Playbook

Turn Financial Wellness into Action and Measurable Outcomes

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Students create a plan

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Actions completed after plan

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Decrease in financial stress

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Increase in financial confidence

How Programs Drive Engagement Beyond Workshops

Financial wellness programs are most effective when students can translate what they learn into progress on real financial obligations. Many institutions are pairing workshops and coaching with structured financial plans, trackable actions, and connected support pathways so students remain engaged over time and receive timely help when barriers emerge. This playbook outlines a practical approach to strengthen programming, support coaches and peer mentors, and demonstrate impact through measurable student outcomes.

 

Make Every Workshop More Actionable and More Relevant

Workshops work best when students leave with clear next steps they can complete immediately. Arbol turns your workshop topics into guided, student-specific action plans. Students build or update a financial plan as part of the experience, complete 2–3 practical actions tied to the session, and receive follow-up nudges that reinforce progress. This helps increase repeated engagement and makes financial wellness feel more connected to student life and decisions.

 

Equip Coaches and Peer Mentors With Better Tools

Coaches and peer mentors are most effective when they have structure, continuity, and visibility. Arbol gives them a shared view of a student’s plan, progress, and barriers so sessions are more focused and students don’t need to repeat their story. Peer mentors don’t need to be experts in financial aid or complex systems because Arbol provides guided prompts and recommended actions. Coaches spend less time gathering context and more time supporting real progress.

 

Connect Students to Campus Resources With a Plan in Place

Financial wellness programs often serve as the front door, but students ultimately need support from multiple offices: Financial Aid, the Bursar, Housing, Basic Needs, and Student Success teams. Arbol improves referrals by routing students with their plan and context already documented. That reduces friction, improves follow-through, and strengthens collaboration across departments because everyone is working from the same student plan.

 

 

Measure Engagement Beyond Attendance

Financial wellness leaders are increasingly asked to show impact, not just participation. Arbol makes engagement measurable by tracking plan completion, action follow-through, coaching engagement, and resource connections. Programs can see what topics drive action, which students are stalled, and what barriers are most common across cohorts. This supports stronger reporting for leadership, grants, and strategic planning.

 

 

Implementation Timeline

This approach plugs into the financial wellness programming you already run. Students build a plan, each touchpoint reinforces progress, and your team gains the visibility to prioritize follow-up and improve outcomes across the term.

1. Program Setup
Align content to calendar.
2. Student Baseline Plan
Students build their plan.
3. Workshops + Coaching Actions
Students complete key steps.
4. Engagement + Referrals
Track progress and connect support.
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What Students Complete Through the Program

Students build real readiness through guided planning, practical actions, coaching accountability, and support connections.

  • Build a Personal Financial Plan
    Students clarify obligations, priorities, and next steps.

  • Complete Workshop-Based Actions
    Students take concrete steps tied to each topic.

  • Use Coaching for Accountability
    Students track progress and barriers over time.

  • Connect to Campus Support
    Students access Financial Aid, Bursar, Housing, and Basic Needs resources with a plan.

  • Carry the Plan Forward
    Students continue using one plan across the semester.

I was stressed because I didn’t know what to do and I didn’t want to fall behind. This made it easier to explain my situation and get help quickly.

Jalen R.
First-Year Student

What Success Looks Like

Success is reflected in sustained engagement, stronger coaching effectiveness, and more effective referrals to campus support services. Institutions gain visibility into student progress and can demonstrate program impact beyond event attendance.

Metrics list:

  • Increased plan completion

  • Higher action follow-through

  • Improved coaching effectiveness

  • More successful referrals

  • Earlier help-seeking behavior

  • Stronger outcomes reporting

Ready to get started?

Talk to an Arbol Expert

Want to explore how Arbol can fit into your financial wellness program? An Arbol expert can share proven models for workshop integration, peer mentor workflows, coaching structures, referral pathways, and outcomes reporting that help programs drive engagement and measurable impact.

  • Workshop + module templates
  • Peer mentor coaching workflows
  • Student engagement strategy
  • Department referral pathways
  • Outcomes reporting framework
Schedule a strategy call

Who This Is For

Best fit for teams that:

  • Lead financial wellness centers

  • Run workshops and coaching

  • Manage peer mentor programs

  • Improve student engagement

  • Prove program outcomes


Talk to an Arbol expert