Mobilizing community to navigate a new set of barriers
The past three weeks are like nothing I have ever known. Our communities have changed overnight. There is a sense of urgency, a nervousness that lines every social media post and email update. It’s unprecedented, we say. And each new day is a new opportunity to remember that the choice to shelter in place and practice physical distancing are acts of love and that the ability and capacity to work from home – a privilege. One that escapes a remarkable number of our citizens – especially those that are the most vulnerable. Lately I feel like I hear “this virus discriminates against no one” with greater frequency and I cannot help but disagree.
Our feeds are cluttered with stories of parents who are navigating a #WFH reality that is new to so many. They are sharing internet and sometimes device time with their kids who are meeting with their teachers in digital formats. Enormous efforts are being expended in developing and managing schedules in hopes that consistency and routine will help us manage the grief and the uncertainty. And while the stream of activity offers great suggestions and, more importantly, connection to others who are trying to get the levels of productivity “right”, I am keenly aware as I scroll through these posts of how segregated our communities are.
Access to online learning and households with parents who are able to keep their jobs and work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic are not opportunities that are experienced equitably. Far too many of our children who attend our public schools are having to share one school provided device among all of their siblings in order to access learning online. They are at home with family members who have lost their jobs. Things like pet adoption and staircases that have been reimagined as slides, and online extracurricular classes are distant thoughts for families navigating food and housing security. These systemic barriers that are more pronounced now than just weeks before, are the root of In4All’s work to mobilize community. It is what makes us unique and it is what fuels our passion to do what we can, with what we have, from where we are.
In4All’s passion and commitment are uninterrupted
When the decision was made to close schools as one effort among many to slow the outbreak of COVID-19, In4All staff went to work. We met with our board and connected with our industry volunteers, teachers, and school and district leaders to think about how we might continue to support our schools with supplemental learning opportunities during this critical time. The response from our teachers and industry volunteers has been awesome!
Our elementary teachers from our STEM Connect program shared their needs for content with In4All staff. They are looking for a spectrum of resources that offer everything from a personal video connection from our volunteers to their students to specific content that connects key learning to the world of work. We are sharing their needs with our industry volunteers who are working on creating and/or collecting virtual resources that can support learning targets. They are also making short clips that show students what working from home looks like or how and what they are doing to make sure they are taking care of themselves during a time that can be pretty scary.
Our STEM Connect trading card deck of professionals is being moved to a digital format that will be sent out to students through their teachers and shared with the community. Some of our volunteers are creating video messages that highlight their jobs, nontraditional pathways to careers, and things that they learned in 4th grade that they still use in their jobs today! With the help of our teachers, In4All staff is moving our middle school design thinking program to a virtual platform as well. The goal is to make this available to our teachers in mid-April! In true keeping with our mission to mobilize education and industry to connect students with a future that is limitless, students can work with their teachers and volunteers to access our program virtually. Together, they will identify and solve problems in their communities – and we cannot think of a better time for our communities to learn what our middle school students have to say about solutions than right now.
The community is mobilized to work through new barriers
Our teachers are working hard, often navigating new platforms and tools that they have not used. Our volunteers are being creative and flexible to support the teachers and their students. Our staff are grateful to be using their expertise and skill in new and innovative ways that continue their work to bridge the gap between education and industry during a time when connection is more precious than ever before.
If you are reading this and are already part of the In4All family at ANY level – thank you. Our communities need us to demonstrate shared responsibility now more than ever. If you’re not and you’re hearing about our work for the first time and are looking for a way to support our teachers and students let us help you to do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Join us in our work to mobilize community – we’re In4All – and you can be too.