IDEAS for Us Community Workforce Training in Sustainability

IDEAS for Us, a Florida based non-profit that works with colleges and local communities to advance a variety of community sustainability work, is building an Online Learning Management System to bring free and low cost educational content to existing and future partners and audiences. The effort will direct content to different audiences through social media that is targeted at particular demographic constituencies.

Their work is practical, and intended to train a future workforce in a variety of areas that includes urban farming, aquaculture, local food policies, Energy Star Portfolio Management, carbon footprint calculation, carbon sequestration, solar workforce training, and the tactics of community organizing.

They will create a pipeline of content through all of their social media channels, email lists and digital billboards in Florida and make it available globally through their varied social media outlets.

A primary goal is to make online educational content available to students yet to enroll in a four year degree program and those looking for vocational education, neither of which receive such education through the basic educational system. The development of content will be supported by membership dues.

Blackstone Ranch Institute provided an early seed grant to support the development of the online content and outreach. The Progressor Multiplier Fund met the commitment to a seed grant with a matching grant.