Play Cousins Collective

Enrolled 100 new families to Circle Time programs and continued partnership with Metro United Way. We added more partners including Kentucky Youth Advocates . Funding for Lactation supplies and support for New Parents.

Innovative Youth Advocates, or IYAs, work to mentor, uplift and provide compassionate care to those most vulnerable and precious in the Play Cousins Collective Village, our children. These Aunties and Uncles are the backbone of Play Cousins children's programming. They engage youth through lively storytelling, encourage expression through meaningful art & craft projects and dance, and reflect a healthy image for the children. IYAs maintain structure for the children through the use of gentle child rearing techniques. They also act as a secure line of defense to ensure all those under their care are safe, and accounted for. They attend monthly meetings to remain up to date on their training and remain in active communication with Parents, other IYA team members, and the IYA Staff Manager to ensure all is being done to allow for smooth and successful shifts.

Under our pillar of village programming Play Cousins Collective serves it's members through out of school time programs like our annual pajama party, co-work co-play sessions, library and museum excursions, parent's night out events, Free play in nature experiences, our Mizizi Homeschool Co-Op classes and events curated to meet the needs of our families as they arise. Village programming also includes special information sessions held based on the needs and interests of adult members like classes on gardening and herbal tinctures for fire-cider and elderberry syrup or financial literacy workshops led in collaboration with Russell A Place of Promise.