A volunteer opportunity that is most Bee-coming

Open-access content Monday 27th June 2016 — updated 5.50pm, Wednesday 29th April 2020

Would you like to get involved with the BEE (Business, Enterprise and Employability) Programme?

The BEE Programme

This is a series of six financial literacy workshops for
9-11 year olds delivered by volunteers with business expertise. They take place throughout the year and focus on financial knowledge, enterprise and employability skills, each lasting 90 minutes.

The programme has been developed by the Tower Hamlets Education Business Partnership and has delivered workshops in 16 schools across the region in 2015. Members of the IFoA are part of the voluntary team who deliver these workshops, here's what they have to say:

Kishen Menon

What made you want to get involved in volunteering with primary school children?

I have always loved teaching and passing on knowledge. I came across this opportunity on the IFoA website, and felt it was a good way to give something back to the profession.

What particularly appeals to you about helping young people become money-savvy?

Helping to equip them with some key skills to take away into the merciless financial economy we now live in.

What were your expectations of the children before you began the programme? Does this match with what you have seen so far?

It seems that kids are a lot more financially shrewd than we would have expected them to be at such an age.

How worthwhile has the experience been for you personally?

It has been a greatly rewarding experience and is very different to the usual presentations to trustees and clients.

What would you say to others in the actuarial profession thinking about volunteering?

It is most definitely worth taking some time out of your busy schedules to impart some of your knowledge to others. Perhaps you will even learn something along the way too!

Colm Kelly

What made you want to get involved in volunteering with primary school children?

Education has always been really important to me. I have been lucky with the opportunities and support I received through my education but many others are not as fortunate. The chance to get involved with the BEE programme and show young people the power of education in helping to shape their lives, to pass on my knowledge and experiences, as well as act as an example for them in a way that might help give them some direction for their own aspirations and futures is something I feel very lucky to be able to do.

What particularly appeals to you about helping young people become money-savvy?

The workshops focus on developing their financial literacy skills and building confidence by teaching them about making choices with money such as saving and spending as well as introducing them to the world of work. It also teaches core values that they will be able to apply throughout their lives such as the importance of honesty, integrity and hard work; learning to overcome challenges; the need for planning, setting standards and discipline; the emphasis on resourcefulness rather than resources and most importantly, putting people before money - health and family always come first! I hope that by passing these values onto them at an early stage in their lives, it will have a positive long-term influence on them and help them through whatever challenges they might face.

What were your expectations of the children before you began the programme? Does this match with what you have seen so far?

I have been really impressed with the children in terms of their curiosity, enthusiasm, willingness to learn and aptitude to work as evidenced by the many questions that they ask. In particular, they surprised me with their level of competitiveness to succeed. I think it is great to see this in a constructive and collaborative way at such a young age and it reminds me a little of myself at that stage. They are a wonderful group, full of potential and there is much they can achieve in the future with the right encouragement and support.

How worthwhile has the experience been for you personally?

It has been a very rewarding experience and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Both in terms of the people I have met, the young people that I have helped and to be able to contribute to local communities in London has been a special experience for me. I have learned a lot through the programme too - it has helped give perspective on the important things in life and I feel I have grown as a person. Not just that but the children have also taught me a thing or two - for example, recently I have learned that the front-runners to be the face of the new £5 note are Donald Trump and Zinedine Zidane! Disappointingly, Ireland's Conor McGregor didn't make the shortlist! Next time!

What would you say to others in the actuarial profession thinking about volunteering?

I believe we all have a responsibility, not a choice to pass on the knowledge and experiences we have gained and that were passed onto to us by others. Time is a valuable resource but by volunteering for a relatively small time commitment, the return you get on that time is huge.
I have seen first-hand the positive impact one can have but collectively we can improve on this. We are fortunate that the actuarial profession provides many opportunities for members to volunteer so I would encourage anyone interested to identify an area that means a lot to them and then contact the actuarial profession about the best way to get involved.

Tell us about the visit to the Bank of England Museum.

Today, as part of the BEE programme, we took the children to visit the Bank of England (BoE) museum. It was a chance to get a break from the classroom and everyone - children and volunteers alike really enjoyed it.

The day was split up into two parts - the first was the pounds and pence presentation which teaches the children about the history and purpose of money, how prices of everyday items change, and how the Bank of England's tries to control prices to keep inflation low and stable.

Then we had the tour of the BoE museum itself where the children got the chance to explore
the history of the bank, its buildings, and the people who have shaped it over more than 300 years or so.

I think the organisation was fantastic, the interactive nature of the presentation and the use of activity sheets through the tour meant that everyone got involved - the children were really engaged throughout, and had lots of fun which helped them learn so much on the day.

For the children I hope that many of the things they have learned today will stay with them and help them for many years to come. For me, to be able to help in some small way - to see them learn so much with a smile on their faces makes it a really special experience.