Samaschool

Disconnected youth and adults are confronted with a vicious cycle -- every day spent out of work creates new and higher barriers to getting a job. Those who are out of work for more than six months are half as likely to get called back for an interview as short-term unemployed, and on average must apply to 3.5x as many jobs.

Samaschool provides disconnected youth and adults with skills and access to independent work through the on-demand economy, which has lower barriers to entry than traditional work. The on-demand economy facilitates a rapid re-connection to work without a drawn-out interview process or the need for higher education credentials. Independent work can be secured in a matter of days or weeks, and offer a way for people to build work experience and professional momentum towards full-time employment.

Disconnected populations are often unaware of the work opportunities available on on-demand work platforms, and lack the professional and soft skills necessary to succeed on these platforms. Samaschool is addressing the awareness gap by creating an online resource hub to serve as a one-stop-shop for independent workers looking for reliable information and training. To address this skills gap, Samaschool is integrating “independent workforce readiness” into partner training organizations through a blended learning program. Samaschool’s training combines the support of a facilitator with a rich library of digitally hosted content to create an applied learning experience.