Our Story

It was 2017. Sarah Mitchell had just finished teaching a Year 11 maths class when a student stayed behind to ask a question. Not about quadratic equations or trigonometry—about money.

"Miss, I just got paid from my weekend job. What should I actually do with it?"

This wasn't an isolated incident. Over the following weeks, more questions came: How do you open a bank account? What's an ISA? Why do adults stress about credit cards? Should I save for uni or spend while I'm young?

These were bright, capable teenagers who could solve complex mathematical problems but felt completely unprepared for basic financial decisions they were already facing.

From Classroom to Community

Sarah started running informal lunchtime sessions. Word spread quickly. Within a month, she had a waiting list of over forty students wanting to learn about money management.

That's when she realized this wasn't just her school's problem—it was systemic. Financial literacy wasn't being taught consistently or effectively anywhere in Birmingham's education system.

By summer 2018, Sarah had partnered with Marcus Webb, a financial advisor frustrated by how many young adults came to him with preventable money problems, and Priya Kapoor, a youth worker who'd seen firsthand how financial stress affected families.

Together, they founded fluidor-spark.

What We Believe

Financial education shouldn't be intimidating, boring, or reserved for university economics courses. It should be:

• Accessible — no jargon, no assumptions about prior knowledge
• Relevant — connected to real situations young people actually encounter
• Practical — focused on skills they can use immediately
• Empowering — building confidence, not creating fear

We also believe that learning about money doesn't have to feel like homework. Our sessions include games, group challenges, real-world simulations, and plenty of discussion. Learning happens best when it's engaging.

Our Approach

Every program we offer is designed around three core principles:

Start with curiosity, not curriculum. We ask what young people actually want to know about money, then build from there. This means our content evolves based on real questions and interests.

Make it interactive. Sitting passively through lectures doesn't work for complex topics like finance. We use case studies, role-playing, budgeting exercises, and group problem-solving to keep participants actively engaged.

Connect it to real life. Abstract concepts become concrete when tied to goals young people care about—saving for something specific, managing their first income, understanding student loans, or planning for independence.

The Team Behind fluidor-spark

Our core team brings together education, finance, and youth development expertise:

Sarah Mitchell left full-time teaching in 2019 to focus entirely on fluidor-spark. She designs curriculum and leads many of our teen programs. She has a background in mathematics education and a passion for making complex concepts understandable.

Marcus Webb spent fifteen years as a financial advisor before joining fluidor-spark. He translates professional financial knowledge into age-appropriate lessons and oversees our investment and long-term planning modules.

Priya Kapoor manages our community partnerships and family programs. Her experience in youth services ensures our approach remains inclusive and sensitive to diverse family situations.

We also work with rotating facilitators and guest speakers—former teachers, young entrepreneurs, accountants, and others who can bring fresh perspectives to our sessions.

Our Impact So Far

Since 2018, we've worked with over 800 young people across Birmingham. While we're careful about making grand claims, the feedback has been consistent:

Parents tell us their children are more thoughtful about spending. Teenagers report feeling more confident about their financial futures. Teachers notice students applying mathematical concepts to real-world scenarios more naturally.

We've also seen practical outcomes: participants opening their first savings accounts, creating realistic budgets for university, negotiating their first job salaries more effectively, and helping their families make informed financial decisions.

Looking Forward

Our goal isn't to turn every child into a financial expert. It's simpler than that: we want young people to feel capable and informed when they encounter money decisions. To ask good questions. To recognize when they need help. To understand that financial wellbeing is achievable.

We're constantly refining our programs based on participant feedback and emerging needs. The financial landscape changes—new banking technologies, different employment patterns, evolving economic challenges—and our teaching evolves with it.

What doesn't change is our commitment to making financial education accessible, relevant, and genuinely useful for Birmingham's young people.