HARRISBURG, Penn.–The Pennsylvania Credit Union Foundation is partnering with MindBlown Labs to provide a financial education app to credit unions.
According to the Pennsylvania CU Association, the partnership will see MindBlown Labs’ mobile game, Thrive ‘n’ Shine, provided to Financial Reality Fair participants as a follow up activity. Thrive ‘n’ Shine is a strategy and life-simulation game, primarily for teens and young adults, said the PCUA. It is available on both mobile and web-based platforms.
“By playing Thrive ‘n’ Shine, students develop real money management skills, such as budgeting and saving, calculating and paying taxes, managing debt, etc.,” the PCUA said.
Through the hosting credit union, teachers will be given a code specific to their class, and will have access to a dashboard to monitor students’ progress through the game, according to the PCUA. “In the game, students will have the opportunity to work, play, eat, and rest. They must have balance of all four in order to be successful and move through the game. Each level of the game offers more complex financial situations for the students.”
According to the PCUA, the Thrive ‘n’ Shine game will be offered at no cost to credit unions hosting a Financial Reality Fair and will be branded with the new Foundation logo and the words credit union. Credit unions may also choose to brand the program with their own logo.
“This is a win for the students as they can reinforce what was learned during the Financial Reality Fair and then advance their financial skills,” said Kathleen Fey, executive director of the Pennsylvania Credit Union Foundation, in a statement reported by the PCUA. “It’s a win for the credit unions because it will position them as leaders in offering the latest in financial education through technology. I feel very confident in MindBlown Lab’s responsiveness and willingness to work with credit unions as we move forward with this partnership.”