OP cooperative banks' partnerships with schools and educational institutions
In line with OP Financial Group's sustainability programme, we support the management of personal finances and promote financial literacy. Our goal is to reach out to 70,000 children and young people every year in our financial literacy lessons and projects with OP cooperative banks and our partners.
The cornerstone of our financial literacy work consists of visits by OP cooperative bank representatives to schools and educational institutions all over Finland. OP cooperative banks also invite children and young people to visit banks and learn skills for working life, personal finances and entrepreneurship. OP Financial Group also works with its national and regional partners to promote financial literacy among children and young people.
In the Summer jobs paid for by OP campaign, OP cooperative banks fund summer jobs for more than 2,000 young people around Finland. The aim of the campaign is to help young people aged between 15 and 17 find their first summer job.
A better tomorrow – financial literacy barometer for young people
OP Financial Group, the University of Helsinki and the University of Jyväskylä conducted a survey in spring 2024 on the financial literacy of those aged 15–19. The survey is aimed at producing socially and scientifically new and important information among Finnish youngsters on spending, financial management skills and situation as well as related conduct and attitudes.
Personal money management is an important life skill, and the skills we learn while young provide a solid foundation far into adulthood. In order for us to best address the challenges related to youngsters' indebtedness or spending and to coach them towards a better future, financial wellbeing and their dreams, it is important to hear the desires and thoughts of young people directly from themselves. This joint project of these two universities and OP Financial Group is unique because financial literacy together with spending and financial attitudes have not been studied before among teenagers in Finland.
Financial Literacy Week
In March, OP hosts the Financial Literacy week with particular emphasis on the personal finance skills of children and young people. During the week, OP cooperative banks throughout Finland teach day-to-day finances and practical money skills to young people. During the week, representatives from OP cooperative banks visit schools to teach financial skills to young people in the OPxMoneyTalk sessions.
Financial literacy competition for ninth-graders together with the Association for Teachers of History and Social Studies in Finland
Together with the Association for Teachers of History and Social Studies (HYOL), we enhance the personal finance skills of ninth-graders in the national Financial Literacy Competition and in the events linked to it. The qualifying round of the Financial Literacy Competition will be held in early April at schools around Finland.
Collaboration with Junior Achievement (JA) Finland
OP is a longstanding partner of Junior Achievement (JA) Finland. With Junior Achievement (JA) Finland, OP supports the financial, career and entrepreneurship education of children and young people in primary schools, lower secondary schools and upper secondary education.
Students in years six and nine will be learning by doing and using the services of regional OP cooperative banks in seven Yrityskylä business villages across Finland. Yrityskylä is an experiential and provenly effective learning environment for sixth- and ninth-graders that simulates how society and businesses operate.
OP is also encouraging entrepreneurship among young people in JA Finland's Vuosi yrittäjänä (Year as an Entrepreneur) programme, in which lower and upper secondary students set up a training business and run it for one year. The programme culminates in regional competitions and the Uskalla Yrittää finals, where the best JA Finland businesses of the year are awarded.
In the Investor school aimed at upper secondary students, OP is offering its expertise in responsible investing and training for teachers on financial topics. In the course on personal money management, students work on tasks related to insurance that have been developed together with OP.
We are part of Helsinki Deaconess Foundation’s Taloustaito financial literacy project
The Helsinki Deaconess Foundation coordinates a financial literacy project, Taloustaito, which involves bank employees giving financial literacy classes and one-on-one instruction to disadvantaged young people around the country. Launched in 2013, the project coordinates visits by OP employees to youth groups and helps young people learn personal finance skills through individual training.
4H
The aim of the cooperation between 4H Finland, Finlands svenska 4H and OP is to support young people entering working life, improve their financial literacy and reinforce their independence in managing their personal finances.
