EOC Case Study
THE CHALLENGE
How might we support EOC launch an inaugural business and entrepreneurship curriculum as part of their Resiliency Hub for vulnerable community members in East Oakland?
This case study is a part of a broader partnership with Salesforce, where Salesforce employees volunteer their time and skills to improve the operations and capacity of nonprofit organizations.
One such nonprofit is the East Oakland Collective (EOC), an organization that aims to improve racial and economic equality in East Oakland.
PARTNER CONTEXT
EOC aims to improve racial and economic equality in East Oakland through programs and projects related to Civic Engagement & Leadership, Economic Empowerment, Homeless Services & Solutions, and COVID-19 relief for some of Oakland’s most vulnerable populations — Black residents and unhoused neighbors.
From climate change to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the world is waking up to the urgent need for local resiliency initiatives. Resilience hubs are an emergent phenomenon that have recently taken hold in Toronto, Boston, New Orleans, Oakland, and beyond as cities and community organizations are looking more closely at social infrastructure and community cohesion as a fundamental foundation of “resilience.”
Resilience hubs are physical spaces that act as centers for community preparedness, emergency response, and recovery in the face of social and environmental hazards. The emphasis of these spaces, and what distinguishes them, presently, from community centers and other community infrastructure, is that they are community-run and that their emphasis is specifically oriented to hazard response.
You can learn more at https://www.eastoaklandcollective.com/
THE INNOVATION
Salesforce employees applied a variety of professional skills to build and design a training curriculum. The curriculum supports residents in developing entrepreneurial and business skills to establish independence and additional income.
Throughout the engagement, volunteers:
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Conducted discovery sessions with EOC staff to understand the current state of their inaugural Business & Entrepreneurship curriculum and needs. - Updated the Business & Entrepreneurship curriculum.
- Facilitated training sessions for the EOC staff alongside the newly developed curriculum.
Volunteer Recommendations & Prototypes
IMPACT
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100% of participants said they feel empowered to leverage the training produced by Salesforce, evident in the increased confidence and knowledge of EOC staff in delivering small-group training workshops. -
100% of respondents rate their knowledge and ability to deliver small group workshop training after this volunteer engagement as a 4 or 5 out of 5 rating scale. There is increased confidence and knowledge in EOC staff to deliver a curriculum on business and entrepreneurship.
From our Partner
CEO indicated that it feels empowered by the tools and technology needed to make the recommendations provided as part of this engagement.
SALESFORCE EMPLOYEE FEEDBACK
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BY THE NUMBERS…
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100% of employee volunteers reported that the project positively impacted their view of Salesforce as an employer and improved their day-to-day job satisfaction at the company. -
100% of NGO staff participants reported that they felt empowered by the project. These respondents represent 33% of all EOC staff who are now helping their community gain workforce development skills through a foundational business and entrepreneurship curriculum. -
100% of NGO staff participants reported that they had expert or very good knowledge on delivering a small group workshop, post training. These participants represent 33% of all EOC staff. - 100% of employee volunteers indicated they were extremely satisfied with the overall volunteer experience
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75% of employee volunteers indicated they were likely or extremely likely to participate in another pro bono volunteer project. -
100% of employee volunteers indicated they felt it was likely or extremely likely that their volunteer efforts positively impacted EOC.