JumpStart Jordan

New Efforts, New Training

2009-09-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

The project may have wrapped up, but that does not mean it has stopped learning. While the new enterprise sorts out its path forward, learning – and teaching – continues.

Expanding Entrepreneurship

2009-09-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

A new venture is created.

Making Kites for Somalia

2009-08-28T11:14:00.000-07:00

Kite orders continue to come in – many for Gaza and most recently for psychosocial activities in Somalia. With luck, toy project kites will be flying over both the Gaza Strip and East Africa this fall.

Expanding into Skateboards

2009-07-28T17:49:00.000-07:00

Kites have been a wonderful tool, yet diversity is always healthy. In turn, the toy project has experimented with designing skateboards when participants have needed a break. A wonderful side project.

Expressing Individuality

2009-07-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

Designing and making kites are one way to express individuality. Yet at the toy project, we have an open policy welcoming any and all new ideas. It’s great to see what has been created.

Making World Class Works of Art

2009-07-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

Toy project kites have always been fun, yet as participants gain more and more skill their creations are becoming increasingly beautiful, and in turn trending more and more towards art.

Award Winning Community Involvement

2009-07-05T09:58:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to toy project participants for receiving a service award from the Jordan Red Crescent for all of their fabulous work in the community!

Embracing Errors

2009-06-20T04:12:00.000-07:00

Mistakes happen. Yet by embracing such slip-ups as a necessary part of the learning process, we aim to ultimately encourage greater innovation and resilience. All part of the fun.

Celebrating $5000 in Profits

2009-06-15T10:30:00.000-07:00

Celebrating the first $5,000 worth of kites sold from the project. A truly wonderful accomplishment by a group of beginners.

Custom Made Kites

2009-05-28T07:33:00.000-07:00

Creating new kites has been a wonderful endeavor for the toy project, yet also rewarding has been taking orders from outside institutions to make custom kites as well. Business development, quality control, and the pressure of delivering a new product with little flexibility has been quite a gratifying experience.

King's Academy Partnership

2009-05-22T10:27:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of diverse community involvement, the toy project recently partnered with King’s Academy in holding an open day for kite flying and other fun diversions. Great fun was had by all, yet just as importantly participants gained great experience organizing and managing outreach on their own.

Support Through Soft Landings

2009-05-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

Life is not easy for adolescents. This is often especially true in the Middle East. In turn, the toy project has experimented liberally with comfort and support, under the hope that such reduced stress would reward creativity and expression. And for the most part, this has been pleasantly observed as participants come up with more and more interesting creations as they become more comfortable with their surroundings.

Global Concern

2009-04-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

Because complex challenges always benefit from wide-ranging support, the project actively encouraged participants to act upon their desire to support their adolescent peers suffering from conflict and trauma in Gaza. In turn they designed cutting-edge t-shirts that were distributed both within Gaza and throughout the region to help declare that the kids of Gaza are not alone, as well as highlight their own civic development.

Connecting Through Language

2009-04-15T09:42:00.000-07:00

Because communication and expression are so essential to contemporary success, two hours a day are invested three times a week into improving our abilities to share our experiences. Sometimes language, sometimes speaking, sometimes writing, yet always insightful and supportive.

Advanced Design

2009-04-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

Utilizing technology, both to design better kites, as well as introduce and empower participants to contemporary skill sets, the project has increasingly strived to integrate computer software into every aspect of our efforts.

Global Connections

2009-03-01T08:53:00.000-08:00

To help participants gain the widest possible understanding of our globalized world, the project has involved citizens from six different countries. Denmark, Germany, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, and the USA all contribute to a truly global experience.

Listening to the Community

2009-02-10T05:34:00.000-08:00

Jumpstart International is currently laying out the specific aims for its vocational media project in Amman. But in doing so, it has deliberately included a wide variety of potential participants in the design phase to ensure that the local community is learning the skills and sharing the stories they feel are most important. With such an inclusive approach utilizing Jumpstart’s familiarity with the latest technologies, in concert with the perspectives and connections of all of its partners in Jordan, everyone involved is optimistic that together we can ensure that cutting-edge tools and training are increasingly available to all – no matter the background – and that in turn, a wider variety of viewpoints are shared with the world.

Testing the Next Round of Kites

2009-02-08T07:56:00.000-08:00

The first two classes of participants have finished their latest round of kites, and in turn, we’re eager to get them up in the air and see what‘s successful, and what needs to be reexamined. Beyond being both a productive step in the development process and a fun outing to blow off some steam, it has also become an additional aspect of the project to be managed completely by participants. Now consequently who exactly to blame if there is no wind will be an interesting question -- yet like all things, we’ll work it out together!

Digital Designs

2009-02-07T09:25:00.000-08:00

Building upon our previous work with graphics, the toy project is now moving into utilizing design and engineering software to lay out the planning of our latest products. This is useful as it provides genuine experience using such software towards professional aims. Beyond that, however, is also a meaningful evolution in our learning process. Where before we made our mistakes by hand and well into the construction process, we are now learning to put more initial thought into our subsequent actions – a change that will presumably result in less effort and greater accomplishments over the months ahead. While a small modification, it is our hope that the experience will reinforce the growing belief that everything should be open to healthy reevaluation and reinvention now and again.

Recycled Toys

2009-02-06T19:23:00.000-08:00

The vocational toy project is pleased to share that it is slowly beginning to work with recycled materials. Our first kite made from post-consumer plastic bags was recently completed, and our work with making dominos and other various toys from discarded shipping pallets is currently under way. Until we test the reprocessed (melted) plastic kite in the air this weekend, we’re unsure if this is an area we can justify expanding into. Yet for plastic bags, as well as discarded wood, the important issue for us is that we are exploring what fun and educational treasures we can make from items others deem unworthy – a test of our entrepreneurial creativity to encourage seeking value in areas others choose to ignore!

Project Logo

2009-02-04T08:42:00.000-08:00

One of the latest efforts at the vocational toy project has been developing our own logo. Such an assignment is useful at first as it allows participants to gain real world experience in graphic design and marketing. Yet this is also important because it allows participants to take ownership of everything they create, as well as sharing a bit of themselves with the world. All told, a half dozen people contributed to the design process, and in turn we’re pleased by how it represents everyone involved.

The outside border is a merger between our first two projects, a wood and canvas square frame, overlaid with a diamond kite. This creates a frame in itself that has 24 independent lines (one for each member of the team) and is filled with colors most representative of our Arab participants. Within the frame is the Arabic name of the project – “Ibda” – spelled out as the heart we all share. In turn, everything we produce is “Made with love in the Middle East.” A true collective accomplishment.

Encouraging Leadership and Decisionmaking

2009-02-01T08:19:00.000-08:00

Whether encouraging entrepreneurship or more generally just proactive tendencies, the vocational toy project has been placing a particular emphasis on empowering individual participants to step up and play a role in leading the project. This includes frequently surveying participants about their individual preferences for collective direction, and to a further degree, encouraging everyone to help manage our progress towards those ends. One of the biggest ways we’re pursuing this is to emphasize a daily meeting for everyone in the group. Beyond updating everyone on the day’s agenda, this also serves as a chance for each person involved to gain practice running discussions and managing diverse groups. We were constantly warned not to provide adolescent participants with meaningful choices, as such a gamble invites unknown volatility. And while this approach has not been without challenges, we remain convinced that everyone in the project will continue to encounter difficult adversity outside the project – and be forced to make the choices to deal with it. In turn, the more we can provide a supportive environment to encourage thoughtful decision-making, the better for all involved. (Let’s help each other learn to face uncertainty while we’re working together.) It may not be easy, but such practice holds many advantages to facing tougher decisions with less guidance down the road.

Introducing Graphic Design

2009-01-15T09:08:00.000-08:00

Because of the advantages technology can play in working – either for oneself or a larger firm – Jumpstart’s vocational toy project has increasingly been cultivating the use of software in our larger training efforts. Our primary focus remains designing and manufacturing toys by hand. Yet by demonstrating the usefulness of certain cutting-edge tools, such as the latest graphic design software, the project aims to complement the natural abilities of its participants with the tools that will allow them to create even greater accomplishments in the next phases of their careers. For now, our technological efforts will be focused primarily around creating a group logo and laying out toy designs, but hopefully in the months ahead we will increasingly employ Internet media, both for marketing and sales, and in turn expose our participants to virtually all major aspects of a vertically-integrated business.

Seeking to Stimulate Demand

2009-01-06T09:16:00.000-08:00

Because of the recently depressed economy in the Middle East, along with much of the world, local markets are currently experiencing lower prices for the majority of their recycled commodities. This impacts our vocational recycling efforts, as well as the larger efforts of the community. Because of this, Jumpstart continues to seek out the most sensible way to stimulate demand for recycled goods through our support of community-based vocational recycling projects, so that we can play a small role in maintaining current momentum and encouraging demand-driven innovation of recycled goods in the Middle East. We’re not as far along as we hope to be in the next few months, but for now we’re optimistic that stimulating demand, as well as supporting vocational training, is our most useful contribution.

New Year / New Resolutions

2008-12-31T05:05:00.000-08:00

One important skill for organizations and individual alike is getting in the habit of setting goals -- and following through in achieving them. Toward this end, Jumpstart’s vocational toy project has been setting ambitious objectives for 2009 and encouraging all participants to do the same. The odds that the project and all of its members will follow-through on each and every thing listed are remote. Yet hopefully the combination of dreaming up different aspirations, along with drafting out detailed plans to pursue them, will prove a useful habit that will leave us all farther along, both during and after the project. A Happy New Year from all in Amman!

Investing Beyond Next Week

2008-12-02T10:01:00.000-08:00

JumpStart International’s recycling partners in Jordan have been doing a commendable job developing supply networks to provide our vocational recycling business with a necessary base of raw materials to ensure our upcoming training and manufacturing efforts are as seamless as possible. Yet to ensure that our project achieves a critical mass in the short-term, JumpStart has collaborated with its partners to invest in a collection truck to help support reliable, effective collection of recyclables at several of our cornerstone garbage suppliers in Amman. With this foothold, the project now looks forward to scaling-up its collection efforts in the short-term, and focusing increasingly on the vocational training of 40 participants. With a core group of participants as well as informally partnering with countless Iraqis working to recycle trash, the project will provide premium access to fair market prices for all scavenged commodities. JumpStart is eager to push forward in this under-developed industry and achieve outsized results together with those who are so often neglected any such opportunities.

The new truck

The Importance of Outreach

2008-11-30T00:55:00.000-08:00

The goals of JumpStart’s Vocational Skills Training Fellowship involve more than just improving participants’ working skills – there is also an emphasis on the importance of civic responsibility. Toward this end, the project has begun an outreach component where participants begin to share both what they’re learning in the program, as well as a bit of themselves, with some of the region’s youngest victims. Current efforts are still small, yet the project looks forward to increasing such work aggressively as the project matures in the months ahead.

Community Outreach

Field Testing

2008-11-16T11:15:00.000-08:00

One important tool of the vocational toy enterprise is testing out what really works and doesn’t. Such a deceptively simple approach is equally useful for making a kite as well as testing out a business model – the first try seldom is perfect, and in turn powerful critical thinking is usually necessary to evolve beyond the initial hurdles. It is with this mindset that the toy project recently field-tested one of its first batches of sample kites. While not the most challenging work we’ll face, it was satisfying to see everything go smoothly and provide the participants with both the momentum to move into more challenging upcoming assignments, as well as a powerful tool in critical thinking to help participants overcome the future hiccups as well.

Noor, a junior staff member, flies a kite

A Healthy Balance

2008-11-05T16:50:00.000-08:00

Participants coming together

While the vocational toy project is charged with imparting business skills and civic values into all of its participants, it is no secret that refugees from Iraq and impoverished adolescents from Jordan often face more than their fair share of hardship. In turn, the project is happy to share that we’re pursuing a “healthy balance” of constructive work and therapeutic fun – all in the name of sustainability. By keeping participants relaxed and energized, the thinking is that even though instructional time may be lost now and then, overall interest and longevity will increase – ultimately resulting in a better training experience for all involved.

Moving Forward

2008-10-30T11:48:00.000-07:00

JumpStart International’s vocational toy enterprise training is beginning to make headway beyond its initial simplicity and moving toward introducing more challenging material involving both manufacturing and general business management. To date, all participants and staff have been extremely supportive as the project increasingly embraces more challenging assignments. Many of the skills may be new and certainly not everything is easy, yet there is a sincere desire to learn, and JumpStart looks forward to meeting the growing interest of participants and Iraqi staff alike.

Getting down to business

Training Commenced

2008-10-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

Two participants in the program

JumpStart International is pleased to share that it has begun vocational training of displaced Iraqi and marginalized Jordanian youth in Amman with its pioneering toy enterprise. For the initial six-month phase, the project will be housed in an independent building in Amman under the jurisdiction of the Jordan Red Crescent Society (JRC). The program is focused on the vocational training of 20 participants, staffed by two Iraqi trainers and two Jordanian mentors who guide the participants in day-to-day activities, while JRC, JumpStart, and Kitegang staff provide guidance and operational support as needed. If the ongoing viability of a toy-making business seems plausible, the program will increasingly focus training towards the self-sufficiency of the enterprise (as well as smaller participant spin-offs). For now, we are simply pleased to be up and running in Amman and working with so many wonderful participants.

Toy Project Overview

2008-10-08T04:16:00.000-07:00

JumpStart International is currently leading an initiative to create a pioneering Middle Eastern toy enterprise project that will serve as a vocational training vehicle for displaced Iraqi and marginalized Jordanian youth who have fallen outside of traditional support efforts. Working with the Jordan Red Crescent Society (JRC) and Kitegang, the world's first non-profit toy company, the project initiates an experimental toy-making business for young adults from Iraq and Jordan that, while impoverished, share a motivation to create something better for themselves and their communities.

Toy Project staff and participants, with members of Jordan Red Crescent Society, Kitegang, and JumpStart International

The Toy Project's initial goal is to address the psychosocial and financial needs of participants through the creation of a vocational training enterprise that provides structure and living stipends. Beyond the emotional and financial supports, the project will also emphasize civic and vocational lessons to empower participants to pursue productive livelihoods well beyond the life of the program. As a result, the expected achievements of this project include

mitigating the effects of violence and regional instability on the participants by creating greater hope and opportunity through structured, yet upbeat, vocational training
meeting the immediate financial needs of 20 participants by also providing living stipends
increasing business and life skills of young adults residing in Jordan through progressive and individually tailored business training
engaging young people as civic-minded, productive members of society

In combination, the project essentially aspires to address some of the most pressing regional needs with some of the simplest tools – in this case all centered around the business of making toys. While the number of people involved is limited to start, the quality of training and support that goes into each participant is sizeable – in line with the project’s goals of making a meaningful difference in the long-term development of each participant.