SMBC Group and After-School NPO Afterschool Collaborate｜Recruitment Begins for Fiscal 2026 Organizations to Implement Experiential Financial Education Project for Elementary School Students, "Dream Planning LABO"

NPO After-School NPO Afterschool (Representative Director: Kuniyasu Hiraiwa, hereinafter "After-School NPO Afterschool"), which operates under the mission "To turn after-school hours across Japan into golden time," will collaborate with Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (President and Group CEO: Toru Nakashima, hereinafter "SMBC Group") to hold "Dream Planning LABO," an experiential project for children to think about their future through "money." The project will be held at after-school clubs (Gakudo hoiku), after-school children's classrooms, and other after-school program organizations nationwide.

In fiscal year 2026, we will conduct a public call for participants and deliver a program for thinking about money and the future while having fun, free of charge, to locations across the country.

■ Background and Purpose of "Dream Planning LABO"

In recent years, the "experience gap," where children's opportunities for learning and experiences outside of school differ depending on their family environment and residential area, has been pointed out as a social issue in Japan. There is a need for society as a whole to support diverse experiential opportunities for children.

Against this backdrop, After-School NPO Afterschool, which provides various experiential programs to after-school locations for elementary school students nationwide, aims to contribute to the creation of more experiential opportunities for children through collaboration with SMBC Group, which positions the creation of social value as one of its management pillars and works to resolve educational and experiential disparities for the next generation.

Furthermore, the importance of financial and economic education has been increasing in recent years due to factors such as the spread of cashless payments and investment. By providing this program as experiential content, such as board games and puzzle-solving, we will create opportunities for children to enjoyably understand money and the economic system, and to confront money for the dreams they want to fulfill and for a rich life in the future.

■ Program Overview｜Two Online Programs to Choose From

"Dream Planning LABO" values learning and thinking about money, the role of banks, and how to use money in an enjoyable way. In fact, a survey of children who participated in this program showed that 90% answered that they "had a lot of fun" or "had fun," indicating a high level of satisfaction.

In fiscal year 2026, we will offer the following two online programs free of charge.

■ Application Guidelines

・Target Applicants: Organizations conducting after-school activities for elementary school students, such as after-school clubs and after-school children's classrooms.