On November 18, 2024, a meeting was held in the Knight’s Hall of the City Hall in Dzierżoniów, bringing together representatives of primary and secondary schools, business-related institutions, city councilors, the Youth City Council, local government, non-governmental organizations, and entrepreneurs. All participants unanimously agreed on the need to raise awareness and emphasize the importance of economic knowledge in everyday life. This led to the formation of the Grand Coalition for Economic Education.
It is essential that economic education be accessible to every young person, as it constitutes a crucial element of preparation for professional, social life and active participation in building a modern and competitive economy. Therefore, the coalition’s goal is to support young people in gaining practical knowledge about entrepreneurship and economics. The initiative aims to unite the efforts of schools, local government, business-related institutions, and local companies to collectively create a better future for the youth. The idea to establish the Coalition was proposed by the Dzierżoniów Business Council.
Activities under the Grand Coalition for Economic Education will be summarized in June 2025. Even now, numerous events are being planned: competitions, field games, entrepreneurship lessons, company and bank visits – to name just a few!
For more information about the Grand Coalition for Economic Education, please contact: Joanna Walczybok, tel. +48 74 645 08 68, e-mail: jwalczybok
um [dot] dzierzoniow [dot] pl
- Final of the Young Entrepreneurship Champions 2025 Tournament
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The Inter-School Entrepreneurship Tournament "Young Entrepreneurship Champions 2025" has ended! On June 9, the Grand Finale took place at the Zbyszek Cinema! Over the past few months, primary school students from Dzierżoniów have been working intensively on their own business ideas - and the effects of their activities have exceeded their wildest expectations!
For three months, the youth took part in workshops, meetings with experts, consultations and developed their own business concepts, in order to present their ideas to the Competition Committee and the audience during the finals. We saw incredible commitment, vast knowledge and exceptional maturity of the participants. The projects were not only interesting and innovative, but also realistic to implement - full of passion, responsibility and a fresh perspective on market needs.
Winners of the 2025 Tournament:
- 1st place – team from Primary School No. 5 with Integration Classes consisting of: Hanna Sak, Hanna Zajączkowska, Natalia Bienias, Oliwia Kostecka, business idea: School shop "Healthy break", Supervisor: Monika Iwachów
- 2nd place – team from Primary School No. 1 named after Polish Nobel Prize Winners: Antonina Zamerska, Marcel Jucha, Paulina Kaczmarek, Zuzanna Gorlicka, Business idea: The Sims Cafe – a cafe with an interactive world of games and pop culture
Supervisor: Jolanta Rygas - 3rd place – team from Primary School No. 3 in Dzierżoniów: Zofia Szumieł, Julian Kizym, Paweł Maciejewski, Kacper Jach
Business idea: “Pupil na walkrze” – animal care, Supervisor: Marzena Cieżak - 4th place – team from Primary School No. 9 in Dzierżoniów: Ksawier Sienkiewicz / Zofia Błaszyk-Janiczek, Kornel Zagajewski, Maja Bińczak, Paweł Szot, Business idea: DOGVARD – dog training, Supervisors: Cecylia Rudnicka/Anna Szczepaniak
The tournament could not have taken place without the support of local partners. We would like to express our special thanks to the Bank Spółdzielczy in Dzierżoniów, which was a co-organizer of the event and has been actively supporting economic education in the region for years. We would like to thank all schools and teachers-guardians for their commitment and support of students on their way to the finals. Your work is of great importance - you help young people develop competences, self-confidence and passion for action. We would also like to thank the Competition Committee for their professionalism, kindness and fair assessments.
The Tournament Finals were also an excellent opportunity to sum up the activities carried out as part of the Great Coalition for Economic Education. We would like to thank all companies and institutions that joined this unique undertaking and supported the education of young people in the field of entrepreneurship, and in particular:
- Aalberts Surface Technologies Heat Ltd
- FRANKONIA-Poland Ltd
- PCE Ltd
- Zebra Ltd
- Harris Calorific International Ltd
- Bank PKO BP Branch in Dzierżoniów
- Bank Spółdzielczy in Dzierżoniów
- Santander Bank Polska 1 Branch in Dzierżoniów
- Kerkus Arborystyka
- DiART
- ZEC Zakład Energetyki Cieplnej
- Piękni i Zdrowi
- Optician on Świdnicka Sławomir Minkina
- Apteka Rodzinna Iwaszko – “Pilguła na Gigancie”
- VENTI – mirrors and glass
- Alwar Accounting Office
Thanks to the commitment of Dzierżoniów entrepreneurs, it was possible to carry out over 60 entrepreneurship lessons, in which almost 1,500 students took part. It was an invaluable opportunity to gain practical knowledge, learn about the realities of running a business and be inspired by the stories of local businesses.
- Student trips to companies supporting economic education of young people
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In February 2025, the Mayor of Dzierżoniów extended an invitation to 87 local businesses, encouraging them to participate in the education of young residents by organizing educational visits – both to schools and business premises. Information about the initiative was also published on the municipality's website and on Invest in Dzierżoniów's social media channels, broadening its reach and enabling it to reach more potential partners.
Entrepreneurs could choose from a variety of forms of collaboration with students:
- Workshops or lectures at schools – entrepreneurs shared their knowledge on running a business, finance, market challenges, and career paths,
- Student visits to companies – children and young people had the opportunity to see what daily work is like at local businesses, learn about the organizational structure, production and service processes, and ask questions of employees and business owners.
Thanks to this initiative, 17 local companies have joined the database of entrepreneurs supporting education:
- Aalberts Surface Technologies Heat Sp. z o.o.
- Frankonia-Poland Sp. z o.o.
- PCE Polska Sp. z o.o.
- ZEBRA Sp. z o.o. Plant in Dzierżoniów
- Harris Calorific International Sp. z o.o.
- Bank PKO BP SA Branch 1 in Dzierżoniów
- Bank Spółdzielczy in Dzierżoniów
- Santander Bank Polska S.A. Branch 1 in Dzierżoniów
- Kerkus Arboristry
- DI ART Diana Kaczyńska
- ZEC Thermal Energy Plant Sp. z o.o.
- Fitness Club Beautiful and Healthy
- Optician on Świdnicka Street Sławomir Minkina
- Iwaszko Family Pharmacy
- VENTI Limited Partnership
- ALWAR Accounting Office
- Aalberts Surface Technologies Sp. z o.o.
Thanks to the commitment of local entrepreneurs, 64 entrepreneurship lessons were conducted, with nearly 1,500 students participating. This program is an example of effectively combining formal education with business practice and proves that entrepreneurship can be taught in a lively, authentic, and engaging way.
- Join the Database of Companies that Support Economic Education for Youth!
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We invite entrepreneurs to join our educational activities by registering in the Database of Companies Supporting Youth Economic Education.
The company can offer:
Conducting a lecture or workshop at school, during which students will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of entrepreneurship and learn about the daily work of an entrepreneur. During these meetings, students will be able to ask questions of experienced entrepreneurs and receive live answers, allowing them to better understand the business world;
Organizing a company headquarters tour to show students how the company operates, the processes taking place in various departments, and the challenges it faces. Additionally, company tours will be an excellent opportunity to see firsthand how different types of businesses operate and what skills are essential in a given industry.
How to join the project?
Applying for the project is very simple. Simply complete the form below the article: "Join the Database of Companies Supporting Youth Economic Education!" and send it to estraszak
um [dot] dzierzoniow [dot] pl (estraszak[at]um[dot]dzierzoniow[dot]pl). Companies that decide to participate in the project can customize the form of cooperation and choose a date that suits them best for the meeting or trip.Benefits for companies and youth
Participating in the project is an opportunity to build your company's image as a responsible employer committed to youth education and development. In turn, students will gain valuable experience that will help them better prepare for the challenges of professional life and make informed decisions about their future careers.
We count on your support and commitment to this important project, which will benefit both the students and your company. We believe that thanks to your participation, young people will gain valuable experience and be better prepared for the challenges of professional life.
- Surveys in schools
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In January and February 2025, a survey was conducted among students of Dzierżoniów schools as part of the "Economic Education and Entrepreneurship in Schools" initiative. The survey primarily targeted primary school students aged 8-15. The aim of the study was to determine the level of economic knowledge among children and young people and their perceptions of entrepreneurship. The survey also aimed to help identify students' educational needs so that appropriate educational activities and projects could be developed to meet their expectations.
Participation in the survey was very high among primary school students, with 777 completing the survey. Unfortunately, although the survey was also directed at secondary school students, interest among this group was minimal, with only two responding.
Key survey findings:
1. Understanding the concept of "entrepreneurship"
Only one in three students has conscious and adequate knowledge of entrepreneurship. At the same time, nearly 70% of students require educational support – over 40% of whom express an active desire to expand their knowledge, which represents strong educational potential:- 236 students (30.4%) declared they have a good understanding of entrepreneurship,
- 310 students (39.9%) have a general understanding and express a desire to deepen their knowledge,
- 231 students (29.7%) admitted they do not know what entrepreneurship is.
2. The importance of financial education
As many as 7 in 10 students express awareness of the need to acquire financial knowledge. This confirms that this topic should be included in the curriculum as early as primary school. The low percentage of students who neglect the topic demonstrates the high development potential of this field.- 536 students (69%) consider finance and saving to be very important,
- 216 students (27.8%) have doubts about its importance,
- 25 students (3.2%) do not see the importance of financial education.
3. Financial Education in Primary Schools
Half of students have no exposure to economics at school, and only 1 in 5 students actually participates in finance classes. This indicates the need for a systemic implementation of this type of education, regardless of the school level:- 161 students (20.7%) participate in finance classes,
- 218 students (28%) are aware of such classes but do not participate,
- 398 students (51.2%) declared that no entrepreneurship-related classes are offered in their schools.
4. Preferred Learning Methods
Students prefer diverse learning methods, with a predominance of active methods based on play, practice, and direct contact with economic realities. Educational games and company visits are the forms that best meet students' needs and should be incorporated into educational programs:- Educational games – 417 votes (53.7%),
- Teacher-led activities – 349 votes (44.9%),
- Company visits – 320 votes (41.2%),
- Meetings with entrepreneurs – 287 votes (36.9%)
5. Most Interesting Topics
Practical topics generate the greatest interest – those related to starting your own business and everyday financial skills. Students want to acquire skills that will be useful in adult life. Such interests should be the basis for designing economic education paths:- How to start a business? – 502 votes (64.6%),
- How to budget and save? – 370 votes (47.6%),
- What does a job interview look like? – 370 votes (47.6%).
The survey clearly shows that:
- over two-thirds of students perceive financial education as important and necessary,
- 70% of students lack sufficient knowledge of entrepreneurship,
- over half do not participate in lessons on this topic at all,
- active, practical learning activities, such as games, visits, and workshops, generate the greatest interest,
- students are particularly interested in topics such as starting a business, budget planning, and job interviews.
- Meeting with teachers in connection with planned activities within the Great Coalition for Economic Education
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On December 10, 2024, a meeting was held with representatives of Dzierżoniów's primary and secondary schools. Proposals for educational activities proposed by the Youth City Council and the Dzierżoniów Entrepreneurs' Council were presented, planned for implementation in 2025:
- youth surveys,
- organization of the Inter-School Entrepreneurship Tournament,
- creation of a database of companies interested in collaborating within the Great Coalition for Economic Education,
- organization of a field game on entrepreneurship for primary and secondary school students.
Key issues regarding the implementation of the proposed activities in local schools were discussed, and potential implementation dates were set. Through collaboration with schools, numerous initiatives can be implemented that can contribute to improving the economic education of children and youth in Dzierżoniów.
