Partner with NYC Outward Bound Schools to build community and improve school culture.
Crew Initiative is a joint public/private partnership funded by the City and private grants. Schools that are part of Crew Initiative work with NYC Outward Bound Schools to build the capacity to successfully embed a Crew program and culture in their school communities.
What is Crew?
Crew is NYC Outward Bound Schools’ signature advisory structure that supports social, emotional and academic development. In a broader sense, Crew is also a school-wide culture and mindset; the spirit of “Crew, not passengers” — a phrase coined by Outward Bound founder Kurt Hahn — demonstrates that we are stronger together than we are individually, that we look out for one another, and that we work toward shared goals. Crew leads to more vibrant, engaged and connected school communities where every student feels a sense of belonging and agency.
What does Crew Initiative look like?
Crew Initiative schools:
- Work with NYC Outward Bound to assess their needs in the areas of social, emotional and academic development
- Develop a data-driven plan to determine what success looks like at their school
- Receive one-on-one training from a dedicated NYC Outward Bound Schools Crew Coach to meet goals that align with the success plan
- Participate in a continuous improvement group with other schools who have a common problem of practice
- Together with this group, engage in collective problem-solving, generate short-cycle change ideas, and analyze data to assess impact
- Engage in cohort-based activities with other partner schools both virtually and in-person to help model what Crew looks and feels like
Our goal is to make sure that each student in our school has somebody looking out for them and advocating for them. The Crew Leader is the person that’s responsible for the social-emotional support of this child. Crew is the front line of lateness, it is the front line of absenteeism, it is the front line of academics.
Hear from schools who have worked with us:
Is Crew Initiative right for your school?
Here’s what we’re looking for in our applicants.
Bandwidth/Resource Allocation
- The willingness and capacity to take on a partnership with NYC Outward Bound Schools.
- The schedule, staffing and space to support approximately 100 minutes per week of Crew time per student.
- We work with schools that have existing advisory programs and with schools that don’t. We tailor our partnerships to meet schools where they are.
- A staff member with the availability and support to lead this work and serve as Crew Guide.
- This person will:
- Train one-on-one with an NYC Outward Bound Schools coach to lead implementation of the Crew program.
- Attend all cohort-wide convenings (which are scheduled periodically through the year).
- Work with leadership and colleagues to help Crew come alive at their own school.
- This person will:
Engagement
- A school-wide commitment to the “Crew not passengers” ethos, which prioritizes caring for one another, supporting one another and working toward a common goal.
- The need and desire for growth in the areas of social, emotional and academic development.
- Staff who believe that supporting positive social-emotional outcomes is equally as important as supporting positive academic outcomes, and that the two are intertwined.
- Shared leadership structures in place (teachers who are used to learning and collaborating together).
Apply to be part of our 2024-25 cohort:
Crew In the News:
Educator's View: How Outward Bound Schools Support Student Wellness — & Learning
Advisory Program Expanded to 5 Staten Island Schools
The New York Community Trust Awards Grant to Continue Crew Initiative
If you are interested and/or would like more information before applying, contact our Crew team & visit our FAQ page.
Christian Narvaez, Director of Crew
[email protected]
Phone: (646) 338-3276
Aurora Kushner, Director of Impact & Continuous Improvement
[email protected]
Phone: (413) 387-9653