Our Impact (so far!)

Since 2014, Life101 has delivered one-day and four-day life and financial skills programmes in prisons and Community Corrections centres across Aotearoa.
18 000+

Total Participants

18,000+ people have taken part in Life101 programmes in prisons and community corrections centres.
65+

Total Sites

Programmes have been delivered in more than 65 prisons and community corrections centres nationwide.
20 00+

Total Programmes

Life101 has delivered more than 2,000 one-day and four-day programmes in prisons and community corrections centres.
95%

Programme Satisfaction

95% of all participants were either “Happy” or “Very happy” with the Life101 programmes.
67%

Feeling Confident

67% of participants felt very good about themselves and their skills after the programme, compared to 25% before the programme—showing increases in self-confidence.
70%

Feeling Positive

70% of participants felt very positive about their future after the programme, compared to 28% before the programme—showing increases in self-worth.

Who We Work With

Life101 works with people from many different backgrounds and stages of life, tailoring programmes to meet them where they are.

How We're Reducing Reoffending

Life101 aligns with four of the Department of Corrections’ Six Pillars of Reintegration—the key factors proven to reduce re-offending:

1. Family/whānau and community

Life101 strengthens family connections by equipping participants with practical skills to share with their tamariki and whānau: - Parents and women rated facilitator support at 99% happy/very happy (81% very happy). - Many said they’d teach budgeting and saving skills to their tamariki and whānau. - Participants often spoke of wanting to “be a better version of myself” for their families.

2. Education & training

Life101 re-engages people in learning by making education practical, relevant, and confidence-building: - Strongest improvements seen in budgeting, saving, and financial literacy. - Many said it was the first programme they hadn’t walked out of. - Participants reported greater self- understanding and motivation to pursue further training or apprenticeships.

3. Employment

Life101 develops real-world work readiness, giving participants the skills and confidence to take their next step into employment: - Participants created CVs, practiced job interviews, and built confidence to talk with employers. - Work-Ready participants valued role-plays and group activities simulating real job settings. - Many left with clearer job direction and motivation to apply for work or training.

4. Skills for life

Life101 equips participants with everyday life skills that boost confidence, reduce stress, and help build a positive outlook for the future: - Biggest gains in personal budgeting, saving, debt management, and goal- setting. - Participants became more motivated to reduce debt and plan for their future. - 70% felt very positive about their future after the programme (up from 28% beforehand).
1. Family/whānau and community
2. Education & training
3. Employment
4. Skills for life

Life101 Impact Report

Life101 has delivered programmes in prisons and community correction (probation) centres since 2014. Evaluation has been a cornerstone of the programmes from the start.
Download our full impact report Our Programmes

Stories Shared with Us Later

Many of the real outcomes happen well after a programme ends — in chance conversations, unexpected catch-ups, or messages passed back through the community. These are a few of those stories.
One of Life101’s facilitators was having lunch at a shopping mall when a man in a New World uniform kept glancing over. Eventually he came up and asked, “Robyn! Do you remember me?”. He’d attended a Life101 programme at the Panmure Probation Centre. He told her it had helped him more than he expected, giving him the motivation to get a job, set up KiwiSaver accounts for his kids, and work hard to build something better for his family.

November 2025

While delivering a programme at the Panmure Probation Centre, a man recognised Life101’s facilitator Phil and came over during the break. He’d done a Life101 programme with him at Paremoremo Prison six years earlier. At the time, he had about $29,000 of debt and his attitude was, “F&*k the debt — I’m not paying it back." After that programme, he followed the advice to get a financial mentor and put a plan in place. When they met again at Panmure, he was down to his final $4,000 and on track to be debt free for the first time in his adult life.

May 2025

After completing a Life101 programme, a former participant, Richmond, later got in touch to share what had happened since. He had gone on to establish his own youth mentoring business, 2nd Chance Peer Consultants, and has successfully reached the final stage of approval with the Ministry of Social Development for a start-up business grant. He described the programme as the starting point that helped shift his mindset, giving him tangible tools and the confidence to take the first step towards reaching his goal.

July 2025

While running a programme at the Ōtara Probation Centre in 2023, a staff member sat in to observe the programme. Two years later, when Life101 returned to deliver another programme there, she came up to the facilitator and shared what had happened since that day. After attending the programme, she went home and set her son up with KiwiSaver. His account has since grown to $23,000, helping set him up financially for the future. She said none of his friends are in the same position — all from taking one small action after the Life101 programme.

February 2025