Play At The Core (PATC) has been collaborating with NYU’s Adaptive Leadership in Human Services Institute for the past three years, designing and facilitating one of the institute’s signature programs, The Adaptive Leadership Laboratory (the Lab). The Lab brings together a cohort of human service professionals over a period of nine months, providing them with a platform to sharpen their leadership skills while tackling a shared social justice challenge and promoting human services leadership.

In the fall of 2022, the third installment of the Lab was launched on the North Shore of Staten Island. The program has been a success, with Lab members working tirelessly to address their shared challenge of advancing the well-being and elevating the Staten Island Human Services workforce, against the backdrop of a culture that traditionally exploits and undervalues these professionals. 

Human Services Leadership

As the program culminates in the coming months, the group is defining their strategies to engage the broader Staten Island community in their efforts. The Lab has been a unique opportunity for human service professionals to come together and address issues that are often ignored, while also learning new leadership skills and strategies. It has been a valuable platform for members to share their experiences and learn from each other, and the community of practice has provided support and guidance throughout the program.

The success of the Lab is a testament to the importance of adaptive leadership and its potential to effect change in the human services sector. As the Lab participants work towards engaging the broader Staten Island community in their work, PATC and NYU’s Adaptive Leadership in Human Services Institute will continue to work together to develop new and innovative programs that promote social justice and advance the well-being of vulnerable populations. We look forward to sharing the strategies and insights developed by the Lab members and the continued success of this unique partnership between PATC and NYU.

Read more about Play At The Core’s impact from our most recent survey of partners »