School caisse: a family project!

A mission of education and savings for over 100 years!
How does it work?
Why sign your child up for a school caisse?
Kits and activities

A mission of education and savings for over 100 years!

Alphonse Desjardins established the concept of penny savings in Lévis in 1901. He believed that regular saving habits are best learned in early childhood. Bolstered by the results he achieved, he officially founded the first school caisses in Lévis six years later.

Alphonse Desjardins' aim was to:

• help young people become independent, responsible and competent
• spark their interest in the values of cooperatives
• make them aware of the importance of sound financial management

And so the school caisse was born!

Today, more than 1,100 primary schools in Quebec and 100 primary schools in Ontario have an active school caisse, and more than 120,000 students deposit their savings there.

How does it work?

A school caisse works like cooperative and operates under the authority and supervision of a local Desjardins caisse.

• Sign your children up at a school caisse to help them take their first steps on the road to financial independence.
• Teach them the importance of managing their money for everyday personal expenses.
• Help them establish a regular saving routine aimed at realizing a project or a dream.

Why sign your child up for a scool caisse?

For its advantages

• No service charges
• No minimum deposit
• Interest calculated daily and paid monthly
• Interest rate higher than an ordinary account
• Deposits made at school
• Withdrawals made only at a Desjardins caisse
• With passbook or statement of account
  (depending on caisse offer)
• Child is the account holder, in charge of the account
  (unless otherwise specified by parents)
• No inter-Caisse access
• No chequing privileges

For its educational value

• Introduces children to saving habits in cooperation with the school.
• Instils basic notions about saving, thriftiness and cooperation.
• Kindles individual and collective entrepreneurial spirit.
• Enhances the child's autonomy and sense of responsibility.
• In line with current educational objectives like learning to be a smart consumer.

Kits and activities

Desjardins caisses offer educational kits with collector cards for parents and children who are members of a school caisse. These kits are available (in French only) at participating Desjardins caisses. Ask about them!