COMMUNITY CHANGE, INC.’S STRATEGIC PLAN
Community Change, Inc. provides educational services that prepare youth and adults for the real world. Our project-based approach combines academic content and personal interests with real world themes, allowing for engaging and meaningful learning experiences for participants.
We offer six services to nonprofits and to educational institutions:
1. Youth Engagement (pre-K – 12th Grade);
2. Parent, Family & Community Engagement;
3. Professional Development;
4. Curriculum Development;
5. Strategic Planning; and
6. Fund Development.
For each service area, we offer programs that provide clients with strategies for engaging participants in exploring any of the following real-world themes: careers, community issues, cultural awareness, financial literacy, the food industry and relationships.
Vision: The long-term change we seek to create.
Community Change, Inc. envisions youth and adults who have what it takes and does what it takes to support the survival and success of themselves, their families and their community.
Mission: Our primary purpose. This is our "why".
Community Change, Inc.’s mission is to make our community a better place to live!
Goals: The primary results we want to achieve across all services.
1. To cultivate autodidactic (self-directed/self-taught) learners
2. To advance the development of learning organizations amongst nonprofits and educational institutions
Objectives: Service-specific targets that advance our goals.
1. Youth Engagement Objective
To provide pre-K through 12th grade students with academically aligned, interest-based, project-based learning experiences about the real world that strengthen critical thinking, research, and executive-functioning skills.
2. Parent, Family & Community Engagement Objective
To provide parents, families, and community members with learning experiences that support children’s education, strengthen families, and improve connections to schools and the broader community.
3. Professional Development Objective
To provide professional learning experiences that strengthen the ability of teachers, coordinators, directors, and support staff to design, facilitate, and oversee academically aligned, interest-based, project-based learning experiences about the real world.
4. Curriculum Development Objective
To provide agencies with adaptable, project-based, interest-based curricula and resources for pre-K–12 youth and adults that integrate academic content with real-world applications.
5. Strategic Planning Objective
To provide learning experiences that strengthen agencies’ capacity to engage in continuous improvement and optimize organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
6. Grant Writing / Fund Development Objective
To provide assistance to organizations in securing funding that support youth, family, and community programs.
Strategy/Approach: The method used to achieve our objectives. This is our "how".
Community Change, Inc.’ developed the Community Change Pedagogy to achieve our objectives. The Community Change Pedagogy is a project-based, real-world learning approach designed to develop critical thinking, research, and executive functioning skills. By integrating academic content with participant interests, the Community Change Pedagogy is intentional about providing meaningful and engaging learning experiences.
To implement this strategy across each of our services, the Community Change Pedagogy is interwoven into 16 Programs that structure the engagement of individuals and agencies around specific, real world themes, namely careers, community issues, cultural awareness, financial literacy, the food industry and relationships.
Our Targeted Programs are derived from our model programs, enabling them to adapt to a specific activity, geographic area, or population.
1. Model Programs (9) – Our standard, real-world theme-based programs grounded in the Community Change Pedagogy.
- CareerVisions – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about career exploration, job readiness, and entrepreneurship
- Community Change – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about civic engagement, service learning, and social issues
- Foodpreneurs – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about healthy eating, culinary arts, and the food industry
- Legacy – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about culture and diversity
- The Black Experience – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about Black Studies
- The Latino Experience – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about Latino Studies
- Mastery – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about 21st-century and life skills
- Money Move$ – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and investing
- Peace – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about conflict management, restorative practices, and healthy relationships
a. Target Activity Programs (3) – Our interest-driven programs structured according to the Community Change Pedagogy, using any Model Program to guide the learning experience.
- Creative Expressions – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about the arts
- Genius! – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about science, technology, engineering, agriculture, and math (STEAM)
- Level Up! – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about academic support, transitioning to high school, and college readiness
b. Target Population Programs (3) – Our targeted support programs structured according to the Community Change Pedagogy, using any Model Program to guide the learning experience.
- Brotherhood – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about male mentorship and personal development
- Sisterhood – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about female mentorship and personal development
- Pathway to Power – Our approach for engaging participants in learning about stability and leadership development for students in temporary housing and foster care
c. Target Area Program (1) – Our place-based program structured according to the Community Change Pedagogy, using any Model Program to guide the learning experience.
- Street Smarts – Our approach for engaging Harlem participants in learning about the real-world using either credible educators or teaching artists who have deeply rooted history in Harlem.
ACTION STEPs/Tactics: The activities we use to deliver programs
Youth Engagement Action Steps/Tactics
1. Youth workshops aligned with any of the 16 programs
- Youth Workshops delivered using the Community Change Pedagogy format:
i. Welcome
ii. Icebreaker
iii. Exploratory Exercise
iv. Expression Exercise
v. Review
vi. Reflection
2. Community action projects addressing real neighborhood concerns
• Recruitment – outreach to involve community in planning and implementing action.
• Selection – choosing an action that addresses the causes/effects of the issue.
• Tasks & Timeline – delegating who is going to do what and by when for the action.
• Implementation – making the action happen.
• Reflection – sharing feedback about the successes, challenges and suggestions of the project.
3. Special events showcasing learning experiences:
- The Bazaar: student-led pop-up shop/street fair
- The Expo: student-led talent show
- The Convention: conference with student-led mini-workshops
- The Day of Action: student-led pep rally/demonstration
Measured by the number of sessions and participants in attendance
Parent, Family & Community Engagement Action Steps/Tactics
1. Global virtual workshops focused on economic development and fatherhood
2. School-based workshops (virtual/in-person) informed by local needs assessments
- Global and School-based workshops delivered using the Community Change Pedagogy format:
i. Welcome
ii. Icebreaker
iii. Exploratory Exercise
iv. Expression Exercise
v. Review
vi. Reflection
3. Community Resource Information Sessions connecting families to local supports
4. School Resource Information Sessions connecting families to school-based services
5. Advisory Council meetings with families, community members, and stakeholders
6. Family-engaged community action projects
7. Participation in special events that showcase learning experiences
Measured by the number of sessions and participants in attendance.
Professional Development Action Steps/Tactics
1. Customized staff workshops for teachers, parent coordinators, and related personnel
2. Collaborative planning session/meetings
3. Instructional coaching through observation, modeling, and feedback
4. Training Academies: virtual courses supporting program design and implementation aligned with the Community Change Pedagogy
Measured by the number of sessions and participants in attendance.
Curriculum Development Action Steps/Tactics
1. Customized curriculum packages, guides, and manuals
- Includes lesson plans, worksheets, assessments, and tip sheets across all 16 programs
2. Use of Teacher PAI as the A.I.-powered curriculum development resource
Measured by number of curriculum guides and lesson plans created.
Strategic Planning Action Steps/Tactics
1. Development of strategic plan.
2. One-on-one, executive coaching on leadership, data management, parent/family/community engagement, and sustainability
3. Team meetings focused on leadership, data management, parent/family/community engagement, and/or sustainability
Measured by number of plans created, sessions, and participants in attendance.
Grant Writing / Fund Development Action Steps/Tactics
1. Identification and pursuit of funding opportunities
2. Development of proposals in alignment of funding strategies for program continuation, expansion, and replication
3. Submission of proposals
Measured by number of funded proposals and amount of dollars awarded.
