The Edufinet Project, a financial education programme promoted by Fundación Unicaja and Unicaja, held its ‘Semana del Mayor’ (‘Senior Citizens’ Week’) during June, with more than a thousand senior citizens taking part this year across 26 municipalities in Seville and in the city itself.
As part of this financial education initiative, aimed specifically at seniors with a particular focus on rural areas, a total of 26 sessions and two theatre performances were held this year, organised by Edufinet in collaboration with the Regional Government of Andalusia.
The aim of this event, held from 2 to 19 June and once again supported by Funcas Educa, is to promote and foster the financial and digital inclusion of this section of the population in an educational and practical way, particularly in rural areas, using interactive games developed by the Edufinet team.
During these sessions, each lasting an hour and a half, the main concepts relating to digital finance, cybersecurity and the safe use of technology were first covered in a simple and practical manner. In this initial part, participants learnt how to better protect their money, recognise potential scams — including those devised using artificial intelligence — browse the internet more safely, and use digital services with greater confidence and independence.
To put this knowledge into practice, the teachers from the Edufinet team have developed a platform featuring various interactive games, designed to promote learning in a dynamic, participatory and entertaining way. With these activities, participants were able to consolidate what they had learnt, identify risky situations and improve their ability to navigate digital environments with greater confidence.
As part of the ‘Senior Citizens’ Week’ programme, this year has also seen the inclusion, for the first time, of the financial education play ‘Las Cosas Fáciles’ by the Blanca Marsillach Theatre Company, which was performed in Seville on Friday 19 June, with two morning performances. This theatrical production, with which Edufinet has been collaborating on an ongoing basis for several years, highlights the relationship between older people and technology and finance, as well as the need to enhance their education to ensure sound financial decision-making and help bridge the digital divide.
Senior citizens, a priority group
Over its 20-year history, the Edufinet Project has set itself as one of Spain’s pioneering and leading programmes in financial education and inclusion, thanks to its commitment to society and its sustainability policy. This ongoing work has resulted in an extensive network of partners, comprising around ten business organisations and 18 universities.
Senior citizens are one of Edufinet’s key focus groups, as demonstrated by the development over time of various training activities (both face-to-face and online) specifically aimed at them. Among these initiatives, in addition to its ‘Seniors Citizens’ Week’, others stand out such as the Financial Education Conferences for Older People, as well as the ‘Ambassadors Project’, which operates primarily in rural areas.
