What a Wonderful (SEL) World

Does a song ever pop up in your head at the oddest of times?

Last week I was pondering the numerous ways Socio-emotional learning (SEL) can describe the diverse work of our nonprofit sector, as one does on a Wednesday afternoon. 

And then, the raspy voice of good ol’ Louis Armstrong filled my mind–What a Wonderful World.  Or, rather, What a Wonderful (SEL) World.

For a brief moment I considered rewriting the lyrics myself. But who has the time for that!

“Maybe this is a job for AI,” I thought to myself.  And this is the result. 

What a Wonderful Heart (via ChatGPT)

🎶I see kids grow, they learn and share,Finding their voices, showing they care. And I think to myself… What a wonderful heart.

I see friends reach, with kindness they show, Helping each other, together they grow. And I think to myself… What a wonderful heart.

The laughter of children, courage so bright, Learning their feelings, and naming them right. A circle of trust, respect in their view, Building connection in all that they do.

I see adults pause, take time to breathe, Model compassion in what they believe. And I think to myself…What a wonderful heart.

Yes, I think to myself…What a wonderful heart. 🎶

It’s hard to imagine a world where transformational growth in nonprofits can’t be described by socio-emotional (SEL) gains.  

At SEED Impact, we categorize those domains as Being, Doing, and Relating.  Another way to describe them are: Identity, Skills, Community formation. 

The ability to apply these themes to the causes we care about are limitless.  Moreover, SEL is not just for children and youth.  Everyone, adults included, are on a learning journey.  

For the organization working with mental health, possible outcomes could be:

For organizations supporting immigrant communities, possible outcomes could be:

For organizations supporting workforce development, possible outcomes could be:

Of course, achieving these outcomes does not happen all at once.  They happen bit by bit, hour by hour, program by program, stage by stage.  

That’s why the SEED Competency Ladders™ measure the progress towards the desired outcome in each domain, recognizing that growth rates will vary person to person.

Are you ready to take a closer look at the Wonderful World of SEL?  Email us at possibilities@seedimpact.org to book your free discovery call.    

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Sonja Schappert Howden has been a SEED Impact evaluation client for six years and now leads SEEDing Stronger Together in the Tenderloin of San Francisco, as SEED Impact's Chief Impact Officer.