What is the Universal Skills Project?

The Universal Skills Project is built on a simple but powerful truth: the skills that help people thrive are learned everywhere—at home, at school, and at work—and they grow best when there is a shared language, intentional practice, and supportive systems around them.

At home, Universal Skills Project recognizes that families are already teaching essential skills every day through routines, conversations, conflict, play, and care. Our work supports families in becoming more intentional about naming these skills, noticing where children are already strong, and gently strengthening what comes next, without adding more to already full lives. We help families integrate skill-building into daily rhythms so children grow into people who can feel good, do good, and navigate the world with confidence.

In schools and districts, Universal Skills Project serves as a foundational framework that embeds seamlessly into existing systems like PBIS, MTSS, restorative practices, and academic instruction. Drawing on over seven years of experience as a school principal and district coordinator, we align Universal Skills across classrooms, interventions, and school culture, so they are not an add-on, but the connective tissue. When schools share a common skill language and intentionally teach, model, and assess these skills, we see improved student outcomes, stronger relationships, and more coherent systems that support both learning and belonging.

In workplaces and organizations, Universal Skills Project helps adults continue growing the same core skills they need to collaborate, innovate, communicate, and lead with integrity. Through self-assessments, learning programs, and professional development, we support organizations in building reflective, skill-centered cultures where people understand their strengths, navigate complexity, learn from feedback, and adapt thoughtfully over time.

Across all settings, Universal Skills Project centers four core domains—Personal Development, Community Connection, Innovative Thinking, and Effective Communication, as universal, transferable skills for life. Our approach is human-centered, systems-aware, and grounded in real practice, helping individuals and organizations grow skills that matter everywhere they show up.