curriculum for horizons for homeless children.hals

BROADENING HORIZONS A PROGRAM OF TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OFFERED BY HORIZONS FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN

Photography courtesy of Jacquie Spector

OVERVIEW OF TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

HORIZONS FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN Horizons for Homeless Children (HHC) is a Massachusetts-based non-profit organization specializing in programming to meet the needs of young children and their parents experiencing homelessness. It operates innovative child focused programs across Massachusetts in partnership with shelter and housing organizations. TRAINING On a national scale, HHC works to replicate its flexible program models in various contexts in other parts of the U.S.A. The agency shares best practices, lessons learned, research findings, staff training frameworks, and childcare systems-navigation approaches with audiences in the childcare and end-to-homelessness arenas nationwide. Towards this end, HHC offers thematic workshops, available in half day and full day formats, to diverse audiences. Each workshop is tailored to meet the needs of a group of organizations, schools, or network of service providers. All workshops are taught by HHC in-house experts who are seasoned practitioners in the workshop content areas. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE On a national scale, HHC works to replicate its flexible program models in various contexts in other parts of the U.S.A. Towards this end, HHC offers direct and individualized technical assistance consulting that is individually tailored to the needs of each client. All technical assistance is provided by HHC in-house experts who are seasoned practitioners in the implementation of HHC programs. Technical assistance includes consultations, sites visits, assessments, program development assistance, and ongoing coaching and capacity building. WHO TO CONTACT To schedule a workshop/request technical assistance for your organization, contact: Chelsea Goldstein-Walsh Administrative Assistance Horizons for Homeless Children 1705 Columbus Avenue, Roxbury, MA 02119 T 617.553.5455

TABLE OF CONTENTS WORKSHOP SERIES 3 COURSE CATALOG 4 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MODALITIES 13 PANEL OF EXPERTS 14

DIVERSE TRAINING FORMATS On-site workshops in early care and education settings On-site workshops in shelters, housing settings, homeless service settings Regional workshops for non-profit homeless/ housing organizations Regional workshops Workshops and national and local conferences Site-based workshops at organizations and childcare settings

TRAINING CHOICES 1. LET THE RUMPUS START HOW AND WHY DEVELOP PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN IN HOMELESSNESS, AND THEIR PARENTS THAT FOSTER PLAY, DEVELOPMENT AND RESILIENCE 2. GIVE PLAY BACK HOW TO DEVELOP PLAYSPACES LINKED TO SHELTERS, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, RAPID RE-HOUSING 3. MAKE NOISE HOW EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS CAN BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUNG CHILDREN IN HOMELESSNESS 4. A CHILD-FRIENDLY PLACE HOW TO DESIGN AND ENHANCE PHYSICAL SPACES, IN HOMELESS SHELTERS, HOUSING SETTINGS, AND EARLY EDUCATION AND CARE SETTINGS, THAT ENCOURAGE CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND FOSTER FAMILY RESILIENCE 5. HARDEST JOB IN THE WORLD CREATING PARENTING SUPPORT PROGRAMS TO SERVE FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS 6. PROVE IT HOW TO BUILD EXPERT EVALUATION INTO PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS WHO EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS 7. IT’S MINE HOW TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CHILDCARE FOR FAMILIES IN HOMELESSNESS AND MAP ADVOCACY AGENDAS FOR IMPROVING SUCH ACCESS IN THEIR STATES 8. CAN I BUY THAT? HOW TO FUNDRAISE AND ESTIMATE COSTS FOR THE FINANCING OF EARLY CARE, PARENTING SUPPORT PROGRAMS TARGETED TO YOUNG CHILDREN IN HOMELESSNESS

WORKSHOP SERIES

COURSE CATALOG

LET THE RUMPUS START | HOW AND WHY DEVELOP PROGRAMS

FOR YOUNG CHILDREN IN HOMELESSNESS AND THEIR PARENTS

THAT FOSTER PLAY, DEVELOPMENT AND RESILIENCE

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW This workshop is a comprehensive introduction and overview of all of HHC’s replicable national program models for addressing the unique needs of young children experiencing homelessness and supporting parents’ resilience during re-housing transitions. Program models presented in this workshop support children and parents while in shelters and throughout their transition to stable housing. These models include Playspaces that are collocated with shelter and housing, early care and education programs with a homelessness specialty, parenting support programs, home visiting and after-care for re-housed families, and systems navigation for childcare access strategies.

• Developmental challenges for young children in homelessness

• Protective factors that insulate children from risks

• Best practices to support child development

• Best practices to support family resilience

• Essential competencies for child-center programs

• Training frameworks for direct service providers

• Modules on each of HHC program models

• Program start-up and fundraising approaches

• Program evaluation methods

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

• Early Care and Education Providers

• Family Shelter Providers

• Domestic Violence Organizations

• Rapid Re-housing Programs

• Transitional and Supportive Housing Providers

• Stabilization and Homelessness Prevention Agencies

• Local Government Administrators of Shelter and Housing

• Local Government Administrators of Early Care and Education

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

1

• Half-day workshop

• Curriculum binder provided

• Follow-up technical assistance offered

FORM

AT

GIVE PLAY BACK | HOW TO DEVELOP PLAYSPACES LINKED

TO SHELTERS, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, RAPID RE-HOUSING

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW This workshop is an in-depth exploration of the HHC’s national model of Playspaces that are linked with family shelters, residences for survivors of domestic violence, transitional housing, or scattered site re-housing programs. Playspaces are a resource for encouraging play, development, and resilience for children facing the critical challenge of homelessness in their young lives. Playspaces are uniquely suited to meet the unique needs of children lacking permanent homes. Developed 20 years ago, HHC currently operates 29 Playspaces across Massachusetts and has inspired their replication in multiple other states. This workshop also shares HHC’s low cost method of harnessing volunteers to make Playspaces a highly economical program model.

• Benefits of Playspaces for young children

• Design and space considerations

• Volunteer recruitment, training, retention

• Scheduling

• Oversight and management

• Key factors of an effective Playspaces

• Effective shelter/housing partnerships

WHAT WILL I LEARN?









WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

2




FORM

AT

MAKE NOISE | HOW EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS

CAN BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUNG CHILDREN IN HOMELESSNESS

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW This workshop is an in-depth exploration of HHC’S replicable models and best practices for designing and staffing early care and education settings to meet the specific and unique needs of young children in homelessness. HHC operates three full service Community Children’s Centers for this child population in Massachusetts that coordinate with shelters and housing agencies across the state. Since 1994, the Community Children's Centers have provided comprehensive, full-time early care and education. Today, 175 children have a place to learn, play, explore, build social skills and to just be kids despite their family’s housing crisis. The lessons learned, best practices, staffing patterns, and training approaches developed by these centers are replicable in any early care and education setting where young children attend who are at risk of homelessness or are currently experiencing a housing crisis.

• Developmental challenges for young children in homelessness

• Trauma informed early care

• High quality early care in practice

• Curriculum design recommendations

• Staffing patterns recommendations

• Staff training frameworks

• Fundraising for services for children in homelessness

• Parenting support models

• Home visiting models for families exiting homelessness

• Data gathering on program outcomes

WHAT WILL I LEARN?


• Teachers, Aides, Administrators


• Advocacy Organizations for Young Children

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

3




FORM

AT

A CHILD-FRIENDLY PLACE | HOW TO DESIGN AND ENHANCE

PHYSICAL SPACES, IN HOMELESS SHELTERS, HOUSING SETTINGS,

AND EARLY EDUCATION AND CARE SETTINGS, TO ENCOURAGE

CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND FOSTER FAMILY RESILIENCE

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW This workshop is an exploration of HHC’s replicable approaches to designing physical spaces to best meet the needs of young children experiencing homelessness or on a re-housing journey. HHC uses sensitive design practices for its own Playspaces in family shelters and its three Community Children’s Centers. These design practices are replicable in any setting where children experiencing homelessness reside including shelters, residences for survivors of domestic violence, re-housing settings, and early care and education programs. When deliberate measures are taken to ensure the child-friendliness of such physical spaces, young children are better protected from the developmental risks of homelessness and insulated by essential protective factors. HHC’s recommendations for the sensitive design of physical spaces also enhance nuclear family life and, in so doing, promote family resiliency.

• Soothing color schemes and sound proofing

• Furnishings and floor treatments

• Toddler physical play space configurations

• Infant floor time space configurations

• Literacy promoting spaces and resources

• Spaces and amenities to promote family time

• Public messages and images on positive parenting

• Mealtime and food preparation space designs

• Safety and health recommendations

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

• Emergency Shelter Providers

• Transitional Housing Providers

• Re-housing and Supportive Housing Providers

• Domestic Violence Residence


• Service Agencies Providing Post-homelessness Stabilization Support

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

4




FORM

AT

HARDEST JOB IN THE WORLD | CREATING PARENTING SUPPORT

PROGRAMS TO SERVE FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW This workshop is an in-depth exploration of the HHC’ national model of Parenting Support that is extended to heads-of-household in families experiencing homelessness or in a re-housing transition. Parenting Support can be developed as a flexible program element in childcare settings, family shelters, and residences for survivors of domestic violence, transitional housing, residential substance abuse settings, or scattered site re-housing programs. Parenting Support facilitates positive parenting, parent-child bonds, child development, and family resilience. HHC developed its expertise in Parenting Support through the experiences of its statewide team of parent support advocates deployed across Massachusetts to work in conjunction with HHC Community Children’s Centers, shelters, and other settings for families experiencing homelessness.

• Program Models for Parenting Support Services

• Fostering Helping Relationships with Parents

• Experiential Family Activities

• Parenting Education Topics

• Fostering Parent- child bonds

• Fostering Parents’ knowledge of own children

• Basics of Early Childhood Development Basics

• Positive Parenting Messages and Images

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

• Homeless Shelters for Families

• Transitional Housing and Re-housing for Families

• Family Re-housing and Supportive Housing Providers


• Advocacy Organizations for Young Children

5

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?




FORM

AT

PROVE IT! | HOW TO BUILD PROGRAM EVALUATION INTO

PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, AND THEIR PARENTS,

WHO EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW Horizons for Homeless Children developed its own program evaluation methodology to study the impacts of service and early care and education programs for families, with young children, experiencing homelessness. This workshop shares HHC’s evaluation approach and data gathering tool with organizations offering similar child and family-centered programs. This framework systematically captures children’s developmental progress in physical, emotional, and cognitive realms when they are supported with HHC program models during their family’s trajectory through homelessness. From this research experience, HHC developed its replicable approach to integrating research methods into the every day work of assisting vulnerable families. These methods, data gathering tools, and evaluation frameworks are easily adapted to many multi-service and child centered programs focusing on families.

• Horizons School Readiness Framework for evaluation

• Data gathering do’s and don’ts

• Tailoring HHC’s methodology to fit your context

• Strategies for building evaluation into day-to-day workflow

• Methods to get such an evaluation underway

• Financing evaluation

• Using outside consultants to implement evaluation

• Utilizing outcome data to prove program efficacy with wide audiences

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

• Directors and case managers of shelter organizations

• Directors and service providers of transitional and re-housing programs




WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

6




FORM

AT

IT’S MINE | HOW TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CHILDCARE FOR

FAMILIES IN HOMELESSNESS AND MAP ADVOCACY AGENDAS

FOR IMPROVING SUCH ACCESS IN THEIR STATES

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW Horizons for Homeless Children promotes access to childcare and related social service programs for young children and their parents experiencing homelessness and during their re-housing transitions. In Massachusetts, HHC has successfully garnered public and private support to make the provision of this early care and education accessible to many families experiencing homelessness. On the state and federal level, HHC has a track record of engaging policy makers in an agenda for promoting access and problem solving access barriers to childcare on a wide scale. These approaches to securing childcare and overcoming access barriers are replicable to many organizations and providers. The concrete information needed to facilitate seamless and continuous childcare access is often missing from organizations and providers supporting families who are homeless or regaining housing.

• Availability of childcare for children in homelessness

• Public funding streams that pay for childcare

• Current trends in funding childcare

• Systems navigation of childcare programming

• Eligibility and compliance requirements

• State by state variability in childcare access challenges

• State specific trends and systems

• Childcare access policy agenda

• Policy and advocacy tools and training

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

• Early Care and Education Providers with Dedicated Homeless Slots

• Early Care and Education Providers Seeking Dedicated Homeless Slots

• Shelter and Housing-based Case Managers

• State and Local Advocacy Organizations for Homeless Families

• National Advocacy Organizations for Young Children

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

7




FORM

AT

CAN I BUY THAT? | HOW TO ESTIMATE COSTS AND RAISE FUNDS

FOR CHILDCARE AND PARENTING SUPPORT PROGRAMS TARGETED

TO YOUNG CHILDREN IN HOMELESSNESS

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW Horizons for Homeless Children operates a myriad of innovative early care, education, and support service programs for families experiencing homelessness and during their re-housing transition. Dependable funding sources are critical for the continued success and sustainability of HHC programs. The agency has supported this steady expansion of programs, primarily by charitable gifts from individuals, corporations and foundation. Details of the HHC fundraising approach, which combines public funds with a comprehensive private capital campaign, will be of interest to many providers and organizations seeking to pay for child care and parenting support services for young children and their parents experiencing homelessness.

• Public sources of funding for childcare and parenting programs

• Private sources of funding for childcare and parenting programs

• Sources for tracking public funding opportunities

• Budgets and per unit cost estimates for new programs

• Successful private fundraising mechanisms for such programs

• Fundraising events planning

• Direct mail fundraising strategies

• Use of volunteers to reduce costs

• Recommended approaches to integrating volunteers

WHAT WILL I LEARN?









WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

8




FORM

AT

INDIVIDUALIZED CAPACITY BUILDING 1. ON-SITE EXPERT ASSESSMENTS VISITS FROM HHC STAFF TO YOUR SHELTER, HOUSING PROGRAM, EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION SETTING, OR SERVICE AGENCY. TAILORED TRAINING AND IN-SERVICE EDUCATION FOR YOUR STAFF. ON-SITE ASSESSMENTS OF THE CAPACITY OF YOUR PHYSICAL SPACES AND SERVICE APPROACHES TO MEET UNIQUE NEEDS OF YOUNG CHILDREN IN HOMELESSNESS. 2. ACTION PLANS AND CONSULTATIONS CREATION OF PLANS FOR PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT OR IMPROVEMENT. ON-SITE OR OFF-SITE COACHING IN APPROACHES AND BEST PRACTICES FOR MEETING DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF YOUNG CHILDREN IN HOMELESSNESS. REGULAR CONSULTATIONS TO STAFF TEAMS ON TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACHES AND SUPPORTS FOR RESILIENT FAMILIES. 3. CHILD-CENTERED PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN REPLICATING HHC’S PROGRAM MODELS: PLAYSPACES, COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S CENTERS, PARENTING SUPPORT PROGRAMS, AND HOME VISITING SERVICES. SHARING OF HHC PROGRAM MODELS’ TOOLS, STAFFING PATTERNS, AND VOLUNTEER SYSTEMS. 4. EVALUATION AND DATA GATHERING COACHING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT IN DEVELOPING AN EVALUATION PLAN, METHODOLOGY, AND DATA GATHERING TOOL FOR CHILD-CENTERED PROGRAMS WITHIN ANY HOMELESS SERVICE OR MULTI-SERVICE. PLANNING TO INTEGRATE EVALUATION WITHIN YOUR FLOW OF SERVICE. 5. FUNDRAISING EDUCATION ON HOW AND WHERE TO FIND PRIVATE AND PUBLIC FUNDING STREAMS TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. COST ESTIMATES FOR REPLICATING HHC PROGRAM MODELS. 6. TOOLS AND REFERENCES WORKBOOKS, GUIDES, REFERENCE MATERIALS, AND E-RESOURCES TO ASSIST YOUR ORGANIZATION IN DEVELOPING AND IMPROVING PROGRAMS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUNG CHILDREN, AND THEIR FAMILIES, AT RISK FOR OR EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

POTENTIAL CLIENTS Early care and education providers Family shelter providers Residential substance abuse treatment providers Domestic violence organizations Rapid re-housing programs Transitional and supportive housing providers Stabilization and homelessness prevention agencies Homeless continuum Of care networks Local government administrators

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MODALITIES

EXPERTS HHC’S workshops and technical assistance services are led by HHC in-house experts on young children in homelessness. The experts have skills in designing innovative, cost effective childcare, Playspaces, and parenting support programs that foster child development and family resiliency. The HHC faculty educate staff at both early care setting and homeless/housing organizations to become in-house experts on the unique needs of young children, best practices in providing them and their parents with skilled care and services, and all aspects of replicating HHC nationally recognized program models. PROGRAM MODELS • Specialty on homelessness integrated in mainstream childcare. • Set aside childcare for children in homelessness • Playspaces linked to shelter, housing, and/or homeless services. • Parenting support and after-care home visiting. • Program evaluation of early care and parenting supports. • Childcare systems navigation and access strategy. EXPERTISE • Social emotional development of children in homelessness. • Fluency on homeless experience and impacts for young children. • Best practices in mainstream and specialized care settings. • Place basing programs in homeless and re-housing arena. • Access to childcare and policy/advocacy to expand opportunities. • Harnessing voluntary sector. • Evaluation design and methodology for care and parenting programs. • Financing opportunities and fund raising for HHC models.

PANEL OF EXPERTS

NATHAN HUTTO, MSW is the Director of Evaluation and Innovation at HHC, where he oversees strategic evaluation and research projects related to the education and support of young children in homelessness and their families. Mr. Hutto is an expert in the design of early childhood program evaluation, logic models, and outcomes-oriented information systems. He previously worked as a researcher and educator at Columbia University, Teach for America, Public/Private Ventures, Boston Public Schools, U.S. Peace Corps, and a Kosovo-based non-profit. Nathan holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from Columbia University and is completing a PhD in Social Policy Analysis at Columbia University.

KELLEY GOSSETT, J.D. is Director of Policy and Advocacy at HHC. Ms. Gossett was previously General Counsel and Research Director for the Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government for the State of Massachusetts. Ms. Gossett has extensive knowledge and expertise related to state and federal policies that affect early education and care as these realms intersect with homelessness. Ms. Gossett holds a Law Degree from Suffolk University Law School where she was a legal advocate for the Child Advocacy Clinic.

SARAH FUJIWARA, M.ED, is Chief Playspace Programs Officer at HHC where she oversees the agency’s unique statewide, shelter-based Playspaces. Ms. Fujiwara has expertise in the design and development of programs for young children in homelessness that promote play, child development, and family resiliency. Ms. Fujiwara was formerly at Work/Family Directions/Ceridian where she served as Manager of the Business/Technology Team, Leader of a Client Team and as an Early Childhood Counselor. She holds a Bachelors of Science degree from Wheelock College and a Master’s Degree in Child Study from Tufts University.

ANDREA URBANO, M.A., is the Director of Center Based Programs at HHC. Ms. Urbano has been involved in the field of Early Childhood Education for the past 30 years as a teacher, administrator, trainer, advocate, state licensor and education consultant. Ms. Urbano received her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from New York University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Boston College. She completed a Masters program at the Erikson Institute and has been trained at the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) as a coach and module implementer.

FACULTY

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