When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down SafeWise, a charity that ran physical training centres for life skills, it seemed like the end of an era. But two years later, the resilient team bounced back as a social enterprise – 360 Skills For Life – with a bold vision: to deliver online training to Key Stages 2 and 3 in a virtual environment.
We created an exclusively online immersive experience to teach life skills that range from how to cross the road safely, to dealing with gang crime, to developing strategies to stay safe online. Our solution secured funding from NHS England and we are confident that we can grow our offering even further. The ultimate goal is to cover life skills from the earliest years up to the age of 21.
By going digital, we have overcome the physical barriers that limited our reach and impact with real-world learning centres. Our digital town is open to everyone, everywhere, anytime. It needs no staff to operate; schools can access the training from their classroom using an interactive whiteboard. By using existing school hardware rather than new, expensive headsets, we’ve maximised access and kept the emphasis on collaborative real-world learning.
“We can create more realistic scenarios and situations… without leaving the classroom. It’s as though [learners] are there, and brings learning to life.”
Director
360 Skills for Life
