VIA Institute's Services and Work

The VIA Institute is a scientific endeavor dedicated to the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge about positive character strengths of individuals.  We ask, "How can character strengths be nurtured and leveraged to improve performance, well-being, and the fabric of society?"

We focus our efforts on the researchers, psychologists, coaches, and educators who are invested in this work. Our activities revolve around:

1.  VIA Classification – The VIA Institute supported the development of the Classification and disseminates knowledge about it through the publication of Character Strengths and Virtues and other select publications, its website, and workshops.

2.  VIA Survey – The VIA Institute encourages appropriate use of the VIA Survey in research and practice through awareness campaigns and workshops, and dissemination of ongoing validation research.  The Institute offers the VIA Surveys free of charge on this site, and through select other sites.

3.  Community  Building – The VIA Institute has established and maintains a robust social networking website where practitioners, researchers, and funders can share their work with each other for the purpose of professional cross-fertilization.

4.  Communications – The Institute is committed to gathering and disseminating best, science-based applications of the VIA Classification and Survey.  To this end, we convene and support serious practitioners to help people understand the ever-deepening knowledge base. 

5.  Research – The Institute is interested particularly in understanding the outcome of living life in concordance with one's character strengths.  The VIA Institute supports professionals with research codes for aggregating and reporting data sets for the VIA Survey.  The Institute also works to aggregate funds to support select research projects.

6.  Technical Assistance – The VIA Institute guides practitioners who design and deliver educational opportunities --workshops, trainings, and consultations -- with individuals and organizations.  In the Cincinnati area, VIA has helped guide several non-profit agencies through consultations to designed to focus staff and services around personal signature strengths. Infomation on these services is available by contacting VIA Institute on Character.

7.  Advocacy - The Institute educates thought leaders in politics, business, education, health care, social services, military, religion and sports to further awareness, understanding, and use of the VIA Classification in their work.