Enrichly empowers youth self-esteem with measurable impact

Wellstar is creating a village of support for the next generation

Partnership

Across the country, children and teens are experiencing declining levels of self-esteem and confidence, influencing everything from mental health to academic achievement and long-term wellbeing. This is why building resilience and self-worth at an early age is key to helping young people thrive.

Enrichly, founded by Margo Jordan, tackles that very mission. Drawing from her own experiences of struggling with self-esteem as a child and young adult, Jordan created Enrichly to give today’s youth the tools she wished she had.

“It is wonderful to see the lives of children improving in so many ways when their self-esteem increases,” Jordan said. “This transformation turns them into leaders who are ready to take on the world with confidence and resilience.”

In 2023, Enrichly won the Venture Atlanta Startup Live Showcase, where Catalyst by Wellstar was a sponsor and investor. Through that connection, Wellstar invested directly in Enrichly and, together with the Wellstar Center for Health Equity and the Wellstar Community Health team, launched a pilot program at Atlanta Berean Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

This team leads Wellstar’s efforts to improve wellbeing in the communities we serve, addressing social determinants of health through collaborations with schools, nonprofits, and local organizations. As Rae-Anne Pinckney, Director of Community Health Programs & Partnerships at Wellstar, explained:

“COVID brought so much isolation to our youth, and we saw the negative impacts firsthand. We realized that self-esteem is deeply connected to mental health. The way you see yourself has either positive or negative implications on your mental wellbeing. Enrichly felt like the perfect proactive approach to addressing youth mental health,” she said.

Solution

The Enrichly pilot program, launched in fall 2024, enrolled 25 students in a six-month journey focused on building confidence and resilience. Each student received a tablet with Enrichly’s gamified curriculum, blending digital activities with in-person facilitation.

Guided by Enrichly team members and community facilitators, the students engaged in 12 interactive sessions filled with games, conversations, and self-reflection exercises. Progress was tracked through self-esteem assessments, giving caregivers and educators data-driven insights into the growth of each child.

The program addressed a critical need: at the start, only 38% of participants reported high self-esteem, while more than 60% were at average or low levels. The goal was to ensure that by graduation, nearly all of the students would feel confident and capable.

Benefits

The results from the first graduating class were remarkable:

But the numbers only tell part of the story. One participant in the Enrichly program shared how the Escape from Pixel Castle game activity, which mixes creativity and puzzle solving, helped transform their understanding of personal boundaries.

Before the class, saying “no” felt uncomfortable, and they often prioritized others over themselves. The game’s challenges—deciding when to say stop or no—offered a safe space to practice standing firm. These lessons became real-life strategies, empowering the participant to set boundaries with kindness and confidence.

At graduation, they reflected on how this experience strengthened their self-worth and gave them the freedom to prioritize their well-being.

Pinckney reflected on the collaborative spirit behind the Enrichly work:

“We’re building a village to empower youth. By creating capacity for different organizations to join us, we’re expanding the reach of this program together. That collective effort is what makes this so powerful.”

The program also highlights another Wellstar priority: developing the next generation of healthcare leaders. Through a formalized partnership with Clark Atlanta University and other local colleges, Wellstar supports a pipeline of master’s-level social work students who gain hands-on experience facilitating programs like Enrichly, preparing them to serve in community and clinical roles.

Future Steps

Following the success of the pilot, Wellstar’s Community Health team has signed a three-year enterprise contract with Enrichly to continue and expand this work. Future programs will be aligned with Wellstar’s Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), targeting youth in at-risk communities.

Expansion is already underway. New programs with Fulton County Schools and Girls Inc. of Greater Atlanta will bring Enrichly’s curriculum to even more children across Georgia. By embedding the program into schools and youth organizations, Wellstar and Enrichly are ensuring that self-esteem development becomes part of the foundation for healthier, more resilient communities.

“We are thrilled to partner with Wellstar and Enrichly to bring this innovative program to the youth we serve. At Girls Inc. of Greater Atlanta, our mission is to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold — and this partnership directly supports that vision,” said Tiffany Collie-Bailey, Chief Executive Officer of Girls Inc. of Greater Atlanta. “By combining Enrichly’s digitally gamified curriculum with in-person facilitation, we are empowering our youth to build self-esteem, strengthen mental health, and improve academic outcomes. This collaboration is not just an investment in our youth — it’s a step toward safer, healthier, and more confident communities.”

Enrichly and Wellstar are proving that investing in self-esteem is unlocking potential, resilience, and brighter futures for the next generation.