Prompt #2: Provide at least 2 compelling and specific examples of how you might engage with each of the 11 types of organizations that we discussed in class.
Multilaterals
- One way that Beyond Bars might engage with a multilateral organization would be to expand its reach internationally. For example, Beyond Bars might work with the Association for Education International by attending their Global Summit on Childhood or Institute for Global Education Diplomacy. These bring diplomats and professionals together to discuss and find solutions to issues surrounding education and childhood. Furthermore, a multilateral organization like the Global Partnership for Education might collaborate with Beyond Bars to introduce our workshops into their vast network of classrooms and educators.
Government Agencies
- The U.S Department of Education has three sub-departments, including the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services. This department passes guidance on school discipline. Using our wealth of research and knowledge, Beyond Bars might help advise this department on the best school discipline practices to endorse, such as restorative practices. The U.S. Department of Education also collects data on American schools and distributes research. These are resources that Beyond Bars might work with the Department to access.
Non-profits
- The International Institute for Restorative Practices is a Bethlehem-based nonprofit that is a leader in the field of restorative practices. The IIRP runs a program called Whole-School Change that works with K-12 schools to create positive school environments. Beyond Bars could work with IIRP to be a part of the comprehensive model that they use to transform school climates. Another example of a non-profit that Beyond Bars might work with is Teach For America. Teach for America cultivates teachers who want to make systemic changes to eliminate education inequities. Beyond Bars might work with them to educate these young teachers on restorative justice practices and sponsor their use of our workshops in their classrooms.
Foundations
- Beyond Bars might engage with foundations to apply for grants and other funding sources. The Annenberg Foundation may be a great funding opportunity for Beyond Bars, as they invest in nonprofits of our kind. The Annenberg Foundations also runs an education division named The Annenburg Learner which has funded and distributed over 100 multimedia courses. Beyond Bars could work with this foundation to be distributed through their avenues. They could also support Beyond Bars in creating a visual and multimedia version of its workshops.
Academia
- By partnering with an academic institution, Beyond Bars could utilize its resources and networks to further its research and development. For example, Penn State has a Restorative Justice Initiative which works to remove structural barriers to education and retain the human dignity of those impacted by incarceration. By partnering with this initiative, Beyond Bars would double its network, resources, and potential. Another academic institution that Beyond Bars might partner with is Harvard University, which has one of the country’s most highly ranked education programs. This partnership would allow Beyond Bars to collaborate with the next generation of educators.
Social Ventures
- A social venture is a business endeavor that prioritizes social good along with financial success. Beyond Bars might partner with a social venture to be part of its social impact. A company like TOMS which already has a social enterprise might be interested in adding to that impact by collaborating with Beyond Bars to integrate the workshops into their distribution model. Beyond Bars might also partner with a social impact investing venture like New Profit to raise funding.
Think Tanks
- Beyond Bars might engage with think tanks to circulate their work, as well as engage in conversations to gain further perspectives. The Urban Insitute is a public policy think tank that often hosts events. Beyond Bars might work with them to host an event to disseminate our research and workshops. The Urban Institute also runs Policy Centers, including the Center on Education Data and Policy. This center could partner with Beyond Bars to broaden our scope and expedite our research.
K-12 System
- K-12 systems play a central role in Beyond Bars’ mission. Beyond Bars may partner with K-12 systems, such as the Bethlehem Area School District, to host their workshops in classrooms across grade levels. Another way that Beyond Bars might partner with K-12 systems is to conduct research on disciplinary practices, police presence, and more.
Corporations
- There are a variety of ways that Beyond Bars might partner with a corporation. One example would be obtaining a corporate sponsor for a series of workshops or another program or event. This would be a transactional relationship, as Beyond Bars would receive a donation in exchange for PR. Beyond bars could also partner with a corporation to receive in-kind donations or skill-based volunteers. For example, if Beyond bars decide to animate its workshops, we could partner with an animation corporation like DreamWorks Animation to build that out.
Consulting Firms
- As a small team, Beyond Bars might hire a consulting firm in the education sector to improve our operational processes. An example would be Ernst&Young which has a major focus on education across both public and private sectors. Beyond Bars may also want to hire a consulting firm that has a focus on nonprofit organizations like BWF or Frost on Fundraising.
Startups
- Beyond Bars might partner with a startup to help us develop e-learning or animated version of our workshops. This would also allow the start-up to branch out and build credibility. One such startup would be Masterclass, a digital education platform that delivers classes taught by celebrity experts. By helping to build Beyond Bars’ platform, Masterclass would demonstrate their social responsibility, as well as expand their horizons. Another fast-growing Edtech company is Preply, which also has an element of language translation. This would be particularly helpful to Beyond Bars, as a large part of our Lehigh Valley demographic is Spanish-speaking.
Prompt #3: With the help of a visual, describe a coalition you will build to address the larger problem you are trying to address. List the (kinds of) organizations you will bring together, how the coalition can be transformative for the issue, and how you might provide leadership and coordination for the coalition.
Beyond Bars’ mission is to promote the use of storytelling as a way to help youth think critically about systemic social issues affecting their communities, reflect on their personal experiences, and learn how to articulate themselves effectively. The coalition that Beyond Bars will build to achieve this mission will include K-12 educational institutions, corporations, foundations, non-profits, and academic institutions. Beyond Bars is limited in its members and resources, which would make this coalition critical to disseminate Beyond Bars’ toolkits, research papers, and more. This coalition would be useful in terms of connecting us with localized educational institutions who we aim to reach. Further, this coaltion would aid beyond bars in gaining funding either directly, through grants, or through sponsorships. We would provide leadership and coordination for the coalition by ensuring that every organization in the coalition served a distinct, defined purpose. A coalition like this would be transformative for the issue by amplifying our mission on an unprecedented level. Eventually, this coalition could expand to include government agencies to make a legislative change informed by extensive research resulting from the workshops.
