SBIR Phase I: An integrated digital approach to mental health and skill development for workforce re-entry (COVID-19)

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to provide integrated digital tools to support mature learners in rejoining the workforce. The proposed system leverages best practice in engaging learners virtually through several different tools, enabling them to interact both with facilitators and their peer groups; moreover, content can be delivered in a self-paced fashion. Furthermore, the system incorporates new understanding of mental health challenges in operating virtually to support re-entry to the workforce. This is particularly critical in the realignment of the workplace following the COVID-19 pandemic. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project synthesizes a number of technologies such as self-paced digital courses, peer-to-peer virtual environments, and live coaching to provide both functional instruction and social/emotional support for return to the workforce. The proposed project will test the feasibility of both the digital tools as well as pedagogical approaches to assess feasibility of an integrated system. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.