THE PROJECT
“I LEARNT THROUGH DRAMA THAT MONEY PROMISES ARE BIG PROMISES THAT HAVE TO BE KEPT.”
PARTICIPANT
In 2009, consultation with schools identified that raising primary schoolchildren’s financial literacy was an urgent priority, giving a chance to break the cycle of debt and poverty in the long-term.
We developed A Wealth of Stages in response, through which children aged 8-11 worked with our professional drama artists to devise a new play exploring financial concepts and ethics around money. As well as improving their literacy and financial literacy, the children developed social skills, teamwork and confidence. Each project culminated in the children’s performance of their play to the wider school and invited guests.
A Wealth of Stages also provided teachers with creative approaches to financial literacy that they could implement after the completion of the project, further ensuring sustainable impact. A teacher’s pack and training helped to promote increased understanding of financial concepts and creative tools to enhance children’s literacy, financial literacy and social skills through drama.
We delivered A Wealth of Stages for 10 years.
the need
The Money Charity reports that four in 10 adults in Britain are worried about their debt and “almost three quarters of Brits (71%) say that a lack of basic financial understanding is to blame for debt”. The Financial Education & The Curriculum report argues that “children face ‘spend or save’ decisions very early on in their lives … and good financial habits should be encouraged from childhood.”