. Maybe that’s where the new talents are hiding, everyone should be given an equal chance.
And what about those who were not at the School? Shapers have produced a “Financial Literacy Guide” for young people.
It is important that formal education programs include financial literacy. The effect of the initiative is also reflected in the fact that the Ministry of Education and Science is working on including financial literacy as an optional class for certain high schools in the country.
Targeted Goals:
“Investing in yourself is investing in the future to come!”
– [Ana Trajkovska], participant in the “Financial Literacy Summer School”
[Ana Trajkovska] from Strumica is 22 years old, and as soon as she graduated, she faced difficulties in planning her finances and needed to meet peers who were doing it successfully. So she signed up for the “Financial Literacy Summer School”.
“The ‘Financial Literacy Summer School’ allowed me to gain a more advanced level of financial literacy and enter the world of finance. During it, I got to know employers and experienced professionals and I am very glad that I acquired these skills at a time when I’m earning my first cash. I want to pass on what I’ve learned to my friends who are honestly in dire need of financial education.”
As a result of this connection with professional companies, the company Edulaktika from Skopje offered her an internship.
