Search begins for teenage personal finance journalists

Money savvy students who have a hankering to write the financial news, rather than merely reading about it — your chance has arrived.

Entries are now open for the Financial Times’s annual competition to find the best young money writer, run in partnership with FT Schools and The London Institute of Banking & Finance (LIBF).

The contest, open to all students attending UK schools aged between 14-19, requires entrants to write a well-argued article of 700-800 words on the themes below, according to their age group.

There’s a cash prize of £150 for the winner of each age group, and your work will be published online. Last year, we also published the winning articles in the FT Money section.

To enter and view full terms and conditions, visit the LIBF website, libf.ac.uk. The closing date for entries is March 19, and the winners will be announced in the spring.

Judging the entries will be Claer Barrett, the FT’s consumer editor, Bobby Seagull, the TV maths expert, and FT columnist, and Catherine Winter, managing director of financial capability at LIBF.

“Understanding how money works is a vital life skill — and good financial education is something we believe all young people should have access to,” Ms Winter said. “Competitions like these help young people to think about how finance works and relate it to everyday life. Hopefully entering this competition will spark an interest that will benefit them throughout their lives.”

The coronavirus has drastically affected the personal finances of millions of people, a theme reflected in this year’s competition questions:

Questions for 14-15 year olds

• People often tell us they wish they’d been taught to be more “money savvy” at school. What financial knowledge skills would you benefit from to prepare you for life after school, and why?

• Cash is king? Not so much these days. What are the potential benefits of a cashless society, and what might be the downsides?

Questions for 16-17 year olds

• In uncertain times, lots of people worry about their finances. What do we mean by financial resilience? Why is it so important and how can young people improve their resilience for the future?

• Good debt, bad debt? What are the benefits and downsides in terms of the impact debt can have on people’s lives? How can we help young people to manage debt responsibly?

 Questions for 18-19 year olds

• With future job prospects for young people looking uncertain, what can a career in banking and finance offer? What are some of the routes you could take?

• Want to be a millionaire by the time you’re 30? What role does investing and trading in stocks and shares play in helping people build wealth for their future? What are some of the things you need to consider when investing in stocks, shares and other asset classes?

Did you know that teachers in schools around the world with students aged 16-19 years old can receive free access to FT.com and request individual accounts for students? Click here to read more or visit ft.com/schools.