Causes:
Science & Technology,
Technology
Mission: Address everyday needs of individuals and communities by building inclusive, collaborative networks of individuals dedicated to humanitarian, project-based learning, boosting access to education, technology and opportunity to develop workforce skills.
What That Looks Like in Action:
The Enable Alliance advocates for students of all ages to learn by doing, using the e-NABLE model of collaboration and innovation to address everyday needs of individuals and communities, particularly in underserved areas. It builds inclusive, collaborative networks of individuals and organizations to support humanitarian, project-based learning. It actively pursues boosting safe access to education, technology and opportunity to develop workforce skills, which also makes e-NABLE a sustainable and resilient ecosystem.
The e-NABLE community is known for designing for upper limbs. It also responds to challenges and individual’s requests for tools, assistive devices for people with vision impairments, teaching manipulatives for kinesthetic learners, beaks and legs for animals, creates art rooted in the perspectives of its projects, and addresses mobile power and connectivity solutions for using technology the field, during disaster response, or planning for disaster recovery.
Results: Workshops, field trips, and the e-NABLE Community’s annual, global conferences to encourage the development, research and sharing of designs, tools, information and instructions In the global community.
Inclusive collaboration with the need knowers and their families, educators, makers, medical volunteers and other certified professionals
Creation of a background check process and advocacy workgroups for recipients and young volunteers (young citizen scientists through young professionals) to ensure a culture of safety for all vulnerable members of our community
Regular contact with and presentations from oversight groups, including the Food and Drug Administration
Creation of distribution hubs and an immersive real-world learning experience, the e-NABLE Living Classroom at SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Target demographics: Children and Adults
Direct beneficiaries per year: Children and adults with upper and lower limb differences, tactile learners who have vision impairments, are on the Autism spectrum or are recovering from illness and injury; women and girls seeking access to STEM training and using emerging technologies to address women and children’s health. Veterans. Robotics teams and youth groups needing STEM training and mentors in their programs and seeking relevant projects to apply their skills and access to technology. Schools, hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, refugees, MakerSpaces. The earth, by researching and using renewable energy (solar power generators) and participating in the International Coastal Clean Up to remove waste plastic from the environment and research recycling waste plastic to create 3D printed devices cleanly and ethically.
Geographic areas served: Areas where people are underserved, and need assistive devices, learning tools or PPE
Programs: Training, access to emerging technologies, workshops in 21st century skills and entrepreneurship so that they can recognize and develop the workforce skills they are getting during service learning projects; creating and testing open source 3D printable designs and open hardware equipment, researching renewable energy and recycling for sustainable, zero waste manufacturing
