What we're talking about
Early Learning Conversations (ELCs) are held in small groups, hosted by local community partners across King and Pierce county. With a focus on immigrant and refugee families with children under the age of 5, ELCs are led by members of their communities who speak their language and share their culture.
We provide ELC leaders with training, curriculum guides, and teaching materials to guide these conversations, with a goal of improving parents’ and caregivers’ understanding of topics such as child development, health, safety, nutrition, discipline, school readiness, self-care, and how to thrive in a multicultural community.
Creating community-centered conversations
To foster a learning environment that is based in communities and responsive to their unique needs and cultural values, we work closely with our ELC leaders to ensure the discussions and materials are as effective as possible.
Our process looks like this:
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We connect with communities to identify early learning ambassadors to partner with
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We teach ambassadors about the content discussed in ELCs
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We coach, train, and support our ambassadors through hosting their own ELCS
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And finally, we regularly check in with ambassadors and community members to discuss the relevance and helpfulness of ELC materials, topics, and activities.
To get involved in a group, become a community ambassador, or learn more about Early Learning Conversations, email us to get in touch!