In a world where financial notions can seem complicated, ArtFinEdu supports single-parent families through an innovative approach: art as a learning tool. On April 28, at the National Children’s Palace, Asociația POT SĂ AJUT, with the support of Asociația Provident pentru Educație and Provident Financial Romania, is organizing a unique show, ArtFinEdu, designed to transform abstract concepts into practical and fun experiences.
Financial notions are explained through playing, theatre and stories accessible to children and parents, ArtFinEdu being part of the Invizibilii programme, through which the financial and social inclusion of vulnerable groups is supported.
“Playing is the most natural and simple way to assimilate information, so we designed a project in which financial notions become easier to understand, filtered with the help of art – through participatory theatre, music, dance and painting. We are happy that Asociația Provident pentru Educație and Provident Financial Romania are by our side in this endeavour, in the projects that we carry out together for children, parents and seniors. Within the Invizibilii programme, in less than 3 years, we have already exceeded 5,400 beneficiaries from 18 counties, and I am happy that we manage, together with them, to reach so many children and adults to whom we offer unique non-formal education experiences,” explains Gabriela Stoian, President of Asociația POT SĂ AJUT.
“Financial education has an essential role in having a life in which we gather as many pleasant experiences as possible, and delicate discussions about money can sometimes be replaced by playing and artistic acts from which both children and adults learn. Together with Asociația POT SĂ AJUT, we have seen how valuable it is for people to feel that they are not alone, that they are part of a community that supports them. The event is one that helps all participants feel that they have gained quality time together, but also simple information with a major long-term impact on financial health,” states Ciprian Sandu, coordinator of community investment programmes at Provident Financial România.
In the month in which International Financial Education Day is celebrated, on April 11, ArtFinEdu brings financial education closer to single-parent families through theatre and creative activities.
On April 28, starting at 17:00, at the National Children’s Palace – Small Hall, participants will enjoy a creative financial education workshop held by Andrei Popa, with notions about saving, budgeting and making responsible decisions, but also an interactive theatre show with the Miniricii troupe, which transforms financial concepts into captivating stories, with characters that will inspire them and offer them a new perspective on the value of money.
The artistic programme will be completed by the Sports Dance Circle, coordinated by teacher Cristina Ionescu, the Petit Arabesque Ballet Circle, coordinated by teacher Ana Maria Bănuță, the Friendship Circle, coordinated by teacher Claudia Stoicescu-Păun, and the Carmina Choir, coordinated by teacher Ștefania Istrate. The event is presented by Toader Păun.
Financial education is essential in the family because it contributes to the development of important skills, such as managing a budget, saving and making informed financial decisions.
By teaching children about the importance of saving and financial planning, the parent can pass on healthy and useful values for the future, especially if this happens in a non-formal environment, in which education intertwines with play and art, as happens at ArtFinEdu. Financial education not only supports the well-being of the family, but also contributes to long-term security, and Asociația POT SĂ AJUT, with the support of Asociația Provident pentru Educație and Provident Financial România, within the Invizibilii programme, have found a perfect framework to bring single-parent families together and to enjoy financial education through art.
Romania is among the countries at the bottom of the European Union when it comes to financial education. In March, in a public report, education and research were highlighted as two of the areas particularly targeted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in a series of recommendations aimed at strengthening Romania’s competitiveness. Strengthening financial literacy is explicitly indicated as important both in educational programmes and in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises.
According to the Invizibilii study, published in October 2022, in Romania, managing a budget with a single source of income represents an additional challenge for single-parent families. The deficit is also present as an intercorrelation between the lack of time resources, necessary for childcare, personal and professional development, both of children and of the parent, and the lack of the necessary financial resources. Through creative activities and non-formal education, ArtFinEdu supports these families, offering them the tools needed to better understand and manage financial resources.
The worrying figures that keep rolling from one year to another can change through education and involvement.
The event also aims to open horizons towards culture for children, many of whom are attending a theatre show for the first time.
Access to the ArtFinEdu event on April 28, at the National Children’s Palace, is free. Registrations can be made by e-mail at events@potsaajut.ro by single parents who want to participate together with their children.
To learn more about Asociația POT SĂ AJUT and its ongoing education-through-art programmes, visit https://potsaajut.ro/proiecte
