Here's a story about how members of the Changemakers community are promoting conflict resolution in South Asia:
Sushobha Barve has an uncompromising belief in the healing power of dialogue, even in the tensest places on Earth. Her polished approach to peacekeeping cleverly persuades warring factions to overcome their mistrust and begin the process of reconciliation by engaging in genuine conversation.
According to Barve, this dialogue-based approach is traditionally embedded in the history of her native South Asia, however somewhere along the way the constructive culture of dialogue morphed into the highly confrontational practice of debate.
Read more about this solution, or discuss this topic below.
This innovation also has a Project Page where you can read more about its latest progress.
Go to Project: Move This World.
Created on 03/31/2013 by Ouida Maedel
Move This World (MTW) is a global nonprofit using creative movement as a vehicle to transform conflict, violence and bullying in communities. MTW focuses on empowering individuals with skills to identify emotions within themselves, to be empathetic in their interactions with others, and to act as change agents in their communities. Our hallmark program is an evidence-based curriculum engaging students Pre-K-12 in movement-based activities promoting empathy, diversity appreciation, anger management, and conflict transformation.
Organization: Move This World, Inc.
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United States, VA, Alexandria, Fairfax County
Country where this project is creating social impact
n/a
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Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
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Growth (your pilot is up and running, and starting to expand)
What problem is your organization committed to solving? In particular, share what is innovative about your approach.
Move This World (MTW) is a global nonprofit using creative movement as a vehicle to transform conflict, violence and bullying in communities. MTW focuses on empowering individuals with skills to identify emotions within themselves, to be empathetic in their interactions with others, and to act as change agents in their communities. Our hallmark program is an evidence-based curriculum engaging students Pre-K-12 in movement-based activities promoting empathy, diversity appreciation, anger management, and conflict transformation. Using MTW's holistic approach, we engage students, families, educators, administrators, and communities with targeted programs that promote social change through the art of movement. MTW has worked with over 9,000 individuals across 22 cities on four continents.
What are your organization's top three priorities in the next year?
In the next year, Move This World's top priority is to hire two full-time leadership positions to help to lead programmatic growth and operational strategy. These full-time positions will provide current staff with the support, resources, and expertise for Move This World to scale and enter new markets. Our second priority is to grow the number of classrooms we have in current program hubs. Thirdly, Move This World would like to pilot its special needs curriculum and identify potential new product lines in the next year.
Need #1
Message & Brand Strategy
Need #2
Peer Benchmarking Analysis
Based on your first choice of the eight technical categories you selected above, what is your specific project need? Please be specific!
In February of 2013 Move This World underwent a re-brand to become the organization it is today. Formerly known as Dance 4 Peace, Move This World leadership decided to pursue a re-branding process to find a name that truly articulated our use of innovative practice using creative movement for empathy education. We also wanted to find a name that embodied our growth potential, vision, and mission more fully. While we feel confident that we have found that name in Move This World, we are working to embody the new brand across the organization and realize our growth potential not only through our current curriculum and training programs, but also through new product lines to distinguish ourselves from peers and become the standard among organizations offering innovative empathy education programs.
1.
Move This World prioritizes flexibility and responsiveness to the needs of partners, customizing programs and arrangements.
2.
Move This World prioritizes open communication between partners and MTW staff, ensuring we are available to partners.
3.
Move This World prioritizes cultural awareness, ensuring our programs are appropriate for diverse contexts.
Will support from American Express be focused on your organization overall or a specific product/service? Please describe.
Support from American Express will be focused on Move This World as an organization overall in order to maximize the impact of the support. In order to work on our strategic positioning as an organization, we must pursue processes that foster cohesive branding and messaging strategies, and help us situate ourselves in the civil society space in relationship to peer organizations.
Have you focused on the above area previously? If so, please explain, including whether you have worked with outside consultants before.
Move This World has worked with outside consultants before, including with consultants who advised us throughout the re-brand process. We have also worked with consultants to evaluate the efficacy and growth potential of Move This World's programs in certain markets. While individual staff members have dedicate some time to considering branding and messaging and a part-time Communications and Strategy Specialist is a crucial member of our team, outside facilitation will prioritize branding and messaging for all staff to ensure consistency and confidence.
Are you able to commit 3-5 hours/wk over 10-12 weeks?
Yes
Are you able to meet virtually or at a convenient in-person location?
Yes
Are you able to meet in the city where your organization is based?
Yes
1.
To empower all Move This World staff to speak and write confidently and consistently about the new Move This World brand.
2.
To be internationally recognized as the standard provider of empathy education programs.
3.
To identify and strategize about potential distinct product lines for development under the Move This World umbrella.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
The MTW curriculum transcends countries, socioeconomic differences, languages and cultures; it is being adapted and implemented in diverse communities worldwide. In the fall of 2011, aggregate data MTW collected indicated an 80% increase in student positive empathetic reactions to seeing an isolated peer after exposure to a semester of our programming. When given a situation involving bullying, there was a 48% decrease in violent responses. Survey questions to MTW students testing for appreciation of diversity showed a 15% increase in listening to others, 30% increase in liking group work, and 25% increase in likelihood to try new things. Suspension data in one school declined from 53 incidents to 16, after one semester of Move This World programming in several classrooms.
What is your project future impact after receiving professional support from American Express?
Based upon our strategic scaling model and business plan, Move This World will have an annual budget of $1.7 million in five years and will have worked with 55,000 youth and educators. Move This World has already shown success at scaling from one classroom in Bogota, Colombia to serving over 9,000 individuals in 22 cities on four continents. Support from American Express will enable Move This World to take the next step in becoming the standard bearer in innovative empathy education practice. Our programs are already sought after by a diversity of partners, and undergoing a peer benchmarking analysis will empower us to identify growth areas and customize product lines based upon the market need and feedback from partners.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Created on 03/29/2013 by Nicholas Carlisle
Student bullying is epidemic across industrialized nations worldwide, involving approximately 30% of students. It causes its targets physical, cognitive and emotional distress, marginalizes diverse youth and leads its targets to commit suicide and school shootings. Unless schools intervene promptly and effectively, the result is student disengagement and long-term mental health challenges, which impact school performance and impede students from ever reaching their lifetime potential.
Organization: No Bully
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United States, CA, San Francisco
Country where this project is creating social impact
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
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Scaling solutions to bullying
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Growth (your pilot is up and running, and starting to expand)
What problem is your organization committed to solving? In particular, share what is innovative about your approach.
Student bullying is epidemic across industrialized nations worldwide, involving approximately 30% of students. It causes its targets physical, cognitive and emotional distress, marginalizes diverse youth and leads its targets to commit suicide and school shootings. Unless schools intervene promptly and effectively, the result is student disengagement and long-term mental health challenges, which impact school performance and impede students from ever reaching their lifetime potential. Students who habitually bully tend to engage in delinquency, alcohol abuse, anti-social behaviours and crimes in to their adult lives. Unchecked, bullying creates unsafe school environments and leads to greater violence in our communities.
What are your organization's top three priorities in the next year?
I. Deliver the No Bully System to schools most at need across the United States. We will create a team of No Bully trainers available to train school districts how to implement the No Bully System starting in the Western US States.
II. Create strategic partnerships to deliver the No Bully System at low or zero cost to schools. In order to scale our program rapidly, No Bully will secure corporate sponsorships and foundation funding for No Bully trainers to work with schools at low or zero cost.
III. Establish the No Bully System as the best practice in how to respond to student bullying. In the age of evidence-based programs, we will demonstrate the success of the No Bully System through gathering and publishing quantitative evidence of its effectiveness.
Need #1
Staffing Capabilities
Need #2
Performance Management
Based on your first choice of the eight technical categories you selected above, what is your specific project need? Please be specific!
No Bully is poised for growth. Six months ago we had just one employee - the ED - and operated our trainings through independent contractors. Now we have three employees, having brought on a development director and trainer. Our goal over the next twelve months is to increase our staff to eight.
In order to create a high level and effective team, our project need is to create a detailed staffing plan that defines how we will advertise, recruit, interview and create job descriptions for new and existing hires.
If the coaching process can extend to two needs/goals, we would highly value American Express guidance on performance management as we move from a virtual office to a physical office in San Francisco.
Will support from American Express be focused on your organization overall or a specific product/service? Please describe.
This project will review all our staffing needs and in that sense will cover the whole organization. Here is our staffing plan - the full team that we are aiming to create over the next twelve months.
Executive Director
Office Manager
Development director East Coast
Development director West Coast
Grant writer
Program Director
Lead Trainer
Lead Trainer
Have you focused on the above area previously? If so, please explain, including whether you have worked with outside consultants before.
We have worked with our board of directors and advisory board to create job postings and interview existing hires but have never worked with outside consultants in this area.
Are you able to commit 3-5 hours/wk over 10-12 weeks?
Yes
Are you able to meet virtually or at a convenient in-person location?
Yes
Are you able to meet in the city where your organization is based?
Yes
1.
Detailed staffing plan that links to our strategic goals
2.
Job descriptions for every member of our team
3.
Performance management strategies for all staff
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Over the past thee years we have trained educators at nearly two hundred California schools in the No Bully System and so helped support bully-free campuses for an estimated 60,000 students. Two independent studies have shown that educators trained by us are solving incidents of student bullying in at least 80% of cases, and this held true three months later, making No Bully one of the most effective strategies available for ending student bullying.
What is your project future impact after receiving professional support from American Express?
Support from American Express will enable us to scale up our impact to reach more schools. Our goal is to partner in depth with a hundred schools over the next school year and train them how to implement and sustain the No Bully System long-term. Our three year goal is to expand our work from California to the East Coast, hire more trainers and increase our impact to two hundred schools a year. The project impact is preventing the lives lost or forever changed by student peer bullying.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Created on 03/24/2013 by megkidsbridge
Kidsbridge created the Kidsbridge Tolerance Museum located on the campus of The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in Ewing, NJ. It is the only 'evidence-based' youth tolerance museum in the U.S., and we would like to replicate our successful 'learning lab' model on other college campuses.
Organization: Kidsbridge, Inc.
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United States, NJ, Trenton, Mercer County
Country where this project is creating social impact
United States, NJ, Trenton, Mercer County
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
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Replicating Evidence-Based Programs that Promote Empathy/Empowerment for Youth and College Students
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Scaling (the next step will be growing impact on a regional or even global scale)
What problem is your organization committed to solving? In particular, share what is innovative about your approach.
Kidsbridge created the Kidsbridge Tolerance Museum located on the campus of The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in Ewing, NJ. It is the only 'evidence-based' youth tolerance museum in the U.S., and we would like to replicate our successful 'learning lab' model on other college campuses. Not only do we have statistically significant attitude improvements for visiting youth and college student docents, but this program improves teaching and motivation in the areas of character education, diversity appreciation, victim empowerment and UPstander behavior for teachers, counselors, anti-bullying specialists and principals as well. Most innovative about our approach is the committed partnership among Kidsbridge, TCNJ's Education & Psychology departments, and the college students themselves.
What are your organization's top three priorities in the next year?
1) Pilot our youth tolerance museum model on other college/university campuses.
2) Create a mobile youth tolerance museum -- a.k.a., an outreach program on wheels that travels to schools and organizations unable to visit our tolerance museum.
3) Expand our reach to educate more kids, youth, college students, parents and educators (teachers, counselors and principals).
Need #1
Opportunity Analysis
Need #2
Message & Brand Strategy
Based on your first choice of the eight technical categories you selected above, what is your specific project need? Please be specific!
Kidsbridge needs assistance in creating a business and communications plan that will strategically assess our resources, capabilities and challenges to export our successful museum model to other college campuses, tolerance centers or children's museums. Our 'evidence-based' model does not exist anywhere else, and we believe the time is right to replicate this program that teaches strategies and promotes discussion about: anti-bullying; diversity appreciation; respect for all persons; empathy & victim empowerment; UPstander behavior; peaceful conflict resolution; youth activism and aspiration to college. A successful collaboration includes: involved Education and Psychology departments of the college/university, college students trained to be volunteer docents and retired educators who also volunteer their time. It is the foundation on which this successful 'learning lab" format is based, as such can be easily replicated given a commitment to youth education, empathy and tolerance. Expert consulting will strengthen our analysis and guide us in the next strategic steps. More than 160,000 kids avoid school each year in the US because they fear being bullied. We can't wait any longer.
1.
Honesty and no hidden agendas.
3.
Working with empathetic persons who want to make the world a better place.
Will support from American Express be focused on your organization overall or a specific product/service? Please describe.
In addition to business acumen, a business plan and strategic thinking, financial support would be used to work with a museum design company to: 1) Accurately assess the cost to replicate the museum to other venues, 2) Brand the Kidsbridge name and tolerance museum for other venues and 3) Create a marketing/communications plan to pilot a replication of the tolerance museum – including the critical steps of recruiting committed partners and choosing the right setting. The museum program is the jewel in the Kidsbridge crown. Other Kidsbridge programs could be reviewed for replication as well.
Have you focused on the above area previously? If so, please explain, including whether you have worked with outside consultants before.
Kidsbridge has not had the resources to replicate our 'evidence-based' museum program. We believe the time is right to clone this model. Our museum program is strong; since opening in 2006 we've educated more than 15,000 youth and 300 educators (2500/year). With the focus on bullying and cyberbulling’s daily threats to kids, educators are looking for more effective answers. Our museum program provides them.
Kidsbridge has worked with many consultants before including; special event planning companies and those focusing on strategic planning, branding, social media and database management.
Are you able to commit 3-5 hours/wk over 10-12 weeks?
Yes
Are you able to meet virtually or at a convenient in-person location?
Yes
Are you able to meet in the city where your organization is based?
Yes
1.
Business plan to replicate tolerance museum pilot program complete with costs and schedule.
2.
Marketing/communications plan for tolerance museum pilot program to include social media.
3.
Promotional/marketing kit to send to prospective colleges/universities.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Assessing since 2007, our 'evidence-based' program has created statistically significant improvements in youth outcomes for: 1) empathy, 2) stereotype knowledge, 3) aspiration to college, 4) religious diversity, 5) moral reasoning and 6) empowerment. Each year 300 college students are trained and volunteer as museum docents to lead small group discussions with visiting youth.
This is significant for two major reasons: Empathy is precipitously dropping for our youth and bullying/cyberbullying are on the rise. Educators indicate they have noticed recent changes in the core values and ethics of young students. This new generation is driven by materialism and an increasing addiction to technology – leading to declines in interpersonal skills and lack of empathy for their fellow classmates.
What is your project future impact after receiving professional support from American Express?
Our ‘evidence-based’ program will be effective in creating empathy, empowerment and other positive attitude characteristics – yielding more youth, college students and adults who are practiced and empowered to stop bullies, intervene safely in potentially dangerous situations and stand up to make their schools and communities safer, better places to thrive.
Creating a learning lab on a college campus will allow that university to nurture a culture of empathy and empowerment for students, professors and administrators. For example, Penn State would be perfect for a tolerance museum. Sources state that this University has not moved forward in an impactful way to change its “football first” culture. A new safe place on campus could serve as a culture changer for those who need it most.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Created on 03/21/2013 by SDCN
Too many people have lost the capacity or will to listen thoughtfully, talk respectfully, and relate constructively. Nowhere is this clearer than in the K-12 system: students often experience exclusion, poor achievement and depression that follows them into adulthood. 85% of LGBTQ youth reporting harassment at school. Too often, teachers are poorly equipped to battle these issues. The good news: Over 1,000 alumni of the International Institute of Sustained Dialogue (IISD) alumni graduate each year with unique abilities to solve problems, make decisions, resolve conflict, and listen actively.
Organization: International Institute for Sustained Dialogue
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International Institute for Sustained Dialogue
Organization Country
United States, DC, NW, Washington
Country where this project is creating social impact
Is your organization a
Please select
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read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Start-Up (a pilot that has just begun operating)
What problem is your organization committed to solving? In particular, share what is innovative about your approach.
Too many people have lost the capacity or will to listen thoughtfully, talk respectfully, and relate constructively. Nowhere is this clearer than in the K-12 system: students often experience exclusion, poor achievement and depression that follows them into adulthood. 85% of LGBTQ youth reporting harassment at school. Too often, teachers are poorly equipped to battle these issues. The good news: Over 1,000 alumni of the International Institute of Sustained Dialogue (IISD) alumni graduate each year with unique abilities to solve problems, make decisions, resolve conflict, and listen actively. We want support our alumni who teach in K-12 classrooms as they use Sustained Dialogue and inclusive leadership to transform relationships and create change in their classrooms and communities.
What are your organization's top three priorities in the next year?
Our Strategic Plan outlines our top three priorities for the coming year:
1. Increase impact through our current work on campuses by deepening, enhancing, and evaluating program offerings and services.
2. Mobilize a network of alumni to broaden impact. Our alumni are critical to our mission. To catalyze alumni impact, IISD will focus on strengthening its alumni database, providing training for alumni to bring SD skills to communities and workplaces (especially those in education settings), and developing workplace recruiting pipelines to position alumni with inclusion and dialogue skills in every sector. SD will begin a pilot program of training and supporting alumni teachers in their efforts to bring SD to their K-12 classrooms.
3. Build organizational infrastructure to enhance effectiveness and financial sustainability.
Need #1
Opportunity Analysis
Need #2
Message & Brand Strategy
Based on your first choice of the eight technical categories you selected above, what is your specific project need? Please be specific!
This year marks the ten-year anniversary of the International Institute for Sustained Dialogue. As we celebrate this milestone, we find ourselves at a critical juncture. Over the past ten years, our program has grown in ways that cause us to reconsider several questions: How do we best position and leverage the work that we do to deepen and maximize impact? How do we reach K-12 students so that they become inclusive, empathetic leaders before stepping foot on a college campus? How do we create a cadre of alumni who use SD to harness empathy in their classrooms? Given the endless need and opportunity for SD, how do we choose where to focus our time and resources? While we have hypotheses, the support of American Express in developing a SWOT analysis will ground and direct our strategy so that the next ten year are as even more successful than the last.
1.
Committed and passionate about working towards our mission
2.
Committed to joint learning
3.
Organized and invested in progress and improvement
Will support from American Express be focused on your organization overall or a specific product/service? Please describe.
Support from American Express will be specifically focused on the services we provide to alumni who are in the education sector. We hope to use the support to achieve the following goals: (1) develop an in-depth understanding of the context of K-12 and how to best enter this arena, and (2) develop specific strategies for reaching our target alumni and enabling them to create change through Sustained Dialogue. We will pilot the determined strategies for the 2013-2014 academic year.
Have you focused on the above area previously? If so, please explain, including whether you have worked with outside consultants before.
Three years ago, IISD completed at strategic plan in which we conducted our first SWOT analysis. We led this analysis internally and focused on the Campus Network arm of the International Institute. Since then, we’ve gathered new data from our constituents, supporters, and other broad audiences that suggest we reassess the way we create change in campuses, workplaces, and communities. We have recently begun working with Spark to create a new website that better reflects our work (people often confuse us for an environmental organization). IISD is primed and ready for American Express support!
Are you able to commit 3-5 hours/wk over 10-12 weeks?
Yes
Are you able to meet virtually or at a convenient in-person location?
Yes
Are you able to meet in the city where your organization is based?
Yes
1.
Teachers who are able to create inclusive classrooms through Sustained Dialogue
2.
K-12 students who practice inclusive leadership and dialogue
3.
Schools where dialogue becomes a norm for communication
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
From pilot programs, we know this service will have high impact for our alumni, their students, and communities. We know that participation in SD increases empathy and has long-lasting effects. While, nationally, students’ empathy scores are decreasing, 91% of SD students report thinking critically to improve experiences of others and working to change group norms. An SD alumna and teacher writes: “I truly believe that my success thus far is a direct consequence of learning how to really listen, foster communication, and build relationships through SD.” Another integrated SD methods as a catalyst for dialogue in her lessons with great success. Given the power of SD in versatile contexts, and the impact we already see with alumni, we expect high impact through our solution.
What is your project future impact after receiving professional support from American Express?
We will directly train and support 150 SD alumni teachers in the next 3 years, reaching an estimated 15,000 youth, and youth-advocates. Each year, we will work with 50 teachers to infuse a unique culture and skill-set of empathy: Given that inclusion leads to better performance and speaking up and talking to someone are the best ways to end bullying, creating a norm for building trust, finding voice, and taking action will positively impact academic and civic lives. SD provides the much-needed outlet and skills needed to walk a mile in someone else’s skin.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Created on 03/16/2013 by tysonbaker
Reach Clothing has the dedication to stop bullyiing through the power of t-shirts!
Created on 03/13/2013 by midtown1
Launched in 1993, Midtown Community Court is the nation’s first community court, and focuses exclusively on low-level crime in midtown Manhattan. Times Square Ink and Dads United for Parenting, two on-site programs, serve non-custodial, under- and unemployed fathers, many of whom have a history of court involvement and/or incarceration. Programming includes individual and group counseling, financial planning and budgeting, legal services, parenting-skills training, and therapeutic job skills training.
Organization: Midtown Community Court (part of the Center for Court Innovation)
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Project Director, Midtown Community Court
Organization Name
Midtown Community Court (part of the Center for Court Innovation)
Organization Country
United States, NY, New York, New York County
Country where this project is creating social impact
United States, NY, New York City, New York County
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
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Serving Fathers, Supporting Families
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Established (past the previous stages and has demonstrated success)
What problem is your organization committed to solving? In particular, share what is innovative about your approach.
Launched in 1993, Midtown Community Court is the nation’s first community court, and focuses exclusively on low-level crime in midtown Manhattan. Times Square Ink and Dads United for Parenting, two on-site programs, serve non-custodial, under- and unemployed fathers, many of whom have a history of court involvement and/or incarceration. Programming includes individual and group counseling, financial planning and budgeting, legal services, parenting-skills training, and therapeutic job skills training. Our innovative program provides fatherhood services-including assistance obtaining downward modification of child support, court advocacy, therapeutic job-skills training, and job placement assistance.
What are your organization's top three priorities in the next year?
1. To increase the visibility of our services and programs through outreach tools such as social media and our website
2. To cultivate partnerships through the creation of volunteer opportunities and community events
3. By expanding services, increase the number of clients and defendants who come through the Midtown Community Court who remain engaged in our programs for longer periods of time
Need #1
Message & Brand Strategy
Need #2
Customer Relationships
Based on your first choice of the eight technical categories you selected above, what is your specific project need? Please be specific!
Times Square Ink, a workforce readiness program, and Dads United for Parenting, a fatherhood initiative, have recently merged to create a more cohesive program for non-custodial fathers over the age of 24, many of whom have criminal histories. The staff for the combined program is seeking to create a new brand and identity that will enable a variety of stakeholders, including social workers, parole officers, and the fathers themselves, to fully understand the mission and purpose. Updated marketing materials would explain the unique and extensive services the program offers, and would highlight the job training and cognitive behavioral programming. While there are other programs in the New York area that offer services such as these, our unique holistic approach combines both employment and parenting skills to enable the participants to simultaneously re-enter the workforce and their childrens' lives. American Express consultants would be able to collaborate with program directors and senior staff to create a new message and branding strategy that would increase visibility, inspire confidence in our program, and enhance recruitment efforts.
Will support from American Express be focused on your organization overall or a specific product/service? Please describe.
American Express will support the Times Square Ink employment program and the Dads United for Parenting initiative as they solidify their merge. Each program previously had its own mission, brand, and marketing strategy. Times Square Ink, which is celebrating its 16th anniversary, is ten years older than Dads United for Parenting, which has been in existence for six years. As the two unite, we are looking for the new program to have its own identity with a marketing strategy, which will help it to be enthusiastically received by both our new and established partners.
Have you focused on the above area previously? If so, please explain, including whether you have worked with outside consultants before.
While senior staff have discussed the creation of a new message and brand, they realized that while they are experts on their own programming, they need guidance and suggestions on how to move forward. After exploring several avenues to find an affordable consultant, we found that our budget does not enable the organization to hire one at market rate. Support from American Express would allow staff to work with experts to create strategies for branding and marketing.
Are you able to commit 3-5 hours/wk over 10-12 weeks?
Yes
Are you able to meet virtually or at a convenient in-person location?
Yes
Are you able to meet in the city where your organization is based?
Yes
1.
Creation of brand material, including a new name and logo for the program
2.
Development of new marketing material for better outreach and engagement
3.
Improved messaging, which will lead community partners and referral sources to better understand our programming
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Times Square Ink and Dads United for Parenting have helped men gain the skills necessary to both improve their relationships with their children and re-enter the workforce. During the 2012-2013 programming year, the two programs served 200 participants. Over 80 participants demonstrated increased financial and emotional engagement with their child/children. Forty participants gained employment at agencies such as Time Warner Cable, Times Square Alliance, a local business improvement district, and Action Carting, an environmental waste management company. To provide a forum for fun with their children and for the fathers to use the parenting skills they have acquired, Dads United for Parenting coordinates a wide range of free family activities, such as sporting events and holiday parties.
What is your project future impact after receiving professional support from American Express?
After receiving professional support from American Express, the program director will use its new name, brand, marketing strategy, and outreach material to recruit participants, build partnerships with organizations and individuals to support the mission, and increase the visibility of the program. The marketing materials will create improved communication with community partners, referral sources, and the fathers who attend the program. The increased clarity of what the program entails will also lead to better retention and outcomes, as participants will understand more of what is expected of them before they enter the program. We also expect an increase in referrals from our partner organizations, as they more fully understand our mission and what we offer.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Created on 03/13/2013 by Jezaegis
Social Enterprises developed to create self sustaining business models which both fund from profits care professionals salaries and provide training opportunities for young Rwandans in the hospitality industries.
Organization: Aegis Trust
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United Kingdom, NTT, Newark
Organization's Country of Operation
Type of Organization
Non‐profit/NGO
Year of launch of the organization
Years in Operation
Operating for more than 5 years
Has the organization received awards or honors? Please tell us about them
We want to hear about your “Aha!” moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution’s potential to change the world.
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
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Aegis Rwanda Trauma Counselling Project
Explain what the "innovation" is about, e.g., is it the idea and/or the model you use to accomplish the idea, or your understanding of the target population, etc.?
Given both the high demand in Rwanda from the post 1994 Genocide surviving community for trauma services and also the low economic output that could be accessed to fund services, the Aegis Trust embarked on a progamme of self-sustaining health and social care interventions which were built on a social enterprise (SE) model. The SE would both generate income to fund trauma counselling and at the same time provide training and development opportunities for survivors and their families. Work was available in four activity areas: a cafe, a gift shop and the sale of audio-guides (all of these linked directly to the Kigali Genocide Memorial (KGM) in Gisozi, Kigali, Rwanda, which Aegis built and operated on behalf of the Kigali City Council and subsequently the National Commission against Genocide (CNLG). There was no funding available from any sources within Rwanda for either the Memorial building itself or the counselling and other social care programmes and funds had to be raised by Aegis from outside the country or from visitors, none of whomm could eb charged entry as the KGM is a national memorial and burial ground fro 280,000 victims of the genocide.
Describe how your innovation model is distinct from any other organization in your field?
It is self sustaining as we both generate income to fund psychologists in post who provide the trauma services AND we offer training and development opportunities in the hospitality industries that we operate. From no activity three years ago we now generate over $150,000 net income for the services and the running of the KGM national memorial.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
We operate businesses that are supported by thousands of visitors each year and provide hospitality services and hostel accommodation for young international visitors (Discover Rwanda Hostel is ranked number 2 in Trip Advisor for stays in Kigali). We have provided jobs and training opportunities for 10 young Rwandans (survivors of the genocide or orphans of victims) to learn new skills and achieve gainful employment. We maintain high standards and offer value for money and are able to tap into a network of professional advisors from across the world who give us pro-bono advice and development services.
How do you make sure you constantly innovate in light of (potential) external challenges, or your growth plan?
By constantly scanning the market environment for price and quality indicators and by using our consumers as sounding board for approaches and techniques e.g. when young international visitors come and stay at the hostel. We also harness the enthusiasm and ambition of our staff who are all in various stages of training and development. We operate a highly devolved business model where young people can pursue imaginative solutions.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThe systemic challenge you are trying to overcome (select one)
Bring accessible healthcare to communities in emerging markets
Health area (target market) where the need is [select only one]
Other specialty care
Categories along the health continuum you are covering [select all that apply]
Intervention, Follow-up, Long-term care, Social integration.
Please describe in more detail: what problem are you trying to solve in the organization's specific context?
Sustainably funded provision of trauma care to those with PTSD many years after the Rwandan Genocide but who also have a range of otter debilitating conditions such as HIV, physical disabilities and also social care needs such as housing.
Stage that best applies to your solution [select only one]
Established (past the previous stages and has demonstrated success)
Core strategies of your business model [select all that apply]
New financing strategies for health.
Most relevant tools you are using to implement the strategies outlined above [select only two]
Education/training, Community financing.
Please describe your solution in more detail
We are a model of sustainability. We take the income that comes from international tourists and students coming to the Kigali Genocide Memorial and who might stay at our hostel and use our cafe and gift shop and we use the proceeds of the enterprises to fund health and social care programmes for our 140 beneficiaries and yet we also use our businesses to train young Rwandans to develop skills and trades and become entrepreneurs themselves.
What are your vision and overall objectives?
Our vision is to grow businesses as social enterprises which not only produce profits which fund our care programmes and educational activities but also train and develop young Rwandans to create their own businesses also. We see the staff that we develop going on to create their own profitable businesses and help them to start their businesses with loans and investment,in which we could retain a stake and thus help the continuous and sustainable cycle of investment and growth.
What is your value proposition?
Provide investment in healthcare from profits from sustainable enterprise which seeks to employ, train and develop people from that heath and social care programme to achieve greater health and independence. This creates a virtuous cycle of enterprise, investment, social and economic return. In the process young Rwandans get chance to develop their own business ideas through our "business incubator" and that then gives them a greater sense of having a stake in their own society
Who is your customer(s)?
The 70000 visitors to the Kigali Genocide Memorial (40,000 of whom are international visitors) plus the 140+ survivors and their families who we support in the health and social care programmes. Potentially anyone who visits Rwanda is a customer and this is a growing market.
What approaches to you use to reach your customers?
Web based marketing, CRM database management (sort of!), on-site promotions, word of mouth, reputation developed from networking of international youth visitors
What are your primary activities?
In healthcare: trauma counselling for a static population of 140 and then the thousands of Rwandan visitors who come each year who suffer trauma related distress when visiting the Memorial. But in in our social enterprises we run a hostel, a cafe, a gift shop and we hir out audio guides. We also have an interest in a coffee roasting business which we sell through our cafe.
Who are your peers and competitors? What problems could these players pose to your success or growth?
Our competitors are related entirely to the hostel so low cost hotel competition which is growing but we are Number 2 on Trip Advisor for RWanda and offer a unique travel and stay experience for young people in a relaxed central location in Kigali
What other challenges - individual, organizational, or environmental – are you currently facing or might hinder future success of your business, and how do you plan to overcome those?
Raising money to invest capital in the business. We do not own any of the premises we operate from and find it hard to raise enough money for one off investment e.g. for coffee machines for our baristas or for our own coffee roaster. We could also expand the business by opening a second hostel.
Briefly describe your growth strategy going forward
Double turnover in three years by expanding rooms at the hostel, developing our more profitable lines of gifts, changing our procurement processes, better merchandising and customer relationship management, couples with a development of "safari tents" in our grounds at the hostel.
What dimensions for growth are you currently targeting for your innovation [select all that apply]
New customer group(s).
What makes your business "ready" for growth?
Strong track record over three years i.e. from zero to $450,000 turnover in that time; opportunity for physical expansion; growth of African and Eco tourism
What are your key growth objectives?
Double turnover in three years, increase margins from 50 - 65%
What is your timeframe for growth, in the short and mid-term? What are the growth milestones and key activities going forward?
Expand camping facilities at hostel in 2013, and increase number of double rooms by investing RWFr 30,000,000; relocating kitchens in 2014 along with increased and improved washing facilities; increase the number of languages in our range of audio guides from 6 to 10 along with an increase in price from $10 - $15.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat has been the impact of your solution to date?
Training of staff, treatment of beneficiaries receiving trauma care in both the static population of 140 and the thousands of Rwandan visitors and schoolchildren on our education programmed each year who come to the KGM and experience some degree of trauma related mental health issues.
What methods for quantification of social impact are you applying (if at all)?
We have adopted Outcome Mapping as part of our M&E methodology and we link our business planning methodology with M&E at departmental level.
Could your solution work in other geographies or regions? If so, where?
Yes - wherever there was active populations of consumers associated with programmes for the treatment of victims of conflict.
What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?
Increased profitability to feed in to the care programmes and more staff trained and assisted in developing their own businesses.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideElaborate on your current financing strategy
We need $600,000 to run the memorial and associated education and care programmes of which $225,000 is contributed from the net income of SE. The remainder si made up of grants and donations.
Share of revenue generation in total income of organization (in percent)
Direct sales to patients or other beneficiaries (in percent)
Of the possible sources of these sales listed below, check all that apply to your current strategy
Individuals, Private businesses, Other beneficiaries.
Licensing fees, e.g., for technology/franchise model (in percent)
Of the possible sources of these licensing opportunities listed below, check all that apply to your current strategy
Service contract with organizations, e.g., government, NGOs (in percent)
Of the possible sources of the service contracts listed below, check all that apply to your current strategy
Explain your revenue generation strategy in more detail
Sale of goods and services to visitors to the KGM and provision of accommodation to international youth visitors.
Share of philanthropy in total income of organization (in percent)
Philanthrophy strategies you are using
Diversified strategy.
Explain your philanthropic approach in more detail
We seek grants from philanthropic institutions and / or government aid programmes as well as individual visitors (30% + 30%). We use institutions with a particular interest in Africa, education and social welfare and have developed a reliable body of interested Foundations and government grant makers e.g. Annenberg Foundation and the Swedish International Development Aid Agency.
Expand on your selections; explain how you will sustain funding over the next 1-3 years.
invest in businesses, increase margins, develop membership support scheme. We have and will increasingly work with leaders of business and industry to secure advice and development support on a pro bono basis through their personal commitment to our good causes.
Created on 03/7/2013 by zapdramatic
This is an interactive simulation that allows the user to play the role of a kid in middle school who is confronted with and could become a victim of bullying behavior by his/her peers. As a victim the user relies on bystanders to speak out in support. As a bystander, the user is asked to stand up to bullying behavior and influence his/her peers. The user is confronted by the consequences of his or her decisions. The central idea is to develop empathy through victimization.
Organization: Zapdramatic
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Is your organization a
Hybrid
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Sir Basel Pike Public School
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Start-Up (a pilot that has just begun operating)
What problem is your organization committed to solving? In particular, share what is innovative about your approach.
This is an interactive simulation that allows the user to play the role of a kid in middle school who is confronted with and could become a victim of bullying behavior by his/her peers. As a victim the user relies on bystanders to speak out in support. As a bystander, the user is asked to stand up to bullying behavior and influence his/her peers. The user is confronted by the consequences of his or her decisions. The central idea is to develop empathy through victimization.
What are your organization's top three priorities in the next year?
We want to have our game used in schools. That's it.
Need #1
Digital Marketing Strategy
Need #2
Consumer/Audience Acquisition
Based on your first choice of the eight technical categories you selected above, what is your specific project need? Please be specific!
We believe that this game will create useful discussion in school groups about bullying. (our pilot in three schools has demonstrated this). We want to broaden our reach and have many schools in Canada and the US aware of and using this game to talk about the dynamics of bullying. We need to get this project used.
1.
Access to our target audience of middle school kids
2.
Understanding that bullying is a group dynamic where individuals have the power to participate or not.
3.
Our partners must be willing to devote the time to facilitating discussion among the group about what is happening in the game.
Will support from American Express be focused on your organization overall or a specific product/service? Please describe.
Support will be focussed on the game, Sir Basil Pike Public School which is web based and simply needs buy in and fascillitation from schools.
We need to place the game in front of influencers to further its adoption.
We need help to create a revenue model that works for both us and our users.
We need help to spread the word about the game as far as possible.
Have you focused on the above area previously? If so, please explain, including whether you have worked with outside consultants before.
We have worked with subject matter experts Debra Pepler and Joanne Cummings from prevnet.ca
They have helped us develop and pilot the game in middle schools.
Are you able to commit 3-5 hours/wk over 10-12 weeks?
Yes
Are you able to meet virtually or at a convenient in-person location?
Yes
Are you able to meet in the city where your organization is based?
Yes
1.
To activate empathy for victims of bullying within general population of school.
2.
To understand how a bystander can enable or reduce bullying behavior.
3.
To encourage those who might be reticent to stand up to do so when confronted by bullying.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
We have only piloted the game in three schools but in those pilots we found that the game produced exceptionally deep and candid discussions among the students. Within the context of the game students were more willing to express their own experiences and share with the group. Also, boys were motivated to advise the girls and vice versa about what to do to a) deal with the immediate problem and b) how trying to succeed may negatively impact on another.
What is your project future impact after receiving professional support from American Express?
After receiving professional support from American Express we hope to have the game in use throughout Canada and the United States. We want to develop a revenue model that enables all schools to participate while returning the cost of our investment.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Created on 03/7/2013 by Peacemaker Resources
Our organization is committed to reducing bullying and creating communities of empathy and compassion in schools. Our solution is empowering youth to not only learn, but TEACH, social emotional and conflict resolution skills. The Speak Your Peace program provides a fun and simple way for students to learn how to reduce bullying, cooperate, and resolve conflicts and then share their learning by developing fun and informative presentations for students and even adults!
Organization: Peacemaker Resources
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United States, MN, bemidji, Beltrami County
Country where this project is creating social impact
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
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Speak Your Peace: A Social Emotional Program Where Kids Are The Teachers
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Scaling (the next step will be growing impact on a regional or even global scale)
What problem is your organization committed to solving? In particular, share what is innovative about your approach.
Our organization is committed to reducing bullying and creating communities of empathy and compassion in schools. Our solution is empowering youth to not only learn, but TEACH, social emotional and conflict resolution skills. The Speak Your Peace program provides a fun and simple way for students to learn how to reduce bullying, cooperate, and resolve conflicts and then share their learning by developing fun and informative presentations for students and even adults!
What are your organization's top three priorities in the next year?
1. Create an effective marketing plan to increase public awareness and interest in the Speak Your Peace program.
2. At least double the number of schools using the Speak Your Peace program.
3. Research and evaluate the impact of the Speak Your Peace Program.
Need #1
Message & Brand Strategy
Need #2
Consumer/Audience Acquisition
Based on your first choice of the eight technical categories you selected above, what is your specific project need? Please be specific!
We have developed a product that we are extremely proud of, yet we are unsure as to how to adequately promote it. We are a small nonprofit in Northern Minnesota and almost all of our programming has been focused in this geographic region. As of now, our sales of the Speak Your Peace program have been minimal and local. We believe that the Speak You Peace program could benefit schools nationally and internationally and would like assistance on how we can market/brand Speak Your Peace to attract new larger audiences.
2.
Open and respectful communication
Will support from American Express be focused on your organization overall or a specific product/service? Please describe.
We are looking for support on a specific product - our Speak Your Peace program (SYP). This might lead to some focus on our overall organization, as our decisions with how to proceed with the SYP program could entail some broader changes.
Have you focused on the above area previously? If so, please explain, including whether you have worked with outside consultants before.
Are you able to commit 3-5 hours/wk over 10-12 weeks?
Yes
Are you able to meet virtually or at a convenient in-person location?
Yes
Are you able to meet in the city where your organization is based?
Yes
1.
We develop a clear and actionable marketing strategy for the Speak Your Peace program.
2.
We increase sales and use of the Speak Your Peace manuals.
3.
Our organization generates increased revenue to support the continuation of our work
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Our model of empowering youth to be the teachers of peace skills originated though a program called STAR (Students Teaching Attitudes and Respect). STAR was created to develop leadership among youth in Northern Minnesota. Teams of middle school students from around the region would come to two day retreats in the fall and spring to learn leadership and peace skills. When they returned to their communities they would have the task of developing presentations to teach these skills to others. STAR has been operating 15 years and has trained over 2,000 students to teach. In 2011 Last year over 9,000 people were in attendance for STAR presentations. Due to STAR's success, Speak Your Peace manual was developed to provide a way to this model to be implemented in schools around the world.
What is your project future impact after receiving professional support from American Express?
Our envisioned impact is that students all over the world will have the opportunity to learn and teach social and emotional and conflict resolution skills; leading to safer and more respectful schools and happier, healthier students.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Created on 03/6/2013 by cantbashcause
Pangaea Project brings social change to schools in India through raising awareness, self-introspection, and creating projects to abolish marginalization. Tackling the root of the problem by students examining their role in society is a radical yet probable way of approaching discrimination in India. When students can take ownership over the problems in the world, they will be mobilized to implement innovative solutions! Pangaea Projects provides a space for this transformation to occur and supports students in their personal growth to change society.
Organization: The Orbis Institute
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Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
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read more↓↑ hide↑ hideName Your Entry
Pangaea Project! Bringing the world back together. (An Orbis Institute Program)
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Growth (your pilot is up and running, and starting to expand)
What problem is your organization committed to solving? In particular, share what is innovative about your approach.
Pangaea Project brings social change to schools in India through raising awareness, self-introspection, and creating projects to abolish marginalization. Tackling the root of the problem by students examining their role in society is a radical yet probable way of approaching discrimination in India. When students can take ownership over the problems in the world, they will be mobilized to implement innovative solutions! Pangaea Projects provides a space for this transformation to occur and supports students in their personal growth to change society. Pangaea Project is a class that can be taught in schools in India that engages students' personal experiences and invites participation in social-justice advocacy through inter-caste dialogue, volunteerism, and critical thinking.
What are your organization's top three priorities in the next year?
The organization hopes to 1) partner with more schools in India to teach this curriculum 2) train teachers to administer this curriculum and 3) graduate 100 more students from this program so they can have the multiplier effect and bring the lessons to hundreds more.
Need #1
Consumer/Audience Acquisition
Need #2
Staffing Capabilities
Based on your first choice of the eight technical categories you selected above, what is your specific project need? Please be specific!
The Pangaea Project aims to target schools and organizations in India to teach youth about how to be the problem-solvers for issues in their communities. When this project started, it was a 6 month teaching fellowship in India with one partner school in Bhubaneswar, India. That partner school was identified by organizational connections. To make the project grow, it will be important to engage more audiences, ie schools and stakeholders, to want to participate in this project. Approaching schools, developing a "pitch", developing a marketing strategy and packet, tapping into the right networks, and knowing how and when to follow-up with schools will be essential in getting community buy-in for this socially transformative project.
Will support from American Express be focused on your organization overall or a specific product/service? Please describe.
The support from American Express could be focused on the Pangea Project, which is an off-shoot of the Orbis Institute. While the focus will be the Pangaea Project, there is undoubtedly influence from the Orbis Institute that could be an area of focus as well. Both components are open to the help and support from American Express.
Have you focused on the above area previously? If so, please explain, including whether you have worked with outside consultants before.
No, we have not worked with outside consultants before. This would be the first time.
Are you able to commit 3-5 hours/wk over 10-12 weeks?
Yes
Are you able to meet virtually or at a convenient in-person location?
Yes
Are you able to meet in the city where your organization is based?
Yes
1.
Relationships between students from diverse caste and socioeconomic backgrounds
2.
Youth feeling empowered and capable to utilize their strengths and privileges to attack injustice
3.
Schools in India valuing this curriculum, project, and impact
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
So far, 60 students have graduated from the pilot of Pangaea Project, the Global Leadership program through the Orbis Institute. Half of the students were from a poor "tribal" school, and half were from an upper-class private schools. The groups interacted, learned about one another, learned from one another, challenged their stereotypes, and formed friendships. Students participated in final projects which evaluated their self-efficacy to engage in changemaking behavior, and the students who were in this program greatly increased their confidence in their ability to make a difference in the world.
What is your project future impact after receiving professional support from American Express?
I think the help from American Express can help Pangaea Project strategize ways to engage audiences across India and can help us find a way to market the program so schools across India will want to participate. We hope that we can train more teachers, teach more students, and start integrating a curriculum into the school system that addresses the challenges and history the India population faces and helps kickstart Indian student engagement in social advocacy.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Created on 03/2/2013 by atwoodsa
Ittavi (an acronym for “it takes a village”) seeks to end conflict, improve transparency and simplify the process of paying child support while saving parents time and money.
Parents can now spend less time managing child support and more time focused on raising happy, healthy children.
Organization: Ittavi
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United States, CA, Santa Clara, Santa Clara County
Country where this project is creating social impact
Is your organization a
Hybrid
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
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Ending Child Support Conflict
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Growth (your pilot is up and running, and starting to expand)
What problem is your organization committed to solving? In particular, share what is innovative about your approach.
Ittavi (an acronym for “it takes a village”) seeks to end conflict, improve transparency and simplify the process of paying child support while saving parents time and money.
Parents can now spend less time managing child support and more time focused on raising happy, healthy children.
What are your organization's top three priorities in the next year?
Public product launch
User Acquisition
Additional funding - Angel or VC
Need #1
Digital Marketing Strategy
Need #2
Consumer/Audience Acquisition
Based on your first choice of the eight technical categories you selected above, what is your specific project need? Please be specific!
We need assistance defining and executing a digital marketing strategy that will reach our unique markets (single, divorced, remarried parents) and startup / entrepreneur / funding targets. The strategy should be built to meet our goals for the year - customer acquisition & getting additional funding
3.
Collective Responsibility
Will support from American Express be focused on your organization overall or a specific product/service? Please describe.
Since Ittavi only has 1 product the focus will essentially cross both the company and our product, Ittavi Child Support Manager.
Have you focused on the above area previously? If so, please explain, including whether you have worked with outside consultants before.
We have begun to define our strategy but due to lack of resources have been unable to effectively define and execute the strategy.
Are you able to commit 3-5 hours/wk over 10-12 weeks?
Yes
Are you able to meet virtually or at a convenient in-person location?
Yes
Are you able to meet in the city where your organization is based?
Yes
1.
Successful launch with increase of press / media coverage by 50%
2.
Acquire 1000 customers by the end of 2013
3.
Meet funding goal of an additional $675,000 in angel funding
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Today we have over 50 beta users that all state that our product, Ittavi Child Support Manager, has help them save time and money while dramatically reducing the conflict that occurs between themselves and the other parent. This is allowing them to focus their energy on raising happy, healthy children.
What is your project future impact after receiving professional support from American Express?
The future impact is to acquire additional customers who can benefit from our product, untimely reducing conflict between single, divorced and remarried parents. By reducing the conflict associated with child support parents can focus their energy on raising happy, healthy children.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Ittavi (an acronym for “it takes a village”) seeks to end conflict, improve transparency and simplify the process of paying child support while saving parents time and money.
Parents can now spend less time managing child support and more time focused on raising happy, healthy children.
This innovation also has a Project Page where you can read more about its latest progress.
Go to Project: Feeleez.
Created on 03/2/2013 by Feeleez
Feeleez offers tools to build and support emotional development in children and their caregivers. We have made it our mission to help children, parents, teachers, therapists, counselors, and caregivers receive and offer empathy. Our tools are used by, and made available to, a diverse global community.
The centerpiece of the Feeleez mission is our matching game. Twenty five pairs of sturdy card tiles use facial expressions and body language to illustrate brave, sad, worried, surprised, amazed, etc. With ideas for use at play and in the classroom.
Our entire line of tools include:
Organization: Feeleez
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United States, MT, Misla, Missoula County
Country where this project is creating social impact
United States, MT, MIssoula, Missoula County
Is your organization a
Hybrid
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Growth (your pilot is up and running, and starting to expand)
What problem is your organization committed to solving? In particular, share what is innovative about your approach.
Feeleez offers tools to build and support emotional development in children and their caregivers. We have made it our mission to help children, parents, teachers, therapists, counselors, and caregivers receive and offer empathy. Our tools are used by, and made available to, a diverse global community.
The centerpiece of the Feeleez mission is our matching game. Twenty five pairs of sturdy card tiles use facial expressions and body language to illustrate brave, sad, worried, surprised, amazed, etc. With ideas for use at play and in the classroom.
Our entire line of tools include:
A matching game.
A poster.
A learning guide.
An ABC eBook.
Parenting with empathy workshops.
Parent coaching.
Life coaching.
An empathy hotline.
Please visit us at:
www.feeleez.com
What are your organization's top three priorities in the next year?
- Increase awareness of our message and brand
- Increase our market
- Develop additional tools
Need #1
Consumer/Audience Acquisition
Need #2
Digital Marketing Strategy
Based on your first choice of the eight technical categories you selected above, what is your specific project need? Please be specific!
Since Feeleez is already generating sales the goal is to increase the market penetration of Feeleez .
We need to increase brand awareness. Feeleez branding has already been well received by Ashoka, educators, therapists, parents and others but increasing awareness is crucial.
We need to establish channel/distribution partners to introduce not only our mission but also our product.
We need to develop a more enhanced digital market presence through additional search engine optimization.
We need to expand into other, more defined, markets. Feeleez is a small business, and thus far our focus has been on local and internet sales.
Also, our project is in great need of consulting help, especially with regard to developing a SWOT analysis for the company. Aid of this sort will allow us to better understand the market in which we play.
There is a need for Feeleez in both the marketplace and the social structure of our community so once consumers become aware of our product they are excited to forge a relationship with Feeleez. In this light our challenge is simply to make our mission and our product better known and profound social impact develops from there.
1.
Communication. We strive to be extremely timely, empathetic, and sincere in our communications with our partnerships.
2.
Mission driven. Our message is simple and direct. Supporting children and caregivers in developing empathy is what we do.
3.
Innovative. Our product and aesthetic are unique. We aim to bring this fresh form of emotional education to our partnerships.
Will support from American Express be focused on your organization overall or a specific product/service? Please describe.
Nathan McTague and I (Natalie Christensen) are the heart and soul of the Feeleez organization. We have created a product, manufactured it, and have sales to show for it. Feeleez is now at a point where we need help taking it to the next level. We consider sales to be the benchmark for success in that regard.
We believe that a focus on the centerpiece of Feeleez- Matching Game, makes the most sense at this point. We have found that the game is often the initial purchase our customers make and that this purchase serves as the bridge to further purchases of additional products and services.
Have you focused on the above area previously? If so, please explain, including whether you have worked with outside consultants before.
No, we have not received help from outside consultants before. Our success thus far has been entirely based on word of mouth, social media marketing, and a successful product that fills a need in the marketplace.
Are you able to commit 3-5 hours/wk over 10-12 weeks?
Yes
Are you able to meet virtually or at a convenient in-person location?
Yes
Are you able to meet in the city where your organization is based?
Yes
1.
Access to Amex's ability to transform Feeleez by linking into, or creating a strategy for establishing larger distribution.
2.
Benefit from Amex's ability to elevate the level of our brand - i.e. make Feeleez a household name.
3.
Utilize Ashoka and AMEX to help deliver our mission of empathy.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Feeleez has been in business for five years. In that time we have developed five potent products, a website, two social media blogs, and a system of emotional support for caregivers by way of coaching, consulting, courses, and community. We sell to accounts and customers throughout the United States and Canada and receive requests for distribution in Europe almost weekly. We have sold over four thousand empathy games alone which are shared with innumerable children via parents, therapists, teachers, and social workers.
Each time a child is offered the chance to play the Feeleez Empathy Game they are being offered the opportunity to be heard, to develop emotionally, and to establish a sense of empathy for others. We believe that the impact of greater empathy in the world is priceless.
What is your project future impact after receiving professional support from American Express?
Receiving professional support from American Express would have a great impact on our company and on the world at large. Feeleez would use this support to grow our audience and penetrate further markets. This not only makes a difference to the bottom line of our company, (increasing our sales many times over), but to the social community in general. For each game purchased by a parent, or teacher, there are many children that have access to that game. The game symbolizes the opportunity to develop emotionally. This increased emotional awareness and sense of empathy is then shared with that child's circle - including children on the playground, adults in their neighborhood, and members of their family. Empathy is the antidote to aggression and bullying, and the foundation for peace.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Created on 02/20/2013 by melissajdiamond
This program will train mothers of children with autism in the West Bank to work in a cooperative-model ABA therapy program to help their children.
Created on 12/11/2012 by LBustani
Mandalah has been helping organizations of all shapes and sizes throughout the world become sensitive to the changes going on around us and the need to redefine the role business plays not merely within a marketplace, but within society as a whole. Mandalah exists at the magical intersection between profit and purpose.
read more ↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about yourself/your team.
Born in New York, raised in a few different countries, and trained at the University of Pennsylvania and Schumacher College (UK), people and places have always left their marks on me. In 2006 I started up Mandalah alongside my friend Igor Botelho. Our mission is to bring new perspectives to how organizations see their roles within society, inviting them to a more systemic discussion on how commerce can be at the service of society’s overall wellbeing.
In 2012, I was:
- Included in Fast Company's list of the 100 Most Creative People in Business;
- Chosen by Trip Magazine as one of 11 Brazilians under 40 changing the country and the world;
- Selected by Época Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Brazilians of the year.
What makes you an intrapreneur? What are the skills, capabilities, and personality traits that make you an intrapreneur?
First off, I believe in the possibility – and power – of change, and that it is always within our reach. I am committed to dialogue as the only effective and genuine means of bringing about sustainable change, as dialogue implies we will “meet in the middle” and co-exist, even in the face of adversity. I have a deep conviction that change must be organic – come from within, from each individual’s consciousness – in order to withstand the test of time. And I believe change is contagious, when people see the benefit in embracing it. Finally, I have a strong intuition that power and love must be balanced – power without love is authoritative, and love without power is anemic. To bring about effective and long-lasting change, both must be in equilibrium.
Primary country where this project is creating social impact
Additional countries or regions
Mexico, USA, Germany and Japan
Industry
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
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Scaling (the next step will be growing impact on a regional or even global scale)
The Need: What social or environmental problem are you trying to solve?
I try not to see our work as solving a problem. I prefer to see it as an evolutionary challenge. After decades doing business in a vacuum via Cartesian, mechanistic and short-term thinking, we have come to realize that this modus operandi is not sustainable and that whatever progress we seem to be making is clouded by the catastrophic impact business is having on the planet and on the quality of peoples’ lives. Time to shift gears, adopt a more systemic view of business and understand how commerce can create shared value through common agendas where everyone wins. Helping people become sensitive to this moment of reflection (and inflection) and open to new ways of doing business is at the crux of this evolutionary challenge.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
Our solution lies in the magical intersection between purpose and profit, where dialogue reigns and value is shared.
- Find order in chaos – The world is a complex environment, in constant flux. Either create an illusory sense of stability and try to make everything as secure as possible or accept the chaos and find order within it by quickly adapting. Go with the latter.
- Think systemically – No man is an island and the same is even truer for corporations. Time for them to recognize that the ramifications of their actions transcend the marketplace and have a broader, societal component that must not be neglected.
- New “C” – We are citizens before consumers. Understanding this will help companies focus on unmet human needs rather than mere consumer aspirations.
- Dialogue – Identify those that are usually not on your radar but that are impacted by your business. Hear them out. Empathize.
- Share the value – Identify where all stakeholder interests align; win-win opps.
The Solution: Why is this solution innovative for your company and industry?
The approach outlined above is somewhat liberating, as it invites us to leave the office and explore the world first-hand. Frameworks and theories are helpful but experiential, transformative learning is more insightful. This approach also requires us to tap into both our right and left brains, mixing reason with intuition. From an industry-perspective, our approach represents a new mental model aimed at helping businesses do well while doing good.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities.
In 2010 Nike asked us to help develop a systemic vision for the brand in Rio de Janeiro in anticipation of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. We engaged in dialogue with artists, community leaders, athletes, social entrepreneurs, musicians and cultural producers to understand their views on the city as well as their needs and interests as citizens (not just consumers). Based on our findings, we advised Nike on a bottom-up approach based on 2 adjacent principles: sport as a catalyst for social transformation and sport as an integrative force among residents of the city (shared value).
Over the past year, a number of initiatives in different neighborhoods were conceived based on this concept, such as: refurbishment of facilities, creation of football training centers, sport competitions, sponsorship of athletes from low income neighborhoods, etc. These activations have had a resounding success and late last year, research conducted by Rio’s main newspaper reported that Nike was the top of mind sports clothing brand among residents of the city. The take-aways from this case are numerous:
__Do more, say less – focus on getting things done, connecting with people and less so on selling yourself.
__Be the Nudge – always encourage people to do things that are essentially good for them.
__Bottom up – start from the bottom, where real change is most necessary, and see your efforts trickle up.
__Empower the mobilizers – give resources to those people that are already moving the masses and making things happen.
__Be an integrative force – bring people together.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
I do not believe in competition in the traditional sense, where a single player is a threat to one’s survival and prosperity. In fact, to the extent that other well-intentioned companies are emerging, wanting to help organizations do better business, we should celebrate, not only because we were the first to bring this discussion to the forefront back in 2006, but especially since there are still too few of us who think differently to serve the entire market. In terms of differentiation, I would highlight our multidisciplinary team, our humanist approach to all that we do, our creative flair given our Brazilian origins as well as our tireless (and non-negotiable) commitment to only engaging in projects that necessarily improve peoples’ lives.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
Fortunately, it seems that everyday is an “Aha” moment, in varying degrees, of course. However, one special moment does in fact stand out.
In 2011 we completed a 1-year study for General Motors (GM) on the future of urban mobility, with a focus on developing megacities (cities with more than 10 million inhabitants). We researched renewable fuels, public private partnerships, new technologies and materials, public transport and urban planning. The output of the study was a suite of 32 “better future” scenarios and ironically few, if any, had to do with cars. We were desperately trying to signal to GM that the future of urban mobility went beyond motorized vehicles.
A few months after the project, an employee from GM forwarded us an internal memo from GM’s South American President making reference to this study and stating that it was time for GM to transition from “General Motors” to “General Mobility.”
They got it. They turned the key and never looked back.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
As a result of our project, a specific Urban Mobility department was created at GM, consisting of reps from all the major regions, where knowledge was pooled and the 32 innovation opportunities we put forth in our study were subjected to feasibility studies. Quantitatively, it is too early to measure the impact, only because this project is about re-engineering GM’s core activities. Qualitatively, however, we can clearly sense a paradigm shift among GM’s leadership, who are much more open to discuss these alternative futures where cars are not the protagonists. The end result of all this will be that GM will soon be better prepared to offer solutions that effectively and sustainably meet people’s mobility needs as opposed to saturating congested streets with expensive, inefficient and oversized machines that are responsible for respiratory illnesses and ozone layer deterioration. We believe GM professionals stand to gain from this as well as citizens all over the world.
What is your projected impact over the next 1 to 3 years?
In terms of Mandalah as a company, I project our impact along several lines:
- More companies – As we start scaling our business and accumulating a solid track record with organizations of all shapes and sizes, I anticipate that we will manage to engage in more and more relationships with leaders from different organizations.
- More people – As a result of this, more individuals will be impacted by these alternative mental models which we are proposing and as a result, will become the change they want to see in the world.
- More impact – The end result of all this is a world better served by the private sector (and other organizations as well) through solutions that truly improve peoples’ lives.
- More health and happiness – At the end of the day, this is what we’re all after.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
Looking forward, the only real barrier that I foresee would come in the form of budget cuts from organizations as a result of a weak economic environment. When things get tough, companies stop investing in innovation, unfortunately. This is somewhat counter-intuitive , in fact: it’s precisely when the going gets rough that you should look to re-invent yourself and do things differently. Since I cannot award pro-bono status to all my clients, I will always run the risk of serving a market with no available cash to invest. Thankfully, I am learning to deal with this now, since markets are lukewarm globally. By keeping my structure lean, I keep my costs low, which allows me to not only pursue more aggressive pricing but attain better margins. It’s about learning to do a lot with a little.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat is the benefit or value you're creating for your business?
For all the different businesses that we service, I feel we are producing an instrument that will help them turn the key and operate successfully in this new environment we are getting acquainted with. Ultimately, the benefit they will reap from continued relevance is strong performance along with a long-lasting legacy. For Mandalah specifically, I feel we are becoming more knowledgeable and conscious to do what we do increasingly better every day.
How are you leveraging internal resources (funds, time, knowledge, etc.) to support this initiative?
From Day 1, we have grown organically, re-investing our profits into our company. We have come to understand over time that our best investments are in people (best-in-class professionals with right/left brain versatility), information technology (integrating our offices and optimizing research capabilities), our office space (where we work, brainstorm, create, eat, socialize and rest), and knowledge acquisition (trips, conferences, courses, literature). We have also developed a vast group of thought leaders who we are in touch with and who support us when we need to evolve our business. And finally, we are investing time, money and energy in consolidating our network of 6 offices, with 2 more offices in sight until 2014.
Expand on your answer, explaining the long-term funding and support plan.
Since what we are doing is still very new and emerging, it is hard to project where all of this will go in the long term. My intuition tells me that we will be able to continue scaling our business without having to turn to outside investors, since we enjoy respectable margins which we are willing to re-invest. Perhaps this is rooted in a belief that we must be careful on how fast we grow so as to not dilute our value proposition, which is essentially what got us to where we are in the first place. There is also no point growing faster than the market's disposition to engage in the types of disruptive conversations we so enthusiastically put forth. As Bruce Lee says "one must flow like water", and so we plan on letting things fall into place without worrying about getting too big too fast.
Tell us about your partnerships across your company and externally that are key to your project's success.
Internally, we all partner up with each other. Everyone gets involved in research, strategy, production and creative work, more or less so depending on nature of project. External relationships include two schools where we teach classes (Escola São Paulo & Fundação Getúlio Vargas), the latter for whom we train a student-led consultancy. We also team up with NGOs and government entities on a project-by-project basis.
What internal support have you gotten for your project? What kind of push-back have you received?
For one reason or another, our value proposition resonates quite strongly with people, both inside and outside the company. Perhaps this can be explained through the increasingly popular notion that it’s time to inject new blood, new energy, and more consciousness into the business world. In terms of push-back, I see it merely as a question of timing; we need to appreciate that not everyone is ready to turn the key.
Created on 11/6/2012 by George Hashaka
Uganda Peace Foundation combines poverty eradication and peace building efforts for realization of sustainable peace in Uganda and the entire world.This strategy can be replicated in other countries in a similar situation.This strategy is referred to by Prof.Dave Ulrich as Big,Hairy,Audacious, Goal(BHAG).
read more ↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about yourself/your team.
I am an entrepreneur right from my school days.While I was studying my Ordinary Level I traded in sugar,salt and soap to supplement on the families income.Later I taught but also established a boutique.In 1977 I joined the Uganda Army(UA) and shortly a war broke out between the 2nd Republic of Uganda and the Tanzania People's Defence Forces with the Uganda National Liberation Army.We were defeated and most of our officers and men were imprisoned,went in exile and others started armed rebellion.As for me because of my entrepreneurship spirit I started business of buying human medicine from pharmacys and selling them to private clinics.I was able to pay school fees for my sisters.When I retired from the National Resistance Army I established Uganda Peace Foundation.
What makes you an intrapreneur? What are the skills, capabilities, and personality traits that make you an intrapreneur?
I am independent,creative,courageous,patient and believe in incessant learning. I think out of the box and venture out into the unknown,into the unfamiliar territory,into the uncomfortable zones and the uncharted waters.
When I started Uganda Peace Foundation I was offered jobs by the Jinja District Service Commission and the Government of Uganda,also my sisters in Sweden invited me to go and work there;I declined all these opportunities though I was living on a shoe string budget and at times just having hot water for a meal,failing to pay tuition for my children and paying house rent.One time one of my sons told me that I love Uganda than them.They are part of the Uganda that I love.I know what Uganda Peace Foundation means for Uganda and mankind in general.
Primary country where this project is creating social impact
Additional countries or regions
Can be replicated in other countries in a similar situation.
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The Need: What social or environmental problem are you trying to solve?
The most pressing challenge of the globe is conflicts coupled with terrorism.Most of the solutions are military approaches and other solutions are about conflict resolution and reconciliation,and post conflict rehabilitation.We need to tackle this problem by addressing the root causes of conflicts/insecurity.Close your eyes for ten minutes and examine the adverse effects of conflicts/insecurity.Women and girls have been raped,gun barrels have been forcefully inserted in their vaginas,they have been sold into sex slavery by warlords,great loss of human life,destruction of the infrastructure,depletion of natural resources,loss of economic opportunities,great injuries to fighting forces and civilians,and countries which were known to be economically strong have become weak economies after war
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
Uganda Peace Foundation,an organization that I established when I retired from the National Resistance Army(NRA) now Uganda People's Defense Forces(UPDF) in 1994 having first joined the Uganda Army(UA) in 1977 is an upshot of a research that I undertook on the root causes of conflicts/insecurity.The research findings revealed poverty coupled with unemployment and other social ills to be major causes of conflicts/insecurity.Since it's now acknowledged globally that these are the root causes of conflicts/insecurity it becomes imperative to develop strategies of inhibiting conflicts/insecurity by tackling poverty coupled with unemployment and other social ills.We spend less in preventing conflicts/insecurity than controlling them once they have occurred.And the best strategy is when you combine poverty eradication with peace building efforts.So in Uganda Peace Foundation we have developed these strategy that will prevent conflicts in Uganda and the entire world.Can be replicated elsewhere
The Solution: Why is this solution innovative for your company and industry?
This solution is innovative in our company and industry because it's the first that is addressing prevention of conflicts by combating the root causes and combines poverty eradication with peace building efforts.And applies both a top down and bottom up strategy with great participation of the masses.Today we see advocates of this approach such as the United States Institute for Peace,Global Partnership for Prevention of Armed Conflict and the CICS, University of Bradford.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities.
This model of combining poverty eradication and peace building efforts makes a difference in preventing conflicts/insecurity as the poor people and the unemployed who are the raw material for armed conflicts/insecurity will be economically empowered by development programmes that we have initiated.These programmes include entrepreneurship training and having got skills to manage businesses we provide them with affordable micro finance capital.While we are doing this we also provide them with peace education.Another programme that will absorb the poor and the University graduates is the Village Earth Model which is intended to empower one million people in ten years.Other projects are for Human rights,Education,Environment,Hiv/Aids,Democracy and Good Governance,etc.Visit Uganda Peace Foundation website: https://sites.google.com/site/peacefoundationorgug.
Also visit the International Conference website for more on this model: http://regonline.activeeurope.com/internationalconferenceonpeacesecurity
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
Our peers include the United Nations agencies,Center for International Cooperation on Security(CICS) of the University of Bradford,University of Peace at Costa Rica,The Global Partnership for Prevention of Armed Conflicts(GPPAC),A number of Universities including Makerere University,Kampala(Uganda),The African Union(AU),The East African Community(EAC),Inter Governmental organizations,Non Governmental Organizations,The Micro finance Summit Campaign, Inter Parliamentary Union,etc.This solution that have been crafted by Uganda Peace Foundation is new of its kind and once the stakeholders I have mentioned get together in the International Conference that we are organizing and they own the solution we shall fly beyond the sky.
Challenges from governments and other micro finance org.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
I retired from the National Resistance Army(NRA) at a time of great political activities in our country and I had initially wanted to participate in the politics of Jinja District but somehow because of my military career with the Uganda ArmyI began receiving information on armed conflicts/insecurity in Uganda,this coupled with my military experience I started to do research on the root causes of conflicts/insecurity.After three years of research that led me to travel to the neighboring countries of Uganda in 1997 I concluded that poverty coupled with unemployment and other social ills were major causes of conflicts/insecurity.I abandoned the idea of joining politics and in 1998 I conceived the idea of starting Uganda Peace Foundation,as an organization to promote global peace/security by addressing the root causes.I started on the task of convincing the elite to join me and we form the Board of Trustees of the foundation.In September 1999 we registered this organization.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Stakeholders now including governments,local population, intergovernmental organizations,civil society organizations,the academia and the United Nations believe in addressing the root causes of conflicts/insecurity and some are advocating for our approach to conflict prevention.Peter Van Tuijl,Executive Director of Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflicts(GPPAC) says that, "The old state-centric,military-focused take on security falls short in addressing complex challenges,like transnational terrorist networks and the social inequalities conducive to conflict.We need a more holistic approach,carried out by different stakeholders,bases not only on national security considerations but on what it is that individuals and communities need in order to feel safe".
Local I have carried out sensitization on peace,trained people on entrepreneurship and the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs) in 42 districts of all regions of Uganda to a number of seven thousand people.
What is your projected impact over the next 1 to 3 years?
Our projected impact over the next 1-3 years will be great as this is the time that real economic benefits will be realized by the disadvantaged in Uganda as the Microfinance program and the Village Earth Model that was developed to empower one million people in a period of ten years will have been launched in the Karamoja Region of Uganda and will be rolled out in other regions of Uganda.We shall also market this idea in the neighboring countries that have also been entangled in armed conflicts.
Activities on Hiv/Aids prevention,care and support services,human rights,democracy and good governance,environment,education ,etc will all be implemented.Details of all activities that Uganda Peace Foundation will execute in the next years can be found out at our website.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
Preparation for any development programme is essential for its success and I have invested in Uganda Peace Foundation fifteen years in terms of intellectual effort,time and money.The greatest barrier to the success of Uganda Peace Foundation is funding.I have done prospect research and donor relations that is why now having been in military trenches I am able to know funding opportunities like this one. We just need whole hearted cooperation of all stakeholders including funders for this idea to fly and be meaningful to the world.Though I was living on a shoe string budget at times taking hot water,unable to have fuel for cooking and lighting as well as paying school fees for my children and rent for accommodation I declined jobs and other opportunities.I knew what this idea meant.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat is the benefit or value you're creating for your business?
Uganda Peace Foundation is a membership based organization and is people oriented and most of the projects that we have carried out was out of membership fees.So far we have seven thousand members in 42 districts of all regions in Uganda organized in groups of twenties and we have now created a membership platform were people can become members from all over the world including Ugandans in the diaspora.The membership website is:
http://www.regonline.co.uk/ugandapeacefoundationmembershipformcopycopy
VALUE for the Foundation is SOCIAL CAPITAL
How are you leveraging internal resources (funds, time, knowledge, etc.) to support this initiative?
To support this initiative as I have alluded to is membership and then I have no other activity that I have time for other than Uganda Peace Foundation.That is why I declined job opportunities in the Uganda Government and Sweden so that I have time to develop Uganda Peace Foundation.I am married to the foundation.Many organizations fail because the authors fail to give 150 percent of their time and commitment to the organizations. One of the values of Uganda Peace Foundation is incessant learning and therefore explored all opportunities on the internet for knowledge generation.I believe in intellectual capital,social capital,reputational capital and emotional capital.That is the power of intangible assets.
Expand on your answer, explaining the long-term funding and support plan.
Other than funding that will be generated from membership fees,we shall also raise operational funding from the micro finance programme,workshops/conferences,magazines,membership identity cards,t.shirts,etc.We shall also develop relationships with donors and other stakeholders.
Tell us about your partnerships across your company and externally that are key to your project's success.
Yes,I am developing partnerships with the United Nations agencies,World Micro credit Summit Campaign,Intergovernmental Organizations,Civil Society Organizations,the Academia and Professional organizations that provide experts in different fields such as leadership,management,funding,membership mobilization,etc.
What internal support have you gotten for your project? What kind of push-back have you received?
Ugandans are very enthusiastic about the idea that is why we got that big membership.Of course we had challenges especially from people who believe in the traditional military take on security.And also micro finance players who are threatened with our friendly micro finance programme.And powerful people who didn't understand the concept of combining poverty eradication with peace building efforts.Those opposed to the National Resistance Movement Government,want peace after
This solution created by Uganda Peace Foundation deserves the support of all stakeholders as without peace/security,we can't have any development whatsoever.Governments have their interests and approaches to global challenges,so the best allies in having this concrete practical solution to be meaningful to mankind for present and future generations should be the social entrepreneurs and I urge you to team up with us in this noble cause.It is the best that we can give our mother,planet.This is an idea that Professor Dave Ulrich refers to as a Big,Hairy,Audacious Goal (BHAG) and it is needed for
Defining Diversity: Creating Community shifts mindsets and sparks innovation by combining an educational experience with community engaged research.
Created on 09/12/2012 by Appleseed
Don’t Leave Money Behind campaign will help Mexican migrants protect and retrieve their U.S. assets when they return to Mexico.
Organization: Fundación Appleseed Mexico, A.C.
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
Fundación Appleseed Mexico, A.C.
Country where this project is creating social impact
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Has the organization received awards or honors? Please tell us about them
UNICEF Mexico 2012 1st Place for Investigation for the report, “Children at the Border: The Screening, Protection and Repatriation of Unaccompanied Mexican Minors;” The Financial Times’ innovator awards for 2010 awarded first prize to DLA for its work with Mexico Appleseed in building a pro bono culture in Mexico. The same issue also awarded a prize to Latham & Watkins for its work with Mexico Appleseed and Appleseed in reforming the U.S. immigration courts.
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Scaling (the next step will be growing impact on a regional or even global scale)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for more than 5 years
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your innovation addresses? Choose up to two
Access, Transparency.
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
Forced or hasty departure from homes and communities in the U.S. subjects migrants to financial and child custody problems. Many protective steps can be taken to avoid custody problems and save assets, but awareness of these steps is low. Once a migrant is detained or has left the U.S., regaining assets – a home, car or money in a bank account – is much more difficult, especially since immigration laws restrict migrants from reentering the U.S. after deportation, and especially when legal proceedings are necessary. Rights to keep assets and custody are independent of the right to stay in the U.S.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
Our solution is to conduct public education and legal campaigns to help vulnerable populations in the U.S. protect their assets and custodial rights before a crisis hits, and to help recover assets or child custody for those in Mexico who didn’t prepare.
Appleseed has written English and Spanish versions of “Protecting Assets at a Time of Deportation” to help migrants collect unpaid wages; protect bank accounts, cars, homes, and businesses; manage assets held in a child’s name; and protect child custody rights.
Mexico Appleseed and Appleseed will leverage our connections and pro bono contacts to prevent the financial fall‐out of being detained or deported, which will allow migrants more time to focus on the immediate legal issues they face if such a scenario arises.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
Mexico Appleseed recognizes that migrants need this information both before they migrate to the U.S. and before they leave the U.S. to return home – whether forced or voluntary. The English and Spanish manuals available via Mexico Appleseed’s website serve as the basic information that migrants need to protect their assets.
We will also make the material in our manuals “live” by transmitting the content via film, friendly videos (or spots), written summaries and media in both countries.
Mexico Appleseed has developed close relationships with government agencies in Mexico that are interested in being part of this effort and helping to provide public education and plans to continue these relationships with the new administration:
• Banxico: Banco de México = Mexico Central Bank
• CNDH: Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos = National Commission for Human Rights
• CONDUSEF : Comisión Nacional para la Defensa de los Usuarios de las Instituciones Financieras = National Commission for the Defense of Users of Financial Institutions
• IME: Instituto de los Mexicanos en el Exterior = Institute of the Mexicans Abroad
• INM: Instituto Nacional de Migración = Migration National Institute
We will also develop pro bono clinics to provide legal support .
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
Appleseed has not identified any materials similar to ours. The Women’s Refugee Commission is working on a tool kit and we will coordinate our efforts with theirs. We also plan to work with the Department of Homeland Security’s Legal Orientation Program, which contracts with the Vera Institute and others to provide information to detainees.
Following our initial publication of the English version, Appleseed conducted extensive distribution to 300 law clinics, academics, health care and social work providers, foreign embassies and consulates and members of the religious community. Other NGOs can help us “grow” the project by disseminating this information.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
Appleseed’s “Aha!” moment occurred following Appleseed’s international presentation urging the importance of public education for migrants. A credit union official approached Appleseed and commented that he felt so sorry for migrants who left assets in bank and credit union accounts when they are deported, because these assets belong to the migrant. He asked Appleseed to take on this issue and do something to help migrants understand that the assets belong to them and can be retained as they return home.
This suggestion was dramatized in real-time as Appleseed staff observed migrants returning to Mexico at Christmastime following Oklahoma’s passage of one of the most onerous U.S. anti-immigrant restrictions, with beds, baby carriages and luggage strapped to car roofs. This poignantly raised the question as to whether non-tangible equity and earnings were also returning to Mexico with the migrants.
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
Migrants who amassed assets in the U.S. have rights to those assets and child custody rights, regardless of whether they leave the U.S. voluntarily or by deportation. Mexico Appleseed and Appleseed want these migrants to preserve these rights and bring assets back to Mexico with them. These assets can open the door to financial security in Mexico and lead to savings and investments – in education, in homes, in cars, and other opportunities requiring a base level of capital – assets they have earned.
Which barrier(s) to financial inclusion does your solution seek to address? (select all applicable)
Other (Please describe below).
If you selected 'other' above, please specify which other barriers to financial inclusion you solution seeks to address:
Threat of loss of assets rightfully owned by the migrant and the migrants child custodial rights.
For which underserved or excluded communities will your solution create access to valuable, affordable, secure and comprehensive financial services?
The migrant community often – moves without benefit of documented identity. This invisibility and lack of documentation precludes many migrants from establishing proper beneficiaries for their property in the U.S. or transferring these assets when they return home.
Deportations from the U.S. total approximately 400,000 per year, and, according the Colegio de la Frontera Norte de México (COLEF); one million of the individuals deported since 2009 are Mexicans. Many migrants are precipitously detained. Others leave when a family member is sick, immigration proceedings are imminent, or economic opportunity dries up.
When they are able to recover their assets they can enter a portal to formal financial services in Mexico as they will have capital for investment or savings.
Could your solution work in other geographies or regions? If so, where?
This solution can work in any country in which migrants face either forced or voluntary return home. The manual must be adapted to the laws for other countries; but it provides the basic template of property and relationships at risk when migrants from any country return home.
If your solution is dramatically successful, how will things be different in 10 years?
Appleseed will have educated the Mexican migrant population currently living in the U.S. and those who are thinking of migrating to the U.S. about how they should protect their assets as they work to achieve their dream of a better life. If they lose all that they have earned, they will also lose hope and opportunities for their families.
Many immigrants' greatest anxieties at the prospect of deportation are the fates of their family and home. It never occurs to them that the law would allow these important assets and relationships to survive that process. However, U.S. courts have held repeatedly that deportation is only a remedial measure, not a punishment.
What will have had to have changed to make this happen?
Mexico Appleseed will have executed a successful information campaign so that migrants and their families do everything they can to protect assets amassed in the U.S. and to retain child custody rights.
Mexico will have brought this information to immigrants in time so they can make the preparations needed to protect their children and life's work, and more fundamentally , they can live their lives before and after deportation or voluntary departure with the confidence that being sent home will not mean losing everything.
These things will change:
• This deportation advice will be widely available in Mexico in Spanish;
• Extensive public education and media will cover these rights;
• Migrants and their families will have protected their assets.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Appleseed distributed the original manual to around 300 law clinics, academics, health care and social work providers, foreign embassies and consulates and members of the religious community. Attorneys helped distribute it to 11,000 immigration lawyers, Mexican consular officials, accredited representatives of non-profit charitable agencies approved to help low income foreign nationals, MALDEF and Spanish-speaking media.
Appleseed then conducted interviews with 25 NGOs that have used our materials. The responses were overwhelmingly positive.
Paul Parsons, nationally known immigration lawyer, said: “Thanks to Appleseed for compiling this guide ... Appleseed's manual should be widely distributed because it is so useful.”
The English and Spanish versions are posted to the Mexico Appleseed and Appleseed websites.
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
Mexico Appleseed projects a significant impact on Mexican migrants who will learn that they own their hard-earned assets, even when returning home, and that steps can be taken to protect these assets. For example, a migrant returning home, leaving adult children in the U.S., can pass property on to them. Or, a migrant returned not through his own choice can designate another individual to take legal action to protect his property. Migrants will clear their bank accounts before leaving. And they will know what their rights are with regard to children remaining in the U.S. or returning with them.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
This material is complicated and may be difficult for many migrants to understand. In some cases, migrants may fear legal authorities and may resist taking the precautions recommended.
To change a culture is always a barrier itself and we want to change the culture of risking loss of assets to a culture of taking technical – in many cases challenging - steps to protect assets.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
MX Appleseed will disseminate material about protecting assets in partnership with the Mexican government and NGOs.
Task 1
Develop content via film, videos (MX Appleseed is working on a child custody video), checklists and media in both countries.
Task 2
Build alliances with Mexican consulates, migrant and hometown clubs, and U.S. and government entities to disseminate this work.
Task 3
Work with the press and public media and corporate publications to spread the word about how to protect assets.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Mexican migrants will know how to protect their assets and will aggressively take action to do so.
Task 1
Distribute content via Mexican and U.S. employers, unions, providers, Mexican government offices and consulates in U.S.
Task 2
Work with Mexican consulates, migrant and hometown clubs, and U.S. and government entities to disseminate this work.
Task 3
Leverage Mexico Appleseed’s pro bono to establish clinics and train intermediaries in asset protection and recovery.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
The Mexican government has been increasingly interested in supporting migrant communities and the work of Mexico Appleseed to serve these communities. The government has even offered to open their own resources – web pages, contacts, and relationships with NGOs – to further this work.
Mexico Appleseed will explore with its partners creation of clear materials to help migrants contemplating migration to understand these issues.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your innovation? If so, where and why?
Mexico Appleseed is currently targeting a “macro” approach to work with government officials and the national media to spread the word about these rights. Then, Appleseed will select willing organizations and intermediaries for partnerships. We recognize that there are places where individuals come together – workplaces and unions, clubs and hometown associations, social services, and religious gathering places – where we can maximize delivery of this message.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
This project will work best when these operating environment factors are in place: financial institutions willing to work with Mexico Appleseed and Appleseed to help migrants transmit assets home, Mexican financial institutions ready to receive these assets and put them to work for Mexicans to achieve their financial goals and legal practitioners willing to help with some of the more complex activities to help migrants preserve assets. An important internal organizational factor is Mexico Appleseed’s need to repackage this information and manage this knowledge, packaging it in understandable and simple segments via film, video and other media.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
Appleseed will need introductions to major media outlets that can serve as a megaphone to get this information to Mexican migrants and their families.
Created on 09/9/2012 by taplaya
Defining Diversity: Creating Community shifts mindsets and sparks innovation by combining an educational experience with community engaged research.
Organization: Powell River Model Community Project in partnership with Vancouver Island University and Tla'Amin Community Health.
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
Powell River Model Community Project in partnership with Vancouver Island University and Tla'Amin Community Health.
Country where this solution is creating social impact
Region in BC where your solution creates social impact
Coast and Mountains, Vancouver Island.
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Growth (your pilot is up and running, and starting to expand)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for less than a year
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your solution addresses? Choose up to two
Quality, Equity.
The Need: Describe the need for your solution and the size and characteristics of the community(ies) your solution is engaging
Inexorably tied to Catalyst’s fortunes, Powell River is a community facing economic decline and the loss of services and jobs. Faced with a slowing economy, the community notes rising social problems like mental health and addictions, homelessness, family violence and, on the whole, a greater reliance on social programming at a time when these programs are at risk financially. The first Powell River Vital Signs report provides a portrait.(http://www.prvs.ca/portrait-of-our-community.html) Citizens have historically placed responsibility on business and political leadership, and social programs have relied on corporate charity. The community has been fractured in its responses. A lack of understanding between groups and individuals has resulted in stalled progress and disengagement.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
Defining Diversity: Creating Community will shift mindsets and spark innovation by providing a two day educational experience developed and piloted by Vancouver Island University and the PR Diversity Initiative to 4 groups of 20 participants, representing Powell River's unique diversity. The course is designed around the award winning film with the same title. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-Jj4P5GE80) The course utilizes innovative teaching and learning strategies that support participants to forge collaborative relationships while they learn about Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) as a framework to explore their gifts and potential contributions. The course ends with open space activities intentionally designed to spark actions that contribute to social and economic change. This project continues to engage citizens over a 2 year period by inviting them to participate in action research measuring social impact and sustained change.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include the primary activities involved in your solution.
The impressive results of the pilot offering of Defining Diversity: Creating Community in 2011 motivated a unique group of partners to work collaboratively for community change. The project brings together Vancouver Island University with PR Model Community Project for Persons with Disabilities, Tla'Amin Community Health, PR and District United Way, First Credit Union, Community Living BC, PR Regional Economic Development Society, the PR Diversity Initiative, PR Association for Community Living, PR Education Services Society, the PR Community Foundation, PR Employment Services Society, School District 47, Friends of Film Society of PR, CJMP Community Radio Society, and Skookum Food Provisioners' Co-op. The door remains open for new community supporters. These organizations are committed to: marketing the innovation and the opportunity with their respective constituents; sponsoring participation in the course deliveries to ensure diverse representation; assistance with the refinement, implementation and analysis of the community engaged action research phases; support to new social and economic ideas and activities that flow from the process; and promotion of the lessons learned and recommendations in our own and other communities.
Activities include four rounds of participant recruitment and program delivery followed by four cycles of community engaged research; a focus group and a survey. The project concludes with a learning circle. Photo documentation and use of social media will be included. An interim and final report will be written, presented and distributed.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others working to address the same needs as you and indicate what sets you apart from them.
This project is complementary to local, provincial, national, and international projects utilizing education programs, multimedia, Asset Based Community Development, or community engaged research. However, the unique combination of strategies and the collaboration of community partners distinguish this project. The project is grounded in the learning of other innovative community developers but blazes a new trail.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
The idea for the project emerged after a pilot offering of Defining Diversity, Creating Community in November 2011.The course is based on the award winning documentary film created by the PR Diversity Initiative and builds on John McKnight’s pioneering work in Powell River in the early 90's. Pilot participants reported changed relationships with one another, a new awareness of their own and each others’ gifts and talents, and increased, motivation to commit to specific actions that impact quality of life in Powell River for all citizens. They championed the course structure as a way to bring together the community’s diverse views to address our common goal – a healthy life for all community members in a sustainable Powell River. Alison Taplay saw the potential for greater social impact and sustainability through the addition of community engaged research component because of her previous success implementing a change project, Rediscovering Innovation Through Employee Engagement.
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
1. Increase the community's capacity, resilience, and sustainability by providing an innovative educational experience to diverse groups of citizens crafted to:
•Increase knowledge of asset based community development among a diverse citizens including members of our First Nation’s community.
•Increase self-esteem through personal awareness of unique gifts and contributions.
•Increase the value placed on the gifts and contributions of others, in particular those different from self.
2. Spark greater citizen contribution and involvement in local social and economic development through:
•Increased volunteerism and initiative.
•Increased capacity to work collaboratively towards a common purpose.
•A shift in perceptions of the roles and responsibilities of leaders and citizens.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
The film has been screened at 7 film festivals in 3 countries and has won 2 awards and has been shown over 25 times in BC and Alberta.
The pilot educational program was delivered to a group of 18 in 2011, raising awareness about diversity and sparking new social and economic activity in Powell River. For example, a partnership among VIU/CJMP/PRDI emerged involving the implementation of new initiatives in Powell River, which helps all three organizations meet their mandates and support each other in doing so.
A formal evaluation completed by 14 participants gave high satisfaction ratings to their learning experience and the impact. Some comments were:
-It is so relevant. How we treat each other and ourselves impacts all other aspects of our lives
-It moves people towards hope. It's useful, practical, accessible information.
-Encourages connection between participants, relationship building
Participants have provided funds and support to this project.
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
Based on documented feedback from both the facilitated community dialogues based on the film and the pilot delivery of the two-day course, we anticipate:
1.Increased awareness of diversity and how we all unwittingly perpetuate conditions of exclusion
2.Increased capacity to collaborate across disciplinary and other social divides
3.Increased commitment to action towards creating an inclusive and sustainable community
4.Increased ability for this action to be effective in cultivating conditions that facilitate belonging
5.Increased avenues for citizens to contribute to meaningful change.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
Even when committed, it can be difficult for citizens to find the time and resources to participate for two full days on their own. Having the support of our various partners ensures their employees and representatives are supported to take the time to engage fully; the collaborative approach of this project is critical to its success. Another potential barrier is the difficulty attracting new participants in order to best reflect the diversity of Powell River within this project. This can be overcome by 1) soliciting our partners to reach out to their various networks to support us in recruitment and 2) using social media to make our project visible and accessible to a wider range of participants.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Task 1
community participation: delivery of the two-day continuing education course
Task 2
community-based action research: focus groups and survey
Task 3
community engagement via social media
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Evidence of engagement of participants in asset-based community development initiatives in Powell River.
Task 1
community participation: ongoing course delivery, school delivery, community workshop
Task 2
community-based action research (with emphasis on collaboration)
Task 3
community engagement via social media (which increases exponentially over time)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
PR Model Community Project leadership capacity will be combined with VIU and Tla-Amin Community Health’s expertise. Support comes from many organizations including: PR and District United Way; First Credit Union; SD 47; PR Education Services Society; PR Association for Community Living; PR Diversity Initiative; PR Regional Economic Development Society; PR Community Foundation; Community Living BC; PR Employment Program Society; Friends of Film Society of PR; and the Skookum Food Provisioners’ Cooperative.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your solution? If so, where and why?
We anticipate replicating the project in municipalities within Vancouver Island University's region faced with similar challenges. Quantitative and qualitative data from this "scaling up" will provide evidence that this innovation has valuable social and economic impact. This evidence will create a compelling rationale for sustainable delivery. Our vision is that all citizens in the Vancouver Island University geographic region have access to the knowledge and experience incorporated in the program Defining Diversity: Creating Community.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
1.Interdisciplinary collaboration and inter-agency partnerships enable limited resources to be maximized to their fullest potential.
2.The fact that there will be four offerings of the course means the ideas and practices it promotes will gather momentum in the community throughout the duration of the project, increasing impact over time.
3.The cycles of community engaged research will increase momentum and promote continuous learning cycles.
4.The inclusion of social media tools and community-based research enables community members to contribute to the development of the project, ensuring the work remains relevant and can adapt as needed.
5.VIU, the MCP, PRDI and Tla’Amin Community Health have mandates that align with the project’s asset-based community development approach.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
We have wide ranging leadership, education, and research expertise and have team members who are innovative thinkers. We need assistance with social media and marketing.
Created on 09/6/2012 by tsoutham
In Fall 2012 Selkirk will launch a series of garden parties to share indigenous ways of knowing by planting the beds surrounding its Gathering Place.
Organization: Selkirk College
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideCountry where this solution is creating social impact
Region in BC where your solution creates social impact
Columbia Basin.
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Start-Up (a pilot that has just begun operating)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for less than a year
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your solution addresses? Choose up to two
Cost.
The Need: Describe the need for your solution and the size and characteristics of the community(ies) your solution is engaging
Recent studies, including a report from the Ottawa-based Centre for the Study of Living Standards, suggest that, if current lower educational trends continue for aboriginal people "Canada could lose billions of dollars in productivity. The centre estimates that more than $170-billion could be added to Canada's economy by 2026 if natives achieved the same education levels as other Canadians" (Globe and Mail, Why aboriginal education is our business, June 21,2011)
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
A building is only a shelter and garden beds only soil. For either to grow relationships people must come together and be nourished.
Plants in indigenous worlds have always been a source of healing and knowledge. By bringing together Aboriginal community reps with non-Aboriginal staff and students at Selkirk to create, maintain and harvest a garden of native plants, these relationships can be built.
For this to happen, post-secondary institutions need to be more relevant, inviting and supportive of Aboriginal Learners.
Aboriginal Author and University of Victoria Indigenous Governance Faculty Taiaiake Alfred emphasizes the responsibility of students for helping to shape a better future.
"It's not a time when someone can sit back and be complacent or think that they don't matter. It's absolutely up to every individual because we're in that kind of historical moment" (The Free Library http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Taiaiake+Alfred%3A+shaping+a+bet
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include the primary activities involved in your solution.
Spirit Garden Parties
Fall, 2012 - Root Harvest and Plant Garden Party
Traditional Knowledge Keepers from the Ktunaxa, Colville Federated Tribes, and Okanagan Nation will be invited as guests to show party attenders how to harvest, prepare and cook fall ripening plants, especially roots. Some of these roots will be the first plants in the Gathering Place plant beds. Stories, photos and illustrations will be recorded in a the Gathering Place gardening book, an oversized book placed in the elders room and meant for recording and sharing knowledge.
Spring, 2013 - Renewal and Cleansing Garden Party
Traditional Knowledge Keepers from the Ktunaxa, Colville Federated Tribes, and Okanagan Nation will be invited as guests to show party attenders how to harvest, prepare and cook spring plants, especially tonics for cleansing. Some of these plants will be placed in the beds. Stories, photos and illustrations will be recorded in a the Gathering Place gardening book, an oversized book placed in the elders room and meant for recording and sharing knowledge.
Summer Garden Party, 2013 - Preserving for the Winter
Traditional Knowledge Keepers from the Ktunaxa, Colville Federated Tribes, and Okanagan Nation will be invited will be invited to instruct on how the programming in the Gathering Place building and gardens can prosper and be properly maintained. A celebratory garden potluck will follow the discussions.
Fall, 2013 - Spirit Garden Official Opening
To celebrate the work of the past 18 months a celebratory official opening of the garden will take place.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others working to address the same needs as you and indicate what sets you apart from them.
Since this garden will concentrate on plants with medicinal and food value there are likely to be some value-added products, such as preserves, ointments, tonics, that will be developed by participants. A partnership with local co-ops (Kootenay Food Co-op and Health Co-op with all profits going to Aboriginal support not-for-profits) would be appropriate,. The Kootenay School of the Arts, studying students, musicians and other will find the garden inspirational and worth booking and may create products worth marketing! Since this is a healing garden, all profits should go back to organizations that benefit Aboriginal students.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
Selkirk College is currently working with several partner First Nations for the benefit of all Aboriginal students. Often matters of which story or which knowledge to tell arise. Eminent ethnobotanist Nancy Turner once advised that you can always turn to the plants. As the College continues to open up spaces for indigenous ways of knowing at its campuses the Spirit Garden parties will give us all an opportunity to hear more stories and see many ways of knowing demonstrated. I have a feeling that Nancy was right about starting with the plants.
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
Selkirk College wants the Spirit Garden to:
- make the College a more inviting and relevant place for Aboriginal students, their parents and children
- to provide opportunities for Aboriginal community providers and partners to contribute knowledge and ways of knowing to the College
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
In the first month of opening of the Gathering Place we have had many inquiries about booking the building. As people utilize the building they look out the windows and ask about the garden beds.
The garden is an important signal that relationship building has only begun and there are many projects that still require input and advice.
By carefully and respectfully documenting the planting, maintenance, harvesting and preparation of the plants we will be creating a shared resource of the College, its community partners and students.
The amount of knowledge and ways of knowing shared while creating the garden will be the marker of our success, but so will the diversity and level of commitment of the contributors. How connected do the contributors feel to the College? How do the students respond to their sharing?
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
The Spirit Garden is thought to provide the basis of future relationships at the College that could lead to:
- revised curriculum,
- new indigenous programming,
- increased retention of Aboriginal Learners,
- more interest from K-12 schools in the area,
- and increased enrollment of Aboriginal learners.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
If the College is seen to be aligning itself with any one political cause or group it could decrease the diversity and quality of knowledge sharing. Organizers of the Spirit Garden events must be meticulous in their efforts to be inclusive.
The knowledge of indigenous people has been collected and misused and disregarded by many for generations. The College must seek permission for sharing any knowledge obtained during the Spirit Garden parties and work with knowledge keepers in respectful and mutually beneficial ways.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Task 1
Work through First Nation/Metis education coordinators to arrange for traditional ecological knowledge keepers to participate.
Task 2
Identify sources of plants and prepare the beds for the first garden party.
Task 3
Work with the College Aboriginal Advisory Committee to determine what knowledge from the party will be shared and how.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Task 1
Ask for feedback from the partner First Nations/Metis on the first Fall planting and knowledge sharing.
Task 2
Plan the Spring garden party with the College Advisory Committee by acting on the feedback received.
Task 3
Ask Aboriginal students, community groups and partner Nations about the value of the gardens.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
At the official opening of the Gathering Place (the building that the gardens surround) the Okanagan Nation Alliance, Ktunaxa Nation Council, Colville Confederated Tribes, Sinixt Nation Society, and Metis Nation BC were represented.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your solution? If so, where and why?
Programming at the Gathering Place will send a message to other student populations such as new Canadians and International students that Selkirk College embraces diversity.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
On opening day the Gathering Place filled and an adjoining room accommodating over 100 more guests was equipped with a live broadcast to accommodated the huge interest. Many participants refer to the opening of the Gathering Place as a "watershed event" at the College.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
In opening the Gathering Place we have learned a lot of lessons about collaboration between post-secondary institutions and indigenous partners that we are willing to share (offer). However we also know that we have a lot to learn (needs).
Created on 09/4/2012 by hdporter
Organization: Metis Nation British Columbia
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
Metis Nation British Columbia
Country where this solution is creating social impact
Region in BC where your solution creates social impact
Kootenay Rockies.
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Start-Up (a pilot that has just begun operating)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for more than 5 years
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your solution addresses? Choose up to two
Access.
The Need: Describe the need for your solution and the size and characteristics of the community(ies) your solution is engaging
The Need: Healing and Community Development leading to Economic Development is critical for the Metis of BC. This pilot project aims to combine the musical healing techniques of our two parent ancestors in an attempt strengthen our circle from the effects of lateral violence, with the tools of the Asset Based Community Development. The Metis have hidden our culture and lived on the edge of towns and reserves for many years. The pain of this disenfranchisement is felt in the behaviours of lateral violence.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
The First Nations drum and Metis style music and dance derived of our European ancestors will be used as healing techniques which will enable us to work productively together as we map our assets and determine our opportunities through the asset based community development tools.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include the primary activities involved in your solution.
The Asset Based Community Development tools are being successfully utilized globally through the Coady International Institute at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia. These tools guide a community through mapping their human resources, natural and physical resources, institutions and associations and their economy. From the mapped assets the community then decides what opportunities may be available and which ones will be prioritized. In the case of the Metis in BC, we have begun to understand our own predominant self defeating cycle so we also recognize the need to heal along with any community development. This self defeating cycle seems to be based in the systemic effects of disenfranchisement. The Metis of Canada did not belong, did not "fit" into the world of either parent cultures. This disenfranchisement pain manifests itself in lateral violence behaviours that so many of us see as individual conflicts rather than from the systemic source. Hence, it is critical for us to not only use community development tools, but also name our pain, and start the healing process.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others working to address the same needs as you and indicate what sets you apart from them.
No one to date has combined Asset Based Community Development tools along with healing techniques. This sets us apart from any consultant we could possibly hire. Also, the benefit of Asset Based Community Development is in the community coming together to work on determining their own assets and opportunities. It is community development by and for the community. Not by someone else coming in, nor by one person in our community doing development "onto" the community.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
I was studying in the Indigenous Women in Community Leadership program at Coady International Institute when I got my "Aha" moment. As I was describing my project to my class, my professor gently guided my language from identifying community needs to identifying community opportunities. It was then I realized the focus of Asset Based Community Development is towards the positive, the growth, the opportunities. We all realize what we need; the real potential lies in discovering what our opportunities are.
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
We are trying to achieve economic independence. Reliance on government funding alone is leaving us at risk, quite frankly. We need to become independent to ensure control over what programming and services and infrastructure we want to provide. it is about gaining our own governance.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Being able to have the BC Metis women talking about this project has begun the healing process. The project itself will be the icing on the cake. However, we are ready for the icing now. Our project is designed and ready to implement. We have found half the funding. We simply need the final $10,000.
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
The ultimate goal is to bring this project throughout the BC Metis communities. The project was conceived in the Kootenay region of BC, but to be able to share a healing and community development project that could bring the Metis working productively together would be a dream come true.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
The greatest barrier is finding the second half of the project funding. We have been working at this project for about two years, most recently having brought the project to the implementation phase and having found half the project funding. We simply need to find the next correct door to open that will allow us the opportunity to implement the pilot project. I have written several grant proposals. Fund raising is not out of the question, but in our small communities raising $10,000 would take us several years. We are also facing provincial elections soon, so perhaps with a new leadership new funding opportunities may surface.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Implementing this model throughout BC Metis communities
Task 1
implement the pilot project
Task 2
determine its benefit and share the results with others
Task 3
write a grant proposal for a province wide effort
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
implement the BC wide project
Task 1
contact and network with each Metis community
Task 2
ensure monies are in place
Task 3
organize to implement project in each community
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
We currently have half the money leveraged from the Columbia Basin Trust. We are building our partnership with our head office of Metis Nation British Columbia but due to some political conflicts, head office is rather preoccupied. Coady International Institute will soon have a grant made available to its graduates, and this network might prove rather beneficial. In Golden we have a great relationship with the Museum which offers us free space, but this is Golden specific. I suspect other partnerships exist and will be found out though the project.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your solution? If so, where and why?
This project is community based. The philosophy is that communities know themselves best and can come up with the best solution. This is not to say partnerships and networks are not important, but the community must be in control of its destiny.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
The key is having the interest of the community members. The pilot project is key to determining the potential success. At this point, many do not know what to expect or what the potential can be.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
We are the Metis of BC. There is a wealth of historical knowledge of our culture and the Metis are now ready to come out of hiding and share this rich culture. Diversity is the strength of any ecosystem and the human ecosystem is no different. It is time to create space so all cultures can share their gifts in an environment of equality.
Created on 09/1/2012 by Renee Lindstrom
A program for healthy school cultures! Development skills for kindness & caring in relationships, connection, support and education. Nonviolence is learned!
Organization: Supporting Nonviolent Culture in Education
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Supporting Nonviolent Culture in Education
Country where this solution is creating social impact
Region in BC where your solution creates social impact
Vancouver, Coast and Mountains, Vancouver Island, Thompson Okanagan, Northern British Columbia, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, Kootenay Rockies, Columbia Basin.
Is your organization a
For‐profit
How long has your organization been operating?
Less than a year
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read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Start-Up (a pilot that has just begun operating)
How long have you been in operation?
Still in idea phase, but looking to launch soon
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your solution addresses? Choose up to two
Access, Equity.
The Need: Describe the need for your solution and the size and characteristics of the community(ies) your solution is engaging
As the Season for Nonviolence Task Force Leader in my local community I was approached by our Provincial Ministry of Education for ideas to support a new B.C. Anti bullying website. I quickly realized this was a band aid solution that continued to label, focus and emphasis the problem versus long term education and demystification of the term "bully". The focus now is reversed and the "bully" is being "bullied" by the strong need to end this behaviour. The emphasis is still on wrongdoing and a need for justice. The current attention to "bullying" is the 1st step of the recognition phase; restorative justice is 2nd towards forgiveness. What is addressing the habitual patterns creating the bully and how do we focus upon the models creating the pattern for our "new" students culturally?
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
Empathy Culture through long term character development using value based education, practice, activities & awareness campaigns that include school subjects. Educators develop skills, teach & model to demonstrate relationship behaviour. Skill building levels with intro., intermediate and advanced together with calendars; of Values, Awareness Campaigns & Focus Dialogue. Objectives: 1. Understanding & skill to speak honestly & to listen so each voice is heard without interruption, competition or fixing. 2. To "connect" to the essence of what is behind words & behaviours for spontaneous resolutions. 3. To eliminate power over and power under in relationships through training to develop understanding and abilities of identifying met and unmet needs easily. 4. Introducing values based agreements to support conflicts & resolution. A shift from punitive to relationship building in education solidly structured for supporting patterns and habits of becoming self aware & responsible.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include the primary activities involved in your solution.
Creating a school culture with a 3 to 5 year program of values integrated into the school curriculum. Learning through discussion, experience and community while supporting and training the person who has the highest influence on a child’s ability to learn and on character development – their teacher. The teacher is at the center of the educational experience and the heart of the school. If the teacher is supported the child learns. This program therefore has two steams of introduction. One is creating the culture and the second is training. The culture is; seasonal awareness campaigns for community and expanded value based consciousness, social media integrated for connection, motivation and inspired learning, intentional focused dialogue groups based upon current school environment and needs, value focused classroom dialogues, in classroom third siding mediation station and introducing parent only activities. The education is development of; basic language linguistics and skills, listening skills, empathy and self empathy skills, mediation based upon mutual listening and expressing with third sider training. This healthy school programs will be designed to focus on positive change by creating an environment that is for learning how to be in relationships. Relationships with understanding of how to meet everyone’s needs equally and the times of not meeting a need – understanding why (empathy rather than moralistic judgement. It will not be focusing on a negative or fixing a negative, it will be integrating skills to resolve it with ease and understanding.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others working to address the same needs as you and indicate what sets you apart from them.
There are no limits to the marketplace for these programs. This is a valuable tool for our educational systems from pre-school through colleges & universities. It includes teaching institutions for teaching any child related career focus, families, boys & girl clubs, organizations and activity related. This would benefit general community skill development classes, our health care, legal systems, government and church organization. These programs compliment any program that is currently being offered as it fills in the by teaching the basic steps that are missing on how to achieve what is needed for success of these programs. For example, roots of empathy - this is the foundation and basic language that compliments the consciousness. Also it is integrative and designed for ease.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
My Aha moment came when I began connecting with educators about the Season for Nonviolence in my province. A Dean of Education contacted me and asked how to include these concepts into the training curriculum for students in teachers education. It became apparent that teachers are the focus point in the school society. Since our province is in conflict with teachers and this past year has been a year of labor dispute, relationships will be tense with possible unresolved issues. With strained relationships the interaction with the students could reflect this if there is any right/wrong thinking carried over into the new year. Strain, no gain! Health of our learning community begins with the person in the centre and in schools the teachers are in the centre. If teachers themselves begin to model valued based language and integrate the tools they need to express honestly and understand others more clearly, our children will benefit now and in the future.
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
The goal is to create a value based school culture and communication system with an increased feelings and values vocabulary. To increase the potential for creating school communities with a common focus that includes educators, parents and students. Building character and expanding empathy through integrating universal human values beyond language into humanities, world events and environmental issues. To include social media for connection and excitement beyond the school day for both parents and students. Transforming the child based on line learning model to increasing the potential for educators moving to the forefront by creating the platforms for the students to follow. Creating etiquette for social media through school media programs.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
In 2007/8 I entered into some local Greater Victoria classrooms, elementary and middle school. In the grade 3/4 class the students grasped the concepts with ease and excitement. The students in grade six were distracted and closed due to peer pressure and expectations of the teachers and aids. Without the influence of the teachers and aids the students became more attentive and willing to participate. Connecting with provincial schools in 2010/11 to expand an awareness campaign to include Peace and Nonviolence in curriculum objectives that included communication tools. This originated from a recommendation from our Premiers office from an earlier petition for nonviolence training in our B.C. schools. In April, 2012 I created a month of awareness for Nonviolent Communication in Victoria organizing weekly presentations with 30 to 40 drop ins each. Three centers and two libraries are already hosting workshops this fall on bullying & parenting to integrate home support awareness.
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
This program is a commitment to build an empathy based consciousness in schools based upon integrating a values base system of communicating. conferences & training the trainers. To developing strong, interactive, updated web presence. In the 2nd added training, support, learning, practice into schools & continued promotion. The 3rd, agenda of conferences, training & support. In schools, intro, principals school wide & empathy community dev. 2nd year integrating into subjects as reference points supporting child learning & understanding. 3rd, marrying relationships & behaviours, advanced skills. Understanding & learning tools impact the behaviours & in conflicts for resolution add trust, safety & support. Conflict is relationship. The impact will be the quality of the relationships.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
The barriers to the program would be at the individual school level and finding a couple of educators and parents who would be interested in carrying the momentum for organizing their school and keeping the momentum going. It would involve them attending conferences and becoming the liaison for setting up dialogue learning, practice groups and support for introducing the values project. To overcome burn out there would need to be a strong system of support for these members to tap into and well written materials and programs for generating school wide interest and ease in transitioning. It would involve having a strong social presence and personal available for on-line technical assistance and phone support. It would also require consistant follow up.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Task 1
Completed website & social media based upon this wordpress blog mock up, that includes downloading ability for printed material
Task 2
Printed hard copies of manuals of guidelines, campaigns, programs, training, surveys,
Task 3
Hired personal or management company for support of fundraising, advertising and promotion and ensure projects success
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Task 1
Business office set up, web site and social media programs developed. Printed materials ready. Creating a community presence.
Task 2
Community connections, marketing concept, basic tools and value based calendar, including scheduling of yearly conferences.
Task 3
Organizing and promotion of Provincial conferences in three local communities with guest presenters and workshops.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
There is a potential to partner with members in our community sharing Nonviolent Communication and similar methods such as restorative justice. There is also the potential to partner with groups that have been working to for change for health and sustainability. These would increase the value and support of the awareness campaign calendar and create a more complete community effort. For example during the Season for the Earth - Earth Day to include a group wanting to create community gardens. There are a variety of groups that can be included for creating a successful calendar.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your solution? If so, where and why?
Currently I have begun to target Parents on the subject of introducing Nonviolent Communication techniques. I have been asked to submit a proposal to the Early Childhood Education for Montessori Schools for their upcoming conference as a speaker. There is also pre-schools, daycare's and conferences, trade shows and focused groups that center on parenting and children.
There is potential for a referral Nonviolent Communication and similar methods for parents to hire in their communities for added training. Also for Parent Advisory Training's and Teachers Pro D Days.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
The environment of this internal organization will be based on the same principals as the methods it hopes to introduce. The intention would be to have those interested in Nonviolent Communication participate in the development. Structures for meetings and dialogues will follow the same format as being promoted to our provincial education institutions. Goals will be to focus on values and needs. Business systems developed by Nonviolent Communication facilitators will be introduced as operational procedures and guidelines with a structure for the purpose of operating the business successfully, such as hours to accommodate the clients & systems for ensuring bills are paid and collected, etc. This operation will be service orientated therefore will be organized to provide excellence.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
I have talent with communication(nonviolent communication style) and social media. A reference is www.walk-victoria.com - a website/blog and app I created in order to better understand how to create a social media platform for this business plan. It have turned into an amazing social media site with promise.
Restorative justice is a victim-centred, community-focused response to crime that aims to repair the harm done and meet the needs of those affected.
This innovation also has a Project Page where you can read more about its latest progress.
Go to Project: Set to Lead.
Created on 08/7/2012 by jan_p
Katalytik produced Set to Lead resources with WES and UCL Engineering.The program is about making fundamental change in the training of engineers to build confident, communicative engineers.
Organization: Katalytik
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Gender of Innovator
Female
Is your organization a
For‐profit
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Has the organization received awards or honors? Please tell us about them
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read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Start-Up (a pilot that has just begun operating)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for less than a year
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your innovation addresses? Choose up to two
Access, Cost.
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
In the UK data shows 42% male compared to 21% of female STEM graduates transfer into technical jobs. The UK only has 8% women in its professional engineering workforce. Research shows boards with 30% women are more effective. Law, consulting and the medical professions are making improvements. The engineering profession is still struggling to make progress and initiatives seek to 'fix' and inspire women. A more fundamental approach is needed.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
We designed a programme that asked engineering undergraduates what they saw as the issues and set about designing tools and a course module focused on contemporary leadership practices and team member's behaviours through addressing self awareness of male and female students to give students the tools and language to discuss behaviours. We also produced 3 scenarios around modern engineering problems that happened to be led by women engineers. We are now working to have this taken on board in UK universities. Working with women's groups we want to roll this out through technical women's networks.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
Women engineering students, when asked, do not see there are any gender discrimination issues, but male students saw women not getting as much from their courses as they did. We designed an initiative that tackled the engineering culture at the start of the undergraduate programme that wasn't labelled as a women's initiative. Working with employers we brought together team and leadership insights to help engineering academics embed this knowledge and awareness within their existing programmes.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
Collaborators:
This project is working with the Women's Engineering Society to connect with employers and disseminate the results. We are though working with the Engineering Professors Council in the UK to raise awareness of the findings of the underpinning research and the resources we have created. We created this project in collaboration with University College London as part of a national - HE STEM - programme. The Set to Lead project is a not for profit project but was created from Katalytik's director's appreciation of the global initiatives and gaps in delivery. Potential competitors are small leadership consultancies delivering leadership training. This though is a collaborative project that seeks to effect change not compete across the world through other changemakers.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What solution(s) does your initiative address to better the lives of girls and women by leveraging technology? (select all applicable)
Access to education/training, Access to economic opportunity.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
While testing the resources we have connected with over 200 students and with the Women's Engineering Society have run 2 workshops with students and early career women. feedback was phenomenally positive.: "Very inspiring event - encourages the upcoming career women and also builds up those who are already working." and "The powerpoint and book are full of wisdom tool for leaders! Presenters are great!"
What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?
Over the next year we want to see the top 20 engineering universities adopt the programme and embed leadership insights and skills into their courses. Every graduate engineer should appreciate their strengths and value those of others and feel more confident in engaging and empowering their team mates on course projects. We would like to see the figures for women STEM graduates entering relevant technical jobs increase by 50%.
We'd also like to enable more early career women engineers to benefit from these materials and increase in confidence by running workshops around the country as well as technical women on career breaks. Our aim is to run a workshop and reach 1000 women. We will measure the impact through a WES survey.
We'd like to engage beyond the UK.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
Financial support and industry commitment to create new scenarios with associated movies and to perform a strong evaluaiton. Our aim is to repeat the survey we started the project with - over 4,500 responses from a population of 30,000 students. Our biggest threat may be the Academy - who may see it as 'not invented here' We are marketing Train the Trainer courses to other Universities and working with UCL to help embed the materials into their courses. Regardless of this take up we want to showcase Technical Women Leaders across the developing world and share knowledge and expertise though apps for an on-line course with women's voices on success and knowing yourself.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
To have 3 universities signed up to use the materials
Task 1
Secure funding to produce an iTunes U app / web site and partners to identify transferability
Task 2
Present a strong argument for an inclusive leadership module on all engineering courses to the Engineering Professors Council
Task 3
Schedule 3 train the trainer events at key engineering universities
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
At the end of the first year 3 universities will be using the materials and we will have clear feedback.
Task 1
2 new industry based and funded scenarios to be completed
Task 2
ITunesU finished and launched
Task 3
Online evaluation survey collecting feedback from WES events and students
Founding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
I have seen many initiatives over 30 years designed to inspire women into engineering.The opportunity to create a programme that focused on the key transition point from undergraduate study to employment was the opportunity to move beyond poster campaigns and career talks. From being there myself I know that at 21 you don't see any gender issues and you think everything has changed. You don't want to be special in anyway. You want to be valued for being a good engineer. The facts though are women have less career confidence than men, and social conditioning nudges gendered behaviours among students through overt banter and unconscious bias. I saw a need as employers and academics convince they weren't the problem that women students were just voting with their feet. No-on had asked women what they wanted! I created this project to plant a seed right at the heart of engineering training that could help evolve cultures and engender respect between male and female engineers.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
The project was developed as an association between Katalytik and UCL Engineering. This is continuing.
As a former (volunteer) President of the Women's Engineering Society (WES), the support of WES is assured - the Society benefits from profile among students and in running workshops for members, students and other early career women. WES is a founder of INWES.
Employers who supported the scenario development (Arup, ThoughtWorks and Highways Agency) are keen to continue to be involved and support follow on events with WES and engineering schools.
A dissemination programme is in place.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
We'd be really interested in hearing from companies who might be able to help develop a scenario and help with supporting images and fund a video to bring the challenges and problems that engineers face in their careers to life.
These can be technical challenges or personnel issues that they can offer advice on.
"When the Gathering Place was built at Selkirk College we knew we had much to learn and many friendships to build, so we just started," says Angus Graeme, President, Selkirk College. The new building for Aboriginal learners at Selkirk College has become a place where friendships can continue to be made and kept. The beds in the surrounding Spirit Garden are waiting.
F-YOU is an inviting, tell-all event that aligns personal growth with self-improvement. Speakers, a mix of race, age and gender, speak about a time in their lives they had to for give either themselves or another. This event has the potential to impact our community and young adults by way of real- life portrayals of hardships, and over coming barriers that at one point seemed insurmountable. Hearing first-hand trials and tribulations from people just like us can open the door to motivate and inspire us to do better, to be better, and most importantly, feel better.
Created on 07/30/2012 by NelsonGoodNeighbours
Backyard chickens and changing climates: developing West Kootenay community mediation programs to facilitate positive interpersonal and community dialogue.
Organization: Transition Nelson
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Region in BC where your solution creates social impact
Kootenay Rockies, Columbia Basin.
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
1‐5 years
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Start-Up (a pilot that has just begun operating)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for less than a year
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your solution addresses? Choose up to two
Cost, Quality.
The Need: Describe the need for your solution and the size and characteristics of the community(ies) your solution is engaging
The West Kootenay Region is a vibrant and socially engaged community with a population of approximately 86,000 residents. There are many organisations within the area promoting a locally resilient lifestyle that includes initiatives such as food production, densification, and strengthening of the local economy. As sustainable practices are adopted, neighbourhood complaints may increase. A classic example would be amendments to animal control by-laws allowing for the production of backyard chickens and the associated disputes that could arise. The resources of both municipal governments and community groups are being taxed by their attempts to address neighbourhood complaints received from community members and so a need was identified for a venue in which to address these disputes.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
Two community mediation programs have begun in this past year: Mir Centre for Peace Community Mediation Program and Nelson Good Neighbour Program. These two community-based initiatives (in which volunteer mediators are available to help community members resolve disputes and build relationships with one another) have banded together to mutually support each other in their early development stages, and to respond to requests from other communities in the region to implement their own mediation programs. The solution, therefore, is to consolidate the two fledgling programs, and further develop our expertise so that we can improve our existing services and also mentor other communities in our region to develop their own community mediation programs. Our ultimate solution is to have a network of community mediation programs serving all of the West Kootenays.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include the primary activities involved in your solution.
1. An individual contacts the program via phone or email. A volunteer mediator is available to listen to the problem and explain the service.
2. If the individual would like to try mediation, the other party is contacted to see if he/she is also willing to take part in the mediation process.
3. Meet with the mediator. Both parties have an individual and confidential meeting with a mediator prior to the mediation session, providing a chance to talk about their needs and concerns.
4. The mediation. Two mediators meet with together with both parties involved in the conflict. The co-mediators work with the parties through a proven process to help resolve the problem. Most conflicts are resolved in one meeting.
5. Following the mediation. One month after mediation, one of the mediators will follow up with the parties by phone to find out how things are going and what progress has been made in implementing the resolution agreed upon in the mediation.
The process outlined above is part of a proven framework for dispute resolution. If a neighbour is having issues with a backyard chicken coop, they may call the municipality or by-law office in an effort to address the issue. If the issue does not fall within the parameters of municipal by-law, or if the individual is not willing to enter a court process, there are very few alternative options for addressing the dispute. A community mediation program fills a much needed role within our community for a non-adversarial way of solving disagreements that helps to strengthen the bonds of our society.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others working to address the same needs as you and indicate what sets you apart from them.
In the process of implementing these programs, community organisations and stakeholders were consulted to determine whether a) there is a need for such a service and b) other organizations are already providing this service. The result of this consultation process demonstrated that while a number of community agencies were already providing mediation services to select populations (such as patent-teen mediation), existing services were overloaded and a community service would be welcomed. The initial months of operation have demonstrated that many of the cases have been referred from community social service agencies whose clients are not accessing these mediation services. The main factor that sets these two programs apart from other services is the fact that they are free of charge.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
The idea for Good Neighbour Program came from a Transition Nelson initiative – the cross-sector table. The cross-sector table brings together leaders from different sectors in Nelson, including the environmental, social service, government, business, education, and health sectors. At one of the meetings, it was identified by various sectors that attending to neighbourhood complaints is a stumbling block for addressing community needs. The group brainstormed on how a community mediation program could help to address that need as well as promote a culture of collaboration within our community. You only have to mention this program to hear the personal stories of anxiety that conflict generates within people’s day to day lives. Both community mediation programs aim to provide a venue for complaints, promoting a culture of collaboration within our community, rather than one of winners and losers.
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
The goals of the mediation programs are to:
• Assist municipalities and local community groups in the management of enforcement issues and complaints from the public.
• Provide universal access to anyone in our community to use the program.
• Build a culture of peace in our region so that its citizens are better prepared to address future critical issues (climate change, shrinking resources) through effective dialogue and with local capacity.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Mir Centre Community Mediation program first began in January 2012 and was able to provide the initial mediation training to the Nelson Good Neighbour Program, thus doubling access in the region. Thus far, there have been approximately 20 mediation cases in the two programs. Although these programs are newly launched, their impacts are already being realised through conversations with the staff of local organisations and municipalities. Individuals working within partnering organisations are appreciative of the mediation service and the fact that they now have a solution to offer community members seeking help with a dispute.
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
Given that these programs are still in the early stage of implementation, it is difficult to set specific long-term targets. The need within our community must first be measured through evaluation of the programs. Mediation participants will be contacted to determine if their agreements have been successful. Quarterly follow ups will occur with partnering organisations to determine how mediation is meeting their needs, as well ways to better serve their needs. The information collected during this first year will prove invaluable in further diversifying the programs to meet the needs of the community and as a tool for other communities interested in implementing a mediation service. The target is for all people in the region to have access to free and competent mediation services.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
Barrier: Lack of awareness of mediation and its benefits.
Solution: An extensive media marketing campaign has been initiated. Training sessions are being provided to the staff of local organisations so that they can knowledgeably inform people about community mediation.
Barrier: Lack of resources for volunteer training and ongoing volunteer mentoring.
Solution: Good Neighbour Program partnered with the Mir Centre in order to run the first round of volunteer training for free. Additional training costs could be offset by offering mediation training to the broader community and using the profits of those training sessions to subsidize mediation volunteer training. Mediation mentors have been recruited, but additional funding is needed to cover the cost of this service.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Establish a community mediation service with a well designed framework and operational model for the provision of this service.
Task 1
Build a stable base of at least 10 volunteers with the skills and confidence needed to conduct mediation.
Task 2
Establish a referral system with at least 5 local community groups/governments to promote mediation.
Task 3
Secure a sustainable infrastructure, such as meeting space, communication systems, and program policies.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Monitor the program to measure its success in meeting the needs of the community. Establish a third mediation program.
Task 1
Determine the number and type of community issues that are addressed through the mediation program over a 12 month period.
Task 2
Respond to community requests for similar services, such as conflict resolution training, and communication workshops.
Task 3
Educate communities on mediation and develop materials on “lessons learned” that could be used to set up future programs.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
The primary partnership for this program is between Nelson Good Neighbour and the Mir Centre for Peace at Selkirk College. The two programs have collaborated extensively on referrals, training, and program logistics. Nelson Good Neighbour has also partnered with the Nelson Police Department to act as a referral agent for disputes that are appropriate for mediation. For mentoring purposes, the community mediation program has developed a relationship with the Community Mediation Calgary Society who have been in operation since 1993 and offer invaluable feedback on the program.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your solution? If so, where and why?
Community mediation is a model that can be exported throughout the region. The services provided by the Mir Centre for Peace and the Nelson Good Neighbour Program only cover a small area of the West Kootenay region. The Village of Nakusp has expressed a keen interest in establishing a similar program within their community and would be a good candidate for further expansion due to their enthusiasm.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
The Nelson Good Neighbour Program is comprised of 15 volunteers. The professional skill sets within the group include individuals with experience in communications, project management, non-profit operations, finance, and mediation. The commitment and expertise of these volunteers will help ensure that the milestones of the program will be achieved.
The Mir Centre for Peace is comprised of one staff member and 6 volunteers. Like the Nelson Good Neighbour Program, the volunteers came with a wide array of professional backgrounds, such as teaching, counseling, and social work.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
Created on 07/25/2012 by awava
Awava is a fair trade social enterprise working with women artisans in post-conflict Northern Uganda on design and innovation, adding value to their existing skills and creating market linkages locally and internationally in an effort to empower families and alleviate poverty. Awava enhances entrepreneurship, business and artisanal skills by conducting trainings which boost each artisans capacity.
Organization: Awava
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United States, KS, Douglas County
Country where this project is creating social impact
Gender of Innovator
Female
Is your organization a
For‐profit
How long has your organization been operating?
1‐5 years
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideName Your Entry
Awava: leveraging income generation to women in post-conflict Uganda through skills building, innovation and market linkages.
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Established (past the previous stages and has demonstrated success)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for 1‐5 years
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
Once an economically viable and peaceful region, Northern Uganda has been devastated by a war with Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army which lasted more than 22 years. While the North has experienced peace since late 2006, the region still finds itself in a state of economic downfall, leaving much of the population poverty stricken with limited skills and resources for rebuilding their lives and livelihoods. This lack of resources is leading to lower rates of education, higher rates of malnutrition and other untreated health issues, higher birth rates, higher rates of alcoholism, etc., all issues which exacerbate the degradation of society in Northern Uganda. Awava aims to address each of these issues by providing a platform for women in Northern Uganda to earn income.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
Awava’s solution is to work together with artisans in Northern Uganda to create or increase income and build skills which will lead to positive economic and social change in the lives of their family and community. We work with artisans on product design and innovation, creating utilitarian products which not only appeal to a vast markets abroad, but we have also set the stage for competition in local markets in Uganda. Through product diversification comes new construction techniques and heightened product quality, as well as expanded market linkages. This year, for example, we started and apparel line and brought in an apparel designer to train the women on how to utilize clothing patterns and produce standardized clothing sizes.
In addition to building artisanal skills and increase work, we also work with artisans on business skills and entrepreneurship training, linking the overarching themes of these skills trainings to their personal lives.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
We have been watching our model work for the past four years in ways which continue to astound us. Our shining example would be our head tailor, Auma Lucy, and the drastic changes we have seen in her life and that of her family. Lucy is the first tailor hired by Awava. Our founder originally met Lucy in the central market in Gulu Town, Uganda, where Lucy sat in an empty room, just her and a sewing machine. Over the years Lucy has trained multiple Awava tailors, purchased 9 sewing machines, purchased fabrics to sell from her shop, maintained workshop rent payments, made sure that all twelve children whom she cares for are in school (one is about to start at university), provides ongoing medical assistance to her two elderly parents, purchased two plots of land and has nearly completed a “western style” home. Her bookkeeping has become meticulous and she is quite proficient with banking and mobile money. Lucy’s example has proven that our product design and innovation, business and entrepreneurship training, as well as focus on market linkages does in fact work.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
Our most direct peers include One Mango Tree, MEND project, KrochetKids, 31 Bits and Wawoto Kacel. Each of these groups provide IGAs to populations in Northern Uganda. Awava’s founder has spent five years living in Uganda, working with the artisans directly and building strong relationships, a crucial component to understanding cultural, societal and economic constraints of business operations and the realities of the artisans lives. We place heavy priority on product development and marketing, an important piece often missed by others. While similar groups do increase competition, it also helps to raise awareness. Likewise, those not holding to their mission can tarnish the reputation of social and fair trade enterprises.
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What solution(s) does your initiative address to help emerging entrepreneurs and small businesses grow and thrive in underserved communities? (select all applicable)
Access to financing, Access to supply chains, Access to technology, Access to economic opportunity.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
While our capacity has largely hindered our ability to produce organized quantitative impact data (the annual surveys are there waiting for data analysis), the qualitative data speaks volumes. Not only have we watched many of our artisans “grow fat” ( a sign of wealth and well being in Uganda), we have also seen their assets increase each year, watched their school-aged children go to school, uninterrupted each term progressing to the next level each year, and watched the women and their families have the ability to seek medical attention as needed. Lucy, our main tailor, and the artisans we have been working with the longest, has not only managed to provide for 12 children and two elderly parents, putting all of the children through school (with the first getting ready to start university), but has also purchased two plots of land and almost completed construction on a “western style” home. These transformations are why we exist.
What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?
Over the next 1-3 years, we expect our impact to increase drastically. Our founder has just moved back to the United States to push the marketing side of operations by attending more craft sales throughout the year, as well as representing Awava at trade shows in order to increase the number of wholesale accounts the company has. With the increase in wholesale accounts translating to larger orders and therefore more working hours needed, Awava will be able to expand our reach bringing more full time artisans onto the team. Within the next three years we aim to have at least 100 artisans working with Awava full time.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
The most consistent barrier that we continue to face in our social enterprise is generally financial. We have most recently found ourselves with quite a bit of inventory tying up working capital which we are strategically working to push more in the markets in order to free up said capital. In order to overcome our financial constraints, we are placing more priority on various grant and award applications, trade shows, additional craft sales (especially leading up to holiday seasons), promotional campaigns, and considering working with a financial institution which provides low interest loans to fair trade producers and companies.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
30% increase in active wholesale accounts.
Task 1
Update wholesale packet, including putting together an extensive lookbook for all products.
Task 2
Acquire funding for and apply to participate in at least one trade show.
Task 3
Streamline/revamp inventory and ordering system to ensure mechanisms move smoothly as business increases.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
100% increase in active wholesale accounts resulting in major increase in full time artisans.
Task 1
Have funding in place to participate in at least two trade shows in the next year.
Task 2
Assess how many artisans will need to be trained in order to increase production capacity and train them.
Task 3
Assess our need to bring on additional "administrative" staff and/or volunteers in order to properly manage growth.
Founding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
During my second trip to Uganda, I was working with Ugandan and American university students to study the war in the North up close. Inspired by the vibrant fabrics found in the central market in Gulu, I had some small items made by local tailors to carry home as gifts for family and friends. Meanwhile, I was talking with one of my colleagues about my experience with fair trade, and daydreaming about starting a social enterprise focusing on women artisans in Northern Uganda. I returned home and everyone loved what I had made for them. Six months later I moved to Uganda for my MA Studies in Peace and Conflict, focusing my thesis on the effects of western market access to women artisans in Northern Uganda. Having the opportunity to be in the field more long term, and seeing that the number one problem leading to myriad others was lack of access to income in an already skilled population, I realized that a fair trade social enterprise like Awava could indeed have a massive impact.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
We have come to find partnerships to be a very important component in our model. We partner with select NGOs in the US, Canada and Australia who use our products in order to raise funds for their organizations which we’ve found to be mutually beneficial. We also have created strong partnerships with like-minded artist and artisan groups in Uganda. Our primary partnerships are with Uganda Crafts who we work through for our baskets, Mzuri Beads, or produce the majority of our eco-friendly jewelry, as well as Wasswa, a Uganda artist who designs or upcycled canvas bags and accessories.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
While Awava could benefit from many types of support such as investment, PR and media, volunteers to represent Awava at various events around the US, as well as pro-bono accounting services, we also would love to support others any way we can! We love working on marketing, various types of collaborations, networking and sharing our vast network as well as brainstorming ideas!
Created on 07/22/2012 by atwoodsa
Ittavi (an acronym for “it takes a village”) seeks to end conflict, improve transparency and simplify the process of paying child support while saving parents time and money.
Organization: Ittavi
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Country
United States, CA, Santa Clara, Santa Clara County
Country where this project is creating social impact
Gender of Innovator
Female
Is your organization a
For‐profit
How long has your organization been operating?
1‐5 years
Has the organization received awards or honors? Please tell us about them
We participated in our first startup event on July 15th, 2012 entitled Funders & Founders. We were voted the best startup by both the attendees (over 500) and the investment panel.
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideName Your Entry
Ending Child Support Conflict
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Growth (your pilot is up and running, and starting to expand)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for 1‐5 years
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your innovation addresses? Choose up to two
Cost.
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
Ittavi Child Support Manager seeks to end conflict, improve transparency and simplify the process of paying child support in order while saving parents time and money.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
Ittavi Child Support Manager is an expense management and bill payment system for child support. Child Support Manager is an innovative web application for modern families to manage, track and pay child support expenses automatically. The new patent-pending application is an innovative, web solution designed to help parents quickly and easily manage, document and exchange child support related payments. Ittavi Child Support Manager enables both parents to track child support, negotiate incremental expenses and make payments easily. The system provides automated notification and updates to parents, an easy way to share receipts with the option to pay each other or pay a merchant directly.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
Over 298 million parents worldwide are exchanging over $990 Billion dollars every year in child support family support and spousal support annually.
After a child support order or agreement is established, these parents are left to try to figure out the best way to manage child support. Child support is not a simple single monthly payment; it is divided into two unique categories, base support and incremental or additional expenses. Base support is typically a standard amount every month meant to cover basic living expenses. Divorced, separated or blended families also share the burden of incremental or additional expenses necessary to raise a child. These may include health care, education, childcare or special child related expenses. Conflict arises because it is necessary for parents to continually negotiate and share this potentially long list of expenses.
Since there is no standard process or system to facilitate this interaction the entire process is time consuming, conflict-ridden and very stressful for both the parents and the children.
With Ittavi’s Child Support Manager, parents can track child support and additional expenses, upload receipts, communicate via the system and pay expenses, either to each other or to a third party, in a single easy-to-use system that can be accessed online anytime, anywhere.
The system alleviates the biggest stress point between parents so that they can now focus on what is important, raising happy and healthy children.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
The biggest competitor to us is manual processes such as excel spreadsheets, phone calls, emails or text messaging. In addition, some parents leverage bill payment systems. For those that use government services, such as Child Support Enforcement, there is no way to track additional expenses as well as facilitate communication with the other parent regarding money.
There are other “family manager” products on the market but none of these offerings focus on the exchange of money between parents. These applications focus on communication, visitation management or tracking activities that occurred between parents.
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What solution(s) does your initiative address to better the lives of girls and women by leveraging technology? (select all applicable)
Access to technology, Access to economic opportunity, Policy change/advocacy.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
While the specific impact cannot be measured the feedback from parents is that the system greatly reduces conflict and makes it much easier to manage the process of paying base child support and incremental expenses. Thereby, these parents no longer have to talk about money with their ex and can instead focus on their children.
What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?
In addition to selling Ittavi directly to parents we seek to also be a standard platform leveraged by states, territories and tribes to manage child support cases. Currently, the United States tax payers pay over $6 Billion dollars every year in managing and maintaining child support systems. Every state has their own proprietary system that does automatically talk to the other systems. In addition, 43 of the systems are over 8 years old and only 15% of the systems are fully automated & centralized. By becoming a standard platform for child support, Ittavi can enable parents to manage their own child support while reducing the costs associated with managing government child support services.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
Our biggest barrier to date is money. We are currently seeking seed funding to enable faster growth and adoption.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
By December 2012, we seek to have 3,000 users and revenue of $500,000.
Task 1
Product Development – We are currently in private beta and our target is to launch in September.
Task 2
Awareness – Gaining awareness and marketing to modern family parents.
Task 3
Funding – We are currently seeking seed level funding.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Founding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
In early 2011, as a single mother without financial support and bills to pay I knew starting a company would be risky and didn’t have anyone else to save me if it failed. However, I wanted to build a company that I’d be happy to work at and spend my time doing something positive in the world. I wanted to help single parents and offer a solution that would benefit children. If we could reduce the conflict between parents, children would be much happier.
I began to meet with other single parents, lawyers and mediators. To my surprise, everyone was very enthusiastic about the possibility of a solution to solve these problems. I realized that the custodial parent needs the payments consistently and on time. Most of the time non-custodial parents want the transparency and understanding that the money they are ordered to pay is going to the benefit of their children. Providing a way to reduce the conflict and provide transparency to each parent was something that was needed in the market.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
The platform is built on Salesforce.com Force.com platform. We are currently using PayPal as our payment gateway and exploring several other payment gateway partnerships.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
Our solution is to make Restorative Justice a viable and preferred option for dealing with conflict and offenses committed in Vancouver, B.C., and Canada.
Created on 07/18/2012 by SOVAS
Journey Beyond Abuse: Mediation Services for Victims and Offenders in Violent Relationships are an underutilized option for resolving conflict between partners
Organization: South Okanagan Victim Assistance Society
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
South Okanagan Victim Assistance Society
Country where this solution is creating social impact
Canada, BC, Penticton and Area
Region in BC where your solution creates social impact
Thompson Okanagan.
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Idea (you're poised to launch)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for more than 5 years
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your solution addresses? Choose up to two
Cost, Quality.
The Need: Describe the need for your solution and the size and characteristics of the community(ies) your solution is engaging
While traditional violence prevention and intervention programs serve a purpose, they have not been effective at ending or preventing violence in relatioships completely. Time and time again, clients at our agency who are victims of abuse or assault, return with more abuse issues at a later time. Individual counselling and court accompaniment are important pieces for someone who has been traumatized by abuse or assault. However, these pieces only address part of the dynamics. Also the court system does not provide the victim a voice to express what she/he truly has experienced, not to mention control over the outcome of the proceedings. As a result the victim is retraumatized by the court system. This hardly represents access to justice. Offenders are not being heard effectively either.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
We propose to include victim-offender mediation services, in the interventions available to our clients, victims and offenders of relationship violence. It is our believe that a strong solution to violence in relatioship prevention will include mediation services "to maximize victim safety and choice, and create opportunities for offenders to reflect on their actions and make new choices" (Edwards, A. and Haslett, J. 2012)
As clients enter our Victim Assistance Program or our Men's Counselling or Women's Counselling program the worker will assess if the client's situation is suitable for victim offender mediation. The option will then be introduced to the client with detailed explanations and descriptions of what mediation will entail. The ultimate goal in these mediation session will be an increase in the victim's safety.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include the primary activities involved in your solution.
When a person who has experienced abuse approaches our agency for services, we will outline all the options for service available to her or him. Together with the intake worker the client will then choose if she/he wants to engage in a mediation session with the offender. This may happen after the court case is closed or while the parties are on a peace bond.
If the client(s) are deemed appropriate candidates and willing to engage in mediation sessions, both will receive pre-mediation preparation possibly by two co-mediators, which will outline the mediation process to them, their responsibilities and general possible outcomes.
Once the parties are engaged in the mediation process, the mediator(s) will assess if victim and offender can meet in the same room. If not the sessions will take place separately. The victim will have a chance to make her/his opening statement outlining her/his position. After taking in the victim's opening statement, the offender will have her/his turn to make her/his opening statement. Opening statements will include the parties' positions and their version of what happened. The mediator will then carefully move the parties from discussing positions to discussing their interests and specifically their shared interests: safety, acceptance, and possibly forgiveness.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others working to address the same needs as you and indicate what sets you apart from them.
SOVAS is the only community-based Victim Assistance program in the South Okanagan. There are two lawyers in the area who offer mediation services, but not victim offender mediation. As far as we are aware, there is no service for victim offender mediation in violent relationships in the area.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
Historically victim offender mediation in violent relationships has been deemed inappropriate with no exceptions. However, in a course of mediation, which I took as part of my MSW, I found some, albeit very few, articles supporting the idea under certain circumstances. The most compelling case I came across was about a woman whose son was killed by a man who was subsequently jailed. After many counselling sessions for both the mother and the offender, they met with two mediators. The mediation session brought some closure to the mother, as she had many questions which could not be addressed through the court process. The offender was able to take direct responsibility for the horrific crime. Working at SOVAS I witness over and over how victims and offenders are ill served by our justice system. Having read more about mediation services for victims and offenders, I feel strongly about providing mediation as oan option to our clients on their journey beyond abuse.
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
Through offering mediation services to victims and offenders who are or were in violent relationships with each other, we are hoping to provide a long-term solution to interpersonal conflict. The main goal is to increase the victim's safety. Through a better vehicle for conflict resolution we are not proposing to work towards reconciliation, but to at least achieve some resolution. The victim's opportunity to be heard and the offender's taking responsibility of his/her actions will result in a long-term change in both. The victim will be able to move on and the offender will have identified his shortcomings and may want to address them. In the long run this will result in a decreased number of repeat offences.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
At this point we are at the "idea" stage of offering mediation services. However, staff and board are in discussion of how this may work for clients and the agency and the community at large. Thus far, we have had only positive feedback.
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
We foresee fewer incidents of violence in relationships for those who receive mediation services. This will result in few court cases and hence fewer costs to the justice system.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
Cost is a major barrier. Mediation is not covered through Legal Aid for victims and offenders. At this point victims and offenders have to pay for the service out of their own pockets. Funding for this program is crucial.
Lack of training for mediators for this specific field. It is my understanding that victim offender mediation in violent relationships requires special training due to the power imbalance between the two parties. Our mediator would have to have special training preparing him/her for the specific needs of victim offender mediation.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Task 1
A trained mediator will be providing mediation services to clients of SOVAS.
Task 2
Victims and offenders have higher satisfaction with process and outcome of the services they receive.
Task 3
Victims and offenders are less likely to return with further offences to SOVAS, RCMP, Crown or other agencies.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Task 1
The community at large recognizes the value of mediation for victims and offenders and referrals for the program increase.
Task 2
Victims and offenders increasingly opt for mediation services.
Task 3
Violence in relationships decreases as frequent re-offenders are able to take responsibility and work on changing.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
SOVAS is a founding member of the Violence In Relationships Committee, which is comprised of more than 30 agencies in the South Okanagan Similkameen. Many projects have been supported by this committee spearheaded by SOVAS. This committee has functioned as a catapult for projects such as Change for Good, a counselling program for men who want to change their abusive behaviour patterns.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your solution? If so, where and why?
Not at this time. We are considering the Law Foundation of BC Small Grants in the Fall 2012.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
SOVAS already provides services to clients who are victims of relationship violence and abuse. Our clients would be served better by offering additional services. A Board of Directors meets every month and oversees all programs and projects with monthly reports from staff.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
A bright future is the right of all youth. Entering into adulthood is never easy but imagine how you might feel if you couldn’t read, write or comprehend what was being spoken or asked of you. A bright future would be (not so bright) almost impossible.
Feeleez offers tools to build and support emotional development in children. We believe that empathy starts at home and have made it our mission to help children, parents, teachers, therapists, counselors, and "folks in general" receive and offer empathy.
Our tools include:
A matching game.
A poster.
A learning guide.
An ABC eBook.
Parenting with empathy workshops.
Parent coaching.
Life coaching.
An empathy hotline.
Personal stories and examples.
Please visit us at:
www.feeleez.com (website)
www.talkfeeleez.typepad.com (blog community)
Island Sustainable Communities Association (ISCA)will be a broad based not for profit that works collaboratively with for profit, government and communities to provide relivant and effective services to families with the goal of developing healthy, sustainable communities. ISCA will promote and model working together for the greater good, to identify gaps in services to families and find meaningful solutions.
Created on 07/17/2012 by VRJS
Restorative justice is a victim-centred, community-focused response to crime that aims to repair the harm done and meet the needs of those affected.
Organization: Victoria Restorative Justice Society
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
Victoria Restorative Justice Society
Country where this solution is creating social impact
Canada, BC, Victoria and Esquimalt
Region in BC where your solution creates social impact
Vancouver Island.
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Established (past the previous stages and has demonstrated success)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for more than 5 years
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your solution addresses? Choose up to two
Access, Cost.
The Need: Describe the need for your solution and the size and characteristics of the community(ies) your solution is engaging
Right now, BC's criminal justice system (CJS) is suffering. It is financially and intellectually inaccessible to most people who need it, and excludes victims and the community. It is solely punitive, which is costly and is proven to be an ineffective approach to reducing crime. Victims and offenders are typically among the most vulnerable people in society, and the CJS rarely meets their needs. Victims typically need closure, healing and understanding, and to regain control over their lives. Offenders typically need to have more involvement in their communities and know what resources are available for them (e.g. mental health/addictions treatment, etc.). Regarding the size of the community our solution engages, nearly everyone has been a victim/offender, and we all belong to a community.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
Restorative justice (RJ) is a process to involve those who have a stake in a specific offence and to collectively identify and address harms, needs and obligations, in order put things as right as possible. Basically we bring together victims, offenders and the community (when appropriate and safe) to discuss what happened and what do we do now. It puts victims, offenders and the community at the forefront of responding to crime and empowers them by giving them a voice and creating concrete, meaningful ways the offender make amends. It is a much more simple and straightforward process than the current system and is all about real, direct accountability and community restoration (rather than lawyers speaking for offenders and communities being torn apart). RJ is a rigorous process for offenders while still treating everyone with respect. It is completely voluntary and is delivered by professionally trained facilitators. It can be used as diversion or independently from the legal system.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include the primary activities involved in your solution.
A case we did in 2012 began with an adult male who was driving a motorcycle when he was struck by an SUV. The driver was distracted by a cell phone and ran a red light. The man did not initially appear to be seriously injured but died days later in hospital. The driver (an adult female, mother of a young daughter and first-time offender) was charged with dangerous driving causing death. The victim's family had a strong desire to meet her, but because the criminal trial was underway, she was forbidden by her lawyers to speak to them. The family approached us about meeting with the woman. After multiple meetings with everyone (individually), spending months preparing them and finally determining that each of them was ready, we facilitated a two-day dialogue to go over what happened, celebrate the life of the victim and come up with an agreement on how the offender could give something back to the family and community at large. Some of the agreement terms were a commitment to further driver education to improve the offender’s driving skills, planting a tree in the victim’s memory, a commitment to volunteer work with an organization the victim had been involved with, and a letter-writing campaign to raise awareness. The feedback we received from everyone was outstanding: the victim's family and friends said it brought them closure, healing, understanding and a sense of relief. The offender also expressed the sense of relief and closure it brought her, and she was grateful for the chance to know what kind of person the victim was and share her perspective on the incident.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others working to address the same needs as you and indicate what sets you apart from them.
Our peers and competitors include the criminal justice system (specifically police and the courts)as well as other restorative justice agencies in BC, although we are a tight community and do not see each other as competition. Restorative justice agencies are typically established according to police jurisdictions so nobody competes for referrals, and we are very supportive of each other succeeding. (In fact, we are part of an umbrella organization called the Vancouver Island Regional Restorative Justice Association.) The criminal justice system aims to identify and punish offenders, which is very different from what restorative justice aims to do, so we feel that no other organizations are working to address the same needs as us. We are a strong, established agency with proven success.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
The four founders of our organization were (and still are) all part of a restorative justice (RJ) discussion group in a minimum security prison called William Head Institution just outside of Victoria, BC. After many discussions with inmates and community members about the shortcomings of the current criminal justice system, as well as the potential of RJ to overcome those shortcomings and bring together communities after crime occurred, the four of them wanted to see it in action. In 2002 they created a community organization dedicated to advocating for restorative justice. Over the next few years, they built up a strong foundation in the community, then collaborated with the Victoria Police and Crown Counsel to begin receiving referrals in 2006 and 2008, respectively. From there, we have expanded and now receive referrals from other community partners such as the University of Victoria, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, and local middle schools in Victoria and Esquimalt.
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
Our organization's goals are to:
-Empower victims by providing them an opportunity to have a voice and ask questions, as well as gain closure and healing after crime
-Get restitution (financial and symbolic) for victims from offenders
-Reduce offenders' criminal behavior by identifying their needs and referring them to appropriate community resources (e.g. counseling, mental health/addictions treatment, having them volunteer, etc.)
-Build strong and healthy community relationships
-Promote civic engagement
-Educate the public about restorative justice
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
We are confident that we are achieving our goals based on the feedback we receive from evaluations.
2011 results:
-90% of victims stated they were satisfied or very satisfied, and 92% would recommend RJ to someone else
-100% of police were satisfied or very satisfied
-92% of offenders were satisfied or very satisfied
2012 results:
-100% of victims & community members and 95% of offenders strongly agreed or agreed that they were satisfied and felt RJ properly addressed the harm done
An example of our impact is a case we facilitated involving the family and friends of a motorist who was killed by a driver distracted by a cell phone, and the woman who hit him. The case went through court as well, but the system prevented the family and offender from ever speaking, which they all desperately wanted to do. Our agency brought them together to celebrate the life of the victim and get answers to what happened. The meeting spanned two days and everyone had amazing feedback after.
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
VRJS continues to grow in terms of the number of referrals we receive, our referral sources, our community partners and our annual budget. Over the next five years we hope to reach more victims every year, offer more advanced training to our volunteers and staff, and educate more police, Crown prosecutors, teachers and community members about the option of restorative justice.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
Our most significant issues at this time are 1) most people have not heard about restorative justice, and 2) lack of funding/grants that are not project-based with strict limitations on how the money can be spent (ie there aren't many grants for core funding out there). To overcome the first barrier, we plan to continue to do a great deal of public education about the philosophy and practices associated with restorative justice through free presentations, workshops, and training at minimal cost. We will also redo our orientation project for new police recruits. To overcome the second, we plan to research and apply for more grants, hold more fundraisers, and delve into the possibility of corporate sponsorship. We will also build on our approach to solicit individual donations.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Our six-month milestone would be to develop and deliver a more in-depth training for our volunteers to better meet client needs
Task 1
Develop training materials
Task 2
Recruit new volunteers from diverse backgrounds
Task 3
Prepare three to four trainers (from multiple restorative justice agencies) to deliver the training
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Receive at least 80 referrals
Task 1
Maintain good relationships with our referral sources by engaging them in ongoing education and communication.
Task 2
Conduct ongoing evaluation and write a report on our success to provide to the community and our referral sources.
Task 3
Hold a meeting with our primary referral sources (police and Crown) to provide education about our organization and services.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
VRJS is thrilled to have community partners throughout Vancouver Island and on the mainland. In Victoria, we have partnered with agencies such as the Cool Aid Society, Community Micro-Lending, the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society, Ross Place Retirement Residence, South Island Wellness Centre, West Bay Auto Sales, Volunteer Victoria, the University of Victoria, Camosun College and North Shore Restorative Justice. We are also part of the Vancouver Island Regional Restorative Justice Group, a collective of RJ agencies advocating for RJ and sharing resources and best practices.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your solution? If so, where and why?
Restorative justice is an option for anyone affected by crime or other wrongdoings, which is a large number of people. Because it is a victim-centred process, we will be constantly trying to educate the public, police and Crown about how it can be beneficial for victims. Our two staff members are currently instructing an online course for police in Canada about restorative justice, which is in its first cycle and will repeat in September 2012 for another.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
We pride ourselves on the great working relationships we all have with one another as well as our community partners. The board is incredibly helpful and active, and the volunteers are extremely dedicated and generous with their time and effort. The two staff members often joke that they spend more time together than apart. All of us are extremely grateful to work with such a driven and well-run organization that feels like a community in itself. With a great deal of support from the Victoria Police Department and Crown Counsel, our agency continues to get stronger and not only work towards our existing goals, but also have the capacity to dream of bigger ones. We are often told that we are one of the most advanced and established restorative justice agencies in the province.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
We would really appreciate any assistance with fundraising/investment, finding skilled volunteers, marketing ourselves better and spreading out to the public, and analyzing our evaluation data. We're happy to help others however we can.
An additional resource we could really use is graphic design and website building/maintenance - our website could really use a makeover!
Created on 07/17/2012 by WHR-Nepal
WHR promotes the social, economic, and political empowerment of single women (widows) in Nepal. Providing technology to widows will increase their empowerment to be "changemakers" in society.
Organization: Women for Human Rights, single women group (WHR)
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
Women for Human Rights, single women group (WHR)
Country where this project is creating social impact
Gender of Innovator
Female
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Has the organization received awards or honors? Please tell us about them
-Lily Thapa, founder, was awarded "Best Social Worker of the Year" by Karma Badri Bikram Smriti Sewa Guthi in 2008
- Recognition from "Mahilaka Lagi Manachitra Sanchar Samuha" in 2008
-Awarded by "Rastriya Puraskar Pratisthan" in 2008
-Lily Thapa, founder, awarded Best Entrepreneur by Boss Magazine in 2007
-Awarded by Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Welfare in 2006
-Awarded as Champions of Change by FNCCI in 2004
-Lily Thapa awarded as Social Worker of the Year 2003 by Gorkha Samaj Kendra
-Awarded as Ashoka Fellow (2001) by Ashoka International, USA
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Online Education and Support Centers for the Rural Women of Nepal
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Start-Up (a pilot that has just begun operating)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for more than 5 years
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your innovation addresses? Choose up to two
Access, Equity.
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
Single women (widows, or women without a husband), are among the most marginalized population in Nepal. They feel the effects of poverty the most and are often left alone at a young age with no way to live independently or earn an income. The decade long conflict in Nepal affected single women heavily, and yet their voices remain unheard in the rebuilding process. In Nepal’s transitional phase, it is essential that women participate politically and access to justice. There are many obstacles to these goals, especially in the rural areas where women are often uneducated and lack necessary support.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
WHR has been working to promote the economic, social, and political equality of single women since its founding. The problems facing rural single women and conflict affected women are large, and a more innovative solution is needed to extend WHR’s services. The solution is establishing a web-based education center and online support for rural women who are hard to reach and educate due to limited resources. Interactive online tools will educate women on gender issues, transitional justice mechanisms, and democratic participation, while also increasing their computer literacy. In addition to educating women, WHR will also establish online support centers offering legal aid and legal tools to women seeking justice.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
This solution begins with establishing “community learning centers (CLCs)” in five chosen rural districts. CLCs will be established through the already established single women groups and will have computers with a solid internet connection. Here, rural women will be able to access the internet and technology that might not be available in their villages. These centers will offer web-based education tools and online-support centers. Interactive online tools will educate women on gender-equality, gender-based violence, transitional justice mechanisms, and democratic tools for political participation. Therefore, WHR will be able to educate more rural women than it has previously had the capacity for, and women will become more confident using technology. WHR also will create an online support center for single women seeking legal advice, aid, and paralegal training. Many rural women suffered gross human rights violations during the conflict and now face many barriers to accessing justice. Lack of legal assistance in the rural areas is the biggest barrier many women face. WHR will develop an online legal toolkit which will help them better understand the legal process and the steps they can take to access justice. This will greatly increase the number of rural women who are able access justice.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
While there are many organizations working to promote women’s rights in Nepal, WHR is the only organization that focuses on single women’s rights. WHR also already has a well established network across Nepal, and a regional and international influence.
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What solution(s) does your initiative address to better the lives of girls and women by leveraging technology? (select all applicable)
Access to technology, Access to education/training, Policy change/advocacy.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Since 1994, WHR has made an enormous impact on the lives of single women and their children at both a policy and community level. The technology-based solution we are proposing is in the beginning stages, but it will build off of the successes and the network that WHR has already accomplished. WHR realizes that innovation and technology are essential to help more single women and conflict-affected women and to have an even larger impact in Nepal. Working from a solid organization foundation will make WHR’s technology solution more successful.
What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?
Over the next 1-3 years, the impact of this solution will affect all of Nepal and a large portion of the South Asian region. WHR has already accomplished much nationally, regionally, and internationally, and using technology to further educate and support single and conflict-affected women will create further success. After establishing more CLCs throughout Nepal, this innovation will be taken to a regional level by working through the South Asia Network for Widows Empowerment in Development (SANWED). If developing online education and support centers shows success as a tool for these women, then WHR plans to continue enlarging the program.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
One obstacle will be sustainably funding the CLCs and technology. There will be a large upfront cost; however, WHR is prepared to independently fundraise and to apply to grant programs to make these centers possible. Relying on one source of funding will not be sufficient in accomplishing its goal. With its history of strong partnerships, WHR has the capacity to overcome this financial barrier. Another barrier WHR might face is raising awareness amongst rural populations, but this will be overcome by publicizing information through single women groups and district offices to ensure the women know about the new resources available.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Educate and support rural women in FIVE districts of Nepal through technology
Task 1
Establish CLCs with up-to-date technology and internet
Task 2
Create a user-friendly and interactive online education and support center
Task 3
Monitor Progress and receive feedback from the 5 CLCs
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Enlarge the services offered online to rural women
Task 1
Update online education and support centers based on user-feedback
Task 2
Establish partnerships with other Nepali women’s rights NGO’s
Task 3
Add more counseling services to the online system
Founding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
Lily Thapa officially founded WHR in 1994, but the roots of the organization began years before. The organization began as an informal meeting group where widows could leave their home to share their sorrow, fears and frustrations with other women facing a similar situation. These informal monthly meetings were a place for widows to connect and gain support from one another. Gradually the women became more confident as they realized they were not alone in their grief and struggle, and after two years of meeting in a small room, WHR was registered as a non-governmental organization.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
WHR has made incredible progress only through the support of its partnerships nationally and internationally. WHR’s primary partners are donor organizations, national NGOs and international NGOs. WHR also works with governmental bodies such as the Planning Commission, Ministry of Peace and Reconciliation, and Ministry of Local Governance, to affect policy change.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
The Activist Youth Alliance of Mato Grosso is a non-profit, non-governmental social organization which objective is to stimulate the voluntary work in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, creating local change makers. The MTYAA encourages and gives support to the youth aged between 15-30 via lectures, conferences and events.
Created on 06/28/2012 by nigerdeltawomen
Niger Delta Women's movement for Peace and Development (NDWPD) is a women Non-Governmental Organization in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations ECOSOC based in Delta State and has been
Organization: NIGER DELTA WOMEN'S MOVEMENT FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT
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NIGER DELTA WOMEN'S MOVEMENT FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT
Country where this project is creating social impact
Gender of Innovator
Female
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Has the organization received awards or honors? Please tell us about them
AWARD OF SPECIAL RECOGNITION BY THE UNITED NATIONS MILLENNIUM CAMPAIGN 2009.
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WOMEN AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE NIGER DELTA NIGERIA
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Start-Up (a pilot that has just begun operating)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for 1‐5 years
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your innovation addresses? Choose up to two
Access, Equity.
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
Solving the problems of Women’s Economic Activities and the Environment of the Niger Delta Using ICT to support women businesses in communities in Nigeria.
The ecology of the Niger Delta region largely determines the economic activities of the
women and is substantially different from the other parts of the country. Coastal ridge barriers, mangrove and
fresh water swamp and forests combine with the soil types, water, climate, plants, animals and the overall ecosystem to dictate the extent and type of women activities.
Thus, women in the Niger Delta mangrove forests are found mainly in fishing and gathering seafood whilst those in the mangrove and fresh water swamp systems are farmers.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
To support improved access of women in selected communities to information for economic decision - making through increased use of ICT facilities and training.
It also supports the provision of technical and entrepreneurship skills to women in selected communities and provides relevant and appropriate equipment
such as farm implements, cassava processing equipment, sewing machines, catering equipment and other tools for small scale enterprises to the women groups.
To strengthen women's interaction and influence in local decision making, the project supported the facilitation of advocacy meetings to sensitize community leaders, local government elected and appointed officials in the benefits of participatory budgeting and inclusive governance at the local level.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
To improve access of at least 100 women in the three selected communities to
information for economic decision making through increased use of ICT facilities and training.
• To improve the technical and entrepreneurship skills of women including their ability to identify business prospects and opportunities within their locality.
• To provide relevant and appropriate equipment such as farm implements, cassava, and palm oil
processing equipment etc to the women groups at selected project sites in order to enhance their productivity.
• To facilitate advocacy meetings to sensitize community leaders, women groups, local government elected
and appointed officials of the benefits of participatory budgeting and inclusive governance at the local
level
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
In the Niger Delta, Women Empowerment through ICTs are rare, so we at grassrots have not identified anyone as peers and competitors. Nevertheless, the government seldom empower youth in the Niger Delta.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What solution(s) does your initiative address to better the lives of girls and women by leveraging technology? (select all applicable)
Access to technology, Access to education/training, Access to health care, Access to economic opportunity, Policy change/advocacy.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
The women working in groups are provided an avenue to work together towards a common goal while supporting
each other. The women will have the capacity to manage their income and take decisions that affect their lives
and those of their children. The human rights education component of the programme has enabled the women to
begin to challenge the status quo and ask themselves basic questions on how their rights have been protected
over the years. This shift in thinking provides the appropriate avenue for women to move for a change in those
practices that subordinate them.
What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?
The project, in addition to meeting the basic needs of women in terms of their
economic empowerment will also provided skills for women to begin to value themselves as people who have the
capacity to earn income and provide for family needs. This form of empowerment changes the way women are
viewed and increases their level of participation in decision making at home, thereby moving them from their
subordinate positions to a more visible position in the affairs within the home and by extension, in the community.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
Meeting the strategic needs of the communities in terms of poverty alleviation,,
Strategic gender needs are those needs which are formulated from the analysis of women’s subordination to men,
and may include the abolition of sexual division of labour, removal of institutional forms of discrimination such as
rights to own land or property.
We plan to overcome it by meeting the Practical gender needs, they are those needs which are formulated from the concrete
conditions women experience in their gendered position within the sexual division of labour for example, focus on
the domestic arena, on income generating activities and also on community level requirements of housing and
basic services
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Task 1
Rights based approach to development
Task 2
Working with the Women Development Centre
Task 3
Continuous programme monitoring by Niger Delta Women's movement for Peace and Development
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Task 2
Working with flexibility / responsiveness
Founding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
“When my husband died my children were very young. Some of them were in primary school, only one was in secondary
school, others were in primary school. So I have to struggle a long way for them to go to school. And it’s not easy doing
this farming, farm work. Sometimes we sell at a very meager rate which it’s not enough to pay everybody’s school fees at
the same time, and to eat was very difficult. Now, everyone around me is improving because of all of us are now busy,
doing what we’re supposed to do.” Nfon Etete Ituen
" I want to use this medium to say that this programme has effectively changed my relationship with my boyfriend in the
sense that formerly when I needed anything like (to) make my hair, I always had to demand money from him but since I
learnt how make chin chin on own and sell, I have been able to afford those things I used to always ask him for. Since
then, he too has come to always say that there is a need to educate a wife or a sister on a certain skill.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
As part of the NDWPD capacity building project, the organization has been in partnership with various international organizations and as a result, the National president, Mrs. Caroline Usikpedo Omoniye, the National President has reached out internationally to initiate local-to-global links with other women’s, anti-poverty and environmental organizations and networks.
We serve as the African Coordinator for Ways Women Lead, member of the Wehealth millennia, one of the African Focal Point/ Facilitation Team Member of GlobalCall to Action Against Poverty-Feminist Task Force, AWID e.t.c
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
it was obvious that the project will perform particularly well in contributing to reducing poverty and elevating the status of the women of Niger Delta and more widely, those of Nigeria because of the demand .Logistics and Technical support.
Created on 06/17/2012 by frank tester
Our solution is to make Restorative Justice a viable and preferred option for dealing with conflict and offenses committed in Vancouver, B.C., and Canada.
Organization: Vancouver Association for Restorative Justice
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
Vancouver Association for Restorative Justice
Country where this solution is creating social impact
Region in BC where your solution creates social impact
Vancouver.
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Idea (you're poised to launch)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for 1‐5 years
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your solution addresses? Choose up to two
Cost, Equity.
The Need: Describe the need for your solution and the size and characteristics of the community(ies) your solution is engaging
The Vancouver hockey riots of June 2011 left an indelible mark on the City of Vancouver. Many participants (over 200 cases) were young people with no previous criminal record. Their actions left many others - young people working for downtown businesses and citizens from all walks of life (hundreds of people)- traumatized; their material and psychological interests severely affected. The limits of the court system in dealing with these cases have been recognized by Crown prosecutors, the Vancouver Police Department and representatives of the Downtown Business Improvement Association; all of whom have been working with the Vancouver Association for Restorative Justice (VARJ) in developing an alternative/parallel process for dealing with those accused and those affected.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
The Vancouver Association for Restorative Justice (VARJ), with community support, is proposing to use Restorative Justice(RJ) processes to address the behaviour of offenders and the needs victims. RJ does not necessarily replace the criminal justice system. It aims to restore the offender to the community by bringing the offender and those affected together in a process designed to put the offender in touch with his or her behaviour, its genesis and consequences and the impact on others. It works toward restitution, growth and change. RJ is a well-established, thoroughly researched and effective approach to dealing with the kind of offenses committed during the Vancouver hockey riots. Many citizens of Vancouver, based on letters to the editor, etc., are disillusioned with the ability of the justice system to effectively deal with these cases. We propose to pilot an alternative RJ process, with the support of a wide range of community interests.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include the primary activities involved in your solution.
Peter broke into London Drugs. Fueled by alcohol and urged on by other young people, he smashed glass cases and stole digital cameras while youthful employees, barricaded inside a glass-walled office, watched in horror as their workplace was trashed. They feared for their own safety. Peter, 19, had never done anything like this before.
Restorative justice processes require the voluntary participation of the offender and those affected. (1) Practitioners meet separately with both parties to prepare them for a face-to-face conference in which both parties will explain what they did and how they were affected. This process usually requires a number of sessions. (2) Participants are prepared to explain what they did; offering insight into their behaviour in terms of preexisting attitudes, values, sensibilities, socialization, lived experience, etc. Victims are helped to express their feelings; the impact that someone's actions had upon them and how their lives were affected. Both parties are helped to think about meaningful reparations and resolutions. (3) The parties, with 'supporting Others' are brought together in a conference to communicate in a manner designed to facilitate understanding, leading to restitution, apologies and ongoing commitments to address factors contributing to the offense. (4) The offender makes restitution and commits him or herself to addressing his or her behaviour. Restitution can involve payments, community service, speaking publicly to other youth, adults, etc. Restitution can involve actions and commitments that last for years.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others working to address the same needs as you and indicate what sets you apart from them.
There are no competitors in this process. We have, however, many peers including others in neighbouring municipalities who, unlike the City of Vancouver, have established successful RJ programmes. We have the support of the Office of the Attorney General, BC, The Ministry of Justice, the City of Vancouver, the Downtown Business Improvement Association, the Vancouver Police Department, the Crown Prosecutor's Office, The Center for Restorative Justice, Simon Fraser University and the School of Social Work, UBC, and many Vancouver residents. Furthermore, we ultimately intend to extend this initiative to deal with other social problems in the city including bullying in the school system and disputes brought to the attention of staff of the city's neighbourhood houses and community centers.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
Unlike surrounding jurisdictions, Vancouver has no active restorative justice program. In 2006, the City of Vancouver's Family Court/Youth Justice Committee realized this and set out to do something about it. The Vancouver Association for Restorative Justice was created to promote knowledge about and the practice of restorative justice in Vancouver. Having held informative and interesting information meetings and public events for years, committee members recognized that the hockey riots of 2011 presented VARJ with an opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of restorative justice in a way and with regard to an event that has attracted national attention. We have an opportunity to catch the minds and imagination of people willing to think critically and creatively about justice and justice issues, coast to coast by focusing on its use in dealing with the riots as well as other important issues for the citizens of Vancouver and Canadians, coast to coast.
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
The goal of our Restorative Justice Demonstration project is to show how the principles and practices of restorative justice can be applied in Vancouver as a parallel process to meet needs of victims, offenders and affected communities that the criminal justice system was never designed to address. We are currently designing an RJ project in consultation with Crown Counsel and Police that will accept a fixed number of referred cases where both the victims and (first-time) offenders have voluntarily welcomed the opportunity to participate. The process will be documented and evaluated by a team from Simon Fraser University's Centre for RJ which will include a cost-benefit analysis in comparison to the cost of a full criminal process; and recommendations for continuing if warranted.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
After a full year of volunteer effort to attract interest in our goals, we have been able to engage a core group of key decision-makers within the justice system to form an advisory committee to refine our design proposal and work on implementation details
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
Over the next five years we expect to provide sufficient evidence that an RJ process can be implemented in Vancouver; expect to have implemented an ongoing RJ program with stable funding; expanded the educational component of RJ to cover other contexts where the need for such approaches has been identified including human rights enforcement and anti-bullying programs. On local and national scale we will enhance public understanding of and respect for the scope and limitations of the formal, adversarial systems (e.g. criminal; family; administrative tribunals) for addressing alleged transgressions. In Vancouver, we expect some measurable cost reductions from the diversion of first offenders. Victims will be heard and Vancouver will establish itself as a role model for the practice of RJ.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
With the currently strong support now emerging from the key authorities with the discretion to make referrals to an RJ process; and their active engagement with us in designing the details of our demonstration project, the only major barrier is start-up funding. We are currently in the process of estimating the cost per case and the number of cases which we will want to include in the project.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Task 1
Complete the project design and implementation plan for the Vancouver RJ Demonstration Project
Task 2
Secure sufficient funding to support the retention of RJ practitioners, evaluation researchers and coordinator
Task 3
Set up project administration to retain needed personnel and oversee project managment
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Task 1
Complete project documentation, evaluation and recommendations for converting to an ongoing RJ program
Task 2
Secure funding sources for an ongoing RJ program
Task 3
Open the eligibility criteria to include offender referrals at any stage from investigation through prosecution & disposition
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
We have strong partnerships to make this project work. They include
Crown Counsel for BC, the office of the Vancouver police in charge of the investigation team preparing information for Crown Counsel, a senior representative of the BC Ministry of Justice,the Director of Simon Fraser University's Centre for Restorative Justice, the Dean of the Anglican Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Vancouver, the Executive Director of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association and the UBC School of Social Work, as well as representatives from many other organizations in the city.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your solution? If so, where and why?
There is considerable talk about RJ in British Columbia, Canada and internationally. RJ is currently being practiced in some jurisdications. It deserves more attention. We recently hosted a former advisor to the British Government who is using RJ to deal with recent London riots. We intend to model RJ in Vancouver and actively use our experience to promote, in the next 3 years, RJ throughout BC and across the country. Our group includes individuals with solid reputations as lecturers, speakers and facilitators. We know how to use media, lobby and promote a concept whose time has come.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
We get along - simply put. Our board and associates are a congenial, energetic, diverse and enthusiastic group. We have a president, vice-president, administrator, treasurer and committee chairs. We work well together. We have a wide range of experience and expertise. We respect one another. Our group dynamics are excellent. We socialize together and support and attend other and related events in which each of us are involved. We create committees to deal with oppotunities, needs as they arise, and to accomplish our objectives. We have an excellent administrator who keeps all our records; minutes, legal documents, papers and articles relevant to our work. We are effective because we are energized. We practice - as well as promote - the principles of restorative justice.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
We are open to collaborating with and accepting into VARJ others whose skills may compliment or duplicate those we already have. We are willing to share our experience and expertise with others. We are an organization of professionals as well as lay persons with a wealth of experience. Our greatest need is funding to put into practice a model for RJ in the city of Vancouver - and beyond.
This innovation also has a Project Page where you can read more about its latest progress.
Go to Project: STOP A BULLY.
Created on 05/26/2012 by stopabully
STOP A BULLY empowers students to be proactive in terms of standing up and reporting against the bullying that they witness at school or online.
Organization: STOP A BULLY
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideCountry where this solution is creating social impact
Region in BC where your solution creates social impact
Vancouver, Coast and Mountains, Vancouver Island, Thompson Okanagan, Northern British Columbia, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, Kootenay Rockies, Columbia Basin.
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
1‐5 years
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Scaling (the next step will be growing impact on a regional or even global scale)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for 1‐5 years
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your solution addresses? Choose up to two
Access, Transparency.
The Need: Describe the need for your solution and the size and characteristics of the community(ies) your solution is engaging
Anonymous online reporting of bullying and related events is needed so that young people have a safe place to report such activity. Without this service too many youth are afraid to come forward with their stories and end up feeling isolated and helpless. All school communities in British Columbia and Canada have issues with bullying, whether acknowledged or not, yet few have implemented policies that assist victims in practical ways. There are thousands of students across the provinces who may be suffering from bully and cyberbullying, and we only know about the few that come forward. We feel strongly that there is a need to protect and support all young people and our program has one solution to work towards combating this social issue.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
STOP A BULLY is available to any child, parent or school staff in need of assistance with incidents of bullying in British Columbia and Canada. We provide a place for safe and anonymous reports, where details and background can be submitted and passed onto the schools in question. Children and their families can access the site from any computer, anywhere in Canada. We believe providing this service directly addresses the needs of youth in all communities to have a voice, and potentially receive the help they need.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include the primary activities involved in your solution.
An example of how STOP A BULLY has had a positive impact on a young person's life can be found in this example: an anonymous report was filed on a Friday afternoon, claiming that a false website had been created, designed with the sole intention of promoting derogatory comments and harming a student's reputation. The report, with details that included the names of those students involved, was forwarded onto the principal of the school on the Friday afternoon. That same evening the principal replied that he was addressing the situation, and by Saturday morning, he reported that the fake website had been shut down and all involved had been dealt with. The victim would be relieved of the anxiety of dealing with such cyberbullying over the weekend, and the impending fallout of returning to school Monday morning feeling humiliated by what had been posted about them for everyone to see. This example reveals both the impending impact of bullying on youth, and a very effective strategy provided by Stop A Bully to deal with it.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others working to address the same needs as you and indicate what sets you apart from them.
STOP A BULLY is the only organization of its kind which has taken the unique approach in providing a safe way for any student to report bullying and cyberbullying to school officials. Stop A Bully is receiving significant attention in British Columbia, across Canada, and internationally as a new proactive approach to reducing bullying in schools and online.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
On May 7, 2009 Trevor Knowlton, a teacher at Summerland Secondary School, arrived at school to find an anonymous email sent from a student to all the staff at the school. The student was trying to let the staff know about a serious incident of bullying which had occurred at the school and included the video which was being shared by students on Facebook that evening. Trevor was stunned to see how much trouble this brave student had to go through just to give the school an anonymous 'heads up' as to what was going on within the school population. Trevor was equally shocked to find that there was no online service which allowed students to safely report bullying and cyberbullying that they witness. The next day on May 8, 2009 Trevor bought the StopABully.ca internet domain and 4 days later launched the only service in Canada which allows ANY student to safely report bullying and cyberbullying to school officials.
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
STOP A BULLY strives to promote and enhance social wellness among youth by empowering them to address bullying. Stop a Bully is committed to providing any student, parent or educator, opportunity to report bullying and cyber-bullying in a safe and anonymous manner by giving them an effective online reporting system. Stop A Bully aims to enhance and foster a school’s ability to address bullying incidents in a proactive and timely manner by providing detailed reports of bullying incidents, as well as education and prevention strategies.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Since its launch students and parents have used STOP A BULLY to submit a 169 Bully Reports to their school officials. Of these 41% have reported that they were using Stop A BUlly to report the bullying for the first time and 66% chose to stay anonymous proving the need for this type of service. There has also been 649 School Join Requests in which students, parents and even school staff have submitted a request to their Principal to join STOP A BULLY. Stop A Bully also has over 50 member schools in almost every Province in Canada including 16 member schools across British Columbia. STOP A BULLY website traffic continues to grow at a rapid pace as more students, parents and schools continue to promote the program online. Schools and teachers continue to use the vast anti-bullying resources provided on the Stop A Bully website including Videos, Bullying Support Letters, Statistics, Materials, Teacher Resources and more.
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
Our projected impact as our program continues to grow is that we will be able to provide this crucial level of service to as many young people as possible. By working with schools to raise awareness and encourage more students to be proactive in reporting bullying, whether as victims or bystanders, we will be taking the necessary steps to combat bullying in British Columbia and across Canada. The success and support that we are receiving from students, parents and member schools shows our program is needed and we just need to build the the program infrastructure to handle the rate of growth.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
Barriers include not enough time and money to promote the program and build awareness about the real dangers of bullying and the harmful effects to young people, and society in general. We are always working to raise our profile, and to encourage schools to become more accountable in providing services such as ours to their students, parents and teachers. Some districts or administrators are reluctant to admit that bullying issues exist in their schools; we feel this puts children at risk when they interpret that they have nowhere to turn for assistance. We continue to work with Principals to show how often students are unwilling to report bullying "face to face" within the school setting.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
We continue to focus on increasing # of Member Schools and # of Bully Report submissions.
Task 1
Secure financial support to handle the current rate of growth for the program.
Task 2
Increase # of Member Schools and # of Bully Reports through advertising and materials sent out to schools.
Task 3
Improve website infrastructure to handle increased use by schools & students in B.C. and Canada.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Increase our partnerships and presence in B.C. and across Canada.
Task 1
Expand our presence in schools across Canada.
Task 2
Increase our involvement with education & youth conferences as well as national media.
Task 3
Grow our partnerships with national youth organizations, corporations and governments.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
STOP A BULLY has developed important relationships with schools, school districts, governments and media across Canada. We have also developed initial relationships with corporations and government departments that we will work to expand on in the future as more resources allow us to grow.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your solution? If so, where and why?
STOP A BULLY provides our reporting service at no cost for any at-risk student in British Columbia and Canada who needs it. We continue to market the program with online advertising and free school materials to the extent that our budget allows. We have provided numerous free materials to schools, youth clubs, youth organizations and teams to help promote the program.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
STOP A BULLY is the only organization in British Columbia, Canada or North America which allows ANY student to safely report bullying and cyberbullying to school officials. Our program is receiving tremendous attention and assistance from across Canada from students, teachers, principals, coaches, police, youth workers, politicians and more.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
For long-term growth this type of program will need to continue to build relationships with school districts, governments and youth organizations in B.C. and across Canada. We plan to continue with these efforts both in gaining assistance and providing it.
Created on 05/16/2012 by Ian Curtin
Life changing opportunity to develop the essential emotional and psychological skills to be a transforming influence in the world.
Organization: Inner Activist, a project of Tides Canada Initiatives Society
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
Inner Activist, a project of Tides Canada Initiatives Society
Country where this solution is creating social impact
Region in BC where your solution creates social impact
Vancouver, Coast and Mountains, Vancouver Island, Thompson Okanagan, Northern British Columbia, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, Kootenay Rockies, Columbia Basin.
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Growth (your pilot is up and running, and starting to expand)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for more than 5 years
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your solution addresses? Choose up to two
Access, Quality.
The Need: Describe the need for your solution and the size and characteristics of the community(ies) your solution is engaging
Social change agents need to develop the emotional and psychological skills to be a transforming influence on the world today. It takes inner strength to get out of the cycle of burn-out, reactive righteousness and hopelessness. It takes commitment to develop the intra-personal, relational, self-care and spiritual skills that make activism effective and sustainable.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
The Inner Activist is an innovative adult education initiative serving change makers. We help the people that have chosen to dedicate their lives in spiritual service to others. Our programs are designed to support change makers to be the best they can be, given that they work cross culturally, with limited resources and a constant sense of urgency and overwhelm. We support the spirit of service that brings them to this work and their need to be sustainable for themselves, their organizations and the work itself. We serve the servers.
Founded in 2006, our initial research culminated in a report entitled "Chronicle of Progress", identifying specific service gaps that change agents identified as being critical to their success. Subsequently, we developed curriculum weaving a combination of personal development approaches and practices with a deep understanding of the critical analysis of systemic barriers to social justice, ecological balance and environmental sustainability.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include the primary activities involved in your solution.
Our programing consists of a combination of residential and online programs to support change agents. We designed five residential workshops focused on critical needs of change agents including:
• Building Personal Mastery
• Building Strong & Respectful Relationships
• Building Conscious Use of Power
• Building Common Ground and Capacity for Social Change
• Building Sustainability
• Inner Essential cCourse
The cost of the residential programs are out of reach for many change agents, so we also developed the Inner Essential eCourse delivered at a modest cost to anyone who identifies themselves as a change agent. It was designed by highly experienced personal development curriculum leaders with the intention that any change agent could benefit from our concepts in the comfort of their own home. It is a self paced 52 week program that delivers a "mission" each week on a specific topic of relevance to change work.
What are people saying about our programs? "All activists could benefit from an opportunity to shine light into their personal “dark spots” and gain both insights and tools to build genuinely sustainable activist practices." - Deblekha Guin, Executive Director, Access to Media Education Society
"The Inner Activist program builds an environment where you learn practical tools as well as deepen your own emotional understanding of the world you want to live in and see being made possible for everyone around you. It challenges you to be and do better starting by looking at yourself." - Hawa Mire, Executive Director, Leave Out Violence
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others working to address the same needs as you and indicate what sets you apart from them.
Our peers include Hollyhock, Rockwood Institute, Process Work Institute, Haven Institute, The Work That Reconnects, NVC to name a few. However, our curriculum is unique because it weaves a combination of personal development approaches and practices with a deep understanding of the critical analysis of systemic barriers to social justice, ecological balance and environmental sustainability. This approach arises out of our research which culminated in a report entitled "Chronicle of Progress" (see www.inneractivist.com/inner-resources). It identified specific service gaps change agents believed were critical to their success. Our program continues to informed by prominent activists and leading personal development facilitators who have a lived experience of being a social change agent.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
THE Inner Activist springs from a heartfelt desire of founder Brad Jarvis to contribute to society. The 50-year-old native of Victoria, B.C., has had a deep interest in the human potential movement and pursued this in a variety of contexts. Knowing his life had been deeply transformed by personal growth experiences, Brad is aware his natural desire to give to others flows from the ongoing resolution of his own inner turmoil. So he asked an important question: could personal growth contribute to the effectiveness of
those already engaged in bringing about change in the world? He had noticed how some activism was carried out by individuals whose personal process and resulting behaviours actually got in the way of the valuable contributions they were trying to make. He believed supporting activists’ to be living example of being the change they want to see in the world would great impact their social change work. And so was born the Inner Activist.
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
Inner Activist (IA) programs are a collaborative, innovative curriculum developed by experienced leadership educators and change makers. Together we support the development of transformational change makers committed to a just and sustainable world:
• change makers connected to life-serving goals
• aware of their own behaviours that get in the way,
• compassionate in their actions,
• healthy and equitable in their use of power,
• builders of common ground across difference, and, ultimately
• sustainable in their life and work.
The IA’s programs engage those who aspire to be the change they seek to create. Participants experience this directly as they explore and develop congruence between their inner experience and their actions for change in the outer world.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
To date we've successfully our first 3 modules for a total of over 60 participants. Here is what they are saying about their experience.
"Go get it! It will help you immensely in being more successful in your activist work, projects and campaigns."
Kel Kelly-Founder, Comox Valley Mediation Services
"All activists deserve to be “turned on” again find their hearts and align them with their actions." "Education is the most important thing yours is alive and truly essential to a labour movement that is stale and needs a kick-start." - C. Unsworth, HEU Regional VP, Fraser Valley, Vancouver, BC
"I would recommend it highly" "Stimulating, challenging, relevant and growthful." T. Hackney, VP of Policy, BC Sustainable Energy Ass.
It is extremely important for activists to be self-aware: this is a really good way to achieve more of that self-awareness in a caring and respectful environment. I would highly recommend this program to all change agents!" A. Ahmad, CUPE 4600 Presidident
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
We intend to continue creating a unique program by giving priority to articulating and integrating the most challenging aspects of social change and equity/diversity perspectives into our program.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
Our challenge continues to be focused on financial and operational issues. We are marketing our programs to an audience that has limited time and financial resources. We want to ensure diversity within each program and maintain the high quality of facilitation required to deliver the curriculum. On the administrative side, we have a lot of work to develop the infrastructure to support multiple program offerings throughout the year.
Our goal is to move toward financial sustainability through rationalizing our expenses, seeking new sources of revenue, while structuring our organization so our people enjoy their work and model our values.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Continue to attract change leaders to our programs by offering relevant thought leadership through social media and our website
Task 1
Adopt a strategic timeline for program offerings that maintains momentum/engagement based on a financially viable framework
Task 2
Adopt a strategic timeline for faculty development that maintains momentum and engagement
Task 3
Continue to develop our social media and website blog offering relevant and useful content
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
To govern and operate in line with our Vision and Values through the delivery of relevant/effective programs for change agents
Task 1
Embed the value, need and importance of financial sustainability in the organization
Task 2
Find additional funding for the next 5 years of the "experimental phase"
Task 3
Create an inclusive and diverse steering committee to advise the organisation
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your solution? If so, where and why?
We anticipate connecting with the trend that people are looking to online resources for educational experiences. At present there are few online personal development programs and none offering the specific approach we have taken with our Inner Essentials eCourse. We believe this program is a viable way to access folks who can't afford five day retreats. Through our eCourse they gain access to similar expertise to our residential programs, at fraction of the cost and in the comfort of their own home.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
We have a highly motivated and innovative network of collaborators who fully embody our vision and mission. They demonstrate time and again their commitment and dedication to supporting the work of change agents. This is accomplished largely through living our values every day and practicing the relational skills ourselves that lead to a healthy organization.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
Peter Sammarco knows this: we are one, and capable of doing everything and anything. It is from this knowing, and from his own personal odyssey, that he shares the secrets that need to be awakened within us all. Whether in his writing, or through his service with CanPeace Consultants Inc., Peter delivers practical help for growing true success in daily life.
The mission of the Vancouver Association of Restorative Justice is:
Created on 05/1/2012 by CCalle
Explaining Democracy to children through the Constitution in order to help them better understand how we have arrived to where we are today.
Organization: La Consti en el Plan de Convivencia
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
La Consti en el Plan de Convivencia
Country where this project is creating social impact
Is your organization a
Other
Your role in Education
Parent.
The type of school(s) your solution is affiliated with
Public (tuition-free)
How long has your organization been operating?
Less than a year
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Idea (you're poised to launch)
How long has your solution been in operation?
Operating for less than a year
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
- Explaining 7-8 years old children (and older) the principles of the democratic system and promoting its assimilation in order to help create collective awareness through values such as solidarity, empathy and respect. These values are to be made part of how they lead their lives and shall prepare them as citizens capable of improving and transmitting the same.
- Providing a supporting resource for teachers for managing coexistence problems and conflict resolution.
- Introducing democratic system rules in primary schools Coexistence Plans as preventive tool for conflict resolution and for reducing the application of punishments.
- Improving school coexistence and reducing bullying.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
A program including:
- Teaching material: a) a text explaining the Spanish Constitution and fables on the origin of Democracy and on how our system works to children; this material should be read by teachers during the “General Meetings” or tutorships held weekly in each class, b) debating in class on how to apply certain values to common situations, c) class activities covering different subjects, d) activities suggested to be discussed at home and later in class.
- Why did we choose the Constitution? Because it gathers our society’s coexistence values and rules, independently from the ideology and religion of their citizens.
- Why should it be read by teachers? In order to reinforce the perception of moral authority by students.
- Why is it directed to 7-8 years old students? Because at that age children start to be interested in coexistence rules and how to solve their conflicts.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
My aim is to introduce the initiative (material and specifications for the project) to the State or Self-Governing Community Observatory of School Coexistence so that it may be studied in a commission formed by representatives of the school community. Once the project has been discussed, the program would be carried out in a 25 public schools sample, creating work teams with participating teachers in order to draw and present its conclusions.
The program has 15 workshops divided into 6 modules. Each workshop includes:
- Reading part of the text of the Constitution explained to children or one of the fables explaining the origin of Democracy and how it works. Teachers should read these texts to the students.
- Debating among students and their teacher on the concepts dealt with in the text and applicable to real situations and conflicts that may have taken place among them.
- Arts and crafts, plays and musical activities in which teachers for different school subjects may participate, aimed at reinforcing assimilation and application of the concepts learned.
- Home activities aimed at establishing a dialogue with the families on the concepts learned in class linking what is learned at school and at home.
- Creating a web page to coordinate the work, connect the schools involved in the study and provide complementary material.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
The school community is deeply concerned about “educating on values” and several interesting initiatives. The Ministry of Education has recently announced the creation of a school subject on Civic Education and the Constitution. Its application to primary school has not been defined yet, as a joint decision together with other organizations is still pending. Since the project is not limited only to explaining the constitution but rather to analyzing the values inspiring the same, the project “Democratic Values in the School” will give all children the possibility of learning shared values in a multicultural society – learning the values shared by the different religions – and would help them get ready to assimilate more complex concepts in High School.
Define your company, program, service, or product in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]
Explaining Democracy to children through the Constitution to help them better understand how we have arrived to where we are today
Identify what is innovative about your solution in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]
We incorporate democratic rules and values in schools’ Coexistence Plans for prevention and resolution of conflicts.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Celebrating the Constitution’s first 25 years, three years ago we started a workshop for two months in 3rd grade primary school in Madrid. The result was that, surprisingly, children showed great interest in the content and activities offered. According to the teacher, children’s behavior in class improved.
During the days prior to “Constitution Day” celebration, the blog featuring the text of the Constitution explained for children registered between 200 and 300 daily visits.
What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?
Reaching other Self Governing Communities with this program in their school coexistence plans in order to improve school coexistence and increase tolerance and empathy. The latter can be obtained helping students speak their minds and expressing how they feel in class in debates coordinated by teachers.
I also expect this Project to impact on children, their schools and families and to extend its impact on society as a whole. It could serve as model for other societies, particularly those with high levels of multiculturalism.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
1. In spite of the fact that at present the school community seems to agree on the need of transmitting democratic values at school, disagreement arise due to the different approaches, none of which are against teaching the Constitution. In order to overcome this barrier, I plan on filing the initial proposal for evaluation to the school community through State or Self-Governing Communities Observatory in order to obtain consensus on the material.
2. Taking part in the initial study may include extra work for teachers: holding meetings, gathering information, drafting conclusions. In order to overcome this barrier I propose to have teachers motivated to contribute to the development of a tool to help them manage conflicts and improve school coexistence.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Creating a work team in the State or Self-Governing Community Observatory and starting the program during the next school term i
Task 1
Filing the School Coexistence teaching material proposed as well as the project’s specifications before the State or Self-Govern
Task 2
Having 25 public schools interested in being part of the pilot test.
Task 3
Developing a web page to coordinate teachers’ work and share information and experiences.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Extend the project to other Self Governing Communities and adapt the same to highly multicultural locations.
Task 1
Introducing the project’s conclusions to other Self Governing Communities.
Task 2
Introducing the project’s conclusions to other locations with wide cultural diversity.
Task 3
Adapting the material to make it possible viable in children’s homes.
Founding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world [125 words]
As from the day my son started school, and due to the conflicts arising among classmates, I have had the opportunity to detect the need to transmit children the values of a “collective awareness” and to explain them how our system, rights and duties actually work, as well as the ideas behind those rules. I was able to prove that, once explained, we satisfy the curiosity on subjects that starts to show as from the early age of 7 or 8. As we give children the opportunity to talk about these subjects, we help them assimilate and apply these concepts to everyday situations. Also, both parents and teachers agree on the need of teaching democratic values and ask for tools to manage conflicts. The Constitution and democratic values that inspired this constitute our “coexistence manual”; these are the rules of the game we all need to know, and whenever possible, to improve. Adults’ values should apply to children as well.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
I have received support from different types of entities – such as Ombudsmen from several Self Governing Communities, and the Ombudsman for Children, to whom I have sent the project.
What type of team (staff, volunteers, etc.) will ensure that you achieve the growth milestones identified in the Social Impact section? [75 words]
- State or Self Governing Community School Coexistence Observatory: for creating a work team, debating on the subject and agreeing on the project’s contents and shape.
- Training centers for teachers: the same resources and trainers used for “Education for Citizenship” can be used for this project.
- School Principals and teachers involved in the project
- School parents associations for the activities suggested at home
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
In order to develop the Project “Democratic Values in the School” we will need a small budget (corresponding to the salary of the entrepreneur) approved by the School Coexistence State Observatory in order to create a work team as well as the help of 25 schools taking part of the initial study.
Created on 05/1/2012 by Parceiros Brasil
To contribute to improving school environments through the use of conflict resolution techniques. To develop collaborative and responsible citizens.
Organization: Associação Partners do Brasil - Centro de Colaboração Democrática
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Associação Partners do Brasil - Centro de Colaboração Democrática
Country where this project is creating social impact
Is your organization a
Non‐profit / NGO / Citizen sector organization
Your role in Education
Other.
The type of school(s) your solution is affiliated with
Public (tuition-free)
How long has your organization been operating?
1‐5 years
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Start-Up (a pilot that has just begun operating)
How long has your solution been in operation?
Operating for less than a year
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
The school is a space of coexistence among children and adolescents with different characteristics, which facilitates the occurrence of conflicts which sometimes translate into acts of violence such as punching, slapping, pushing games, physical assaults and verbal bullying etc. In time, this violence leads to learning challenges and a lack of student attendance, which results in high rates of truancy. For harmony and respect to exist at school, it is essential to have proper administration of the problems that arise, avoiding interference in the process of teaching and learning. In order to accomplish this, new ways of dealing with conflicts should be developed to provide the foundation of a safe school environment.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
Empowering students and teachers in the skills of Conflict Resolution in Schools (RCE), using the tenants of the Peer Mediation model so they can deal positively with conflict, which is something natural and inevitable in life. Constructively dealing with problems enables students to promote a greater understanding of themselves and others, and is an opportunity to improve relationships, identify effective solutions to problems, and build awareness so as to assume responsibilities in building a positive school climate etc. thus, the goal of the project is to create a non-violent conflict resolution that replaces the paradigm of violence to one of integration, as well as increases the development of self-esteem and the ability to resolve conflicts peacefully and creatively.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
Weekly, students and teachers of 4th, 6th and 8th grades, members of 10 schools in the municipal school network of Rio de Janeiro, are visited by a pair of professionals responsible for training students and teachers in techniques of school conflict resolution (RCE) All of them therefore have the opportunity to experience, through dynamic role-plays and discussions, the development of skills such as cooperation, communication, appreciation for diversity, positive expression of emotions and conflict resolution. And the students of the 8th grade, beyond this basic training, receive additional training specific to serve as "Peer Mediators", or as facilitators of dialogue between other students in their respective schools, acting as positive leadership examples. Since teachers are trained to apply this core curriculum in school subjects and support those students who choose to be Peer Mediators, they assist with the sustainability of the program at school.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
Because it works in the area of municipal schools education districts, the project works in partnership with the Education Secretariat of Rio de Janeiro and with the sponsorship of Petrobras, HSBC Solidariedade, Institute and the GE Foundation. However, the project’s differential consists of students working on skills related to self-esteem, empathy, recognizing feelings, tolerance in dealing with the differences etc. The success of the project depends, therefore, not only in the interests of its recipients, but mainly the participation and support of all actors that comprise the school community, which are: principals, teachers, educators, parents, and community in encouraging the new form of behavior.
Define your company, program, service, or product in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]
To contribute to improving the school environment through the use of Conflict Resolution techniques and Peer Mediation.
Identify what is innovative about your solution in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]
To positively address conflicts in order to create a culture of peace in schools.
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What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Since the second half of 2011, the Educação para a Paz project was present in 10 schools in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, training over 1,300 students and teachers. All our work is guided by the goal of changing perceptions about conflict and how to deal with it, seeking the adoption of new forms of behavior, which requires time and specific forms of benchmarking. However, we recognize the impact of this work due to the acceptance and adoption of our curriculum by teachers, the students' interest, in the subtle behavioral changes, teachers reports, etc.
What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?
The project currently covers 4th, 6th and 8th grades of the schools where it is present. Over the next year, the goal is to gradually serve the remaining grades of elementary school, so that at the end of two years, the whole school community (1st to 9th grade) have the opportunity to receive training in conflict resolution techniques for schools, which will facilitate the construction of a culture of peace in the school environment.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
The model of conflict resolution in schools that was designed to improve relationships and reduce violence in schools requires the participation and involvement of teachers, students, parents and overall school community. It is only the participation of different actors that can promote the sustainability of our actions that need to be supported mainly by the teachers and management teams at each school (directors and coordinators), since these are the main actors in the school setting. However, the surrounding violence outside of school is problematic for our work in the school setting, since students sometimes stop attending schools.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
To train students and teachers in School Conflict Resolution techniques.
Task 1
Select 10 schools which want to implement the project
Task 2
Raise awareness among the school community for selected schools
Task 3
Implement regular training courses in School Conflict Resolution techniques.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Train Peer Mediators in each school
Task 1
Offer a specific training for Peer Mediation
Task 2
Structure Peer Mediation together with directors and teachers in each school
Task 3
Launch the Peer Mediation Program for the entire school community
Founding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world [125 words]
Currently, the movement of mediation as an alternative form of conflict resolution has gained traction. School mediation, specifically, plays an important role in the development of citizenship to prevent and alleviate tensions and violence, to stimulate community life, to conceive of discrimination, oppression and exclusion in all its manifestations. In other words, it contributes to the formation of subjects conscious, participative and supportive. In countries like France, USA, Argentina, Belgium and the Czech Republic, mediation in educational settings has shown very positive results, through the enrichment of relationships between students, school and community, the decrease in disciplinary problems and school violence, and in some of them, affect the level of public policy. The idea to import this social technology was therefore based on this context and international experience.
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The support of all actors involved, directly or indirectly, in the school community is fundamental to the sustainability of our actions in the medium and long term, to optimize community resources and add new points of view and experiences, expanding our impact.
What type of team (staff, volunteers, etc.) will ensure that you achieve the growth milestones identified in the Social Impact section? [75 words]
The Projeto Educação para a Paz (Education for Peace Project) is implemented by a multidisciplinary team of facilitators trained in conflict resolution skills and experience in acting in socially disadvantaged areas. The team is highly qualified and is responsible for the training of students and teachers from each school, providing them support and assistance in structuring the Peer Mediation Program.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
We seek new sources of financing, professionals interested in our work, new forms of dissemination and collaboration with other organizations interested in developing the area of education to expand this initiative and make it public policy. We have a team qualified in an innovative theme of Conflict Resolution in Brazil willing to collaborate and develop new multipliers.
Created on 04/30/2012 by Marcela Jiménez Ossa
CINDE IS A PEACEBUILDING ORGANIZATION
CINDE PROMOTES HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Organization: Centro Internacional de Educación y Desarrollo Humano CINDE
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Centro Internacional de Educación y Desarrollo Humano CINDE
Country where this project is creating social impact
Is your organization a
Non‐profit / NGO / Citizen sector organization
Your role in Education
Social Worker, Teacher.
The type of school(s) your solution is affiliated with
Public (tuition-free)
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
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Established (past the previous stages and has demonstrated success)
How long has your solution been in operation?
Operating for more than 5 years
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
The high rates of violence evidenced in multiple forms and varied scenarios: intergenerational, interfamilial, in educational institutions and the community. The violation of the children and youth’s human rights: physical and sexual abuse and discrimination, which leads to a recurrent violence. The lack of acknowledgement of children and youth as social actors, which generates frustration and violence. In addition to problems directly related to youth on aspects such as self-confidence, respect for others, cultural values, communication practices, and the approaches to understand and solve conflicts.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
- Change children and youth’s attitude, conceptions and political practices, basis of the peace building processes, through the development of human potential and empowerment of children’s and your the affective, communicative, ethical, conflict resolution and political potentials.
- Link children and youth’s networks to share significant experiences of change in peace building and political participation themes, which enables the promotion of a social and political movement for the generation of non violent thinking and direct actions
- Strengthen the leadership, pedagogic and methodological capacities of peace builder children and youth within the multiplication processes with peers of their educational institution.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
1. Intergenerational: The meetings with children, youth and teachers are carried out in the same pedagogic space, thus enabling the intergenerational communication, respect and acknowledgement to varied and plural ideas, ways to consider and act in the world. 2. Love and affection, it is a linking action among human beings which creates a proper environment to express agreement or disagreement to others, it enables understanding that conflict is inherent to life. 3. The ritual: The mystic of the ritual intensifies the human capacity to internalize and personify the workshops’ themes. 4. Acknowledge corporeality and leadership from the beginning. 5. Service Leadership skills. 6. The recreational and empathy factor. 7. The multiplying strategy is a very important component to provide the educational process with a context of reality.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
RED PAPAZ, PRODEPAZ; CONSORNOC; SEPAS. CONSTRUCTORES DE PAZ (Peace builders) is a political initiative with and from children and youth. We believe conflict is an inherent to life and enables personal and collective growth, provided that, resolution never denies the dignity of other individuals. And this is what makes us different from other organizations which nonetheless provide children and youth with solutions. The success of the articulation with organizations working in Colombia generates a learning community on the communities’ best practices for acknowledgement and leverage of development process.
Define your company, program, service, or product in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]
CINDE acknowledges children and youth as citizens with rights and responsible for change.
Identify what is innovative about your solution in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]
CINDE impacts on children and youth’s attitudes, values and imagination
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What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Between 1998 and 2002, CINDE implemented a political socialization strategy called “Niños y Niñas Constructores-as de Paz”(“Children and Youth as Peace builders”) in Colombia’s coffee-growing region; between 2002 and 2008 the political and citizenship education initiative was carried out in seven departments; in 2007 the project with School authorities from 15 educational institutions in the urban and rural areas of Cartagena was carried out; 2007 second semester, Puerto Tejada Council 8Cauca); between 2008 and 2010 in Lorica and Shagún (Cordoba) municipalities; between 2010 and 2011, In María la baja and El Carmen de Bolivar (Bolivar); and from 2010 the project is being implemented in Cocorná and Granada (Antioquia).
What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?
Disseminate the experience in Urabás sub region, the largest region in the Antioquia department with 11.664 square meters, within the national context, it is acknowledged for being part of a larger region, connected by geological, geographical, historical and social links. One of the main difficulties to consolidate Urabá’s development is the situation of violence and displacement. The population undergoing forced displacements due to violence registered in Uraba reaches 213.324 people, which is just a third part of displaced people in the department (29%) being mostly women, children and teenagers.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
The Bacrim (emerging criminal groups) have a significant presence in Urabá. However, it is important to mention that this region is not one of the most violent regions in the department. The importance of mapping private and public organization working within the area will be an excellent strategy to generate a working group that articulates actions in the sub region and to recognize the public-private sectors, and in turn they recognize us as well as the aim of our initiative to be disseminated in the sub region, which enables a gradual access to the daily socialization of children, adolescents and youth in Urabá
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Situational diagnosis of childhood, adolescence and youth in Urabá
Task 1
Redesign the proposal with community actors and team based on the needs and capacities identified in the diagnosis.
Task 2
Ex- Ante Evaluation “Scale of Equity attitudes & Active acceptance of the difference” & “Ethics, Democratic coexistence & societ
Task 3
Description of processes to meet the objectives and consideration of all cost to enable a proper implementation.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
500 children, adolescents and youth with leadership skills and sense of belonging as peace builders.
Task 1
Characterization of children, adolescents and youth, and identification of needs and artistic skills.
Task 2
Positive impact on the motivation towards participant’s learning
Task 3
Intermediate evaluation, tool which will enable adjusting the interventions and goals on the go
Founding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world [125 words]
As from 1998 CINDE develops the “Children and Youth as Peace Builders” project to promote new social interaction modes in children and youth growing up in contexts of violence. The project’s aim is to build a peace culture and consequently contribute to achieve a Peace State through the transformation of social subjects in individuals linked to life, the promotion of peaceful coexistence, the effective enjoyment of human rights, gender equity, respect for diversity and multiculturalism, the access to sustainable development and protection of the environment; citizens participation in the spheres of power, human safety, among others.
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Departmental government: since one of its action lines is the Regional Integral Project aimed at Urabá’s development and through the Secretary of Social development and the Childhood and Adolescents Management, share some goals with our project: social inclusion.
Partnerships with organizations working in the Urabá area: Corbanacol with whom we have started working in 2010; and the organization Cooperación Internacional (International cooperation).
What type of team (staff, volunteers, etc.) will ensure that you achieve the growth milestones identified in the Social Impact section? [75 words]
In-training professionals from Universities, researchers, technical staff from the social, artistic, pedagogic, communications fields. Professional with expertise in advertising and marketing, IT professional, content manager and web developer. Professional responsible for monitoring and evaluating the project.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
Support:
Virtual courses: Web pages content Developer
Initiative’s dissemination: Media plan: Campaign.
Methodological booklet: Lay out designer and illustrator.
Created on 04/24/2012 by Claudia Romagnoli
A national, no cost and concrete proposal to prevent bullying and improve the learning and wellbeing of the education community through digital platforms
Organization: Educarchile, Fundación Chile
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Educarchile, Fundación Chile
Country where this project is creating social impact
Is your organization a
Other
Your role in Education
Other.
The type of school(s) your solution is affiliated with
Public (tuition-free)
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Growth (your pilot is up and running, and starting to expand)
How long has your solution been in operation?
Operating for more than 5 years
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
A bad environment at school, the aggressively and violence rates at schools and the high existence of risk behaviors, mental health problems in young people and teachers indicate to us that there are problems which should be addressed. Although at present there are an increasing number of supports proposals in this regard, the response to this challenge has not been satisfactory. At primary and secondary schools there is little information on how and when to manage cohabitation and education in an integral manner. Teachers feel they do not have the necessary knowledge and orientation or the sufficient time to apply and respond to the huge diversity of existing prevention and education programs.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
Our proposal is to answer the mentioned needs: “improve interaction for an integral learning” This website offers a plan with an articulated improvement proposal: at class level with students and teachers, at institutional level: incorporating families and other educational actors in the three related dimensions: cohabitation climate, socio affective education and bullying prevention. In order to implement this cohabitation and formation plan on a monthly basis as well as the prevention proposal, a specialized resources center composed by a selection of resources from prestigious national institutions is offered.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
We offer this plan and the specialized resources center, for free, with national coverage for issues such as cohabitation climate, integral formation and prevention of risk behaviors. Each professor or education actor can have access to a concrete and easy to apply proposal to improve the cohabitation climate quality, integral formation and prevention, by educational level (first to 4th grade) with guidelines and resources for the different members of the school community, so that each actor is able to make her/his contribution to achieve the goal.
This is an articulating proposal: it coordinates the work to be carried out with students, teachers and educational community as a whole.
It is an annual proposal: It offers a monthly work guide (from March to December) suggesting the time of the year to address different issues at all school levels (classroom, teachers, institutional).
It is a flexible proposal: each educational community can adapt the plan.
it is easy to apply, and it seeks to contribute with an increased integral development:
It can be scaled up: It can be applied at national and international level, since Educarchile is the most visited portal by Chilean schools and it is part of the RELPE Latin-American portals with whom it shares content without cost, thus reaching at least 6 other countries in Latin-American.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
At present, in Chile, there is no site with an educational articulating proposal together with a specialized resources center. Our peers may be other school cohabitation portals. In Chile, in 2009, the Minister of Education made available to all schools a school cohabitation portal, a complete center of educational resources in cohabitation issues which unfortunately is not available on the Internet any more, and part of its resources are presented in a cohabitation space within MINEDUC’s page, ValorasUC of the Catholic University of Chile which also has a web page and promotes the use of educational resources to promote cohabitation and students’ socio affective development.
Define your company, program, service, or product in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]
It is a national, no cost, concrete proposal to prevent bullying and promote well being and learning through digital platforms.
Identify what is innovative about your solution in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]
Annual and flexible educational articulating proposal in cohabitation, formation and prevention with resources for implementation.
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What has been the impact of your solution to date?
As from December 2011 the proposal was made available to the whole education community through the Internet. It receives an average of 1500 visitors on a monthly basis. Moreover, materials on bullying were selected as the most voted and read by our users. At present this website is used by the Ministry of Education in Chile to promote its contents in other face to face instances.
What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?
Projected impact is that school authorities, teachers and students from primary and secondary school make use of the suggested resources and proposals for their own promotion and socio affective development as well as school cohabitation programs, thus improving the quality of their learning social climate and delivering an explicit integral and preventive formation. Increase in a 50% the visits to the site, in order to expand the impact.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
The lack of financial resources. There is much interest in completing the proposal and resources center, and develop strategic partnerships aimed at spreading and use, but we need financial resources to hire the management team for the project. The project’s success may be hindered due to a non coordinated work with the most relevant educational institutions at national level, in issues related to cohabitation, formation and prevention; and it impact on education.
If we manage to get the resources required to form a managing team for the project, we will plan to develop key partnerships to implement the project successfully.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Reach an annual, flexible, easy to apply and no cost educational proposal available to all education actors.
Task 1
Develop strategic partnerships with the Ministry of Education and other key institutions for the Project.
Task 2
Design and produce the second stage of the Project, addressed to other education actors: authorities, tutors, inspectors, and he
Task 3
Identify the educational resources required and available in the country to enrich the specialized resources center.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Enrich the proposal and resources center as from the experience gathered after the application in Chilean primary and secondary
Task 1
Field support to use the cohabitation, formation and prevention proposal to detect elements to improve it.
Task 2
Establish a dynamic and direct relationship with the users of the proposal by listening about their needs and good ideas to shar
Task 3
Task 3 Develop new partnerships with different national and International institution who would like to enrich the resources’ of
Founding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world [125 words]
As from the earthquake suffered in 2010 Educarchile received thousand requests to support the environment and cohabitation of those schools affected by the earthquake, this is how the portal started to systemize educational resources to make them available to schools. Then, by the end of 2010, we believed it was important to generate a proposal which evidenced the problem of cohabitation at schools in a fragmented, conflictive and critical manner but a proposal integrating the different variables and dimensions, thus offering an articulating, flexible, powerful proposal easy to apply in the educational system with the aim to impact on the quality of academic and educational learning. Our “aja” was accompanied with a wish to quit urgency and crisis, and replace it with a work aimed at promoting a more integral learning, which embraces all our human dimensions, focused on prevention and development of our children and youth.
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In 2011, during the first stage of the Project we developed a partnership with the Ministry of Education in Chile (educational mainstreaming unit) with the Chilean Catholic University, VALORASUC program and with SENDA 8ex Conace9; all of them key institutions at national level in education issues, school cohabitation, integral formation and prevention of risk behaviors, themes articulating our educational proposal and specialized resources center. During 2012 we should strengthen our partnerships and include other prestigious institutions.
What type of team (staff, volunteers, etc.) will ensure that you achieve the growth milestones identified in the Social Impact section? [75 words]
We would need to have a professional team of 2 /3 people approximately dedicated to the Project during 2012, in addition to the participation of professionals from Educarchile staff for issues related to technological platform, graphic design and communications.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
In order to continue with the project’s development and implementation we would need to receive support from the following areas: investment, human resources, marketing, research, networks, honorary contributions, innovation and advisory services. We could contribute with other projects by providing help on areas such as marketing and collaboration/networks.
