What we do
The Brothers & Sisters Program is specifically designed for the middle – and high-school aged youth who take care of their younger siblings, cousins, nieces/nephews, and other young children while the children’s parents go to school or to work. These youth are often overlooked as caregivers, but make amazing contributions to the happy and healthy development of the children in their families.
Youth caregivers learn about child development, how what they do supports children’s well-being and school readiness, child safety as well as practicing self-care and mindfulness techniques to help youth’s own well-being. BrightSpark is currently working to expand this program even further, having recently received a grant from the Boeing Company to create early math learning to the curriculum and to enhance the program’s evaluation and curriculum.
How Brothers & Sisters helps young caregivers
In a survey for participants following training sessions:
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- 100% said they will use what they learned to change the way they care for young children
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100% agreed that they are more knowledgeable about how children develop
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100% agreed that they feel more prepared to handle an emergency involving a child in their care
Looking for more information about our Brothers & Sisters program, to get involved, or to sign up? Our Family, Friend, and Neighbor team would love to hear from you!