Air Institute

AIR PROVIDES RURAL AND UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES WITH PROGRAMMING THAT INSPIRES NEW CONNECTIONS AND IGNITES THE CREATIVE ECONOMY. CREATIVE PEOPLE EXPAND BUSINESS SKILLS, BUSINESSPEOPLE GET MORE CREATIVE; THEY LEARN TO COLLABORATE, ADAPT, AND THRIVE TOGETHER.

AIR COLLABORATIVE IS AN EMPOWERING ECOSYSTEM THAT PROVIDES CREATIVES, BUSINESSES, AND COMMUNITIES THE TOOLS, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT TO REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL. DIVERSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, SUPPORT EACH OTHER, AND PUT BOTH CREATIVE VISION AND BUSINESS KNOW-HOW TO WORK.THE WORK OF AIR COLLABORATIVE IS A FIELD-TESTED AND ITERATIVE, THREE-STEP PATHWAY DESIGNED TO BUILD INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY. AIR METHODS AND PROCESSES AMPLIFY UNIQUE CULTURES AND PEOPLE TO GROW DIVERSE, LOCALLY-LED BUSINESSES AND ENTERPRISES.OUR PROGRAMS ARE NOW BEING USED BY MANY SECTORS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, AND EDUCATION.STEP 1. ENGAGE WORKSHOPASSESS LOCAL INTEREST AND BUILD ENTHUSIASM.WORK WITH AIR, YOUR REGIONAL AIR AFFILIATE, AND YOUR COMMUNITY TO DISCOVER YOUR WAY FORWARD WITH A SIMPLE FIRST STEP. A TWO-HOUR ENGAGE WORKSHOP WILL INSPIRE HOPE, BUILD EMPATHY AND SELF-RELIANCE, DEVELOP NEW LEADERS, INCREASE LOCAL INVESTMENT, AND DIVERSIFY YOUR ECONOMY. WE'VE IDENTIFIED DIFFERENT TOPICS AND SECTORS TO HELP YOUR COMMUNITY BEGIN TO USE CREATIVITY TO GROW AND THRIVE. PICK THE BEST FOCUS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND THESE TWO-HOUR WORKSHOPS CAN GET YOU STARTED. WHEN PEOPLE MOVE TO ACTION TOGETHER, RELATIONSHIPS, OWNERSHIP, AND LEARNING BECOME DEEPER, AND REAL CHANGE IS POSSIBLE.WE WANT EVERY COMMUNITY TO RAISE THE VALUE OF ART AND CREATIVITY. WE PUT TOGETHER A STEP-BY-STEP PLAN FOR CONVENING PARTNERS IN YOUR COMMUNITY SO THAT YOU CAN GROW YOUR CREATIVE SECTOR AND THRIVE. OUR WORKSHOP CONTENT AND EXERCISES GIVE YOUR COMMUNITY AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY CAN DO TO MAKE YOUR COMMUNITY MORE VIBRANT. CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL AIR AFFILIATE AND THEY WILL SHARE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO GATHER NEW PARTNERS AND HOST A WORKSHOP: LOGISTICS, AGENDA, POWERPOINT SLIDES, MARKETING MATERIALS, AND A SURVEY TO HELP ASSESS YOUR COMMUNITY READINESS FOR THIS WORK AND THE OTHER AIR PROGRAMS.STEP 2: SHIFTDESIGNING BENEFICIAL COMMUNITY PROJECTS.IN A MULTI-DAY, HANDS-ON WORKSHOP, AIR CERTIFIED FACILITATORS HELP SMALL TEAMS LEARN TO USE COLLABORATION SKILLS, DESIGN THINKING, AND BUSINESS PLANNING TO CREATE SMALL, LOCALLY IMPLEMENTABLE PROJECTS.DISCOVER NEW WAYS TO THINK ABOUT THE POWER OF CREATIVITY AND CHALLENGE YOUR MENTAL MODELS ABOUT ART, BUSINESS, COMMUNITY AND MONEY. TAKE THE MYSTERY OUT OF BUSINESS PLANNING. STRENGTHEN YOUR CREATIVE MUSCLES AND ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET. PRACTICE DESIGN THINKING AND PROTOTYPING.THE SHIFT WORKSHOP USES HANDS-ON COLLABORATION, DESIGN THINKING, AND BUSINESS PLANNING TO HELP GROW CREATIVE COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMIES.STEP 3: EVOLVELAUNCHING NEW VENTURES AND BUSINESS EXPANSIONS.PARTICIPANTS TAKE A FLEXIBLE, MULTI-MONTH, COMPREHENSIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM DESIGNED TO TRANSFORM THEIR PASSIONS, INTERESTS, AND SKILLS INTO A VIABLE VENTURE, PROJECT, OR NEW LIFE PATH.EVOLVE IS A FLEXIBLE, MULTI-MONTH, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM DESIGNED TO TRANSFORM PASSIONS, INTERESTS, AND SKILLS INTO A VIABLE VENTURE, PROJECT, OR NEW LIFE PATH. COHORTS OF CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS LEARN PRACTICAL BUSINESS SKILLS USING DESIGN THINKING, THE AIR VENTURE CANVAS, AND LEAN STARTUP PRINCIPLES.EVOLVE'S APPROACH IS NONTRADITIONAL AND INDIVIDUALIZED. IF YOU DO THE WORK AND ATTEND THE CLASSES, YOU WILL HAVE THE KNOW-HOW AND TOOLS TO SUCCESSFULLY PLAN, BUILD, AND LAUNCH YOUR CREATIVE VENTURE. PARTICIPANTS EXPLORE THEIR PERSONAL NEEDS AND VALUES BEFORE FULLY INVESTING IN THEIR VENTURE. EACH PARTICIPANT PROTOTYPES THEIR NEW PRODUCT, PROGRAM OR SERVICE SO THEY CAN LEARN TO LISTEN TO REAL WORLD FEEDBACK. THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS BUILD AND REFINE THEIR BUSINESS PLAN IN PREPARATION FOR A FINAL PRESENTATION THAT HELPS THEM GAIN SUPPORT FOR THEIR VENTURE. PARTICIPANTS HAVE ACCESS TO DYNAMIC FINANCIAL TOOLS, A MASTERMIND TEAM, AND EVEN INDIVIDUAL COACHING, IF DESIRED.FACILITATORS KEEP THINGS LOCALAIR CERTIFIED FACILITATORS ARE THE HEART OF THE OUR PROGRAMS. THEY PROVIDE A PERSONAL CONNECTION AND GIVE PARTICIPANTS CONFIDENCE THAT THEY CAN LEARN, CONNECT, CHANGE AND SUCCEED. WE INVEST IN YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING MORE THAN TWENTY HOURS OF IN-PERSON TRAINING FOR EVERY FACILITATOR IN-DEPTH FACILITATION, PRESENTATION, AND COACHING SKILLS DESIGNED FOR YOUR SUCCESS.AIR FACILITATORS KNOW YOU HAVE THE ANSWERSIT IS AN ACQUIRED SKILL TO LEARN TO FACILITATE WITHOUT TEACHING OR LEADING OR PROVIDING AN "ANSWER." ALL OF OUR FACILITATORS WORK HARD TO MASTER THIS SKILL AND TO SHARE TOOLS WITH PARTICIPANTS SO THAT COMMUNITIES HAVE MORE PEOPLE READY TO BE OPEN FOR A TRULY LOCAL, COLLABORATIVE PROCESS AND CREATIVE ECOSYSTEM.