A team of students from Stone have created a new educational card game designed to help make learning more accessible and enjoyable for young people.
Life Links has been developed by 11 students aged between 14 and 17 as part of the Young Enterprise programme at Alleyne’s Academy. The group has spent recent months designing, testing and refining the game while also learning how to run a business from the ground up.
Sophie, who is part of the Life Links team, said the idea came from a shared feeling that education does not always work for everyone.
The students wanted to address the fact that many young people struggle to engage with learning and can find it repetitive or dull. They also felt that some basic life knowledge is not always covered in enough depth, particularly around the challenges young people face as they grow up.
Rather than creating an app or online resource, the team decided to design a physical card game that could be played together with friends or family.
How the game works
Life Links is aimed at young people aged 8 to 16 and can be played solo or with up to six players. A typical game lasts around 15 minutes.
The cards are divided into three categories, Social factors, Self care and Safety. Each card contains two questions, an easy one and a harder more challenging one.
One player acts as the question master for each round, asking questions to the active player. Correct answers allow the player to keep the card, with the first to collect five cards winning in smaller groups, or ten cards in larger groups. Full rules are included in the game leaflet.
The aim is to build common knowledge while also introducing topics that some children may not encounter as often, helping to level the playing field through discussion and play.
A student run business
Alongside designing the game itself, the students have organised themselves into a full business structure.
Fearne is the group’s Managing Director, with Ellie as Deputy and Chelsea as Assistant Manager. Finley and Ellie oversee human resources, while Finley also acts as Finance Manager.
Marketing is led by Jemima, supported by Esme as Social Media Manager, with Chelsea also working in the marketing team. Esme also manages the digital side of the project, alongside Sophie.
Operations are led by Sophie, supported by Laila and Lilly. Chelsea takes on the role of Creative Manager, while sales are overseen by Joe, supported by Fearne, Ellie, Finley, Laila and Lotte. Sustainability is managed by Sophie with support from Phoebe.
Finley said one of the biggest surprises had been the challenge of producing a physical product.
“What surprised us most was the difficulty of making this a physical product. There is a lot more effort that needs to be put into the team to make this product work, which we realised once the idea came about,” he said.
The team meets up to three times a week to discuss progress and next steps, with students balancing schoolwork alongside their business responsibilities.
Learning beyond the classroom
Several team members said the Young Enterprise programme had helped them develop skills that are difficult to learn in lessons alone.
“I think Young Enterprise has been amazing so far as it has helped to build connections with people both inside and outside of school and has also taught many life skills that will be used by every single member,” said Fin.
Fearne and Ellie added: “Both Ellie and I have learnt important life skills, such as organisation in a group, whilst helping to lead and instruct every member of the team with unique skills and ideas.”
Sophie said the experience had helped her better understand how businesses work in practice rather than in theory.
“For me, Young Enterprise has helped me to develop real world skills like teamwork, leadership and resilience through genuine hands on experiences,” she said.
What happens next
The team is still finalising some elements of Life Links but hopes to have the game ready for sale in towards the end of February. While it has not yet been tested externally, the students are working towards linking up with middle schools in Stone and the lower school at Alleyne’s Academy to trial the game once a prototype is complete.
Life Links will be showcased at Stone Makers Market on Saturday 21 February, where visitors will be able to meet the students behind the project and find out more about the game.
The team hopes Life Links will help make learning feel more engaging, social and relevant for young people, while also giving them first hand experience of building something together.
