The Pathways CoLab

The problem we’re addressing is that even when removing barriers to knowledge and education by improving technology access with computer loan programs, and democratized and prioritized access to workforce, entrepreneurship, and educational programming, economic and social situations outside of the learning environments we create often create some of the biggest obstacles to academic and social success for people in under-represented communities.

The challenges are particularly acute for youth - particularly young males - ages 17-21, for whom there are traditionally fewer resources than for women and families, and for whom the threat of falling through the cracks into homelessness is a serious problem.  

In the community we serve, with an over 30% poverty rate, and fractured or single-parent families, a loaned laptop or inclusive innovative informal experiential education doesn’t directly solve problems associated with trying to locate affordable housing, find interim jobs, and health care, negotiating transportation challenges, addressing food security or trying to understand or access other social services; in short, meeting the necessities of life without which outcomes can’t be improved for all learners.

We already know that people can't become what they can't see.  People also can't "become" when they're hungry, scared, poor, without shelter, or feel unsafe.  The problem is not always a lack of resources, but finding the right resources before people are in dire straits, at the earliest sign of trouble, when the proper type of help will go the furthest distance to meet basic needs and thereby maximize equitable learning solutions.

The Pathways CoLab takes a collaborative community approach to address the sometimes seemingly intractable social-emotional challenges that can hamper even the most innovative inclusive and equitable learning programs and opportunities.

Like a neighborhood watch or community kitchen, the Pathways CoLab is a networked support system of caring individuals, but with specialized areas of expertise particularly well-suited to community learning environments.  The goal is to provide support upstream of serious problems before people irretrievably fall into crisis downstream. 

For example, a young person getting ready to graduate from high school but who is unable to remain home after graduation, for reasons of domestic challenges or other issues, may need help finding a place to live, which can necessitate getting help with FAFSA for college access, particularly to  a school with dorms or affordable housing nearby, or help to negotiate entry to the military, or finding employment, solutions which we can make easier to access and more efficient to employ and for continuing education by working with professionals in the relevant fields and with the appropriate contacts.

According to National Center for Homeless Education,  homelessness disproportionately impacts  Black, and Hispanic students - the majority of the community we serve -  with over 3% of Black and Hispanic students  experiencing homelessness.   For youth in unstable home conditions, school can be a refuge but as they near graduation, that refuge is increasingly fragile and opportunities for continued education at risk.

 A community-based safety net like the Pathways CoLab creates a next-level avenue of support through a team of subject matter experts ranging from military and secondary school opportunities to trades and career opportunities to social services resources that provide many of the key elements that the National Conference for State Legislatures, the Ann Casey Foundation, and other organizations have found to be key to youth success including, helping young people connect to community and education, and youth-specific and appropriate housing and related resources. 

 Evidence suggests (Hand, T., & MacKenzie, D. (2020). A clarion call for youth homelessness system reform. Parity, 33(3), 32–36. And MacKenzie, D., & Hand, T. (2020). Redesign of a homelessness service system for young people: A place-based agenda for system change. Parity, 33(3), 41–44) that early intervention strategies can create a significant shift in how service systems respond to young people at risk of homelessness, and that place-based systems can be especially effective.   The Pathways CoLab is specifically designed to be that place-based solution, with a team of individuals who live and work in the community we serve, and have expertise across several different areas that can fast-track solutions for those in need - getting them the support and resources to prevent crises before they fall through the cracks.

One of the youth we’ve been working with recently told us, “I'm glad to have you guys' support and it's definitely helped me get on track for a good future. … I'm more than ready to do whatever I can to get my future set up and especially to continue being part of AMROC and Forge and WellBuilt. Being around everyone and having support and opportunities to learn and grow is something I value a lot.”

The community he identifies:  AMRoC, Forge and WellBuilt, are local businesses that invest in the community in the most meaningful ways and are dedicated to helping the youth we serve find success, safety, security and well-being.  The Pathways CoLab helps us scale the support we offer to partner organizations, as well, providing a more comprehensive support network in the community.

The work we do in the community with our AMRoC Fab Lab facility positions us well to serve that community in the most meaningful and intentional ways possible.  Pathways CoLab members include FCDI board members, program volunteers and mentors, and members of the University Area community with a range of subject matter expertise that helps us provide customized support for those in need. 

Team members have expertise in everything from workforce education and training to military recruitment and support, to social services, and work with each person needing help on an individual basis to try to identify the most immediately useful and attainable solutions for them. 

Additionally, since the CoLab is comprised not only of specialty team members, but of other community organizations, our collective asset and resource ecosystem is much larger than anything any one of us could provide alone. 

We have been informally testing the Pathways CoLab for the last year and a half. We have assisted at least 10 individuals in that time, helping connect them with continued education, jobs, services, housing, improved finances and technical assistance.

Over this time, we've learned what works well, and what could work better, and have started putting some more formal processes in place to identify those who need help and track progress.  

We've spoken with the Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative,  which has shown great interest in the effort,and brought us into their Continuum of Care (CoC) program to see how the CoLab might scale to provide similar support in other agencies and organizations that work closely with citizens in their respective communities.

We've also come to understand that we need to have some funding in place to continue providing the program,because while everyone currently involved is volunteering their time,we know that's not a sustainable model and we need to budget for people's time and expertise, technical resources and related fiscal support for other resources and personal needs.

We would like more minds on the matter!  Research and conversations with organizations that serve at-risk youth and individuals suggest we're on the right path with the Pathways CoLab,  but for the program to scale to other organizations and communities,we know we need to refine the process - to document it in a way that others can put into effective good use in their communities, in partnership with other organizations they work with. 

Early intervention is important in underserved communities, particularly among youth ages 16-21.  Intentional and focused intervention is key, though, and understanding how to properly configure these early intervention ecosystems is critical to creating enduring programs with long term, sustainable impact. 

We hope the Solve community will help us think through the process to creating a reproducible Pathways CoLab program that can help put more young people in high risk communities on a solid path to success. 

Whenever I get to this question I feel like I've just answered it in the previous questions, but essentially, I believe our solution is innovative because it leverages the compassion and engagement of partner organizations and CoLab team members to provide intentional personalized support and solutions integration to those we serve. 

I think early intervention services are critical to helping alleviate the problems of youth homelessness and other social challenges served by families and youth in high-needs areas, the very things that create obstacles to continued education and career and trades achievement.  They don't always know where to look for help, and often, even if they do, if they encounter obstacles to getting the needed support, they don't have the energy, resources or bandwidth to overcome those obstacles.  The Pathways CoLab provides that extra personalized hand-up, an extra measure of community-based support that is otherwise lacking.

Our impact goals, which are in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals for our work with AMRoC Fab Lab (specifically SDG #4 and #8) include:

• Individual Pathways plans are met – whether continued education, housing, jobs, food security, or related, that show a measurable positive impact
• We create a community of practice where program recipients can in turn help others coming up behind them to build a pipeline to success
• We’re able to roll out the Pathways CoLab to other organizations providing community-facing support services
• We double the community impact in our community
• Pathways CoLab becomes an established early intervention program among nonprofits and other organizations in Tampa Bay
• The system is adopted by other agencies and organizations outside of Tampa Bay and Florida to provide early intervention in other communities

All of these goals are being documented and tracked and will form the basis for a codified reproducible early intervention system for others to use. 

The core technology is a well-networked community with mapped assets that can be easily and effectively leveraged to provide the needed supports.  Asset mapping is a critical part of this effort, and we're looking at a mind-mapping type solution like Kumo to help create more useful visual systems maps of available resources.  This kind of tool can also be deployed and customized for different communities.

Full-time staff - 2

Part-time staff - 4

Volunteers - 6

We've been working on this project for about 18 months now.

Our team is comprised of a diverse group of individuals who live and work in the University Area community we serve, and authentically represent the rich ethnic and cultural background of the area.

We are intentional in all we do, and team members are Black, Hispanic, multilingual, hail from the LGBTQ+ community, have different educational and trades experience and interests and are committed to the health and well-being of the University Area community. 

All board members, staff and volunteers are guided by our Core Code of Conduct- and bound by a formal commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion that all adhere to. 

Our mission is to foster innovation, lifelong learning, workforce skills, and to promote healthy community ecosystems.  

1. Organization Overview:  FCDI, through AMRoC Fab Lab, aims to be a leading hub for economic development in the community, providing access to cutting-edge technologies, training, and resources. We offer a range of workshops, training programs, and collaborative spaces to cater to diverse audiences, including students, professionals, hobbyists, and entrepreneurs.

2. Market Analysis:  With the increasing demand for skilled professionals and sustainable small business, there is a need for accessible and hands-on learning opportunities. FCDI differentiates itself by focusing on experiential learning, collaboration, and innovation.

3. Products and Services: 

• Workshops and Training Programs
• Access to Advanced Technologies
• Collaborative Spaces
• Consulting 

4. Marketing and Sales Strategy: To maintain a minimum $300,000 annual budget, we employ the following marketing and sales strategies:

• Targeted Marketing to reach our desired audience, including educational institutions, local businesses, industry professionals, and community organizations, utilizing online platforms, social media, local events, and partnerships to create awareness about our programs.
• Partnerships and Collaborations with educational institutions, industry partners, and community organizations to expand our reach and create mutually beneficial partnerships. These partnerships include sponsorship opportunities, joint programs, and shared resources.
• Grant Writing and Fundraising
• Program & Earned Revenue Fees: FCDI will always continue to provide waivers to local area youth and families, but for those outside our high needs service area, program fees can help off-set costs as well as generate revenue to support continued programming.  Additionally, AMRoC has a Creative Expressions product and services line, which also functions as a training program for participants, that is designed purely as an income producing activity to help support programs.

5. Financial Projections: Budget is allocated as follows:

• Program Development and Operations: 60%
• Equipment and Technology Upgrades: 20%
• Marketing and Outreach: 10%
• Staff and Administration: 10%

6. Team and Operations: FCDI/AMRoC Fab Lab is led by a dedicated and diverse team of experienced professionals with expertise in STEM education, Small Business, and Community Services.  Our team includes instructors, program coordinators, administrative staff, and volunteers. We maintain efficient operations by leveraging technology, streamlining processes, and utilizing volunteers where appropriate.

7. Sustainability and Future Growth: To ensure long-term sustainability and growth, we will continue to:

• Establish strategic partnerships with educational institutions, industry leaders, and community organizations.
• Explore additional revenue streams, such as corporate training programs, consulting services, and product development partnerships.
• Continuously evaluate and update our programs to align with industry trends and emerging technologies.
• Seek feedback from participants and stakeholders to improve the quality of our offerings.

FCDI continues to be financially sustainable, thanks in large measure to a solid commitment to fiscal responsibility.  Our transparent approach to our nonprofit mission and goals, and how we fund them, has earned us Platinum level recognition on Guidestar and we are a Top Rated Nonprofit on Great Nonprofits.  We recently earned recognition from the Tampa Bay Business Journal as a One Tampa Bay Nonprofit Honoree for our work in the community and the fiscally sound way in which we do it.

We continue to work diligently to move more towards earned revenue  over grants, including things like professional development contracts with Hillsborough County Schools, the University of South Florida and other organizations, as well as our Creative Expressions program in which we create awards and other items for various organizations and events through the resources at our Fab Lab. Over the last year, earned revenue has come to account for over 25% of our budget, with nearly $50,000 expected this summer alone through PD and camps.

Sponsorships and grants remain strong as well, with repeat awards because of our consistent metrics and proven community impact. 

Our largest individual funders include:

• State of Florida Dept.of Commerce - slated appropriations this year, $100K
• Truist - $30,000
• CLA Foundation - $15,000
• Florida High Tech Corridor - $12,500