The student walked into my classroom, collapsed into his desk chair and let out a heavy sigh. "Jae Ho, are you okay?" "Yeah. I just feel when I come in here I can relax because I'm home."
WEAVE stems from a recognition of the individual challenges of displaced persons and the observation that once connected with one another and with relevant resources, these persons flourish and better their communities.
Universities should engage empathetically with the communities they endeavor to better service. That means contextualizing outreach in such a way that respects cultural intricacies and potential linguistic barriers.
Having drawn communities into the process, via community-based outreach ambassadors, universities can facilitate educational modules (e.g. "Design Thinking in the Age of Automation") to provide WEAVE alums with marketable skillsets -- as well as civic work experience via contributing to WEAVE or in other forms.
This promotes a virtuous cycle / positive feedback loop of inclusive community networks and relationships with proximate higher ed resources and programs, as well as a stepwise adoption of marketable skills that (longer-term) enable WEAVE alums' transitions into the greater workforce, adaptive to changing marketplaces and socioeconomic trends. (See attached chart for visualization.)
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CommentKate Rushton
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