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The WIGU Program

The WIGU program is uniquely developed to compliment the New South Wales school curriculum, assisting teachers in helping students become confident and self-sufficient adults. The WIGU approach is based on national and international research, together with advice from experts in the educational field. A special program is designed for each specific grade and is realistic, age-appropriate and creatively stimulating. WIGU aims to assist schools with teaching students important and practical real life skills by working in partnership with primary and secondary school professionals and the general community.

WIGU for Primary Schools

The primary school program illustrated below is simply a guideline of what WIGU has to offer. The duration of each class is one hour. For convenience, classes are held at the location of your school and all programs can be tailored to the specific needs of your school.

Kindergarten

The Kindergarten program explores the adult world of working for money. Students use humorous props and costumes (e.g. stethoscopes, Postman Pat hats and a reclining dentist chair) to work as doctors, postmen and dentists. After each shift, students are paid a wage. After a hard day’s work, students are then allowed to spend the money they have earnt – but with a catch! They must divide their earnings into 4 categories (The 4S Money System – spend now, spend later, save & send). This is an extremely rewarding experience for children and they learn responsible financial habits from a young age.

Year 1

Year 1 students put on their creative thinking caps and spend a day at the WIGU beach. With the ocean on one side and sand on the other, they soon learn that the beach can be a dangerous place. Whilst happily building a sandcastle, students will notice that Dad’s apron catches on fire while cooking juicy sausages. With guidance, students learn how to make a detailed phone call to emergency services. Australian Red Cross first aid kits are also used in the Year 1 program, so students walk away knowing how to treat small cuts, burns and sprains. Next time there’s an emergency… Year 1 will know how to save the day!

Year 2

A day in the lives on mum and dad – probably the hardest profession of all! With dirty clothes lying everywhere, dishes piled up in the sink, light bulbs blown and bills to pay, Year 2 students help bring order to the house again. Students learn that chores aren’t always as easy as they seem and that there are minor details you must pay attention to in order to avoid disasters. When electricity bills aren’t paid, students will find themselves stuck in the dark. When white clothes are washed with blacks, students will find Dad’s expensive white business shirt turn grey. When scourers are used on Mum’s wedding china, we have got someone in tears. To avoid these disasters, Year 2 students write a cheque to pay the bills, separate coloureds from whites and washes the china gently with a soft sponge. After just an hour, home is a beautiful place again and that’s the way it should always be!

Year 3

It’s dinner party time in the Year 3 classroom but before everyone gets all dressed up and enjoys a feed, there are so many things that need to be organised. There’s the food, the activities, the decorations, the invitations and other supplies – it sure isn’t easy being host! So the shopping starts and Year 3 students run around frantically comparison shopping for party supplies because they have been issued with both a budget and a deadline. It isn’t an easy job keeping an eye on the budget with a credit card in your hands for convenience either. You’ll be amazed how quickly Year 3 students start thinking like adults when they tell you how to draw up shopping lists, how to stay under a budget, how to set a table and the risks of spending on credit! What a successful dinner party it is going to be!

Year 4

When I grow up… I want to travel the world! Year 4 students have the opportunity to fly to a destination of their choice, but they soon learn that a holiday comprises of so much more. Knowing the difference between Yellow Pages and White Pages, how to fill in application forms for passports, how to come up with a comprehensive packing list and how to make an enquiry on the phone are just a few of the skills your Year 4 students will walk away with. Sticking to a budget is also not always easy, especially when there are so many 5-star hotels, gourmet restaurants and interesting activities there to tempt you. They soon learn that a holiday is not always about the glamorous side of things and that there are many cost-effective ways to have the time of your lives.

Year 5

Job interviews – one of the scariest things we have to face in life, but it doesn’t have to be that way! From reading a map to get to the job interview to being socially respectable on public transport, you’ll have little ladies and gentlemen ready to conquer the competitive workforce in no time. With the chance to play employer and employee, you’ll watch the students’ confidence grow and grow in the space of an hour. Faced with challenging questions in a fun environment, students won’t even feel the pressure. By the end of the session, Year 5 students just might know better than most adults of today how to impress that scary, new CEO. WIGU will have them saying, “Job Interview? Piece of cake!”

Year 6

Year 6 students graduate from the WIGU program with a BIG BANG! Students get an opportunity of a lifetime – to get a glimpse of their future through a “Real-Life Careers Fair”. It’s like a game of Monopoly, but a lot more hands-on. They explore every aspect life consists of – housing, employment, transport, clothing, education and recreation. They even get hit with “an events card” to illustrate the unforeseen costs or fortunes we may come by throughout our lives. As they watch their earnings dwindle, some might find that the careers they had their eyes on might not provide the funds they would like in the future. Students truly learn the cost of living and get a realistic perspective of the adult world.


Money Management
WIGU teaches children important skills in understanding money, handling money, money saving goals, money saving habits, purchasing choices and budgeting. Using everyday experiences is a great way to help kids develop a healthy attitude towards personal finance.
First Aid
WIGU teaches kids to answer this question with confidence – “If you were the first at an accident scene, in or outside your home, would you know what to do?” Using Australia Red Cross first aid kits, students walk away knowing how to treat small cuts, burns and sprains.
Emergency Procedures
Make a plan! Know the facts! WIGU prepares children with general guidelines and knowledge on what to do in the case of an emergency. Students will walk away confident in calling the police, ambulance or fire brigade – knowing how to answer questions posed to them in a calm and detailed manner.
Financial Skills
What is a budget? What is a good credit rating? What is a mortgage? What is interest? What is a credit card? How does a credit card work? It is never too young to learn. WIGU instils smart financial habits in children by teaching them the basics in an age-appropriate and fun way.
Domestic Home Skills
Many kids finish school and are thrown into the adult world knowing equations, Shakespeare and the chemical compounds of water. However, what they don’t know is how to fix things around the house, how to do laundry, how to keep to-do-lists and how to change a light bulb. WIGU instils independence and ensures that kids can survive in the real world.
Social Etiquette
Respect, good sportsmanship, table manners, teamwork, conflict resolution and empathy – don’t underestimate what a strong favourable impression your kid’s manners have on other people. Studies have proven that kids without social grace are more likely to have problems with friends, families and colleagues in the future.