Last month, we were excited to welcome five new innovation teams to RTI International’s campus to kick off a new cohort of Launch. These teams shared more about their work, thought through considerations like audiences and channels to fill out their Impact Canvas, and identified assumptions they’ll eventually want to test. They also set goals for their 12 months in the Launch Accelerator. The newest Launch innovation teams are:
Color It REAL
- Where they’re from: Atlanta, Georgia
- Who they’re serving: Young people ages 10 to 24
- What they’re doing: Refining Color It REAL, a six-session evidence-based sexual risk and HIV education curriculum. Color It REAL integrates music, history and current events to equip participants with practical tools to manage stress, assess personal risk, and make informed choices.
- What they’re looking forward to: “I’m looking forward to the products we produce as part of the program and making the vision for the program real. We are also going to be working on creating and implementing our marketing strategy to raise awareness of Color It REAL.”
Radiant G Curriculum
- Where they’re from: Texas
- Who they’re serving: Girls in 3rd through 12th grades
- What they’re doing: Working on the Radiant G Curriculum, a modular, evidence-informed program designed to close sexual and reproductive health equity gaps by building self-efficacy in girls and those who care for them.
- What they’re looking forward to: “This innovation is something we’ve dreamed about and said that we’d work on if we only had the time and resources. To be in a space where we now do have those is so special. We came in [to the kickoff] with so many questions, and working through the Impact Canvas helped make so many things clear for us. There’s so much we’ve already built, and we’re excited to see it come to fruition.”
Pathways to Success
- Where they’re from: Baxley, Georgia
- Who they’re serving: Young people in rural communities
- What they’re doing: Working on Pathways to Success, a curriculum designed to support young people in building skills and following the six pathways to success: social/emotional development, healthy choices for living, academic success, career exploration, college preparation, and financial literacy.
- What they’re looking forward to: “We’re looking forward to having the access to expertise to help us grow Pathways to Success. We are going to focus on our business model and program sustainability. We’re also excited to identify facilitators for the program and invest in them.”
Peer Education Mentorship Society
- Where they’re from: New York City, New York
- Who they’re serving: High schoolers and college-aged young people
- What they’re doing: Developing Peer Education Mentorship Society (PEMS), a youth-centered digital mentorship and leadership development program that will provide mentorship, education, and real-world experience in comprehensive sex education. Designed for and by young people, PEMS will nurture emerging educators passionate about adolescent health.
- What they’re looking forward to: “The final products. Right now we’re in an ideation stage and have so many ideas in our minds. Our goal is to use our time in Launch to pilot our first module with full functionality and then build out the rest of the platform in time.”
READY, Set, Go!
- Where they’re from: California
- Who they’re serving: Older adolescents (11th and 12th grade)
- What they’re doing: Refining the READY, Set, Go! program, a “booster” curriculum that helps teens prepare for adulthood by focusing on mental health, healthy relationships, sexual health, and more.
- What they’re looking forward to: “We’ve run this program before, but we’re looking forward to refining and polishing the curriculum, while also including more of a behavioral health focus throughout our content. We are also excited to welcome a new partner on board (Soccer Without Borders) and integrate their expertise.”