The specific, evidence-based framework the cohort will explore is called Supportive Environments for Effectiveness (SEE). This flexible framework is adapted from decades of research in environmental psychology to understand how spaces influence people’s ability to learn, contribute, and thrive. The framework is built to address three underlying human needs that allow for collaborative spaces to thrive, including: bandwidth, meaningful engagement, and understanding.
Maybelle Center will participate in the nation-wide virtual learning cohort focusing on implementing the SEE framework for volunteer specific spaces and engagement. Led by Dev Burgoyne, our Volunteer Coordinator, a small group of volunteers and Neighborhood Program staff will work together over the next three months to learn, implement, and assess the SEE framework.
The learning cohort grounds teams in the SEE framework, then guides them through small-change experiments to identify a problem, asses it with the framework, pick an intervention point, and implement a small but meaningful change before assessing and continuing. In addition to this supportive and hands-on learning opportunity, Maybelle Center will also be awarded a $2,500 grant to support ongoing work.
Thank you to reDirect for the opportunity and to the internal team embarking on this learning journey: Dev (Volunteer Coordinator), alongside Mary Beford-Carter (Program Manager), Jennifer Wyant (Arts, Culture, and Outreach Manager), Jenna Padbury (Program Generalist), Alice Bergman (long-time volunteer and current Board Member), and Sharon Gray (newer volunteer).
