Education Bridge (Fall 2023)

Project Background

Education Bridge seeks to create flourishing South Sudanese communities through holistic education and conflict transformation. As part of this mission, Education Bridge opened its first school, Greenbelt Academy Bor, in South Sudan in February 2017. Led by South Sudanese Notre Dame graduate Majak Anyieth ’17 (who was a student in this International Development in Practice class), Greenbelt Academy Bor High School has grades 9-12, and in a very short time, has become one of the strongest academic schools in South Sudan. Last year, Education Bridge opened its second school, Greenbelt Academy Juba, in the capital of South Sudan. Greenbelt Academies seek to provide quality secondary education as well as to develop a generation of South Sudanese who are not only well prepared academically, but who also see themselves as peacemakers and transformational leaders.

Education Bridge aspires to achieve its mission by building a network of secondary schools that provide access to quality secondary education, innovative peace education, and transformative leadership development. The organization plans to build a network of 10 secondary schools across the country. Their two schools currently serve more than 750 students in grades 9-12. In 2021, Greenbelt Academy in Bor ranked as the top school in South Sudan based on national standardized exams.

Definition of Opportunity

As we continue expanding our school network, we want to ensure that we do not lose or compromise what makes us unique and successful as a school network. We ask the DAT team to explore similar networks (e.g., charter schools and international school networks in other parts of the world) and to provide recommendations on how the schools have been able to scale with quality. More specifically, we hope the team will explore what should be key elements to evaluate before expanding our school network.

Definition of Success

The team’s work should provide targets on some of these aspects to be assessed as indicators of readiness for engaging in an expansion strategy.

Based on experiences of other school networks, provide actionable recommendations that address concrete institutional, instructional and operational criteria that Education Bridge should assess before further expansion. We are also interested in how Education Bridge can use data from their own experiences to accelerate the growth and quality of their programs, and inform the criteria around expansion.

Meet the Team

Final Deliverables

Education Bridge Fall 2023 by Joseph Drey on Scribd

Domingo Savio (Fall 2023)

Project Background

Domingo Savio was founded in 1979 by Olga Diaz as a residential orphanage or “hogar” for children living in Santiago, Chile. Today, Nuestro Club Domingo Savio continues to work with children and their families living in challenging situations through an “after-school” and other enrichment programs.

Olga continues to lead the work of Nuestro Club Domingo Savio with creativity and resourcefulness, as she has done for more than 40 years. Olga and her colleagues remain committed to expanding opportunities for the school-age children who actively participate in Domingo Savio’s educational and enrichment programs, as well as with adult family members and elderly people who often live in isolation in the local community. Mi Club is supported entirely by donations. Increasingly, most "in kind" contributions for food, clothing, and school supplies are local, as are an increasing percentage of monetary donations. They also rely on local interns and international volunteers to lead “talleres” (workshops) for the children after school. Steve Reifenberg lived and worked at Domingo Savio from 1982-1984 and wrote a book about the experiences called “Santiago’s Children: What I Learned about Life at an Orphanage in Chile.” He has remained involved with Domingo Savio, and is chair of the board.

Definition of Opportunity

The primary objective of this project is to develop a way of telling the story of Domingo Savio and its impact on children and their communities, so Domingo Savio is able to better generate support and attract international volunteers. This includes recording the stories of former participants in the programs of Domingo Savio and understanding how the program impacted their lives. The team will use these stories to help update the website and incorporate this storytelling into their design as well as develop more concrete information/expectations and a formal application process for international volunteers.

Definition of Success

We aspire that this DAT project will generate impactful narrative stories of Domingo Savio’s work, with concrete examples of impact and personal testimonies. As a result, Domingo Savio would have an engaging and updated website that would draw in more donations and support. The site would also have a volunteer application process that both encourages more volunteers to come and allows Domingo Savio to better filter prospective volunteers before arrival. They will have a portfolio of testimonies and stories from members of the new program for elderly people experiencing solitude.

Meet the Team

Final Deliverables

University of Notre Dame Kaneb Center (Fall 2023)

Enhancing Student Wellbeing at Notre Dame In the Classroom

Partner Background

Over the past two years, International Development in Practice (IDP) students have partnered with the University of Notre Dame Wellness Center and the Office of Student Affairs to explore ways to promote flourishing among Notre Dame students. Through this partnership, students in the class both mapped resources available on campus to promote student flourishing, as well as conducted over one-hundred interviews of students, faculty, and staff regarding best practices of teachers for promoting flourishing and wellbeing in the classroom. Further, these IDP students have hosted brainstorming sessions with faculty and students to share, workshop, and ideate on ideas for improving student wellbeing linked to what is happening in the classroom.

This semester, the Wellness project will expand this partnership to include Notre Dame’s Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence. The Kaneb Center was established in 1996 under the leadership of President Edward Malloy and Provost Nathan Hatch with the support of John Kaneb. The Center, composed of educational developers, learning researchers, and program managers, provides research-based services, programs, and resources that support teaching excellence and reflective practice at Notre Dame.

Main offerings or Kaneb include:

Offering workshops and collaborative consultations that explore a variety of pedagogical approaches with an emphasis on the creation and implementation of engaged, student-centered learning experiences.

Supporting scholarly inquiry to improve teaching and learning.

Maintaining a lending library of resources on topics including course design, classroom strategies, assessment design, student feedback, and academic career development.

 

Definition of Opportunity

Given the stresses and challenges to mental health that exist for college students and the impacts of the pandemic, it is evident that students can benefit from wellness resources more than ever. The University offers a variety of resources to students, but they are spread across different schools, offices, and initiatives.  In the spring 2022, a team of students mapped resources (programs, initiatives, classes, support groups, etc) on campus that help promote wellness and student flourishing.   In the fall 2022, a student team explored strategies and approaches that Keough School of Global Affairs (and other) faculty used in the classroom to promote student flourishing. The team held a workshop with faculty to exchange ideas and share best practices. 

Definition of Success

Through this project, we hope to accomplish the following:

• Increased awareness of practices teachers can use to improve student wellbeing

• Creation of easy to understand content / data that is compelling to faculty

• Understanding barriers and challenges of incorporating these ideas for faculty and students

• Bring together faculty in a welcoming space to share some of these ideas, prototype, and put these ideas into practice

Meet the Team

Final Deliverables

Compañeros en Salud (Fall 2023)

Project Background

Partners In Health (PIH) is an international health organization relentlessly committed to improving the health of the poor and marginalized. PIH partners with local governments to build local capacity and works closely with impoverished communities to deliver high-quality health care, address the root causes of illness, train providers, advance research, and advocate for global policy change.

The organization originally developed as a community health project in Haiti in the 1980s and has since expanded to several countries around the world, including Mexico. Since 2011, Compañeros En Salud (CES), Partners In Health in Mexico, has operated as a non-governmental organization that collaborates with the local Ministry of Health to strengthen healthcare delivery. Over the last decade, CES has developed and implemented numerous healthcare delivery innovations with remarkable outcomes.

Definition of Opportunity

The primary objective of this project is to create a comprehensive inventory of healthcare delivery innovations implemented by CES in Mexico. The inventory will not only highlight CES's achievements but also provide a global context by identifying and comparing similar innovations worldwide. To achieve this, the project will involve a meticulous scope review, thorough publication analysis, interviews with knowledgeable CES personnel, and contextualization with global examples.

Definition of Success

Success for this project entails producing a comprehensive report that showcases CES’ healthcare delivery innovations in an organized manner. The report will vividly describe each healthcare innovation, outlining its key implementation elements, highlighting the significant outcomes achieved, and offering insightful global comparisons. The document will be a valuable resource that not only demonstrates CES's contributions to healthcare delivery but also serves as a source of inspiration and learning for donors, local organizations, and government officials in Mexico. This success will be measured by the report's ability to effectively communicate CES's innovative approaches, engage stakeholders, and foster meaningful collaborations toward advancing healthcare practices and outcomes within Mexico's healthcare landscape.

Meet the Team

Final Deliverables

CES Dat Final Fall 2023 by Joseph Drey on Scribd

The Vines (Fall 2023)

Partner Background

The Vines Foundation is a catalyst for positive change in Tunuyan, a city in the Western province of Mendoza, Argentina. Our mission is to promote the capacity of our community through sustainable initiatives that improve food security, strengthen socioeconomic independence, and contribute to the holistic wellbeing of each child in our community. As the philanthropic arm of The Vines, an Argentine farming, winemaking and hospitality company (vinesofmendoza.com, vinesresortandspa.com) with deep international connections, the Foundation is leveraging its resources to meet the immediate and long-term needs of the local community. Most importantly, we are seeking to increase capacity and participation through engaging community members and organizations, local and national businesses, and the municipal government to address complex challenges. 

 

Definition of Opportunity

Help the Vines Foundation research best practices and develop a general plan for a new vocational school to promote skills for community members and connect them with local economic opportunities.The Uco Valley is witnessing exponential growth in the tourism industry. Despite this, there is a shortage of workers for hotels, wineries and restaurants, and at the same time there are many in our community who don't have the necessary skills to get good jobs in the hospitality industry.

The Foundation is exploring the creation of a school focused on providing high-quality hospitality training to members of the local community — helping build the necessary skills and experience to secure good jobs in local hotels and restaurants, including The Vines. The programs would be designed to provide comprehensive training in various aspects of hospitality, including customer service, food preparation, housekeeping, and management. We will provide hands-on training, internships, guidance, and mentorship to ensure that community members gain mindsets and practical skills that can get them good jobs.

For the Uco Valley community, these programs provide an avenue for economic growth by producing a skilled workforce that can attract and sustain businesses in the hospitality industry. For graduates of these programs there will be a path to financial stability and career advancement. Additionally, we hope our programs can provide opportunities for personal growth and development, as participants gain valuable life skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.

Vision of Success

Through working with the Fall 2023 DAT, we hope to gain insight and devise these final deliverables:

Based on the community assessment, define the overall market and potential for a hospitality vocational school. List the risks, opportunities and potential corporate partners. Share the information on the skills that are most in demand in the area, and best ways to build those skills in the local community.

Meet the Team

Final Deliverables

The Vines Fall 2023 Deliverable by Joseph Drey on Scribd

University of San Martín De Porres Dentistry

Bright Spots: Children’s Health and Cavity Prevention

Partner Background

The Department of Pediatric Dentistry of the University San Martín de Porres has been one of the leading Latin American research institutions in promoting children’s dental health and preventing early childhood caries (or cavities). It participated in the creation of the Research Observatory for Dental Cavities of the Latin American Region and developed projects for the International Association of Dental Research, the World Health Organization, the World Dental Federation, and the Peruvian Association for Babies. The head of the Department is a member of the Peruvian Ministry of Health.

 

Definition of Opportunity

Early childhood caries (ECC) is defined as any caries experience involving primary dentition in children under 72 months. Although it is preventable, it is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in early childhood, a risk factor for malnutrition, and a factor limiting the growth, development, and quality of life of children with untreated lesions. Even though the main risk factors in the development of ECC are well-known and categorized as microbiological, dietary, and environmental, its worldwide prevalence (48%) has not significantly changed since the ‘90s. There is ample literature on how the disease develops, reaching up to 90% of 5-year-olds from low-income families in Peru, but little is known about the mindset of the 10% disease-free population.

 How do these families implement preventive habits despite sharing the same constraints and barriers as others?

 This project focuses on understanding these positive deviants, known as bright spots, to identify the best practices and behaviors of that community and help design and develop activities that can engage the target population for long-lasting preventive results. This approach has been proved valuable in fighting situations such as childhood malnutrition in Vietnam and reducing hospital infections in the U.S.

Definition of Success

The insights generated by this project have the possibility to change early childhood outcomes not only in Lima but anywhere the created methodology is applied. The study offers an innovative approach to help communities identify and implement easily accessible solutions for their children’s oral health.

Meet the Team

Final Deliverable

Bright Spots Presentation (English Version) - Fall 2023 by Joseph Drey on Scribd

The Vines (Spring 2023)

Building capacity and sustainable development in Mendoza, Argentina

Partner Background

The Vines Foundation is a catalyst for positive change in Tunuyan, a city in the Western province of Mendoza, Argentina. Our mission is to promote the capacity of our community through sustainable initiatives that improve food security, strengthen socioeconomic independence, and contribute to the holistic wellbeing of each child in our community. As the philanthropic arm of The Vines, an Argentine farming, winemaking and hospitality company (vinesofmendoza.com, vinesresortandspa.com) with deep international connections, the Foundation is leveraging its resources to meet the immediate and long-term needs of the local community. Most importantly, we are seeking to increase capacity and participation through engaging community members and organizations, local and national businesses, and the municipal government to address complex challenges. 

 

Definition of Opportunity

We seek to communicate through our work the importance of accompaniment and co-creation, in which we see our community members as partners who are the first and best teachers capable of enacting change and creating opportunities for their families and neighborhoods. 

For the Spring of 2023, The Vines Foundation is partnered with the University of Notre Dame Development Advisory Teams (DAT) to explore strategies for turning community kitchens (comedores) into community spaces that become hubs where the community can find connection, take advantage of recreational and educational activities, seek assistance, and take ownership of the comedor’s direction. 

During 2023, we aim to:

• Work with comedor leaders to create and implement workshops on girls’ and women’s empowerment, education, nutrition, and mental health. Embed strategies for encouraging parents’ participation in the workshops and in the comedor more generally.

• Outline a program of hands-on volunteer experiences and workshops for employees and vineyard owners to connect with the work of The Vines Foundation.

• Identify and provide wellness, recreational, and educational resources and opportunities for The Vines employees, from seasonal laborers to year-round staff, that they identify as being beneficial to their wellbeing.

Definition of Success

Through working with a Spring 2023 DAT, we hope to generate interest, excitement and actions in support of The Vines Foundation.  We define success as effectively and sustainably increasing community participation and receiving positive feedback from community members on the programs and opportunities that we work with various stakeholders and community leaders to provide.

Meet the Team

Final Deliverable

Final Deliverable Vines F23 by Joseph Drey on Scribd

University of Notre Dame McDonald Center for Student Well-Being & Division of Student Affairs (Spring 2023)

Enhancing Student Wellbeing at Notre Dame

Partner Background

The McDonald Center for Student Well-Being strategically assesses the environment and creates structures for wellness enhancement and risk reduction for Notre Dame students. Using evidence-based practices and collaborating with a range of campus partners, “McWell”  works closely with the Division of Student Affairs to provide initiatives, services, and resources that support the eight dimensions of student well-being.

 

Definition of Opportunity

Given the stresses and challenges to mental health that exist for college students and the impacts of the pandemic, it is evident that students can benefit from wellness resources more than ever. The University offers a variety of resources to students, but they are spread across different schools, offices, and initiatives.  In the spring 2022, a team of students mapped resources (programs, initiatives, classes, support groups, etc) on campus that help promote wellness and student flourishing.   In the fall 2022, a student team explored strategies and approaches that Keough School of Global Affairs (and other) faculty used in the classroom to promote student flourishing. The team held a workshop with faculty to exchange ideas and share best practices. 

Definition of Success

A successful project would, in consultation with the two ND liaisons, build on work of past DAT projects in ways that help promote student flourishing at Notre Dame.  This might be developing a guide for faculty on best practices, additional workshops and/or modalities for faculty to engage on these issues. 

Meet the Team

Spring 2023 ND Wellness DAT Presentation by Joseph Drey on Scribd

Enseña Chile (Spring 2023)

Enhancing Leadership Development in Chilean Schools

Partner Background

The non-profit educational organization, Enseña Chile is promoting a movement to transform opportunities for public school students in Chile. Inspired by Teach for America in the US, Enseña Chile works to develop educational leaders committed to improving access to excellent educational opportunities for students regardless of socio-economic circumstances. Founded in Santiago in 2007 by Enseña Chile CEO Tomas Recart, the organization works to provide quality education for high school students by bringing outstanding university graduates with leadership skills into under-resourced schools. Through its Colegios que Aprenden (CQA) consulting unit, Enseña Chile is working to produce a system-wide impact on issues of educational quality, leadership, and equity.

 

Definition of Opportunity

Over the past ten years, Enseña Chile has partnered with Notre Dame’s International Development in Practice class and the i-Lab Master of Global Affairs program to evaluate best practices and key aspects of supporting educational leaders in Chile. The 2022 i-Lab project examined the role that school leadership plays, and focuses on the key role of principals for enhancing outcomes for students.  In the process, the i-Lab team developed a leadership development tool for principals. This DAT project aspires to explore models that can help disseminate and actively use the tool to promote activities that can support the sharing of good school leadership practices in Chile.  It is critical to define how the tool can be used within the framework of Enseña Chile CQA’s coaching sessions, and more generally to promote leadership and teacher development. 

Definition of Success

Enseña Chile seeks to implement the findings from the i-Lab team report, and find the most effective way principals might use the tool which focuses on three overarching themes: Build Trust, Be Coherent, and Develop a Learning Culture.

Meet the Team

Final Deliverable

Ensena Chile Presentation F23 by Joseph Drey on Scribd

Compañeros en Salud (Fall 2022)

Project Background

Partners In Health (PIH) is an international health organization relentlessly committed to improving the health of the poor and marginalized. PIH partners with local governments to build local capacity and works closely with impoverished communities to deliver high-quality health care, address the root causes of illness, train providers, advance research, and advocate for global policy change.

The organization originally developed as a community health project in Haiti and has since expanded to several countries around the world, including Mexico. Since 2011, Compañeros En Salud (CES), Partners In Health in Mexico, has operated as a non-governmental organization that collaborates with the local Ministry of Health to strengthen healthcare delivery. To achieve comprehensive healthcare delivery, CES provides follow-up care for non-communicable diseases and maternal health patients with community health workers, known locally as Acompañantes.

Definition of Opportunity

Acompañantes care for members of their own community who have complex medical and social situations; the impact of their work on their own mental health – both its emotional burden and its therapeutic role – was highlighted in a CES quality improvement project to inform the creation of a comprehensive mental health pathway to care for the acompañantes. Programmatic changes suggestions done by current Acompañantes are being taken into consideration to allow wellness and professional growth opportunities for the whole team.

The Acompañantes program coordinators at CES are looking to develop a curricula through the fall of 2022 to later be implemented in 2023 - 2024 with the Acompañantes and Acompañantes supervisors to improve the personal and collective wellbeing of the current teams through techniques such as mindfulness and relaxation, gratefulness, purpose, creativity; as well as reinforce adequate team dynamics and communication that will allow for each CHW to feel as supported by CES as they care for their patients. Because supportive supervision plays a critical role in ensuring CHWs feel well-prepared to do their work, it is also important to expand training of CHW supervisors to enhance their current activities by gaining more knowledge on 1) other CHW programs, 2) popular education techniques and 3) practical use of Microsoft Office package; as well as developing more leadership skills such as team building and group dynamics, assertive communication, opportune feedback, etc.

Definition of Success

Development and creation of training materials and a work plan on the proposed subjects that can be delivered to the 9 groups of Acompañantes and 3 Acompañantes supervisors during the period of July 2023 – June 2024.

Meet the Team

Final Deliverable

Prototyping Writing Workshops For Students & Teacher | Education Bridge (Fall 2022)

Project Background

Education Bridge seeks to create flourishing South Sudanese communities through education and peacebuilding.  As part of this mission, Education Bridge opened its first school, Greenbelt Academy Bor, in South Sudan in February 2017. Led by South Sudanese Notre Dame graduate Majak Anyieth ’17, Greenbelt Academy Bor currently serves 500 students in grades 9-12, and in a very short time, has become one of the strongest academic schools in South Sudan. Early last year, Education Bridge opened its second school, Greenbelt Academy Juba, in the capital of South Sudan. Greenbelt Academies seek to provide quality secondary education as well as to develop a generation of South Sudanese who are not only well prepared academically, but who also see themselves as peacemakers and transformational leaders.

Definition of Opportunity

Building more effective communication skills (both written and oral) for high schools are critical. There is an opportunity to build a new communications/writing program – by working closely with the writing program at Notre Dame. This might mean to work alongside EB students in drafting and writing essays for college admissions, pre college admissions, and admissions to other programs such as the African Leadership Academy. You might also explore ways to engage faculty, administrators, and students currently at the school to help each other support and build a writing program. 

Definition of Success

Education Bridge aims to provide growth pathways for students where Education Bridge builds networks of the most talented students and educators in South Sudan, and finds new ways to support their growth over time (for example, building communication skills capacity).

Meet the Team

Final Deliverable

McDonald Center for Student Well-Being (Fall 2022)

Project Background

The McDonald Center for Student Well-Being strategically assesses the environment and creates structures for wellness enhancement and risk reduction. Using evidence-based practices and collaborating with a range of campus partners, “McWell” works collectively to provide initiatives, services, and resources that support the eight dimensions of well-being.

Also includes:

University Health Services (UHS)

University Counseling Center (UCC)

Student Support and Care

Definition of Opportunity

Given the stresses that exist on college students & the impacts of the pandemic, it is evident that students could benefit from wellness resources more than ever. The University offers a variety of resources of great value to students, but they are spread across different schools, offices, and initiatives.  This project focuses on a potential partnership with the new Keough School of Global Affairs and imagining a school with a focus on student wellbeing and flourishing.

Definition of Success

A successful project would not only show what opportunities and resources for wellness exist at Notre Dame but would present them to students in a user-friendly way that is both attractive and efficacious at spreading the resources. Further, such mapping may show how different efforts might more effectively work together, or show where gaps may exist in wellness resources. 

One possibility would be to create a student-facing website that is interactive and user-friendly.

Meet the Team

Final Deliverable

The Vines (Fall 2022)

Project Background

The Vines Foundation is a catalyst for positive change in Tunuyan, a city in the West of the province of Mendoza, Argentina, exploring ways to empower our community to enhance health, end hunger and overcome hardship, as well as promote sustainable livelihoods. As the philanthropic arm of The Vines, an Argentine farming, winemaking and hospitality company (vinesofmendoza.com, vinesresortandspa.com) with deep connections to international resources through our clients in the US, Europe, and Brazil, the Foundation is leveraging these resources to meet the immediate and long-term needs of the local community. Most importantly, we are building capacity within our community and the organizations we work with, and seeking to engage community members and organizations, local and national businesses, and the municipal government to address complex challenges. 

Definition of Opportunity

In the fall of 2021, and in the spring of 2022, the Vines Foundation partnered with the University of Notre Dame Development Advisory Teams (DAT) to create a strategic and inspirational mission and vision statement for the Foundation, which will serve as guiding principles for the foundation as it expands its community work. We seek to communicate through our work the importance of accompaniment and co-creation, in which we see our community members as partners who are the first and best teachers capable of enacting change and creating opportunities for their families and neighborhoods. Working together with the community and the DAT, we developed strategies to bring together an effective working/community group of local leaders to guide the development process.

Currently, the community engagement efforts of the Foundation are structured around:

Engaging in co-creative efforts to realize sustainable projects in the community.

Maintaining and developing relationships with community members to strengthen a chain of transparent communication and feedback throughout project development and implementation.

Creating a network of local and regional organizations and businesses to partner with the comedores to allow for simultaneous investment in capacity-building and increased community independence. Develop best practices for increasing presence of Social Corporate Responsibility (RSE) in alliance’s work.

Currently, the project-based efforts of the Foundation are structured around:

Providing food weekly to the comedores (soup kitchens) of Tunuyan, which serve as community spaces where children can receive meals during the week and interact with each other.

Increasing comedor capacity through workshops and educational and recreational opportunities to be held on-site.

Developing a community garden at 3 different comedores, which will serve as a pilot project for the community to grow in independence and learn new skills.

Maintaining a dog refuge/shelter on property grounds to care for, vaccinate, and facilitate adoption for stray dogs. We are also seeking to evaluate resource dedication towards facilitating spaying/neutering for street dogs in the community

Definition of Success

Through working with a fall 2022 DAT, we hope to generate interest, excitement and actions in support of The Vines Foundation.  We plan to firmly establish the base for expansion and replication of our successful projects and develop strategies to increase the monetary and non-monetary resources and capacities of the foundation.  

Meet the Team

Final Deliverable

The Vines Fall 2022 Final Deliverable by Joseph Drey on Scribd

The Vines (Spring 2022)

Project Background

The Vines Foundation is a catalyst for positive change in Tunuyan, Mendoza, exploring ways to empower our community to enhance health, end hunger and overcome hardship, as well as promote sustainable livelihoods. As the philanthropic arm of The Vines, an Argentine farming, winemaking and hospitality company (vinesofmendoza.com, vinesresortandspa.com) with deep connections to international resources through our clients in the US, Europe and Brazil, The Vines Foundation is leveraging these resources to meet the immediate and long-term needs of the local community. Most important, we are building capacity within our community and the organizations we work with, and seeking to engage community members and organizations,  local and national businesses, along with the government to solve complex challenges.

Definition of Opportunity

In the fall 2021, for the first time, the Vines Foundation partnered with a DAT to begin to create a strategic and inspirational mission and vision statement for the Foundation, which will serve as the foundation expands its community work for at least the next decade.  We hope that two of the students that worked on the project, Lucie Kneip (lkneip@nd.edu) and Carson Krol (ckrol@nd.edu), will continue to be engaged with the DAT this spring and as interns this summer at The Vines in Mendoza.

As a next step, we want to expand on the work completed to identify solid guiding principles, and meaningfully engage prospective donors and partners to unite a force for good. In the end, we want to become a model for sustainable development upon which others can base their initiatives to effectively serve the needs of the broader region and country of Argentina.

 During 2022, we aim to move from the mission and vision development phase to the execution phase by:

·  Creating a structure and strategies to bring together an effective working/community group of local leaders guiding the development process and creating goals; and an advisory board of donors and global stakeholders.

·  Developing a strategy to continue to support the 10 community kitchens we have been helping and a plan to transition that support into a more sustainable operation, likely by bringing in partners from the community and region.

·  Outlining a plan to evaluate the feasibility of, and if it is feasible, implement the “Rosario project” of community development in Tunuyan.

· Creating a best practices document for the dog rescue shelter at The Vines, and the evaluation of a mobile spay/neuter clinic.

Definition of Success

Through the work with a spring 2022 DAT, we hope to generate interest, excitement and actions in support of The Vines Foundation. This might include providing hands-on volunteer experiences for individuals to become connected to the mission of The Vines Foundation.  We plan to move from the theoretical to the execution stage, developing the initial parts of a strategic plan.  We will build on initial dialogues with members of the local community that DAT members carried out to explore further opportunities for becoming an incubator of new thoughts, strategies and methods to identify and solve the ever-changing needs of the local community.

Meet the Team

Final Deliverable

McDonald Center for Student Well-Being (Spring 2022)

Project Background

The McDonald Center for Student Well-Being strategically assesses the environment and creates structures for wellness enhancement and risk reduction. Using evidence-based practices and collaborating with a range of campus partners, “McWell” works collectively to provide initiatives, services, and resources that support the eight dimensions of well-being.

Also includes:

University Health Services (UHS)

University Counseling Center (UCC)

Student Support and Care

Definition of Opportunity

Given the stresses on students and the impacts of the pandemic, it is evident that students could benefit from wellness resources more than ever. The University offers a variety of resources of great value to students, but they are spread across different schools, offices, and initiatives.  This project focuses on mapping resources (programs, initiatives, classes, support groups, etc) on campus that help promote wellness and student flourishing. Such mapping exercises are often helpful to both realize there are more resources than meets the eye and allow people more access to them, as well as encourage different actors working towards the same goals to talk with one another.  

1. What are the student health and well-being resources on campus?

2. Where are the resources located?

3. How do students know about the resource?

4. How do they connect and access the resource?

5. What is student utilization of the resource?

6. What is student perception of the utilization of the resource?

7. How does the department measure effectiveness of the resource?

8. Who/which departments are the established partners for this resource?

Definition of Success

A successful project would not only show what opportunities and resources for wellness exist at Notre Dame but would present them to students in a user-friendly way that is both attractive and easy to access. Further, such mapping may show how different efforts might more effectively work together, or show where gaps may exist in wellness resources. 

One possibility would be to create a student-facing website that is interactive and user-friendly.

Meet the Team

Final Project

PGSSC (Spring 2022)

Project Background

Organizational Background: The Program on Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC) is a collaborative effort between the Harvard teaching hospitals, Harvard Medical School/ Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) and Partners In Health (PIH).  This organization emerged from work of the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, led by Dr. John Meara at Harvard Medical School (and a 1986 ND graduate).  PGSSC’s objective is to advocate for Universal access to safe, affordable surgical and anesthesia care when needed. Their  strategy is two-fold:

Global Surgical Systems Strengthening through Research, Advocacy, and Implementation Science, using the Frameworks developed as part of the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery.       

Developing Leaders in Global Surgical and Health Systems through Research, Advocacy, and Care Delivery.  

PGSSC research focuses on surgical and health systems strengthening that is measurable, transparent, and locally-driven.

Definition of Opportunity

The PGSSC has worked across the globe with governments to develop and implement National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anesthesia Plans (NSOAPs) to expand access to surgery particular for poor and rural communities. The Government of Ecuador (and specifically the country’s vice president, a neurosurgeon) has reached out to explore PGSSC working collaboratively with the MInistry of Health and other public officials in Ecuador to develop an NSOAP for Ecuador. An important first step of the process is to identify and map key health sector stakeholders who will take part in consultations to understand the context and build support for the NSOAP process.

Definition of Success

It will be very important to get the input of the scholars as early and often as possible. Dr. Juliana is very supportive of this and will help you set up those meetings either through zoom or Whatsapp. 

1. The RRF scholars will share their stories and in the process work with the ND students to create a learning platform.

Meet the Team

Final Deliverable

Creation of a New Empowerment Curriculum | Education Bridge (Spring 2022)

Project Background

Education Bridge seeks to create flourishing South Sudanese communities through education and peacebuilding.  As part of this mission, Education Bridge opened its first school, Greenbelt Academy Bor, in South Sudan in February 2017. Led by South Sudanese Notre Dame graduate Majak Anyieth ’17, Greenbelt Academy Bor currently serves 500 students in grades 9-12, and in a very short time, has become one of the strongest academic schools in South Sudan. Early last year, Education Bridge opened its second school, Greenbelt Academy Juba, in the capital of South Sudan. Greenbelt Academies seek to provide quality secondary education as well as to develop a generation of South Sudanese who are not only well prepared academically, but who also see themselves as peacemakers and transformational leaders.

Definition of Opportunity

With the recent launch of a new school in Juba, Education Bridge is now poised as one of the top secondary schools in South Sudan. Now, the organization is looking for ways to attract and foster high-quality teachers to improve learning outcomes across the schools. Further, once launched, Education Bridge is looking for ways to see the impact of its efforts. It should be easy to see changes in teacher practices. It will likely be much harder to see changes in student outcomes, and you will need a control group to make this pilot evaluation credible.

Definition of Success

Conversations with Majak, Jenny, & the Board will help to provide context and ideas for this training. Further, it may also be very helpful to contact students that are currently at Education Bridge, or alumni for more context.

)) how to ensure student learning gains and measure this impact?

2) the extent to which you want to consider professional growth pathways beyond this initial training, such that this training program would be viewed as a first step in a sequence?

3) How do you conceptualize the design and measure the success of the program and how do you draw upon the best available research about what works to improve teaching and student learning outcomes in LMICs in primary education? 

4) The other thing worth thinking about is the extent to which your vision for the program is about human capital formation of your alumni (or other promising young educators) and creating cohorts of smart, talented, innovative teachers to grow as educational leaders and innovators within the system. 

Meet the Team

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Final Deliverable

Education Bridge (Fall 2021)

Project Background

  Education Bridge seeks to create flourishing South Sudanese communities through education and peacebuilding.  As part of this mission, Education Bridge opened its first school, Greenbelt Academy Bor, in South Sudan in February 2017. Led by South Sudanese Notre Dame graduate Majak Anyieth ’17, Greenbelt Academy Bor currently serves 500 students in grades 9-12, and in a very short time, has become one of the strongest academic schools in South Sudan. In 2022, Education Bridge plans to open its second school, Greenbelt Academy Juba, in the capital of South Sudan. Greenbelt Academies seek to provide quality secondary education as well as to develop a generation of South Sudanese who are not only well prepared academically, but who also see themselves as peacemakers and transformational leaders.

Definition of Opportunity

Education Bridge has worked with Notre Dame DAT teams over multiple semesters on projects related to developing a peacebuilding curriculum, building enhanced opportunities for students, and enhancing international partnerships. Education Bridge now seeks assistance on how to successfully transition from a singular school to a network of schools across South Sudan. The goal of this project would be to research and create a system and brand to effectively manage multiple Greenbelt Academies. 

Definition of Success

 The development and implementation of a sustainable management and branding program that will enable Education Bridge to effectively manage a network of Greenbelt Academies. Systems should be implemented to make the management and branding process efficient and effective, including a database of branding materials for school management to access, communication channels for inter-school exchange, as well as other materials that the DAT team deems useful. 

Meet the Team

Final Deliverables

Vital Strategies (Fall 2021)

Project Background

 Vital Strategies is a global health organization that believes every person should be protected by a strong public health system. We work with governments and civil society in 73 countries to design and implement evidence-based strategies that tackle their most pressing public health problems. Our goal is to see governments adopt promising interventions at scale as rapidly as possible.

Birth registration has been called the “first right of a child” as it is the first official recognition of an individual after birth.  UNICEF has estimated that four out of ten children who are born do not have their births registered.  80 percent of the children whose births are not registered are born in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. It is also estimated that less than half of all deaths occurring in the world are registered. Additionally, the cause of death in far fewer of these cases is medically certified and recorded.  In the context of the Covid-19 sweeping the world, this is a major obstacle to focusing attention and resources to contain and prevent the spread of the pandemic.  

Functional civil registration systems and vital statistics (CRVS) systems provide the fertility and mortality statistics including the cause of death estimates which help to plan, deliver and monitor health and social development programs.   They are thus a key element in the governance mechanisms tracking progress towards national and international commitments such as the Sustainable Development Programmes.  However, the results in terms of timely registration of all birth and deaths; the ability to record the proximate and underlying causes of deaths; publish national vital statistics reports drawing data from civil registration sources are all far from satisfactory in most countries in Sub Saharan Africa and South Asia. Birth registration rates have seen a significant improvement in several countries in South Asia and in some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.  But death registration rates and the generation of data from causes of death still remain a major concern. 

Definition of Opportunity

The objective is to move the conversation beyond the constituencies that are traditionally engaged in this area (demographers, statisticians, medical professionals) to stakeholders in the area of governance, public policy, public administration, the general public, etc.

Definition of Success

We hope that the team will work on developing, prototyping, and testing communications vehicles that the most effective communication vehicles to reach these audiences? Can we articulate the CRVS concerns of practitioners and scholars through opinion pieces that can take the content in such articles to a wider audience?

Meet the Team

Final Deliverables

The Vines [Food Security] (Fall 2021)

Project Background

 Valle de Uco (Uco Valley) is an agricultural region southwest of Mendoza, Argentina. Despite Argentina being a strong agricultural exporter, extreme food insecurity in the country. Roughly 60% of Argentinian children were living in poverty when the second wave of Covid-19 infections struck. 40 percent of children in Argentina suffer from malnutrition. 

The Vines Foundation is a catalyst for change in Tunuyan, Mendoza, empowering our community to enhance health, end hunger and overcome hardship so they might regain sustainable livelihoods. As the philanthropic arm of an Argentine farming, winemaking, and hospitality company with deep connections to international resources through our clients in the US, Europe, and Brazil, The Vines Foundation is leveraging these resources to meet the immediate local challenge of food insecurity, feeding about 1,000 children each month who otherwise go hungry. Most importantly, however, we are building capacity within our community and the organizations we work with, and seeking to engage local and national businesses, along with the government to solve this crisis of being an agriculturally rich county in which many of its children are starving, and thereby sacrificing their future. 

Definition of Opportunity

 The Vines Foundation is interested in partnering with DAT to explore building new skills and capacities for solving food insecurity in the agriculturally rich Uco Valley as a pilot project. We hope that initial success in the Uco Valley could be replicated first throughout the province of Mendoza and then potentially have an impact across Argentina. 

Definition of Success

Generate a clear understanding of the scope of hunger in the Uco Valley, including detailed data to be able to share with policymakers, community leaders, and donors. 

Identify advocacy and legislative opportunities to incentivize food donations. 

Determine the feasibility of an Urban Agriculture Program whereby donated land could be farmed, creating jobs and food for the community, or other creative opportunities for development that address issues of chronic hunger, malnutrition, and underemployment.  

Meet the Team