Life101 Launchpad is a newly launched interactive online course that promises to teach rangatahi fundamental life skills by focusing on the “why”, not just the how. And, it’s actually fun. Founder Nick Carroll shares more about the journey that led them to this point.
I started Life101 with a friend, Phil Moon, 10 years ago. Originally, we ran a few school holiday programmes, which caught the attention of the NZ Herald. The article was read by the education department at Paremoremo Prison. They were looking at launching a programme that would educate people in prison with life skills to build stable, successful and happy lives for themselves, their kids and their whānau.
Through Life101, we’ve delivered life skills programmes to around 12,000 individuals in schools, prisons and probation centres across Aotearoa, but the ambition was always more significant, especially for our rangatahi — to reach all young people with a life and financial skills education that’s more like a game than another day in the classroom.
This led to the birth of Life101 Launchpad, an online platform designed specifically for young people aged 16 to 23 — the critical juncture between the last year of secondary school and the initial years of university or an apprenticeship.
This age group will often receive some degree of practical advice for “real life from their parents”; but at a school level, life skills are often treated as another subject a young person can choose or not choose to engage with, and unfortunately all young people need life skills and to be motivated to want to use them in the real world.
I believe our rangatahi deserve better; and Launchpad is our way of making essential knowledge affordable; accessible to as many youths as possible and most important - fun - so that they actually want to engage.
Financial literacy is a cornerstone of Launchpad’s curriculum. In a society where fundamental life skills are often overlooked, we aimed to address the pervasive issue of financial illiteracy. Through engaging scenarios and interactive activities, participants delve into topics like debt, budgeting, KiwiSaver, how to save money and the consequences of financial decisions. Our goal is to empower young people to navigate the complexities of the real world with confidence and financial acumen.
In the spirit of going beyond the traditional approach of teaching theory, we’ve ventured into the practical—teaching not only the “how-to” but also instilling the motivation to apply these skills in the real world.
More than just ‘how’ ...
Interactive app that is made with rangatahi in mind.
What makes Launchpad unique is its emphasis on engaging and effective learning methods. We wanted to break away from the monotony of traditional education by incorporating interactive scenarios reminiscent of “choose-your-own-adventure” stories. These scenarios cover a spectrum of life skills, from debt, how to budget and save money, to interviewing for an actual job and getting started in investing, today not tomorrow.
Where schools will teach the theory of something – like how to save money for example – we teach the theory, the how-to do it in the real world and the motivation to want to use the skills, which means our learners end up with a tangible outcome and everything they need to succeed in the real world.
Meeting the needs of digitally savvy rangatahi
The beauty of Launchpad lies in its accessibility. Recognising the busy lives of today’s youth, we wanted a platform that could seamlessly integrate into their schedules. Whether it’s during a free period at school, a coffee break at work, or even on the bus to and from school, Launchpad allows young individuals to acquire vital life skills without disrupting their daily lives. For secondary schools, it can be implemented within class time and monitored by teachers using the Launchpad’s admin dashboard, or simply offered to students or parents to be done in their own time. It takes just two minutes to sign up and get started, starting from $65 (or $75 if you want to pay an entry forward to someone who can’t afford Launchpad access).
The material has been designed to captivate and hold the attention of Gen Z learners and involves a series of short text, videos, quizzes and real-life scenarios. The course is made up of nine one-hour workshops, with daily encouragements designed to guide and prompt learners through the course.
The Life101 courses are already in use at schools throughout the country, including some of the most disadvantaged where this type of knowledge will help set the next generation up to break out of poverty.
Looking ahead, my dream for Launchpad is ambitious—I envision a future where it is freely accessible to all young people and enjoyed by all young people who do it. Removing financial barriers to education is crucial, and we are exploring avenues such as corporate sponsorships to make this dream a reality.
Nick Carroll is a social entrepreneur whose frustrations with the low financial literacy levels experienced by many school leavers led to his vision for the Launchpad. He uses the jam jars approach to saving and enjoys the challenge of doing social good through business.
