Programs
AVANCE begins with parents and children birth-3 years old. AVANCE is based on the philosophy that education begins in the home and that the parent is the child’s first and most important teacher. Education is the way out of poverty and towards self-sufficiency.
At the heart of the AVANCE model is the Parent-Child Education Program. The purpose of the program is to break the cycle of educational failure early in life and to prepare children for school by educating parents. Parents learn to meet the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive needs of their children and to see themselves as their children’s first teachers. The program has a direct impact on children’s health and well-being and their future school readiness and success. In addition, parents learn to see themselves differently, to discover their value not only as a parent and family member but as a member of the community. Self-esteem increases, personal goals begin to form, and use of community resources increases along with literacy and education.
AVANCE enrolls parents and children through door-to-door recuiting in school neighborhoods, word-of-mouthfrom past graduates, flyers through the schools and community, and referrals from other agencies and individuals. Parents attend AVANCE together with their babies, toddlers, and pre-school age children. Through home visits, and evening and summer activities, we interact with school-age children and other adults, and we are able to influence healthy relationships and support the entire family.
The average parent we serve is 29 years old with eight years of schooling, minimum knowledge of English, two to three children, and annual family income of $9,000.
