Overview

About The Company

Community Change, Inc. (CCI) is a New York-based educational organization committed to supporting the survival and success of youth, adults, and the agencies that serve them. With four subsidiaries (namely, CareerVisions, Ltd., CareerVisions, NY, Professor A.I., and Community Change-Africa), CCI provides real-world, culturally affirming educational services that address academic, personal, and community-based challenges. Since 2009, CCI has impacted over 25,000 students and families, and trained more than 900 educators across nearly 50 agencies. To elaborate, click here!

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Many youth, families, and communities—particularly Black, Latino, immigrant, and low-income populations—continue to face systemic barriers to high-quality, culturally affirming, and real-world-connected education.

Schools and agencies often lack the resources, tools, and approaches to fully engage students, support educators, and deliver programs that build both academic and life success.

Community Change, Inc. and its subsidiaries—CareerVisions, Ltd., CareerVisions, NY, and Professor A.I.—exist to close these gaps. Together, we provide dynamic, project-based, and technology-integrated solutions that empower youth, support families, and build the capacity of schools and organizations to create meaningful change in the lives of those they serve.

APPROACH - THE COMMUNITY CHANGE PEDAGOGY

The Community Change Pedagogy is CCI’s educational approach that cultivates autodidactic (self-directed and self-motivated) learners, blending academics, personal interests, and real-world content. The Community Change Pedagogy is designed to develop students’ critical thinking, research, and executive functioning/management skills.

Each lesson follows a six-step format—welcoming, icebreaker, exploration, expression, review, and reflection—moving students through six phases that build toward real-world action. Whether used in classrooms, afterschool programs, or adult learning settings, this pedagogy is designed to empower individuals to survive and succeed. To elaborate, click here!

SERVICES

CCI offers six adaptable services: 1. Youth Programs, 2. Parent/Family/Community Engagement, 3. Staff Development, 4. Curriculum Development, 5. Strategic Planning, and 6. Grant Writing. These services are available individually or bundled. For instance, the Comprehensive Youth Program Services package provides afterschool programming, staff coaching, family workshops, custom curriculum using Teacher PAI, student showcases, and community action projects—delivering holistic support to districts and agencies seeking sustained impact. To elaborate, click here!

PROGRAMS

CCI has three types of programs:

Program Models (9): These core models explore real-world themes such as career development, civic engagement, cultural heritage, financial literacy, and more.
Focus Activity Programs (3): These offer enrichment through arts, STEAM, and academic support. Focus Activity Programs are integrated with any of the nine Program Models.
Focus Group Programs (3): These provide affinity-based support for boys (Brotherhood), girls (Sisterhood), and students in temporary housing or foster care (Pathway to Power). Focus Group Programs are integrated with any of the nine Program Models.

Each program is project-based, age-appropriate, and suitable for use in school-day, afterschool, or summer settings.
To elaborate, click here!

SPECIAL EVENTS

Community Change, Inc. hosts four signature special events throughout the year at our comprehensive youth program sites. These are showcases of learning and community impact by participants. Each event offers a platform for students and families to share what they’ve learned and accomplished in our programs.

The Bazaar – A marketplace-type event where students display the findings of their explorations and community partnerships.
The Expo – A creative showcase where students deliver artistic performances about the things they learned in the program.
The Convention – A youth-led conference for students to present social justice, civic action, or legacy projects and lead peer workshops.
The Day of Action – A public rally and community service event where students lead a demonstration through their school building and/or community to raise awareness about the prevalence, causes, effects, and interventions of their neighborhood concerns.

PARENT & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

To strengthen school-family partnerships, CCI offers seven engagement activities, including in-person/virtual workshops, resource sessions, advisory councils, special events, and action projects. These services are designed to build parent knowledge and involvement using the same pedagogy applied with youth. CCI also offers professional development for parent coordinators and AI-powered tools to generate customized family workshops and literacy curricula. To elaborate, click here!

The Strategic Plan

COMMUNITY CHANGE, INC.

VISION, MISSION, GOALS, OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES, PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS, AND TACTICS

VISION

To create a population of youth and adults who have what it takes and do what it takes to support the survival and success of their community.

MISSION

To support the survival and success of youth, adults, and the agencies that serve them.

GOALS

(Aligned to the six services offered by Community Change)

Youth Programs – Engage youth in structured, interest-based, real-world learning that builds critical thinking, research skills, and executive functioning.
Parent/Family/Community Engagement – Strengthen families and community networks through workshops, information sessions, collaborative learning, and action projects.
Staff Development – Equip educators with strategies and tools needed to deliver high-quality, pedagogy-aligned programming.
Curriculum Development – Provide structured, customizable, ready-to-use lessons and curriculum resources grounded in the Community Change Pedagogy.
Strategic Planning – Guide schools and agencies in designing systems, structures, and strategies that build efficiency and effectiveness.
Grant Writing – Secure sustainable funding for partners through competitive proposal development and full submission support.

OBJECTIVES

Youth Programs

Engage youth in project-based, interest-based, real-world learning that builds critical thinking, research skills, and executive functioning.

Parent/Family/Community Engagement

Strengthen families with information and strategies that address their real-world challenges and increase their school connectedness.

Staff Development

Equip educators with strategies, resources, and guidance to deliver efficient and effective lessons based on the Community Change Pedagogy (project-based, interest-based lessons that integrate academics and real-world content).

Curriculum Development

Provide customizable, ready-to-use lessons and curriculum resources for project-based, interest-based, real-world learning experiences that build critical thinking, research skills, and executive functioning.

Strategic Planning

Support schools and agencies in designing and implementing systems, structures, and strategies that address their critical challenges and make them more efficient and effective.

Grant Writing

Secure funding for high-quality programming by producing competitive, complete, and compliant proposals grounded in accurate needs analysis and strong program design.

STRATEGIES: THE 16 PROGRAMS

Program Models (9)

CareerVisions – A career exploration program that builds job readiness, entrepreneurship skills, and real-world planning based on students’ interests and strengths.
Community Change – A civic education and service-learning program that teaches students to analyze community issues and lead action projects addressing local concerns.
Foodpreneurs – A culinary arts and food-industry program where students learn healthy eating, cooking, and entrepreneurship through hands-on experiences.
Legacy – A multicultural education program that helps students explore their cultural heritage and understand the traditions, histories, and identities of others.
The Black Experience – A Black Studies program where students explore key dimensions of the Black experience across history, culture, movements, and contemporary issues.
The Latino Experience – A Latino Studies program where students explore the histories, cultures, and contemporary experiences of Latino communities.
Mastery – A 21st-century skills program focused on developing students’ competencies in communication, problem-solving, collaboration, and leadership.
Money Move$ – A financial literacy and entrepreneurship program that teaches students how money works, how to invest, and how to build financial stability.
Peace – A conflict management and restorative practices program that teaches students how to navigate relationships, resolve conflict, and build healthy communication skills.

Focus Activity Programs (3)

Creative Expressions – An arts-based program where students use visual, performing, and written art to express their ideas, identity, and real-world experiences.
Genius! – A STEAM program that develops creativity, innovation, and problem-solving through science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics challenges.
Level Up! – An academic support program that helps students strengthen their academic foundations and improve the skills needed for school success.

Focus Group Programs (3)

Brotherhood – A male support program that creates an affirming space for boys to build life skills, leadership, and peer support.
Sisterhood – A female support program that creates an affirming space for girls to build confidence, leadership, and healthy peer relationships.
Pathway to Power – A support program for students in temporary housing or foster care focused on stability, decision-making, and real-world problem-solving.

Focus Area Program (1)

Street Smarts – Our Harlem-focused program that seeks to engage and prepare the hardest-to-reach youth in surviving and succeeding in the real world using credible educators.

TACTICS

(Concrete activities under each service)

1. Youth Programs

Interest-based lessons integrating academics with real-world content.
Lessons featuring questions, references, and exercises.
Lessons structured according to the Community Change Pedagogy: welcome, icebreaker, exploratory exercise, expression exercise, review, and reflection.
Lessons organized into project-based, sequential phases of exploration (2–4 weeks).
Classroom and community learning experiences.
Action projects that engage the community in planning and implementing interventions addressing real neighborhood concerns.
Special events to showcase student learning:
The Bazaar (pop-up shop/marketplace),
The Expo (talent show),
The Convention (conference),
The Day of Action (pep rally/public awareness campaign).

2.Parent/Family/Community Engagement

Virtual Workshops: global online sessions focused on critical thinking, research, executive functioning, economic development, and fatherhood.
School-based workshops based on local needs assessments.
Community Resource Info Sessions: local service providers present available supports and interventions.
School Resource Info Sessions: school-system providers present educational and support services.
Advisory Council Meetings: families and community members join school stakeholders to discuss progress, feedback, and planning.
Special Events: families support and observe students during showcase events.
Action Projects: families volunteer in student-led community interventions.

3. Staff Development

Parent Coordinator Coaching.
Teacher Coaching (one-on-one coaching, observation, and feedback).

4. Curriculum Development

Customized curriculum packages for project-based, interest-based lessons integrating academics with real-world content.
Customized lessons, worksheets, assessments, and tip sheets created for all 16 programs.
Customization to partner school needs.
Standards alignment (ELA and 21st-century skills).
Teacher PAI as the A.I.-powered curriculum development resource for all Community Change programs.

5. Strategic Planning

Director/Coordinator Coaching.
Compliance Coaching.
Evaluation Coaching.

6. Grant Writing

Research of funding opportunities.
Full proposal development.
Budget narratives and cost calculations.
Performance measures and evaluation plans.
Compilation of supplemental documents.
Proposal submission.

Community Change Slides - Exact

Branding Our Work in the Education Industry

Community Change, Inc. distinguishes its services and addresses the niche and real-world focus areas of its programs through its unique pedagogical design. This connection between Industry, Brand, and Models defines how our work stands out in the education field.

Connecting Industry, Brand/Make, and Models

Industry

Education

The field focused on preparing individuals for the real world. Community Change, Inc. promotes project-based, interest-driven learning tied to life and society.

Brand/Make

Community Change, Inc.

Defined by its Community Change Pedagogy—a specific framework (questions, references, and exercises), a common format (Welcome, Icebreaker, Exploratory Exercise, Expression Exercise, Review, and Reflection), and nine program models that organize participants’ learning experiences around real-world needs.

Models

Nine Program Models

CareerVisions – Career exploration
Community Change – Civic engagement
Foodpreneurs – Culinary arts
Legacy – Cultural awareness
The Black Experience – Black studies
The Latino Experience – Latino studies
Mastery – 21st-century skills
Money Move$ – Financial literacy
Peace – Conflict management

Model Variations

Each of the focus activity and focus group programs—Creative Expressions, Genius!, Level Up!, Brotherhood, Sisterhood, Pathway to Power, and Beat the Streets—is designed to be applied to any model based on client needs, interests, or concerns.

Focus Activities

Creative Expressions — arts-based exploration and reflection that deepen understanding of real-world themes.
Genius! — passion projects that turn personal interests into meaningful products and presentations.
Level Up! — targeted skill-building workshops to strengthen academic and life competencies.

Focus Group Programs

Brotherhood — peer support, identity, and responsibility for young men.
Sisterhood — community, voice, and leadership development for young women.
Pathway to Power — civic voice, organizing, and youth leadership for community impact.
Beat the Streets — Harlem-focused program led by credible educators who grew up locally and rebuilt their lives after years in prison; collaborates with schools, afterschool programs, and community centers to engage the hardest-to-reach youth using the Community Change Pedagogy.

How Our Brand Works in Practice

Community Change, Inc.'s ability to distinguish its services from competitors, and to deliver the intended results in the real-world areas of need, hinges upon each of its educators implementing programs as defined by its brand.

If the Education Industry is the car industry, then the Community Change Pedagogy is the engine—and the models are the vehicles built for different purposes. Just as Tesla’s electric drivetrain powers every vehicle it produces—from the Model S to the Cybertruck—Community Change, Inc. models are driven by the same instructional framework and format.

Similarly, in the Technology Industry, if Apple represents the make, then the iOS operating system is the pedagogy—it powers every device with a shared foundation. Each model—like the iPhone, iPad, or Mac—uses that same system to serve a different purpose. In the same way, the Community Change Pedagogy powers each unique model, ensuring consistency, quality, and adaptability across all learning experiences.

Why Branding Matters

Branding is vital to Community Change, Inc. because it’s how you define and protect the identity, consistency, and trust of your educational work. In an industry filled with competing programs and philosophies, your brand serves as the unifying standard — the recognizable signature behind every service, model, and lesson.

Consistency: Every educator, program, and site communicates the same purpose and values.
Credibility: Partners and funders know what to expect from your name.
Clarity: Audiences understand that “Community Change” means real-world, interest-based, project-driven learning.
Scalability: A clear brand allows replication of your work without losing its quality or intent.

Branding turns our mission — preparing learners to survive and succeed in the real world — into clear, recognizable services that define our identity and set us apart from the competition.

Description of The Community Change Pedagogy

The Community Change Pedagogy is our educational approach that cultivates autodidactic (self-directed and self-motivated) learners by blending academics, personal interests, and real-world content with classroom, school and community learning experiences.

The framework of this approach features three key elements: questions for inquiry; references for research and information; and exercises for creative explorations and expressions. This framework helps to deliver an engaging and effective learning experience. The recommended minimum frequency for implementing this pedagogy is twice weekly over 14 weeks, which is roughly one semester.

Each lesson begins with a welcome and icebreaker to introduce the focus question. The lesson then progresses with exploratory and expression exercises that engage students with various references and encourage them to creatively apply what they have learned. In the exploratory exercise, students use articles, videos, and guest speakers to explore and analyze information related to the focus question. Following this, the expression exercise allows students to creatively share their findings from the references through activities they enjoy. Each lesson concludes with a review and reflection segment, allowing students to summarize their learning experience and to share their feedback.

The Community Change Pedagogy includes nine project-based units or models that organize students’ exploration around specific themes:

CareerVisions for career exploration.
Community Change for civic engagement.
Foodpreneurs for culinary arts.
Legacy for cultural education.
The Black Experience for Black Studies.

The Latino Experience for Latino Studies.
Mastery for 21st-century skills.
Money Move$ for financial literacy.
Peace for conflict management, relationship education, and restorative practices.

Each unit promotes personal growth, career explorations, cultural awareness and social responsibility.

Each unit includes one special event and one action project. Special events are presentations or performances where students creatively showcase the things that they learned to an audience of their peers, family, and community members. During special events, community members are the audience, observing and appreciating the students’ work. In contrast, action projects allow students to address real-world challenges by getting community members directly involved in planning and implementing an intervention to a local issue. This collaborative approach ensures that community members are active participants, working with students to develop and execute an action plan that combats neighborhood concerns.

The Community Change Pedagogy makes education engaging and relevant. It encourages students to take ownership of their learning while developing problem-solving, research, and management skills. The consistent and continuous application of the Community Change Pedagogy with fidelity allows for the cultivation of self-directed, autodidactic learners.

Four Characteristics of the Community Change Pedagogy

1. Integration

Blends academics, interest-based activities, and real-world content to create meaningful, engaging lessons.
Lessons explore real-world themes including career readiness, civic engagement, identity, financial literacy, and conflict resolution.
Exploratory exercises connect ELA, math, science, social studies and other academic subjects with culturally relevant, project-based sequential lessons.
Expression exercises can incorporate any interest-based activity, including but not limited to such as coding, swimming, fashion, culinary arts, debate, poetry, and dance.

2. Customizable

Lessons can be modified by educators using the AI-powered Teacher PAI platform.
Designed to address all age groups, academic subjects, interest areas, and real-world topics.
Schools, districts, and agencies can choose from 15 program options, including models focused on career readiness, financial literacy, civic engagement, restorative practices, multicultural identity, entrepreneurship, and Black or Latino studies.
Exploratory exercises use articles, videos, and primary sources to spark critical thinking and connect students to real-world perspectives.
Expression exercises are tailored to student interests, making every lesson personally relevant.

3. Adaptable

Effective in K–12 classrooms, afterschool programs, family literacy settings, shelters, and adult education environments.
Appropriate for diverse populations, including students in temporary housing, foster care, and emergent multilingual learners (EMLLs).
Works in both in-person and virtual environments across a wide range of program settings.

4. Structured

Each project follows the six-phase Community Change Pedagogy, guiding students from identity exploration to community action.
Each lesson includes six sequential components: Welcome, Icebreaker, Exploratory Exercise, Expression Activity, Review, and Reflection.
Curriculum is aligned with academic standards, social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies, and 21st-century skills.
Project-based learning that culminates in student-led action projects and special events.

The Models

Teacher PAI (Professor A.I.) is our artificial intelligence-powered generator that instantaneously creates customized SEL and project-based educational programs for students and parents, based on the simple entries made by its user. The time and money saved in planning and training costs allows schools to allocate their resources to address other needs. Each educational program is comprised of five services:

K-12 Lessons
Parent Workshops
Community Action Projects
Special Events
Professional Development

Below are sample age-appropriate lessons/workshops from each of our educational programs that demonstrate the amazing power and creativity of Teacher PAI. Based on the Community Change Pedagogy, each one-hour lesson can cover up to two content areas and include two to three types of activities.