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<div>[[File:Startingbloc.jpeg|frame|Startingbloc.jpeg]]For over seven years, [http://www.startingbloc.org/ StartingBloc] has helped social innovators address the most pressing global challenges of our time by giving them the ''education''''', '''''inspiration'' and&nbsp;''connections'' they need to create lasting change. Our signature leadership development program, the StartingBloc Fellowship exposes young leaders to new models for achieving social impact.&nbsp;</div><div><br/></div><div>The Fellowship begins with the transformative five-day [http://www.startingbloc.org/institute Institute for Social Innovation]. The Institute is a <span style="font-size:small">boot-camp in social innovation</span>. The curriculum is designed to include all the basic skills required for social change agents.&nbsp;</div><div><br/></div><div>Following the Institute, our Fellows become part of the larger StartingBloc community which currently consists of ''1,500 ''Fellows representing ''221'' colleges and over ''53 ''countries.</div>

[http://www.startingbloc.org/buildingblocs BuildingBloc Workshops]&nbsp;provide StartingBloc Fellows and friends with the critical continuing education needed to advance their careers in social innovation. BuildingBloc Workships offer a deeper look into specific topics or skills related to social innovation. These workships are help in New York. Los Angeles, Boston and will soon be expanding to other regions. StartingBloc partners with corporations, individuals and organizations to implement these programs for our community.See below for a breakdown of the workshops. === Workshop Breakdown === While workshops may vary in specific content and speakers, the workshops consist of five days of immersive and community based themes which seek to educate on what StartingBloc sets out to do. Participants are exposed to speakers, other members, and new ideas that they can bring with them in future pursuits. Often, networking is a large component and participants often discuss the emotional, academic, and professional rewards of participation. There is an atmosphere of collaboration, leadership, and intra-team connections. ==== Day 1: Off the Bloc ==== *The first day marks the initiation of the workshop, and is filled with networking events, icebreakers, and many speakers. Participants get to know leaders as well as fellow participants. There is an emphasis on getting to know people, as teamwork is a notable theme of StartingBloc.*There is a speaker who places an emphasis on community through talking about their past projects or organizations. This gives participants the opportunity to see an idea through implementation, another key component of StartingBloc.*There is a workshop delivered by the&nbsp;''Transformative Action Institute'', which teaches members how to integrate transformative action, deep connections, and creativity into their passions in order to build a sturdy foundation for impact. ==== Day 2: Owning Your Vision ==== *The second day is focused on articulating the vision of an idea as well as storytelling, or conveying a specific point in a passionate and articulate manor.*In order to achieve this, the concept of&nbsp;'''''polarity mapping'''''&nbsp;is introduced, this is an important part to troubleshooting problems that may arise.*The day includes smaller activities that help you to manage all values and conflicts while working in a team.*Goals of these immersive activities include the ability of delivering a solid mission and vision statement.**To reinforce this idea, a speaker comes in and articulates their vision statement for a project that they have worked on. It enables participants to see the benefit of polarity mapping, storytelling, as well as the impact that a vision statement has on a community audience. ==== Day 3: Taking Action ==== *The third day focuses on the importance of '''''rapid prototyping,'''''&nbsp;a concept employed to bring an idea to fruition.&nbsp;*Partnerships with local organizations is introduced; in these "mock" partnerships, participants must troubleshoot problems and create solutions to community partnerships.&nbsp;**Fellows are grouped together and given three hours to develop ten solutions and two prototypes to benefit their partnership.*This engagement allows participants to understand the process of rapid protyping as well as having the opporunity to engage with the beneficial method. Participants are expected to leave the third day with a solid understanding of the framework. ==== Day 4: Pass the Mic ==== *The fourth day focuses on an intense conversation; one that emphasizes the importance of identity, equity, and inclusive workspaces.&nbsp;*The goal is to have open discussion to establish the foundations of an inclusive community, and what benefits such a community can deliver.**Personal and political ideas are challeneged and raised, despite disagreements, participants are expected to learn about inclusive spaces and how the centrality of inclusivity and comfortable spaces serves projects that StartingBloc aims to launch.**Participants are expected to engage and share their viewpoints in a respectful way. ==== Day 5: The Road Ahead ==== *The fifth day marks the conflusion of the conference, where all ideas come together.*The&nbsp;''Transformative Action Institute'' is utilized to kick off events that engage the group and utilize knowlege that has been acquired over the prior days.*The program outlays how to stay involved with StartingBloc, as well as means in which participants can explicate their new knowledge in their local communities.*The final day serves as a "graduation"-- participants walk away with connections in myriad ways and are galvanized to make community change.

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