A Tassie first partnership
Children’s University, delivered by the University of Tasmania’s Peter Underwood Centre, aims to raise educational engagement and outcomes for primary school-aged children.
“One of our goals is to build community capacity to engage with young learners, so we’re really excited about working in partnership with Bank of us,” said Centre Director, Leanne McLean.
“We’ve partnered with a range of community and cultural organisations before, but this is our first Tasmanian financial institution.”
Through the partnership, Bank of us stores across the state have become official Children’s University learning destinations. When students visit, they can have their passports stamped, earning hours that count toward their graduation milestones.
A learning resource co-designed with students
Experts from Children’s University led a research project where young people collaborated with Bank staff to co-design a new activity booklet.
Children’s University learners joined workshops at the Bank’s Launceston store to explore ideas about money before putting their creativity to work designing the resource.
Dr Becky Shelley, the Centre’s Deputy Director (Aspiration and Attainment), has previously led similar co-design projects with the Devonport Regional Art Gallery and the National Automobile Museum of Tasmania.
“We didn’t know what the resource would look like for Bank of us,” Dr Shelley said. “Where we ended up was completely guided by the children in the room.”
The result is Curious Money
The young learners shaped the content so it reflected their voices, ideas and curiosity. The result is Curious Money.
Bank of us Chief Executive Officer, Paul Ranson, said the Bank was proud to support a project that empowered young people and gave them agency in their learning.
“Our Bank is committed to making a positive impact in two key areas — helping people be more financially secure and more housing secure,” Mr Ranson said.
“The real power in this partnership is bringing the voices of young people to the table. With cost-of-living pressures affecting so many, it’s more important than ever to engage with young people about financial security and help set them up to be confident with money.”
How to get involved
Bank of us stores are now part of the Children’s University learning destination network.
Children's University students can visit a Bank of us store and ask for the Curious Money activity sheet. Once they complete it and show Bank of us staff, they will get a Curious Money Activity Booklet. It's full of puzzles, drawings, questions, and facts about saving, spending, giving and growing your money.
Students will get their Children's University Passports to Learning stamped, they get 1 hour for doing the activity sheets and 10 hours for finishing the booklet.
If students don't live near a Bank of us store, they can download and print the Curious Money activity sheet from the Children's University Australia Portal.
The Curious Money activity booklet is available here for everyone.
We see Curious Money as just the opening chapter in what we hope will be a long-term partnership with Children’s Uni - one that helps support financial security and brighter futures for Tasmanians.
Learn more about Children's University
