Workspace, located in Bethel, Connecticut, is unlike any other coworking space. Not only does it provide a shared office, it also features unorthodox K-12 education.
Founder Cath Fraise said that when launching the center in 2016, she wanted to fill a void that allowed parents to work and children to learn.
“I started by wanting to make a school, but I wanted everyone to be able to afford it,” said Fraise. “I also wanted to incubate social entrepreneurs and have a space where everyone is working and creating small businesses.”
Workspace operates on a concierge model, offering upfront fees that include parent training, education for their children, and access to the office space six days a week. Parents also work with Workspace staff and education specialists to cater learning plans for their child.
The center also includes art studios, a music room, research labs, a gym, wood shop and maker-space.
Melanie Ryan, a psychotherapist, enrolled her son Justin in Workspace Education after he experienced emotional stress due to his experiences in public school and realized it was the perfect fit for her work life and her son’s educational benefit.
Fraise said that she views Workspace as the flagship model in combining coworking and co-learning spaces and hopes that other operators will follow suit.
