Dear Aspiring Changemaker: 

There's a lot on this website.  It is content rich and full of useful tools, most of them derived from the inspirational stories and methods of professional changemakers that we call "social entrepreneurs."   

While this website is well suited for building upon existing programs in under resourced schools, nonprofit and civic organizations, its methods, a community of fellow changemakers, resources and interactive training program are equally applicable for starting  your own project, whatever the scale.

And, while this website focuses on intergenerational changemaking, it can be used for all ages and all kinds of projects. problem-solving knows no bounds.

It's ALL done virtually on ZOOM -- a surprisingly powerful platform, whether it's collaborating on an initial design and planning or in incubating your project.   

To get started I suggest that you browse through our treasure trove of short stories of professional changemakers -- those inspirational people who achieve measurable results at the lowest cost by un uncovering blindspots and seeing weak spots as opportunities  ("making a map") and redirecting and leveraging unproductive energy. ("minding the gaps" and "building the app.")   

Here is one concrete example of how storytelling works: Take Uri Treisman's story and how study groups can close the achievement gap and use our storyteller's analytics for insights that you can put to use in building a project of your own.  By combining a narrative approach with an analytical approach you can gain a quick understanding of our Our Theory of Change in action, positioning you to:

• locate and lay bare the invisible forces that have trapped students' academic potential;
• find the right dynamic pathways to release this energy to achieve positive results.   

And the beauty of Uri Treisman's story is that changemaking is not out of reach for you.  While a number of changemaker stories on this website are representative of "going big,"  his platform doesn't require a lot of resources -- only your own imagination, your time and, of course, your own ingenuity.  His story, and the story of so many other changemakers on this website function together as an accessible way for starting small.  

To get oriented, go to How to Navigate This Site or The Table of Contents for first steps.  But make sure you sign up for our five-week Start-Your-Project-Workshop. 

By becoming a changemaker you will not only gain new schools but gain new perspective, as you will see the world through new eyes.  As the founding father of social psychology Kurt Lewin once remarked, "If you want to truly understand something, try changing it."  

Best regards, 

Clint Wilkins, Founder 

P.S. If you want to pick up some random yet relevant bits and pieces of information on changemaking, try out our Helpful Snippets.