StartSmart

As creative lead at ChangeLabs, my work on StartSmart spanned two streams: designing and delivering the program's first virtual workshop, and conducting the annual evaluation and content review of the existing face-to-face program.

The virtual workshop was created to extend StartSmart's reach to rural and remote schools that couldn't be serviced by face-to-face facilitators. I was brought on to steer a significant turnaround after the project had stalled in early pre-production due to an unfeasible strategic approach. Over six months, I led intensive collaboration between a team of 50+ advisors and subject matter experts, producing 120 minutes of curriculum-mapped content combining animated videos, gamification, and strong narrative elements to keep each year level engaged and drive targeted behavioural outcomes.

In parallel, I conducted the annual program review of the broader StartSmart initiative — synthesising findings from the ACER evaluation, identifying areas for improvement across content, delivery and support resources, and recommending changes to strengthen the program's impact on student attitudes, knowledge, and behavioural intentions.

Highlights

• High acclaim prompted the program being made available to all Australian teachers
• Influenced Commonwealth Bank's decision to commit a further $50 million to the StartSmart program
• StartSmart has reached over 2 million Australian students since its 2007 launch, educating 500,000+ students per year
• ACER evaluation found educationally significant impact in 5 of 8 measured variables, including large increases in behavioural intention and financial knowledge
• 275,000+ students reached per year via 20+ full-time facilitators across primary, secondary and vocational settings

Contributions

• Led the design of the first virtual workshop, extending the program's reach to rural and remote schools unreachable by face-to-face facilitators
• Authored the Strategic Content Approach defining program structure, delivery model, evaluation framework and content specifications
• Conducted the annual program review, synthesising ACER evaluation findings into actionable recommendations
• Steered the project from re-concepting through to evaluation in market after it had stalled in early pre-production
• Managed collaboration across 50+ advisors, subject matter experts and content suppliers
• Designed two 60-minute teacher-driven, student-centric workshops (Year 4 primary and Year 10 secondary), each structured as four modular 20-minute units
• Directed audio, script, and video production across 120 minutes of curriculum-mapped interactive content combining film, animation and gamification
• Established a multi-source evaluation framework: expert panel feedback, dynamic in-activity metrics, download tracking and formal teacher surveys