SWAN 3G
Community-Building and Training Strategy for Better Mentorship
Role
Strategic Designer
UX Researcher
Methods
Qualitative Research
User Personas
Go-To-Market Strategy
Team
Camila Ordonez
Anaab Ibrahim
Louisa Buck
Bernardita Lira
Bhumika Keswani
Introduction
SWAN 3G, founded by the creators of Sesame Street, is an innovative mentoring initiative aimed at bridging generational divides to combat loneliness and isolation. With a focus on connecting Generation Alpha to Baby Boomers, SWAN 3G seeks to foster intergenerational relationships that enhance emotional well-being and communication across age groups. In a world where loneliness has reached epidemic levels—36% of Americans report feeling “serious loneliness” according to a Harvard Graduate School of Education report—SWAN 3G’s mission is more critical than ever.
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Brief
Our team was tasked with scaling the SWAN 3G program, starting with a key challenge: strengthening the existing mentoring framework. We identified that to successfully scale, the program needed an enhanced focus on community-building, mentor and mentee onboarding, and more robust training across all generations involved. Our goal was to create a sustainable and adaptable system to enable SWAN 3G to reach more communities and provide a meaningful, long-term impact.
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Solution
We developed a comprehensive product roadmap, laying the groundwork for scaling the initiative. This roadmap included accessible curricula, a clear mentorship framework, and streamlined training materials for mentors and mentees. By prioritizing community-building and ease of adoption, we ensured that partners and end-users could effectively implement and customize the platform to fit their needs. Our solution positions SWAN 3G to expand its reach, deepen intergenerational connections, and build lasting relationships through the joy and familiarity of Sesame Street.
Exploring the Status Quo and Current Mentorship Landscape
During the pilot phase, the founders shared key insights that revealed foundational challenges within the organization. Before developing a go-to-market (GTM) strategy, it became clear that we needed to define and address the core issues, goals, and the impact of the three-generational mentoring program. Our team recognized that strengthening the existing mentoring framework was essential before planning for expansion.
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Through interviews with preschool teachers, seniors, and teenagers, we refined the problem framework. Originally focused on scalability, we shifted the focus to enhancing community-building across generations. This led us to reframe the question from:
How might we create a scalable platform with accessible curriculum, mentoring, and training, so that partners and end users are able to easily adopt the solution as well as customize it for their particular context?
How might we enhance the community building experience to strengthen connections between members, creating a solid foundation for the overall journey and program growth?
Building a Human-Centered Strategy
COMMUNITY BUILDING
In our 4-week design sprint, we engaged nine users to understand the mentoring program's gains, pains, and needs. The resulting personas highlight key insights into what drives seniors, teens, and preschoolers to participate and what they need from the program.
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These personas informed our "North Star" framework for community building, onboarding, and training, ensuring a balanced approach to connection and learning for all involved in the SWAN 3G program.
I love when we talk about cool things, but sometimes I get lost in big words.
- Parker, Preschooler
Seeks to...
* Enhance Social-Emotional Learning through fun activities.
Fears / is frustrated by...
* A vocabulary gap in discussions.
- Maintaining focus & concentration.
- Lack of incentives to talk about content.
Needs...
* Guidance to bridge the vocabulary gap.
- Tools for improving focus & cognitive engagement.
- Tactile experiences to enhance learning.
I feel more confident chatting with my grandparents now.
- Tanvi, Teenager
Seeks to...
* Be recognized for the program's impact on her college application.
- Develop a sense of leadership & confidence.
Fears / is frustrated by...
* A vocabulary gap in discussions.
- Lack of understanding with her grandparents.
- Being judged and misunderstood.
- Lack of tools to explore impact beyond SEL.
Needs...​
* Program certification for college applications.
* Support in addressing the vocabulary gap.
* Calendar invites & reminders for participation.
- Tools to explore impact, fostering leadership & confidence.
Being part of this program has brought purpose and joy to my retirement.
- Sovann, Senior
Seeks to...
* Stay active/engaged in meaningful activities.
* Build connections & combat isolation.
Fears / is frustrated by...
* A vocabulary gap in discussions.
* Tech challenges blocking participation.
- Feeling irrelevant.
Needs...
* Guidance in addressing the vocabulary gap.
* Effective mentoring preparation & tech tools.
* Calendar invites & reminders for participation.
- Skills to handle tricky situations & ice breakers.
* Areas of Intervention
North Star Framing
To guide SWAN 3G in achieving its mission, we mapped the program journey, identified key milestones, and crafted a North Star statement to address user pain points and align with overarching objectives.
COMMUNITY BUILDING
ONBOARDING & TRAINING
A 3-Generational community founded on trust and safety strengthening human connection and leading to build a society to help them thrive.
North Star
This helped us identify opportunities and prioritize the foundational areas, leading us to focus on:
Community Building and Onboarding & Training.
Proceeding from our research and interviews with the participants of SWAN 3G's pilot program, we found how Community Building and Onboarding & Training enhance retention, engagement, and commitment among mentors and mentees given we learned how -
Community
Building
Onboarding
and Training
Curriculum
Recruitment
and Matching
KPIs Definition
Monetization
Effective community, communication, and training serve as the cornerstone for a successful user journey.
When mentors are well-prepared, they not only engage more effectively during sessions, but also handle diverse situations with greater proficiency.
Establishing clear guidelines, setting specific goals, and communicating program expectations create a sense of community and belonging.
Community-Building through Brand Identity
To strengthen community-building, we defined SWAN 3G’s purpose, values, and guidelines, focusing on a supportive, inclusive environment. This included regular group activities, program ambassadors, and recognition rewards.
A clear brand identity and communication of the mission, vision, values, and code of conduct were essential for uniting participants, fostering accountability, and building trust—empowering the program to combat loneliness and create cross-generational connections in the digital age.
Onboarding and Training
Our second focus for the SWAN 3G Platform, encompassed 3 stages: Onboarding, Training, & Key Questions, with the following considerations:
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User-Friendly Interface
For all age groups, prioritizing accessibility features, larger fonts, and simple navigation, to cater to seniors and preschoolers.
Age-Appropriate Content
Tailor activities to suit different age groups, providing materials & interactions for a diverse user base.
Gamified Experience
Engagement elements, e.g. a point system where users advance via training steps, leveling up until they are ready to become SWAN 3G mentors.
Support
A system with features like a FAQ section and technical support for users facing difficulties.
Training & Orientation Resources
Easy-to-follow training materials & tutorials, including orientation sessions for mentors & mentees.
Product Roadmap
We mapped out key stages to guide development, starting with a community-centered foundation for onboarding, training, and feedback. Next, we outlined essential training modules for the mentoring program, concluding with steps to join SWAN 3G.
The deliverable included detailed concepts for each stage.
Onboarding
Training
Key
Questions
Orientation
Mission & Vision of SWAN 3G
Age-specific Guide to use the platform
Step-by-step age-specific Handbook
Training resources + Toolkits
Skills Development
Post-session Impact Evaluation
Debrief with their generational cohort
Option to extend Training
1 - 2 days
1 - 2 weeks
1 - 2 days
*Start here
Community values + Code of conduct
Support
Learnings
To make a real impact, you need a deep understanding of the problem you're solving and how it evolves. Staying in tune with changes in the field is important, but understanding how these shifts affect users is even more crucial.
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Staying connected with your target audience is key. Engaging with them directly provides valuable insights into their needs, pains, and passions, which should guide every stage of the project. This ensures your solutions truly address their challenges.
By focusing on the core needs and emotions of your audience, you create products or services that resonate, building trust and setting the foundation for long-term success. A customer-centric approach drives meaningful results and lasting impact.
About Swan 3G
Swan 3G is an educational media and technology startup, introducing a mentoring program to foster SEL (social-emotional learning) among seniors, teens, and preschoolers. Leveraging Sesame Street Workshop's media assets, the program aims to improve communication, connectedness, confidence, and creativity.
The project has been piloted in Texas and California, with the aim of offering a turnkey approach for communities worldwide. They prioritize simplicity and resilience in our operations, taking into account stakeholder roles, delivery methods, mentorship dynamics, scheduling challenges, and a framework for feedback and evaluation.