Informal Education

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) enhances the nation’s mental health infrastructure by providing states, government agencies, private organizations, colleges and universities, and suicide survivor and mental health consumer groups with access to the science and experience that can support their efforts to develop programs, implement interventions, and promote policies to prevent suicide.

EDC’s Gender, Diversities, and Technology Institute works at the intersection of gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, culture, and sexual orientation seeking to understand how technology can support the development of democracy and human rights. Projects focus on increasing participation in and distributing ownership of the “new knowledge society” brought about by emerging technologies.

dot-EDU was an information and communication technology (ICT) intervention mechanism for USAID Missions seeking to improve education systems in their respective countries. dot-EDU sought to assist developing countries in strengthening learning systems that improve quality, expand access, and enhance equity through carefully planned applications of digital and broadcast technologies. The dot-EDU mission had two foci. First, dot-EDU provided training and technical assistance to support USAID Missions in developing and implementing technology-assisted applications.

Through the Education Quality for All (EQUALL) project, EDC and our partner organizations implement activities designed to strengthen the quality and expand the coverage of complementary education in Ghana, and to create stronger linkages between nonformal and formal basic education programs. This effort will result in increased access to basic education for children—especially girls—who have not had the opportunity for schooling due to social, occupational, cultural, or other reasons; and in increased learning outcomes among participating children.

As part of an effort to increase the participation of southern Sudanese in the peace process, the Sudan Radio Service provides access to balanced and useful information through radio-based education, news, and entertainment programs presented by local presenters in ten local languages.

EDC serves as technology advisor in the development of an online toolkit designed to aid afterschool educators in the integration of technology and academic content. SEDL’s technical assistance effort is funded by the U.S. Department of Education to support their 21st Century Community Learning Center program, a $1 billion effort to fund afterschool programming.

EDC offers youth development professionals and educators comprehensive services and resources for using technology to create exciting learning environments. Created by the Morino Institute and now led by EDC, YouthLearn provides user-friendly tools to help organizational leaders and staff start or strengthen afterschool and in-school programs.

In this three-year NSF Informal Science Education grant, CSE is training and supporting a new cadre of science trainers in eight states and, in so doing, is studying the implementation factors that contribute to the ability of state-based afterschool networks to increase the quality and quantity of project-based science delivered in afterschool programs.

The Shaqodoon program was created to provide Somali youth with greater access to training, internships, work and self-employment opportunities in order to productively engage youth and add to the stability and development of the region. Shaqodoon is Somali for “jobseekers”.

Designed to respond to Garissan youths’ needs and assets, the Garissa Youth Project (G-Youth Project) aims to empower youth to make sound career and life decisions as they transition from high school to the next phase of their lives. The project is also building the capacity of local institutions and networks to sustain the much-needed services that G-Youth will provide.