Development of The Real Game Series

The Real Game Series was born thanks to numerous partners who played a significant role in its development. Since its beginning, Real Game Inc., the National Life Work Center (NLWC), Canada Career Information Partnership (CCIP), the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee (NOICC) - now the America's Career Resource Network (ACRN) and their respective national networks have agreed to follow a project development template with five distinct phases. An International Advisory Group (IAG) guides every program through all phases:

• Program conception and definition
• Prototype development
• International pilot
• Evaluation and revision
• Launch and implementation

The common objective of all contributors to The Real Game Series is to make the highest quality, most effective programs available to the widest possible audiences at the lowest possible prices. During the pilot phase for each program in the Series, thousands of students or adult participants, teachers, facilitators, counsellors, administrators, parents/guardians submit detailed recommendations for program enhancements. All are analyzed by teams of researchers, and as many as possible are incorporated in extensive post-pilot revisions that are approved by the IAG before the program is published and distributed.

Prices are held low because the programs are developed and implemented in large part through voluntary contributions of time and effort from thousands of people. Furthermore, there are no sales representatives or agents to be paid, and no traditional advertising or marketing expenses.

The Real Game Series initial development was funded by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada on the understanding that all programs in the Series would be fully financially self-sustaining once launched. Although the NLWC is a not-for-profit Canadian corporation and the ACRN a U.S. federal agency, revenues must cover all training, support, communication, distribution and development costs. Promotion and awareness-raising are primarily the responsibility of the Departments of Education, professional associations and other agencies who helped create these programs. The task of promotion is not difficult because so many schools and community agencies realize they are getting exceptional value for a reasonable price, and programs that make a real, measurable difference in the lives of participants-and they are spreading the word!