Table of Contents
About Us
Who We Are
The NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program (NSYEP) is an award-winning, 501c3 private operating nonprofit foundation located in Atlanta, GA. It was founded in 2008 by Dana Jewel Harris, CEO of The NEXT Steps Small Business Incubator (NSSBI) and creator of the NEW! Community On Demand™ Learning Management System.
Our Mission Is Simple . . . Sort Of
As the official nonprofit partner of The NEXT Steps Small Business Incubator, we are tasked with implementing the Community On Demand™ LRNG Logic Model. This means utilizing the Community On Demand™ Learning Management System with digital technologies, entertainment and entrepreneurship to create local learning ecosystems that provide effective business, curriculum, leadership and employability skills development.
NSYEP will be responsible for using the Community On Demand™ Learning Management System to deliver basic skills training (employability skills development), meaningful work-based learning experiences, and empowering leadership development workshops.
NSYEP will also be responsible for creating career development opportunities that provide technical assistance, industry recognized micro-certifications, and the work supports (i.e. wrap-around services) required to ensure measurable levels of personal and professional growth.
Because our learning environments are designed to maximize engagement, strengthen financial literacy, create socio-economic awareness, and develop sustainable, purpose-built lives, businesses and communities, we are able to help learners:
- Define, measure, build and name up to 63 of their high-demand employability skills an
- Transform their knowledge, capabilities, interests, STEAM skills and achievements into digital credentials, career-building opportunities, enhanced work-based learning experiences and social enterprises.
NEXT Steps creates custom Partnership Plans to help
business owners and community leaders
integrate employability skills development
into their existing curricula and training
programs
The Community On Demand™ Learning Management System
Talent Pipeline Management
NSYEP is responsible for recruiting candidates into the Community On Demand™ Learning Management System. The Community On Demand™ Learning Management System is a talent pipeline management system that uses the following six service lines to track and measure development of a learner’s high-demand employability skills.
Our Service Lines
Community On Demand™ Digital Media Network
The Community On Demand™ Digital Media Network is our media distribution company and serves as the central operation for our global marketing, sales, distribution and communication channels that promote the digital content, products, services, activities and events of the Community On Demand™ brand. The Community On Demand™ Digital Media Network integrates STEAM education, virtual currencies, cooperative marketing, e-commerce and flexible, blended-learning employment solutions throughout its operations and provides work-based learning experiences in emerging digital media, entertainment & broadcasting technologies for the JEM-TV News Channel.
Digital Badge & Skillcoin Rewards System
As learners use Community On Demand™ assessment tools to strengthen and track the growth of their employability skills, they develop an accumulation of skills cards that represent the skills they have, use and need in order to complete each project. This accumulation of skills become known as a learner’s digital badge collection (or STEAM skillset) and can be transferred from the assessment worksheet to a learner’s digital profile, task list or project plan. Digital badge collections are great for helping learners focus on a particular skill set that employers need. They are also great at helping learners organize their thoughts, actions and resources to create and implement impact solutions, develop STEAM resumes, fill out college or job applications, create and present business pitches/presentations and so much more. Because they are digital and use blockchain ledger technology, digital badges can be shared and tracked electronically through email, social media and other social sharing technology platforms..
NEXT Steps Online Training Academy
The NEXT Steps Online Training Academy (NSOTA) is our online learning management system that promotes, manages and supports the online courses, workshops, service-learning projects, crowdfunding campaigns, and the Digital Badge & Skillcoin Rewards Micro-Credentialing System™. NSOTA offers online and off-line instruction in self-paced and guided formats and support our key areas of impact which are delivered through meaningful work-based learning experiences and five achievement domains
NEXT Steps Small Business Incubator
The NEXT Steps Small Business Incubator (NSSBI) provides organizational development, operations and business support services (marketing, fundraising, and new business development) to help JEM Teams develop play dates, custom skills assessments, strategic development plans, partnership plans, integration strategies and custom Community Involvement Growth Strategy (CIGS) Models..
Pop Shop Studios Marketing Cooperative
The Pop Shop Studios Marketing Cooperative (Pop Shop) also serves as an e-commerce and loyalty rewards program for the students, volunteers, mentors, non-profit organizations and for profit local businesses that play Community On Demand™. The Pop Shop members work together to support the Impact Projects that address socio-economic conditions that may be negatively impacting the communities where they live, work, learn, play and travel. It helps us track and increase retention, purchase frequency, lifetime customer value and referrals among Pop Shop members. By earning ecommerce & loyalty rewards (i.e. trade points, Skillcoin Rewards, cash stipends, egift card sponsorships, and community shares), Pop Shop members receive free gifts, exclusive discounts, early product releases and other exciting opportunities for product redemption in the Pop Shop (our WooCommerce store). Our long-term goals are to:
STEM Direct Youth Chamber of Commerce
STEM Direct Youth Chamber of Commerce manages the membership program of the Community On Demand™ Digital Media Network. Membership in STEM Direct connects members to the internal banking and financial system that sustains the Community On Demand™ Digital Media Network and economic infrastructure.
STEM Direct is comprised of the students, volunteers, mentors, non-profit organizations and for profit businesses that play Community On Demand™ to create impact solutions that benefit their communities. All engagement activities of the STEM Direct Youth Chamber of Commerce are centered around financial literacy, digital technologies, entertainment and entrepreneurship.Therefore , STEM Direct's role is to create, manage and sponsor career fairs, meetups and special events that bridge the communication gaps between the education and business communities.
Help Us Build The Community On Demand™ Creative Economy
Join a group of people who care about the future and want to advance our groundbreaking advocacy, service and development to revolutionze STEAM education.
Do Better. Think BIGGER!
Knowledge Is Power
Those who know how, will always have a job.
Those who know why, will always be their boss.
Those who know what to do, determine the outcome.
Why Employability Skills?
The Crucial Component for College & Career Readiness
- Applied Knowledge – critical thinking skills and applied academic skills
- Workplace Skills – communication skills, systems thinking, resource management, information use, and technology use
- Effective Relationships – interpersonal skills and personal qualities
The Employability Skills Framework
The Employability Skills Framework was developed as part of the Support for States Employability Standards in Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Adult Education project, an initiative of the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education. Framework development was guided by CTE, adult education, workforce development and business organizations, and twelve federal agencies.
The Employability Skills Framework advances a unifying set of skills that cuts across the workforce development and education sectors based on an inventory of existing employability skills standards and assessments. As a result, learners, educators, trainers and businesses are able to measure nine (9) key areas of growth:
- Applied Academic Skills – reading, writing, math and scientific principles.
- Critical Thinking Skills – creativity, decision making, problem solving, reasoning, planning and organization
- Interpersonal Skills – teamwork, customer service, leadership, negotiations, and cultural awareness
- Personal Qualities – growth through responsibility, self discipline, flexibility, adaptability, a willingness to learn, integrity, professionalism, taking initiative and having a positive attitude
- Resource Management – management of time, money, resource and personnel
- Information Use – effectiveness in locating, organizing , using, analyzing and communicating information
- Communication – verbal, listening, comprehension, writing and observation skills
- Systems Thinking – understanding, monitoring, improving and uses of systems
- Technology – understanding and using technology
Why CTE Works
As a supplement for Career & Technical Education (CTE) Curricula, Community On Demand creates fun learning environments and meaningful work-based learning experiences to increase the technical and soft (employability) skills of K-12 youth, young adults, STEAM educators and lifelong learners.
High school students involved in CTE are more engaged, perform better and graduate at higher rates.
- 81 percent of dropouts say relevant, real-world learning opportunities would have kept them in high school.
- The average high school graduation rate for students concentrating in CTE programs is 93 percent, compared to an average national freshman graduation rate of 80 percent.
- More than 75 percent of secondary CTE concentrators pursued postsecondary education shortly after high school.
Postsecondary CTE fosters postsecondary completion and prepares students and adults for in-demand careers.
- 4 out of 5 secondary CTE graduates who pursued postsecondary education after high school had earned a credential or were still enrolled two years later.
- According to research in Texas, Colorado and Virginia, graduates with technical or applied science associate degrees out-earn bachelor’s degree holders by $2,000 to $11,000.
- 27 percent of people with less than an associate degree, including licenses and certificates, earn more than the average bachelor’s degree recipient.
CTE addresses the needs of high-growth industries and helps close the skills gap.
- The skilled trades are the hardest jobs to fill in the United States, with recent data citing 1,019,000 jobs open in the trade, transportation and utilities sector and 315,000 jobs open in manufacturing.
- Health care occupations, many of which require an associate degree or less, make up 12 of the 20 fastest growing occupations.
- STEM occupations such as environmental engineering technicians require an associate degree and will experience faster than average job growth.
- Middle-skill jobs, jobs that require education and training beyond high school but less than a bachelor’s degree, are a significant part of the economy. Of the 55 million job openings created by 2020, 30 percent will require some college or a two-year associate degree
Investing in CTE yields big returns for state economies.
- In Wisconsin, taxpayers receive $12.20 in benefits for every dollar invested in the technical college system.
- In Washington, for every dollar invested in secondary CTE programs, taxpayers receive a $9 return on investment.
- In Tennessee, CTE returns $2 for every $1 invested. At the secondary level, CTE program completers account for more than $13 million in annual tax revenues.
CTE Course Standard #1
Employability Skills Development
Another gauge we used to determine the effectiveness of our Community On Demand™ Learning Management System is CTE Course Standard #1. This standard simply states that learners should be able to demonstrate employability skills required by business and industry.
Course Standard #1 is included in all courses for Career & Technical Education nationwide. Teachers incorporate elements of this standard into their lesson plans during their courses b using differentiated instruction to match the content of each course. Elements of this standard can be addressed with specific lessons from a variety of resources like Community On Demand™ and is advised not to be treated as a unit or separate body of knowledge but rather integrated into class activities as applications of the concept.
- Course Standard #1: Demonstrate employability skills required by business and industry
- Standard 1.1 Communicate effectively through writing, speaking, listening, reading, and interpersonal abilities.
- Standard 1.2 Demonstrate creativity by asking challenging questions and applying innovative procedures and methods.
- Standard 1.3 Exhibit critical thinking and problem-solving skills to locate, analyze and apply information in career planning and employment situations.
- Standard 1.4 Model work readiness traits required for success in the workplace including integrity, honesty, accountability, punctuality, time management, and respect for diversity.
- Standard 1.5 Apply the appropriate skill sets to be productive in a changing, technological, diverse workplace to be able to work independently and apply teamwork skills
- Standard 1.6 Present a professional image through appearance, behavior and language
Produced under U.S. Department of Education 
The Community On Demand™ Enhanced Work-Based Learning Experience
Growth Through The Real World
Work-Based Learning is a school-coordinated, coherent sequence of workplace experiences that are related to students’ career goals and/or interests, are integrated with instruction, and are performed in partnership with local businesses, industries, or other organizations in the community. Work-Based Learning enables students to apply classroom instruction in a real-world business or service-oriented work environment.
Each Work-Based Learning experience is comprised of school-coordinated workplace experiences that are related to students’ career goals and/or interests, are integrated with Community On Demand™ and CTE instruction from the Workforce Ready career Pathway. They are performed in partnership with local businesses and organizations that become society members of The Community On Demand™ Creative Economy.
Work-Based Learning experiences created through Community On Demand™ will reinforce what the Virginia Department of Education refers to as its 5 C’s — critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creative thinking, and citizenship — thereby allowing students to apply these skills in a real-world business or service-oriented work environment.
Listed below are the five work-based learning experiences we offer through a combined initiative called The Pop Shop.
Job Shadowing
Job shadowing places students in workplaces to interact with and observe one or more employees. A job shadowing experience can help the student learn more about the nature of the job and the work environment as well as the education and training required to succeed. Job shadowing experiences are sometimes the first opportunities for students to observe the workplace and to interact with employees for more in-depth exposure to both careers and workplaces.
Mentorship
Mentorships consist of a long-term relationship focused on supporting the growth and development of students as they learn about a particular industry and workplace. The student is paired with a community professional who has a recognized record of achievement and first-hand experience in the occupational field or career cluster of the student’s choice. The mentor becomes a source of guidance, motivation, wisdom, teaching, role modeling, and support.
Service Learning
Service Learning
Service learning experiences enable students to learn and apply academic, social, and personal skills to improve the community, continue individual growth, and develop a lifelong ethic of service. Students are able to identify an interest and a community need while developing and completing a service project addressing the community need. Students complete structured activities before, during, and after the experience and then reflect and self-assess their achievements.
School-Based Enterprise
School-Based Enterprise
School-based enterprises are ongoing, student-managed, entrepreneurial operations within the school setting. They provide goods or services that meet the needs of the school’s target markets (i.e., students, teachers, administrators, parents/guardians, community members, community organizations/businesses). School-based enterprises replicate the workplace to provide career insights and relevant experiences for the student.
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Students will exercise workplace readiness skills and maintain ongoing communication with others involved with the entrepreneurship experience. Students will complete feedback and reflection assignments that celebrate involvement in the entrepreneurship experience through certificates, assemblies, and media coverage. Students who operate their own businesses will learn how to comply with all local, state, and federal regulations, including acquiring all necessary licenses and permits.
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