Blog
Our Partnership Model
Why Partner with VIA?
VIA is an agile organization with over six decades of experience in developing experiential programs to meet the needs of community partners, including schools, NGOs, and corporations. Partnering with VIA will enable you to achieve your organizational goals more effectively by:
Developing Sustainable Programs
VIA tailors programs to meet your organizational objectives and community needs, optimizing for longer-term sustainability and impact
Enhancing Organizational Capacity
Leverage VIA’s expertise to develop unique learning experiences and targeted training for your students, employees, or community
Integrating Program
Assessment
VIA provides integrated program monitoring, evaluation, and reporting to measure tangible outcomes, inform program development, and provide compelling metrics and impact storytelling for stakeholders
Strengthening Your Network
Partnering with VIA connects you to a network of peer organizations, expanding opportunities to collaborate, share resources, and contribute to collective impact locally and globally
Program Models
Utilizing our experiential learning program models, VIA supports a range of partner needs through existing programming and new program development.
Explorer Model
Intensive 7-14 day experiential learning courses for students and professionals to explore diverse perspectives, social issues, innovation, personal reflection, and goal-setting, in-person or online
Accelerator Model
Virtual 4-6-month project-based course for teams and organizations, providing training and support for team-building, need-finding, project design, and assessment planning
Fellowship Model
Dedicated multi-year project support for social impact organizations developing new programs or expanding capacity, provided by professional fellows posted at host institution
Partnership Opportunities
Partnerships may involve one or more collaborations, and may be scaffolded to ensure sustainability and long-term impact. Here are some ways in which you can work with VIA:
Current Programs
Custom Programs
Capacity-Building
Partnership Spotlight:
BEAM Education Foundation
Founded in 2010, BEAM is committed to promoting resilient local youth, networking, and empowering students through accredited, accessible, and innovative education, fostering community harmony, and ensuring BEAM’s reliability. VIA has partnered with BEAM since 2010.
Partnership Initiatives
- Capacity-Building: Global Community Fellowship host organization; supported regional teacher training for Global Community Fellowship cohorts; attended Social Impact Partnership Conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Program Design & Facilitation: Collaborates with VIA to facilitate programs in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for US academic institutions
- Program Promotion: Supports BEAM student and staff participation VIA’s Silicon Valley-based Explorer programs and online project Accelerators
Initiative Funding
Both VIA and BEAM contribute financially to support joint initiatives. Additional funding is provided through several grant-making organizations.
“Our partnership with VIA has been a transformative experience that has significantly improved our capacity to accomplish significant outcomes. The commitment, cross-cultural expertise, and new viewpoints of VIA Fellows have facilitated our ability to address problems with creative solutions. VIA Fellows have significantly enhanced our success and the positive results we provide to the communities we serve by collaborating closely with our team. Their support has been invaluable, and we are proud of the collective impact we have achieved.”
Partnership Spotlight:
Fukuoka Futaba High School
Fukuoka Futaba High School is a private girls’ high school in Fukuoka City on the island of Kyushu in southwest Japan and was designated as a Super Global High School (SGH) by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) from 2015 to 2019. VIA has partnered with Futaba High School since 2016.
Partnership Initiatives
- Custom Program: Futaba High School students explore culture, innovation, and leadership development in Silicon Valley.
- Program Design & Promotion: Collaborate with VIA to support the Nichibei Girls Collaborative program (a multi-partner explorer+accelerator program between Fukuoka and Salinas, CA) through student recruitment/orientation, hosting international exchange activities, and program design.
- Capacity-building: Attended the Social Impact Partnership Conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Initiative Funding
The Nichibei Girls’ Collaborative is funded through generous support from the US-Japan Foundation.
“Our collaboration with VIA has provided our students with invaluable opportunities that deepen their cross-cultural understanding and broaden their global perspectives. The unique experiences in Silicon Valley and Nichibei Girls Collaborative inspire their passion to contribute to the world as global leaders.”
Partnership Spotlight:
Tokyo Medical University
Founded in 1916, Tokyo Medical University (TMU) is one of the oldest private medical schools in Japan. TMU has a six-year medical school curriculum that offers preclinical and clinical studies to confer a bachelor’s degree or graduate degree. The university also has a postgraduate school that offers Ph.D. degrees. VIA has partnered with TMU since 1996.
Partnership Initiatives
- Custom Program: TMU students explore American culture and diversity in healthcare through a custom designed program offered in Silicon Valley
- Program Promotion: Collaborates with VIA to promote the summer intensive Exploring Health Care (EHC) program designed for those with intermediate to advanced English skills.
“Since the launch in 1996, our students have benefited tremendously from VIA’s healthcare programs. Through learning about and experiencing healthcare in a different culture and a different language, the programs not only enable our students to develop lifelong networks and friendships, but also give our students the opportunity to become more perceptive, more culturally competent, and grow as individuals. Such personal growth is expected to contribute greatly to their professional careers as future doctors. We are grateful to VIA for continuing to offer such exceptional programs.”