COMMUNITY
Creating a Community of Growth and Development
- An overview of the Initiative
- Project Goals and Objectives
- Action Plans and Implications
- Creating a Community of Growth and Development
- Valuing Dialogue and Shared Learning
- Measurements of Success
MTF/CURL Community Fellows convened 3 events in 2006 that addressed these issues:
1. Understanding the Early Childhood Playing Field: Introduction to Public Policy Shapers (February 9, 2006). This was a small presentation for staff from the 9 agencies that began the process of sharing relevant public policy information.
2. Understanding the Impact of Preschool for All on Early Childhood Educators (September 22, 2006). The goal of this event was to have policymakers and policy shapers from the state and the city in the same room with practitioners to discuss “Preschool for All.” This event was attended by over 200 practitioners and advocacy group representatives.
3. Get to Know Your Advocates (November 3, 2006). The goal of this event was to continue the learning of the “early childhood playing field” by meeting staff from key Illinois advocacy groups (Voices for Illinois Children, Ounce of Prevention, Chicago Metro AEYC, Coalition for Site Administered Child Care, and Action for Children).Using a small group format, the 50 practitioners that attended the event learned about the goals of each of these advocacy groups and how respective agendas were set.
MTF Matching Grants to Support Agency Growth:
The Foundation felt that it was important to increase the sustainability of the professional development protocols created through this initiative. The goal of the ‘matching grants’ component of the initiative was to encourage the agencies to begin seeking non-MTF support for professional development. In order to begin raising funds for professional development, all of the organizations were given an opportunity to apply for additional funds (up to $15,000/year per agency) for two years.