Over 50 pupils from across Sunderland aged 14-16, spent Tuesday 12 May learning about how to build money confidence, stay safe from fraudsters and learn what is takes to craft local business ideas – alongside local ParalympicGB Athlete, Anna Nicholson.
NatWest Thrive Live forms part of the bank’s free education and future skills programme which transforms the way young people feel about money, entrepreneurship, investment and savings.
Aside from the NatWest Thrive website - which provides a range of free learning resources for educators in schools, youth groups or at home for children aged five through to 18 - NatWest Thrive hosts events for schools, offering pupils an interactive learning experience, outside of the classroom.
Students from Red House Academy and Hetton Academy spent the day taking part in a range of interactive education workshops, including sessions on savings, investments, and entrepreneurship – as well as an interactive escape room, aimed at building knowledge of fraud and scams.
The event took place in the iconic Sheepfold Stables, a flagship regeneration project in the heart of Sunderland, enabling the pupils to experience first-hand how investment can deliver growth for local communities.
They also threw questions to ParalympicGB Athlete Anna Nicholson, who spoke about long term goal setting, not fearing failure and believing in yourself. Anna is no stranger to the North East, living in the area and training with Gateshead Harriers.
Bernie Cornish, member of NatWest’s Regional North Board, lead the day. Reflecting on its success, she said:
“It’s fantastic to bring so many pupils from across the area together to help them think bigger about what is possible, especially when it comes to money, ambitions and the future they want to build.
“As a bank we know the power of improving the financial education of young people. That’s why we’re committed to empowering them confidence and skills to embrace the future, helping them to thrive.”
ParalympicGB athlete Anna Nicholson, said:
“As an athlete, determination is paramount to everything I do. It was incredibly rewarding to meet with the pupils and share advice on how to stay motivated to meet your goals – whatever they may be.
“Through our partnership with NatWest, we’re determined to inspire the next generation, and give them the tools and them mindset needed to overcome whatever challenges they may face.”
The session in Sunderland is the latest in a series of NatWest Thrive Live events, which supports our Growing Together campaign, which sets out our role in delivering economic growth and helping people and families to save and invest.
Building financial education and future skills is key to that, and shapes how young people feel about money and their future. NatWest Thrive reached over 1 million young people last year across the UK, to create a generation equipped to take hold of their finances and their future.
