Programs

We wanted the best programs for the kids and families we help. After a thorough vetting process, the Collaborative chose four agencies to fund over a five-year period. These are, AVANCE – the Baby University Project; Catholic Charities – the Together We Learn Project; The Concilio – the Parents as Leaders Project; and East Dallas Community Schools – the Bachman Lake Community School. From August 2009 through June 2014, we will help these agencies make a difference in children’s lives for the betterment of our community.

During the first two years of the initiative, we’ve provided direct services to a total of 1,648 children and 1,651 parents. Over the five-year period, the agencies will provide direct services to at least 4,200 parents and more than 5,200 children. We anticipate this will have a positive impact on the school system, as thousands of children will have the tools they need to succeed.

AVANCE-Dallas - Baby University
AVANCE's Bachman Lake Baby University Project expands the agency's presence in Bachman to three additional elementary school sites, for a total of four. The project provides classes that teach parents practical ways to stimulate their children and their vocabulary development starting at birth. The project also expands the agency's time-tested parent-child educational program by adding a second year of classes, extending services up to age five. Additionally, it enhances AVANCE's traditional model by training volunteer neighborhood leaders to be Baby University Promotoras, a cadre of grassroots early childhood education advocates who make home visits to provide mothers with mini-lessons and educational materials.
www.avance-dallas.org

Catholic Charities - Together We Learn
Catholic Charities' Together We Learn Program uses a holistic family approach that entails simultaneous learning by parents and their children age birth to five years of age. The Program objectives are twofold: (1) to provide quality, dual language early childhood education to pre-school age children by trained teachers within age-appropriate centers of learning; and (2) to immerse parents in English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Parents and their children are enrolled in the program together, four days a week for a six month session.
www.catholiccharitiesdallas.org/TogetherWeLearn

The Concilio - Parents as Leaders
The Concilio's Parents as Leaders (PAL) program, is a new 30-week curriculum that was developed for parents of preschool age children in the Bachman Lake area. Parent graduates of The Concilio's PAL program develop an understanding of the fact that they are the most important teacher, role model, and leader in their child's life. Parents also come away with the knowledge and tools to help their child develop speech and language skills, increase vocabulary, recognize science, math, and language arts concepts in everyday activities, and ultimately, to prepare their child for Kindergarten.
www.dallasconcilio.org

East Dallas Community School - Bachman Lake Community School
East Dallas Community School's Bachman Lake Community School Project provides high quality learning experiences for parents of children age birth to three in Bachman apartment complexes. The project also provides parent leadership development and, beginning in Year 3, caregiver education that will cultivate early language development. This Bachman program for children, parents, and caregivers is based on the Montessori approach and uses the Parents as Teachers' parent education curriculum. Currently located at Cornerstone Chase and Chapel Brook Apartments, the program has been lauded for its innovative approach to building trust within a community whose residents are often hesitant to form relationships with institutions.
www.edcschool.org