First Dortmund Financial Education Day successfully mastered
Around 50 secondary school students from Heisenberg Gymnasium, Europaschule and Konrad-Klepping-Berufskolleg as well as almost 15 trainees from various companies took part in the first Dortmund Financial Education Day on March 1, 2024 at the IHK Dortmund. They were able to gain important knowledge in the field of financial education through various target group-specific and interactive offers. The project day was organized by the Institut für Ökonomische Bildung und digitale Lehre e.V. in cooperation with FH Dortmund. Thanks to the support of several companies from Dortmund's business community and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the offer was free of charge for the participants.
The aim of the event is to provide participants with an important insight into the world of finance in a digitalized age through a demand-oriented range of events. An exciting stock market simulation game awaited the students, which put them in the role of shareholders. During the reflection phases, they realized that it is not about mutating into the "Wolf of Wall Street" and building one's life on risk, luck and chance, but that on the contrary, one should always act with caution and rational economic calculation on the stock exchange and can also be successful in doing so. In addition, interactive workshops and presentations provided them with important information for a responsible and self-determined approach to their own finances. This enabled the students to expand their personal financial expertise.
A specific program was also prepared for trainees. As part of the "FunnyMoney" workshop, participants were able to go through the "Festival for your finances" program and gain relevant knowledge for a conscious approach to their finances.
"Financial education as an integral part of economic education is not only taught too little in German schools, but in some cases also ignores individual life situations. This makes it all the more important to supplement the financial education of children and young people with extracurricular activities. For this reason, we founded the "Institut für Ökonomische Bildung und digitale Lehre e.V." in order to offer as many Dortmund residents as possible the opportunity to take part in project days on economic and, in particular, financial education," says Prof. Dr. Andreas Liening, Chairman of the "Institut für Ökonomische Bildung und digitale Lehre e.V." and Academic Director of the Dortmund Financial Education Day.
There was a lot of positive feedback from the participants for the project day. The organizers were also satisfied. "We hope to be able to offer a good range of economic education events in the future too," says Liening.
