Turn Your Cents Into Sense
Our main program. A 60-minute session on budgeting, debt and investing, delivered at your school, rec centre, library or community venue. Single sessions or back-to-back for larger groups.
Main program Ages 13 to 19
Workshops
Free, peer-led financial literacy, delivered where youth already are.
Every Lilypad session is built to fit a standard class period, run by trained University of Calgary students, and adaptable to your group's size, age range and setting. Sessions are free for schools and community organizations. Honorariums are welcome and help us reach more youth, but never required.
Free · 60 min · Ages 13 to 19Single or back-to-back sessions
Flagship program
Turn Your Cents Into Sense
A simple, engaging introduction to personal finance. Students hear real stories from our educators, play through gamified activities, and leave with steps they can take this week.
What we cover
- Budgeting & money management: needs vs. wants, part-time income, saving and goal setting.
- Debt & credit: how credit works, credit-score myths, and how to avoid common traps.
- Investing basics: stocks, bonds, ETFs and compounding through our Build Your Stax simulation.
- Planning for post-secondary life: everyday money decisions and thinking long-term.
How we teach
Three pillars of financial literacy.
Every session, and every survey we run, is built around the same three outcomes.
PILLAR 1
Financial confidence
Building students' belief in their ability to manage money effectively, and taking the anxiety out of the topic.
PILLAR 2
Financial knowledge
Teaching practical concepts like budgeting, debt and investing in language that actually lands.
PILLAR 3
Financial behaviours
Motivating action: opening a savings account, building a first budget, or asking better questions at the bank.
Our programs
One flagship workshop. Custom formats on request.
Most groups book Turn Your Cents Into Sense. If you need something different, tell us what you have in mind and we will build it with you.
In-class, curriculum-aligned sessions
Classroom versions mapped to Alberta outcomes in CALM, Math and Social Studies, or adapted for younger groups (we have run sessions for ages 9 and 10). Ask us and we will tailor it.
Special request
Multi-week programs
Deeper series like Money Moves, a three-week program for newcomer youth co-developed with the Calgary Newcomers Guide and hosted with Children's Cottage Society: banking basics, credit building and fraud prevention.
Special request
Booking is easy
How a session works.
Straightforward and flexible. Our team comes to you, with no transportation or off-site logistics needed.
Get in touch
Tell us about your group: approximate size, age range, and the dates and times that work for you.
We plan the session
We match trained educators to your booking and tailor the content to your students, whether a single classroom or multiple back-to-back sessions.
We deliver & measure
Multiple facilitators lead presentation content, personal stories, activities and Q&A. Pre/post surveys measure learning outcomes, which we share with you.
What we provide
- Trained peer facilitators
- All workshop materials and handouts
- Pre- and post-session surveys to measure learning outcomes
- Free of charge. If your organization has a budget for guest programming, an honorarium is gratefully accepted and goes straight toward materials and reaching more youth. It is never a condition of booking.
What we need from you
- A classroom or multipurpose space with a projector or screen
- A teacher or staff member present during the session
- Confirmation of approximate class size and student age range
Past events
From rec centres to church halls to classrooms.
Since our first pilot at Cardel Rec South, we've delivered sessions with Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association, Genesis Centre, West Springs Church, Children's Cottage Society, Stoney Education Authority (Mînî Thnî) and more.
Want to host the next one? Public sessions are announced on our social channels and here on the site. No events are currently open for registration, so get in touch to bring one to your community.
FAQ
Common questions.
How much does a workshop cost?
Nothing. Lilypad Learning is a not-for-profit and our workshops are free for schools and community organizations. That said, we are a student-run organization with real costs for printing, activity materials and travel. If your organization has a budget for guest programming, an honorarium of any size is gratefully accepted and goes directly toward reaching more youth. It is never required to book.
What ages are the sessions for?
Our core programming is built for youth ages 13 to 19 (roughly Grades 8 to 12). We've also adapted content for younger groups (ages 9 and 10) and for newcomer youth, so ask us about your group.
How long is a session?
Our flagship workshop is about 60 minutes and is designed to fit a standard class period. Multi-week series (like Money Moves) run three sessions of roughly two hours each.
Who runs the sessions?
Trained University of Calgary student facilitators, most from the Haskayne School of Business, supported by our curriculum and educational psychology team. Every session has multiple Lilypad team members present, and a teacher or staff member from your organization stays in the room.
Do you align with Alberta curriculum?
Yes. Our in-school stream maps lesson objectives to CALM, Math 10-C budgeting and Social Studies outcomes. We're happy to share our outcome mapping with administrators.
How do you measure impact?
Every session includes pre- and post-surveys measuring financial confidence, knowledge and behavioural intent. Results are compiled in our annual statistical report. Read the 2025 edition.
Ready to bring Lilypad to your students?
Tell us about your group and we'll take it from there.