The Practice Space

PARENT & PARTNER TESTIMONIAL ???????? Su Jin Jez is the CEO of California Competes and a parent to participants of The Practice Space. Read her heartfelt words below: "Practice Space has been invaluable both on a personal and professional front. As a parent, I’ve watched my children gain skills and confidence in public speaking after participating in the Practice Space program. And for the team at California Competes, we engaged Practice Space for two professional development workshops focused on both structured presentation and spontaneous speaking scenarios. I've also worked with them for one-on-one coaching and found the individualized support to be priceless. What sets Practice Space apart is their ability to create a supportive environment where you immediately apply what you learn. I've seen the results firsthand, both in my children's communication skills development and in my and my team's improved presentation capabilities." - Su Jin Jez, Parent & California Competes CEO Transform leadership in your workplace with The Practice Space ????? #CareerGrowth #WomenLeaders #CommunicationSkills #WorkplaceSuccess

Our approach is aligned with the work of important thinkers such as bell hooks and Paulo Freire who emphasize the need for liberatory education ???????? Learning is about power. It goes beyond the memorization of facts and random knowledge. When students are provided the opportunity to be self-directed in their learning, they are more able to fully engage, participate, and grow with the material. While historical approaches to education focus on transfer of knowledge between someone who has information and someone that does not, liberatory education flips this deficit-based assumption on its head. Liberatory education requires us to recognize the knowledge students already have, support them in the long-term process of understanding how they learn, and provide space for them to cultivate their own agency in the learning process. To read more on liberatory education, check out this article from the American Federation of Teachers: https://lnkd.in/gKQ3TZi8 #OurPhilosophy #bellhooks #PauloFreire #Education

A #Strategic #Plan is an organization’s road map for the direction they want to take moving forward. Its purpose is to guide the organization’s movement, decision-making process, and general course of action over an extended period of time ?? There are many barriers to voice in the workplace, school, and beyond. To combat this and accomplish our goals, we have four key aspects within our “Theory of Change” → 1. Expand youth services in Northern California 2. Establish Leadership Collaboratives nationwide 3. Strengthen The Practice Space community, awareness, and identity 4. Invest in internal infrastructure and capacity We are honored to introduce The Practice Space’s Strategic Plan, available to read and explore on our website: https://lnkd.in/gP7a4dVC #Priorities #CoreValues #NonProfit

?????Building #CommunicationSkills in Science ???? The importance of using your voice in the classroom applies to every student and every subject. Jenny Crowley, a high school teacher in Maine, is fostering a more ethical and humanities-led approach to her science lessons. Students engage in small and large group discussions to talk through the bioethical dilemmas and science behind sickle cell disease. By prioritizing her students' literacy and communication skills, Crowley goes beyond teaching them the basics of biology, and instead sharpens their ability to debate, discuss, and comprehend every dimension of the material. “We want our students to be thinking about multiple perspectives and how decisions impact people differently, in different populations,” Crowley concludes. Read the full article and watch the overview video here: https://lnkd.in/gQAAnSDZ #Education #StudentSuccess #Classroom #Resources #Voice

??The Practice Space #SummerCamps ?? Warmer weather is just around the corner, and if you’re anything like us– you plan for the summer season months in advance. The Practice Space is offering two public speaking camps in June and July. Our workshops help foster confidence, improve communication skills, and encourage youth leadership. Check out the details below and sign up on our website.?? Young Speakers Camp:? ?? The Practice Space office (317 11th St Richmond, CA 94801) ??? June 23rd - 27th ? 10am to 2pm ???? Ages 8-12 ?? $150 (Optional) Leadership Training add-on:? ? 2 to 5pm daily ?? $100 extra Teen Speakers Camp:? ?? The Practice Space office (317 11th St Richmond, CA 94801) ??? July 14th - 25th ? 10am to 2pm ????♀? Ages 13-18 ?? $350 To learn more and sign up on website, click here: https://lnkd.in/gPmgxivJ #PublicSpeaking #BayArea #CommunicationSkills

Writing a book is no small feat. Thank you AnnMarie Baines , Caitlin Healy , and Diana Medina for sharing your wisdom with the world ????? To purchase "Amplify Student Voices" or learn more about its contents, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/grBbNca2

Our team at The Practice Space is honored to partner with Americorps VISTA for another year in hiring a new Program Coach for our public speaking programs, and we'd love your help spreading the word! Job responsibilities include furthering our mission by facilitating events, leading educational programs, teaching youth participants, and fostering relationships within the Bay Area community. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have some college experience. The role is full time and based in Richmond, CA with a start date of Monday, March 10th.?Interviews will take place between February 3rd and 10th with a decision made by the 17th. To learn more and apply, visit our job posting here --> https://lnkd.in/grnSXj4P

Thank you for your continuous support and dedication to helping spread our mission. We're incredibly thankful to be part of this community ?? ??

PARTICIPANT TESTIMONIAL ?????? Ashton is an 8th grader and participant at The Practice Space. Last month he competed in our Young Speakers Tournament, commenting that: “I was never really confident in my voice and speaking ability. [The Practice Space] helped me #TaketheLeap to be able to do debate and more speaking things outside of school, as well as be more civically engaged in my community.” Great job, Ashton! #YouthLeaders #PublicSpeaking #CivicAction

Melanie Perkins was rejected by over 100 investors in her journey to start Canva. She took the leap anyway, treating each rejection as an opportunity to learn and pivot. Perkins is now one of the youngest female CEOs of a multi-billion dollar tech start-up. As of 2025, Canva is valued at over $40 billion ???? People may not always believe in you, but with a clear #Voice and a strong #Vision, nothing can stand in your way!! https://lnkd.in/gVwySa9g #FemaleFounder #Leadership #TaketheLeap #SuccessStory