In Italy, one in five young people does not reach the minimum level of financial literacy. Through “Bussola Finanziaria,” Fondazione Cariplo invests in students’ future to reduce inequalities and promote economic awareness.
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In a country where economic and financial skills still represent a significant area of vulnerability for young people, Fondazione Cariplo is launching “Bussola Finanziaria,” an ambitious project dedicated to 36 Vocational Institutes across 12 provinces within its reference territory. The initiative aims to strengthen the financial literacy of more than 2,000 students through workshops, educational activities, and innovative training pathways designed to bring young people closer to economic topics and the responsible management of resources, while improving their financial skills.
The project includes a total of 1,600 hours of training delivered over the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 school years. Its goal is to provide students with practical tools and competencies to understand the value of money, plan their financial decisions, and develop the essential skills needed to build autonomy and long-term well-being.
The challenge is significant. According to the latest OCSE PISA Report, nearly one in five students in Italy does not reach the minimum level of financial literacy — a figure accompanied by substantial gender and socio-economic disparities. In vocational schools in particular, half of students demonstrate significant gaps in understanding basic concepts related to money, savings, and financial management.
Through “Bussola Finanziaria,” Fondazione Cariplo seeks to address these issues concretely by supporting vocational schools in introducing financial education, as provided for by Law No. 21/2024 (“Capital Law”) and the Guidelines for the cross-curricular teaching of civic education (Ministerial Decree 183/2024).
The project benefits from the collaboration of qualified partners in school-based financial education — eQwa Impresa Sociale and Fondazione per l’Educazione Finanziaria — which will implement educational pathways designed to make learning practical, engaging, and measurable. The Evaluation Lab of Fondazione Social Venture Giordano Dell’Amore — specialized in strategic planning, social impact evaluation, and advisory and capacity-building activities for companies, funds, and Third Sector organizations — will oversee the assessment of the project’s effectiveness and its impact on students’ knowledge and skills, with the aim of identifying replicable tools and disseminating best practices.
According to Francesco Lorenzetti, Director of the Finance and Sustainability Area and promoter of the project: “With Bussola Finanziaria, the first initiative expressly dedicated to financial education, Fondazione Cariplo reaffirms its commitment to promoting economic inclusion and the development of fundamental life skills for citizens. A compass, indeed, to guide young people through the complex world of financial education and accompany them toward a more informed and sustainable future”.
