catalyzing social innovation in higher education - cultivating...
TRANSCRIPT
Cultivating Changemakers & Creating Impact: Models for Experiential Learning
Today’s Plan
• Group Activity
• Speaker Presentations
• Collective Q & A Session
• Breakout Session’s
• Group Activity
What Are We Here For?
• Interdisciplinary Experiential Learning Models
• Social Innovation
• Leveraging Community Impact Partnerships
• Fellowship Programs to International Projects
Lets Get Creative
Think of two things you hope to learn from today’s session and how it may relate to what you are working on back home. Use the sticky notes
provided to write down your answers.
Turn to Your Neighbor
University Innovation
Fellows
Brayden Cutler
and
Dr. Cynthia Wong
Utah Valley University
Benefits/ Impact
• The University Innovation Fellows (UIF) program empowers students around the world to become agents of change in higher education.
• Fellows create opportunities that help their peers unlock their creative potential and develop the design-centered mindset required to take on complex challenges in today’s world.
• Fellows represent the student voice in the global conversation about the future of education. They become deeply familiar with the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem at their schools, working closely with faculty, administrators and community stakeholders.
• Fellows design and implement activities to enhance that landscape.
UIF might be a good fit for your organization if…• Your organization recognizes the benefits of
empowering students through design-thinking.
• You have a group of self-directed students who are driven to enhance innovation.
• You are savvy about navigating complex political issues.
• You have a core group with diverse skill sets across multiple disciplines.
• You have a strong collaborative spirit and are willing to work alongside students.
Potential challenges
• Competition for funding, permanent space, resources
• Working through administrative issues, politics and egos
• Boot-strapping
• Commitment levels
• Coordination and communication among multiple cohorts
• Growing pains
Examples of fellow-driven projects• 20,000 passions project
• Innovation Incubator
• Connection people to innovation resources on campus
• Mapping maker spaces
Maureen Hammett, University at Buffalo School of Social Work
• Vice Dean & Chief of Staff
Thomas Ulbrich, University at Buffalo School of Management
• Assistant Dean
• Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, Executive Director
• Blackstone LaunchPad at University at Buffalo, Executive Director
SOCIAL IMPACT FELLOWS PROGRAM
• Collaboration between UB School of Social Work, School of Management and Blackstone LaunchPad.
• 20 Fellows selected - through a competitive process - to explore and implement innovative solutions in ten organizations working to address a variety of social issues impacting the greater Buffalo region.
How it Works
“The pairing of MSW and MBA students was exactly what we needed to
create a plan that was person-centered, fiscally responsible and sustainable” – Sandra Lauer, Director, Continuum of Care, Erie County Medical Center
• Pairing students from each school together - and co-placing them with an organization - further encourages cross-disciplinary collaboration and ensures the skills and knowledge of both student cohorts are utilized to create ideas that have both social impact and financial sustainability.
• Fellows work collaboratively - using entrepreneurial principles and sustainable social innovation - to develop solutions to the project or challenge outlined by their organization.
How it Works (continued)“Now, after
participating in this
Fellowship, I understand
and recognize how integral it is to merge the
social work and business
fields in developing a program to
serve those in
need.” –J.Puma, MSW
student
focused on gender equity, health care, food waste and homelessness…10 organizations on deck for 2018.
WNY Women’s Foundation
Fellowship Components• Social Innovation Course – full week in
late May. Followed by…
• Two-day orientation the next week (for both students and reps from partner organizations).
• Eight-week internship/fellowship, early June – late July.
• Placed with assigned organization Monday – Thursday.
• Classroom debriefing and Community Experience on Fridays. (Friday are half-day sessions this year.)
• “Pitch for a Cause” idea competition (culminating activity).
• Students give 5-minute pitches on why their organization should get more funding for the initiative they developed.
• Panel of three judges (leaders in the local corporate and non-profit communities).
• Cash prizes for 1st and 2nd
place teams.
Fellowship Components Continued
• Learn about issues affecting the community; meet with stakeholders who are working on these problems and/or who are affected by these issues.
• Work with local organizations to tackle social problems with an out-of-the-box approach.
• Students gain skills and experience in strategic planning, creative problem-solving, entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship.
Benefits for Students
• Compensation for a 3-credit course (tuition and fees) and a modest stipend.
• Experience will…sharpen your skills, expand your network, increase your marketability and be a highlight on your résumé.
• Post program…Gain appreciation for the background and skills of counterparts from other discipline…Expansion of career goals and search parameters.
Benefits for Students (continued)
“I was able to communicate more effectively
with people of all business levels and my
ability to make quick decisions has greatly
increased.”
“The SIF program has allowed me to
understand that businesses can operate and
function with a social mission in mind.”
“My career, whatever it may be, has a higher
chance of including social issue aspects.”
“I think I want to start my own
social enterprise in the future.”
“I have seen how valuable I could
be as a professional for a
nonprofit.”
“I have added a course, Nonprofit
Management, to my Fall 2017
schedule.”
Select Student Feedback
Belmont Housing
• “The SIF students worked on the program design and proposal which was sent to HUD for approval after completion. It was recently approved, so the plan is to have an MOU with a partner agency that the students helped identify, and logistics will be completed by the beginning of February so that we can begin accepting participants by Spring 2018.”
Matt Urban
• “The UB SIF Program was instrumental in making our dream a reality in relation to launching our screen-printing social enterprise…The seed money was immediately invested into needed equipment, materials, and training for the initiative. Our official launch was in November 2017, and since then we have provided employment and training to three clients who have printed more than 50 shirts…Currently, we are looking to expand our online presence and begin exploring more concrete partnerships with graphic designers and artists in the community.”
Benefits for Organization Partners
• Student stipends needed to be increased
• Friday sessions were too long and draining for students
• Introductions between students and organizations should – ideally –
happen earlier in the process
• Pitch for a Cause activity needs to receive correct amount of emphasis
within the overall program
• Costs far exceeded allocated funding
• Program has broad appeal to prospective donors
• Challenges in identifying appropriate corporate sites for placing
students
• Recognize the importance of clear communication and expectations
among all program stakeholders
Lessons Learned from Year One
Please come and chat with us (and our two faculty colleagues) to learn more about our program!
AshokaU 2018
Society's continued progress depends in large part on our ability to address three inter-
related challenges
College to Career
Skills Gap
Social Sector Talent
Shortage
Growing Inequality
Among College Grads
29
Many recent college grads lack the 21st Century skills employers want
Work Place Skill Gap
1. Are Colleges Preparing Students for the Workplace?, www.thecollegesolution.com (2014)
▪ Only 11% of business leaders and 14% of Americans “strongly agree” today’s college graduates have the skills needed to succeed in their workplaces1
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
English Language
Written Communications
Oral Communications
Critical Thinking
Teamwork/Collaboration
Ethics/Social Responsibility
Leadership
Skills Required for Employment vs.Skills of College Graduates Entering the
Workplace
Employers who rated skill as "Very Important" for entrants
Employers who rated readiness of entrants as "Excellent"
CfSI Value Exchange
31
Social Sector Organizations
Colleges and Universities
College Students
Life-changing fellowships for diverse cohorts of
students
A new generation of problem-solvers
The social sector today includes 33 million full-time jobs and is growing fast
32
29%
11%
12%
6%
17%
10%
Interpreters and Translators
Environmental Scientists &Specialists
Social Workers
K-12 Teachers
Medical and Health ServicesManagers
Social and Community ServiceManagers
Job Outlook 2014-2024*
*data from BLS 2016
Degree Required
33 million social sector jobs and ~20 million require a bachelor’s
degree. Includes non-profits and public sector
Average employment growth 6.5%
Great internships with strong mentorsare life-changing for students
Higher if I had a mentor who encouraged me to pursue my goals and dreams.
Higher if I had an internship or job that allowed me to apply what I was learning in the classroom.
Higher if I worked on a project that took a semester or more to complete.
According to a landmark 2014 Gallup-Purdue survey of more than 30,000 US college graduates, engagement in the workplace is higher for students who had high-impact
learning experiences in college
33
CfSI integrates fully-credited internships with reflection and skill-building
Ongoing opportunities for resource-sharing, practice and feedback through online Learning Management System accessible to all constituents.
Internship: 30 hours per week in a nonprofit, government agency or social mission business for a semester, supported by a supervisor who takes a mentor/coaching approach.
Social Innovator’s Tool Box: Seminar that provides context for social change work including challenges, trends and promising strategies; opportunities to practice power tools and habits reinforced through course structure.
Friday In-Service: Skill building workshops teaching power tools and habits; opportunities for practice and reflection (on lessons learned and program experiences broadly)
Online Community: Online Learning management system offers ongoing opportunities for resource-sharing, practice and feedback
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
9:00-10:00
Internship Internship
Internship
Internship
Breakfast
Reflection
10:00-12:00
BaPSWorkshops & Activities
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-5:00
BaPSWorkshops& Activities
(end at 4:30)Travel
Seminar—The Social
Innovator’s Tool Box
5:00-7:00
OccasionalSpeakers
and Activities
Our model is founded on four core design principles
Social Sector Placements provide a full semester of academic credit while developing workplace and social skills and pathways to good jobs
Students work toward proficiency as problem solvers by developing essential skills and habits:
−Persuasive Arguments−Empathetic Engagement−Human Centered Design−Data Driven Insights
Students learn through feedback and mentorship, including professional, academic and career coaching. Technology will help us support alumni
Design Principles Purposeful Outcomes
Work-based learning
Mentoring
Reflection upon experience
Competency-based approach
CfSI offers reflection workshops and one intensive seminar per semester, the Social Innovator’s Tool Box, which examines social change case studies
−Belief and Purpose−Work Hard and Smart
We started with two pilot partners…
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…and now we partner with 10 colleges, with more added every month!
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Global Social Impact Elective
Who is Emzingo?
Cordes Innovation Award WinnerOur NexGen Fellowship program was selected as one of the
most promising educational approaches to social entrepreneurship.
What is GSI?
A semester long elective that combines a real-world international project with professional development training,
workshops, and coaching
Real-world experience &
Positive Impact
through projects with social
enterprises & nonprofits
Cultural Awareness
through training, virtual
project work and
immersion in Rio
Professional Development
Through coursework,
workshops, and
team building
Why this model?
Impact Partners
• Pro-bono resources
• Multi-year engagement
• Trusted, local partners in Emzingo
Students
• Social Impact
• International Experience
• Real-world projects
Institution
• Integrate impact into international programs
• Recruitment
• New market
Create positive impact while introducing students to social business, design thinking, and related concepts early in their academic careers
Who is involved?
1st year business students University faculty and staff from business school & global programs departments
Emzingo staff based in the U.S. and BrazilSocial enterprises, non-profits, and stakeholders in Rio de Janeiro
How does it work?
Sep - Jan Feb - Apr May June
Phase 1 -Preparation
Phase 2 - Execution Phase 3 - Delivery Phase 4 -Evaluation
Curriculum
Projects
Coaching
• Syllabus review• Business boot camp
• Project partner development
• Project scoping
• Intensive Kickoff• Weekly class
• Virtual client work• Research &
interviews• Interim deliverables
• Team building & mentoring
• On-going project support
• Trip prep/logistics• Present immersion
plan
• 9 day immersion in Rio
• Final reports and presentations
• Direct team support during immersion
• Coaching on final presentation and deliverables
• After action review –what skills were missing?
• Client feedback• Student learning• Impact assessment
• Feedback to support curriculum and project changes
Learning Outcomes
Community ImpactLow
ExperientialLow High
PartnershipsLow
Project-basedLow High
InterdisciplinaryLow High
High
High
46© Copyright Emzingo™ 2009-2017. All rights reserved.
Project Example: Favela Verde
Favela Verde aims to generate social and environmental transformations in the informal
urban context, creating models of harmonic coexistence between natural and social
systems based on self-management and local sustainability.
Questions
Back to the Stickie's
What are two interesting things you learned today? Write them on the stickie's provided.
Turn to Your Neighbor Again
Thank you for continuing to be the change!