About BENDABLE (As stated on the Maine State Library website.)
"Bendable is a community-centered lifelong learning system created by the Drucker Institute, a nonprofit social enterprise based at Claremont Graduate University.
It allows residents of all ages and backgrounds to easily acquire new knowledge and skills through online courses as well as in-person learning opportunities.
The system’s aim is to make the residents of a particular place more resilient in the face of a fast-changing economy. It is truly lifelong and universal but is focused, above all, on reaching those in the community who have been most underserved.
In this way, Bendable is designed to fill an important need. Two-thirds of jobs in the U.S. now require some post-secondary education. Yet only 48% of adults have a four-year degree, two-year degree or workforce-relevant certificate. And in many communities, opportunities for continuous skill-building are scarce.
What’s more, even those already in “good jobs” must learn new skills. The McKinsey Global Institute projects that within the next decade, about a third of the tasks performed in 60% of all occupations will change as a result of automation and AI.
A robust learning marketplace, Bendable helps individuals find the training and educational resources that are just right for them. In most cases, content on the Bendable platform is free for the end user.
Bendable was launched in June 2020 in South Bend, Indiana, in close collaboration with the St. Joseph County Public Library and with support from the Mayor's Office. The Drucker Institute plans to expand Bendable to 10 additional communities by 2023.
The system in South Bend provides more than 1,500 learning resources from 20 local and national content partners. Most are for work. But we know that people are eager to learn for different reasons throughout their life—sometimes even throughout their day. And so Bendable includes resources on a broad variety of topics, including cooking healthier meals and better handling one’s personal finances. You can use Bendable to take Spanish and study literature, too.
By offering this kind of breadth, we believe that Bendable can cultivate in people the habit of continuous learning.
A wide range of local stakeholders—businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions, neighborhood associations and other grassroots groups—also are committed to implementing Bendable-related programming and activities.
Among the features on Bendable are Community Collections—personal playlists of learning resources (classes, TED Talks, podcasts, etc.) on a given subject that are put together by local residents. Career Collections are sets of learning resources, curated by local employers, that help people prepare for some of the most in-demand jobs in the area.
In short, Bendable is truly community bred, led and fed. See for yourself at bendable.com.
* DRUCKER INSTITUTE Manage with courage."
"Bendable is a community-centered lifelong learning system created by the Drucker Institute, a nonprofit social enterprise based at Claremont Graduate University.
It allows residents of all ages and backgrounds to easily acquire new knowledge and skills through online courses as well as in-person learning opportunities.
The system’s aim is to make the residents of a particular place more resilient in the face of a fast-changing economy. It is truly lifelong and universal but is focused, above all, on reaching those in the community who have been most underserved.
In this way, Bendable is designed to fill an important need. Two-thirds of jobs in the U.S. now require some post-secondary education. Yet only 48% of adults have a four-year degree, two-year degree or workforce-relevant certificate. And in many communities, opportunities for continuous skill-building are scarce.
What’s more, even those already in “good jobs” must learn new skills. The McKinsey Global Institute projects that within the next decade, about a third of the tasks performed in 60% of all occupations will change as a result of automation and AI.
A robust learning marketplace, Bendable helps individuals find the training and educational resources that are just right for them. In most cases, content on the Bendable platform is free for the end user.
Bendable was launched in June 2020 in South Bend, Indiana, in close collaboration with the St. Joseph County Public Library and with support from the Mayor's Office. The Drucker Institute plans to expand Bendable to 10 additional communities by 2023.
The system in South Bend provides more than 1,500 learning resources from 20 local and national content partners. Most are for work. But we know that people are eager to learn for different reasons throughout their life—sometimes even throughout their day. And so Bendable includes resources on a broad variety of topics, including cooking healthier meals and better handling one’s personal finances. You can use Bendable to take Spanish and study literature, too.
By offering this kind of breadth, we believe that Bendable can cultivate in people the habit of continuous learning.
A wide range of local stakeholders—businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions, neighborhood associations and other grassroots groups—also are committed to implementing Bendable-related programming and activities.
Among the features on Bendable are Community Collections—personal playlists of learning resources (classes, TED Talks, podcasts, etc.) on a given subject that are put together by local residents. Career Collections are sets of learning resources, curated by local employers, that help people prepare for some of the most in-demand jobs in the area.
In short, Bendable is truly community bred, led and fed. See for yourself at bendable.com.
* DRUCKER INSTITUTE Manage with courage."
