A Friend of a Friend is a Friend

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A Friend of a Friend is a Friend

Kingston, JamaicaWesley Chapel, United States
Organization type: 
for profit
Project Stage:
Idea
Budget: 
$1,000 - $10,000
Website:
http://www.eciconsultant.com
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Project Summary
Elevator Pitch

Concise Summary: Help us pitch this solution! Provide an explanation within 3-4 short sentences.

ECI will integrate AFFF with the use of peer counseling, cultural methods and technology/media to allow students to share their stories and learn empathy.

About Project

Problem: What problem is this project trying to address?

The students at Kingston High School come from a low socioeconomic background and often times see themselves and others as objects rather than human beings due to the desensitization of violence that is widespread in their communities. The solution is to get students learning about themselves and learning to empathize with one another.

Solution: What is the proposed solution? Please be specific!

Empathy is a skill acquired after learning and attaining knowledge about oneself and others and requires trust. Trust is an act when one shares their thoughts and experiences with other and in exchange, an understanding is developed. It is important for young people to learn how to understand themselves and the world about them and show empathy and compassion in all their actions as well as being able to identify with their fellow human being. A Friend of a Friend is a Friend (AFFF) is a high school program that teachers and young people gain the necessary skills of being empathetic in and out of school. Teachers would become more compassionate in their teaching and learning approaches and students will be more cognizant of other persons feelings and emotions and be more genuine.
Impact: How does it Work

Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.

At Kingston High School, there are many teenage boys and girls from the inner city who have lost fathers, mothers and other family members due to extreme violence they experience in their communities, which leads to serious and erratic behaviors they display in and out of schools. Many of the students have lost touch with their spirituality and now see themselves and others as objects to be used, abused and exploited. This social and emotional developmental program takes into account the sociological and psychological founds of empathy and reintroduces the students to what is means to be an empathetic human being. The peer cultural counseling session will have open and honest discussion about different aspects of life on topics such as (Family, Civilization, Spirituality, Philosophy, Education, Economics, Sexuality, Security, Root causes of Crime and Violence, Culture (Art, Music, etc.), Racism, Sexism and Technology) and students will learn to practice empathy in and out of school. These interventions will show students that adults at school cares for them and want to see them succeed. By highlighting the challenges they experience day to day and ways to overcome could help them to start caring for themselves and ultimately others.
Sustainability

Marketplace: Who else is addressing the problem outlined here? How does the proposed project differ from these approaches?

At this time there are no peers or competitors working with the students at Kingston High School. There are no interventions or programs addressing the challenges the students are facing.
About You
Organization:
ECI Educational Consultants International, LLC
About You
First Name

Wayne

Last Name

Campbell

About Your Organization
Organization Name

ECI Educational Consultants International, LLC

Organization Country

, FL, Wesley Chapel, Pasco County

Country where this project is creating social impact

, KIN, Kingston

Your role in Education

Administrator.

The type of school(s) your solution is affiliated with

Public (tuition-free)

How long has your organization been operating?

Less than a year

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Innovation
How long has your solution been in operation?

Still in idea phase, but looking to launch soon

Now that you have thought out your entry, help us pitch it.
Define your company, program, service, or product in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]

ECI will integrate AFFF, use peer counseling, cultural methods and technology/media to allow students to learn empathy toward others.

Identify what is innovative about your solution in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]

Use social media as “safe haven” to connect students and promote camaraderie. Audiovisual will be used for data collection/analysis.

Social Impact
What has been the impact of your solution to date?

This is a new initiative we are embarking, hence there are no impact to date. We plan to address the academic, psychological, social and emotional needs of students who have never received any assistance to cope with situations beyond their control.

What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?

We project that AFFF will impact students academically, socially and emotionally. Within the short term, students will build a rapport with teachers and peer counselors and be trained as empathy leaders, who will further impact their family structure. In the long term, empathy education will be included in the curriculum and the teaching and learning process. We expect to widen AFFF intervention program to the extended family and community.

What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?

Some major barriers that may hinder our project are: Family and community pressure on students to not openly disclose helpful information that would assist in their improvement. Resistance to the changes may also hinder the project, but we plan to address these issues in sensitization training to all stakeholders of Kingston High School allowing them to ask questions and get a better understanding of the program and experience the difference it will make in the lives of the students as well as the community.

Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact

August 2012, plan/organize training & intervention program course materials. Discuss implementation strategies & then roll out.

Identify three major tasks you will have to complete to reach your six-month milestone
Task 1

Intervention and Training materials

Task 2

Training and Sensitization

Task 3

Data collection, Analysis and Report

Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone

Impact milestone is extending the program to families and community members while addressing community issues.

Identify three major tasks you will have to complete to reach your 12-month milestone
Task 1

Family and Community Involvement

Task 2

Partnership with other institutions

Task 3

Curriculum modification

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]

On a touring visit of Kingston High School and then engaging the principal in dialogue about challenges her students were facing on a daily basis, it came to me that her students need more than academic assistance. Many of the students experience psycho-social challenges that impede their learning. A program that incorporates peer cultural counseling and allow them to learn empathy would be beneficial to majority of the students. If they learned that someone cared about them, they will then learn to care about themselves.

Sustainability
Tell us about your partnerships

At this time, the only partner we have is Kingston High School, the institution that will be the recipient of this program. We are a newly operating company and once we get our name established in the community, we will commence partnering with other entities.

What type of team (staff, volunteers, etc.) will ensure that you achieve the growth milestones identified in the Social Impact section? [75 words]

We have volunteer staff with different areas of expertise who will lent a hand with either providing materials for or conduct training with the teachers and students at KHS. These persons feel strongly about wanting to change the lives of students by showing empathy as well as having a vested interest in improving students’ lives.

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 a newly registered company that began operations August 2011. It is our wish to provide educational services to all stakeholders in education.

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