About the Project
MyBnk delivers finance and enterprise education directly to young people aged 11 to 25, giving them the skills to understand money, plan ahead, and make enterprising decisions in real life. Rather than treating financial literacy as a minor extra, the project places it at the center of independence, opportunity, and long-term resilience.
At a time when young people face a tighter job market, higher education costs, and growing economic pressure, MyBnk responds with a practical model that helps them become more capable, informed, and self-reliant.
The Need
Many young people are not taught the financial skills they need in everyday life. As a result, they can be left financially excluded or simply unprepared to manage personal finances effectively. Budgeting, borrowing, saving, and planning are not abstract topics — they directly shape a person’s choices and chances.
MyBnk addresses that gap by providing focused, practical learning experiences that move beyond theory. The goal is not only to explain money, but to make young people capable of using it wisely in the real world.
The Solution
MyBnk provides a set of learning programmes that range from money management workshops to a youth-led banking scheme approved by the Financial Services Authority. It brings financial and enterprise education directly into schools and youth organisations, where young people can engage with it in a concrete and relevant way.
The model works because it targets a very specific need with a practical, accessible format. Instead of passive classroom instruction, participants engage in training that is experiential, hands-on, and closely connected to real-life decisions.
How It Works
MyBnk supports young people by giving them more than information. It helps them build judgment, confidence, and agency. Programmes are delivered directly to schools and youth organisations, making the training easier to access and more relevant to everyday life.
The approach also promotes the idea of social enterprise — the belief that success is not just about making money, but about using initiative and enterprise as a force for positive change.
- Training is experiential and practical rather than purely theoretical.
- Young people gain real-world money skills through active participation.
- Enterprise is framed as both personal opportunity and social contribution.
- The programmes build confidence alongside financial understanding.
Programmes
MyBnk in a Box
Young people are trained to run their own online and onsite school bank, creating a safe and accessible place to save regularly and borrow interest-free loans to set up enterprises.
Money Twist Key Stage 3
A hands-on programme for 11–14 year olds that teaches real-life money skills through three practical workshop sessions delivered in one day or across multiple sessions.
Uni Dosh
A targeted two-hour workshop for young people preparing to leave school or college and thinking about the financial realities of university life.
Money Works
An accredited workshop for 16–25 year olds moving toward independent living, focused on practical money management and financial decision-making.
Business Battle
A one-week challenge in which young people create, run, and evaluate their own business in a competitive environment using real money in a real marketplace.
Money Advice Service
A one-to-one advice service offering independent, sales-free, jargon-free guidance on personal finance issues.
Money Twist Key Stage 4
A practical workshop programme for 14–16 year olds focused on real-world money skills, again delivered through active, hands-on sessions.
Impact
Through its programmes, MyBnk has helped tens of thousands of young people strengthen their understanding of money and make more enterprising decisions. The organisation is led by founder Lily Lapenna and is described as the first independent, peer-led, online youth banking scheme approved by England’s banking regulatory body, the FSA.
The impact goes beyond technical knowledge. High-impact workshops and training give young people the confidence to act, plan, and shape the world around them more intentionally.