| Name | Laurie |
|---|---|
| Last Name | Stevens |
| Home Address | 3510 Oak Knoll Dr Chattanooga, Tennessee 37415-5416 United States |
| Organization Name | Chattanooga School of Language |
| Describe Your Role In The Organization | Founder/CEO |
| Organization Address | 3800 St. Elmo Avenue Suite 233 CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee 37409 United States |
| Website | https://www.chattanoogalanguage.com/ |
| Best Phone Number To Reach You | 4238020237 |
| Alternate Phone Number | 4238022040 |
| Email Address | laurie@chattanoogalanguage.com |
| Alternate Email Address | josh@chattanoogalanguage.com |
| Please Describe Your Project In Detail | Name of Project: Communicate, Chattanooga A project to provide customized language training and cultural support to frontline workers, public servants, and community leaders in order to build bridges and infuse a culture of trust into our community At Chattanooga School of Language (CSL), we believe that language is the key to connection. And to truly understand a language, one must also understand the culture from which it comes. Through the Communicate, Chattanooga project, CSL will provide customized language training and cultural education to professionals who are on the front lines of community work, specifically for educators, healthcare workers, public servants, first responders and social service workers. Instruction will be provided in languages that are most prevalent among more vulnerable populations in our community, such as Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL). This project equips leaders and frontline workers with essential skills necessary to communicate more effectively with their students, families, patients, clients and community members. This humanizing communication helps strengthen trust and build bridges across linguistic and cultural divides. In order to increase our reach through this project, we will focus on providing customized language instruction at an organizational level. CSL will work directly with the leaders of various client organizations to determine their unique needs and identify the phrases, words, and conversations that their team needs to be able to communicate in the target language (the language they are learning) in their particular field of work. All instruction will be tailored to meet the organization’s distinct needs, equipping team members with the skills necessary to be successful in communicating at a basic, yet effective, level with their Spanish-speaking and/or deaf clients, students, families or patients. Instruction can take place on-site at the organization or virtually. If there is a greater need for basic instruction in another language, we will identify that need during our consultation with the client. Since CSL offers instruction in 10+ languages, we are strategically equipped to meet diverse needs. These languages could include: Arabic, ASL, Chinese, Danish, English as a Second Language, French, German, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. CSL language instructors are native speakers of the target language or are highly-proficient and experienced in that language and culture. We use a holistic approach to language learning, using interactive, research-based methods that focus on language acquisition and cultural competency. For CSL, this project is a vital investment in not only these workers who have faithfully served our community throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, but also in underserved and economically-disadvantaged populations in our community who require greater accessibility. Through this partnership, CSL will serve as a committed resource and support for the client organizations’ employees, standing ready to continue serving their language-learning needs even beyond the Communicate, Chattanooga project. This project will allow all participants to pursue humanizing, cross-cultural conversation and connection that is fueled by confident communication. |
| Please explain how your project meets the requirements of the American Rescue Plan | Chattanooga is focused on ensuring that all community members emerge stronger from the Covid-19 pandemic. This project supports that effort in an immediate and sustainable way with long-lasting impact for more vulnerable communities in our city and region. This project addresses two significant challenges that our city currently faces: 1) Negative economic impact on small businesses and organizations, due to Covid-19: The Communicate, Chattanooga project would provide economic support to a woman-owned small business (CSL) that employs a team of diverse teachers to meet a need for industry-specific language instruction and greater cultural understanding among Chattanooga’s frontline workers and the communities they serve, specifically those populations affected most by the pandemic. The social, medical and economic stresses brought on by Covid-19 are compounded by communication (linguistic and cultural) challenges. For example, with the current challenges of teacher shortages and retention in schools across Hamilton County, communication has become even more vital. This is a specific challenge (of which we have been continually made aware) in schools that predominantly serve students of color, including English Language Learners and students living in economically-disadvantaged communities. Continued professional development and training for these frontline workers are imperative to ensure that they have the needed skill sets to effectively serve their diverse students and their families, thus strengthening our community. (See article in the Times Free Press, https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2021/nov/26/hamco-teacher-retention/558649/#/questions) In addition, as stated in the recent report by News 12 (https://www.wdef.com/chattanooga-police-report-spike-in-robberies-targeting-latino-community-in-highland-park/), there has been an increase in robberies in the Highland Park neighborhood that police say are targeting the Latino community. For first responders, healthcare professionals, public service leaders, and those working in social service jobs, the ability to communicate at a basic level in Spanish, for example, opens the door to greater trust, relationship and access to essential services, especially in these kinds of dangerous situations. Unfortunately, the indispensable need for services like language and cultural training that help workers connect with and serve the areas of our community that have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19 are often the first to be cut when budgets are slim. Communicate, Chattanooga will help eliminate financial barriers, among other barriers, to these services. 2) Accessibility and Trust This project endeavors to build trust within the community that fosters long-lasting generational change. Communicate, Chattanooga will give frontline workers in schools, healthcare facilities, law enforcement, social services, and more – the lifeblood of our community – the skills necessary to build bridges across linguistic and cultural divides as they learn to communicate effectively with more students, families, patients, clients and community members, helping these people to feel more safe, welcomed, and understood. Since Chattanooga is a multicultural and multilingual city, the ability and desire to communicate and apply language skills will not be lost after classes are over. This project creates a sustainable and lasting solution that sparks generational change in Chattanooga because it sparks curiosity and a desire to learn and build relationships across linguistic and cultural divides. The participants who receive our language instruction will be able to immediately apply what they’ve learned in class to their day-to-day work experiences, and they will be able to carry their new perspectives into their spheres of influence for many years to come. This is a defining moment to celebrate, unite and heal our community; and linguistic and cultural diversity is paramount to the success of this rebuilding. |
| Where would your project take place? | on site at the location of the organizations we serve (or virtual) |
| How much will your project cost in total? | 36500 |
| Do you have any matching funding sources from other local governments, private entities, non-profits, or philanthropic entities for your project? | No |
| Please describe the source and list amounts of any other funding. | |
| What portion of the project are you asking the city to fund? | |
| If funded, when would your project start? | September 1, 2022 |
| How long would your project take to complete? | 1 calendar year |
| What milestones would you use to measure your project’s progress? | CSL will implement Communicate, Chattanooga from fall 2022 to fall 2023. (Depending on when the funding is awarded, the start time may vary; but we will complete this project within one calendar year.) We will measure our progress by the following milestones: We will provide 20 hours of in-class, customized language training for 5 different Hamilton County public schools (K-12), serving up to 125 teachers/leaders in the educational field (with up to 25 participants in each 20-hour training session); We will provide 20 hours of in-class, customized language training for 5 different cohorts of healthcare, first responders, public service and/or social service professionals, serving up to 125 participants in those industries (up to 25 participants in each 20-hour training session); As shown in pre and post surveys and additional assessments, 90% or more of participants who complete the training will demonstrate an increase in their confidence communicating in the target language from the time they start the class to the end of the class; As shown in pre and post surveys and additional assessments, 90% or more of participants who complete the training will notice a change in attitude and/or relationships (including, but not limited to, increased participation and greater community involvement, increased feelings of trust and appreciation, fewer crimes committed, etc.) among their clients/patients/constituents/students/families/colleagues since they started the classes. |
| How would you ensure accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle? | CSL will gather feedback from participants through pre and post surveys. We also will collect testimonials from participants to demonstrate the project’s effectiveness in their everyday lives at work and in the community. We will provide transparent reporting on the number of participants and organizations involved, including attendance records, as well as materials used in class, if requested. CSL will encourage employers to hold their employees accountable through incentives to attend class consistently. We will keep attendance for each class and communicate that information to the group’s employer. CSL will also track how many participants choose to continue learning the target language (or another one) with CSL once the project is completed. This will indicate a continued interest and commitment to increasing proficiency in the language. |
| If successful, how would your project benefit the community? | We live in a trust-impoverished culture. Divisions are more exacerbated than any other time in recent American history, and many people of all walks of life are increasingly suspicious of their neighbors who differ from them, as well as of various institutions across our society. We believe trust can be regained and built when we work to truly hear one another – but more importantly, when we take the time to engage in conversation with others on their terms, in their language. These kinds of conversations, however simple they may be, humanize everyone involved, communicating true care and establishing trust. We want to help infuse a culture of trust into our local community, demonstrating that we can all, indeed, have meaningful conversations and relationships with those who differ from us. We can all take steps, however small, to help others feel safe and have a sense of belonging in our community. The mission of CSL is to create a more aware, educated and inclusive community through the teaching of language and culture. Communicate, Chattanooga will have the same mission and will have the potential to eliminate barriers to entry, making language learning more accessible and approachable. With the help of this grant, we will be able to address the following barriers: Financial - Many organizations and businesses do not have room in their budgets, due to the effects of the pandemic, to provide highly-beneficial language and cultural training for their teams. Lack of Customization - Generic language classes and apps do not provide the customization needed to address these organizations’ particular needs. Communicate, Chattanooga would make it possible for CSL to create totally customized instruction for each organization that addresses their immediate and future needs, and that is able to be adapted easily as those needs evolve. Accessibility for Community Members - Many non-native English speakers (including the deaf community) face countless barriers that prevent them from flourishing in and contributing to our community. Helping local workers and organizations develop language and cultural skills will increase accessibility for our community members whose first language is not English, helping them feel an even greater sense of belonging in our community. Generational Change - Long-term changes in a society begin with single steps in the present. In order for Chattanooga to become a more inclusive and welcoming place for people of all walks of life for generations to come, we must begin now with the real people in our present community, fostering a culture of curiosity, continuous learning, and deep appreciation of other people and their languages and cultures. A testimonial from Amanda Baron, Assistant Principal at East Lake Academy of Fine Arts (where we are currently providing customized Spanish training for their teachers): Q: Can you share more about why you thought this bridge between languages and cultures was important to invest in? With our student population being 60% Latino/Hispanic, our faculty and staff need language exposure to reach all of our families. These classes with CSL will allow us to build meaningful relationships and connections with those families. Inclusion is one of our main priorities! Q: Why did you invest in language training with CSL for your team? CSL has instructors and flexibility to meet the ever-changing needs of a busy school. Q: Even in the short time of having classes, have you seen a change in relationships or attitudes among your students or their families and/or teachers? Yes! Our teachers are so excited to learn and grow with each other. They are also practicing with students in the hallways. We have seen a large increase in student participation in classes and other extracurricular events. Q: What changes, if any, have you seen among your team/community since you started the language classes? We have not had enough time to reach the larger community yet, but the plan is to invite parents and community members to the classes to reinforce the language practice and strengthen the school-community bond. |
| How will you attract community buy-in for your project? | We are aware of many organizations and individuals who are in need of and interested in this kind of training; but due to the pains and effects of Covid-19, many organizations cannot afford to invest in additional professional development programs. Therefore, funding for this project will provide these essential-skill trainings to employees and employers who have already expressed their buy-in because of the needs of the communities they serve. Many individuals who work in education, healthcare, public service, and social services have personally inquired about or purchased services from CSL because their employer cannot provide adequate training at an organizational level. Most of the time, these frontline workers pay for these services out of their own pockets, making financial sacrifices for their families so that they can better serve our community. We know that demand is only growing for workers across our community to be able to communicate in another language; and we predict that if this project is funded, we’ll be able to tap into organizations and groups that wouldn’t otherwise have the financial resources to receive this training. |
| Is there anything else you would like us to know about your project? |