Valley Settlement

Valley Settlement's family friends and neighbors program provides informal in-home childcare workers the skills and tools they need to ensure children are in a safe and health environment. Thirty-two informal caregivers commit to this two-year in-home coaching and training program to improve the quality and safety of care for approximately 120-180 children in the roaring fork Valley, depending on the season. Participants receive training and certification in first aid and cpr, and coaching on how to create emergency plans and address environmental safety concerns. The program staff act as a bridge for isolated families, connecting children to early intervention services and access to preschool. Total expenses include allocated payroll and program administration costs.

Valley Settlement's learning with love program is a hybrid model of group classes and home visitation using an evidence-based 'parents as teachers' curriculum in order to provide a strong foundation for building routines; fostering social-emotional, language and cognitive development; honing fine and gross motor skills; and beginning to work with numbers. Infants and children up to three years of age and their parents come together with a leader twice per week to learn strategies that promote the healthy development of their child well before preschool. This foundation using the dual generation approach empowers parents with the confidence and skills to become their child's first, and most important, teacher. Learning with love classes take place in neighborhoods and are co-located with el-busesity preschool. Each class brings parent/toddler paris together to focus on building routines, creating activities that promote child development across the five domains. Home visits provide parents with one-on-one support for their child's invidiual developmental needs through individualized coaching and attention. Group classes build social networks in neighborhoods, strenthening relationships between new parents. Total expenses include allocated payroll and program administration costs.

Valley Settlement's el busesito (the little bus) program delivers high-quality bilingual preschool services to 12 neighborhoods via a fully-equipped classroom in each of its three preschool buses. Each class has 8 children and 2 bilingual, bicultural lead teachers licensed by the state of Colorado. El busesito addresses the need to improve school readiness by providing high quality preschool experiences for low income children that otherwise lack access to early childhood education before entering kindergarten. The program engages parents as partners in their children's eduction with parents expected to volunteer, attend four family nights each year, and participate in one home visit per semester, based on the 'parents as teachers' curriculum. Approximately 96 children participated in 2020. Total expenses include allocated payroll and program administration costs.

Valley Settlement's lifelong learning program offers free adult education to over 100 students each year. Its team of lifelong learning teachers and administrators teach latinx adults in english, spanish literacy, math, computer skills and more. A strong connection with Colorado mountain college encourages students to pursue their ged, higher education and professional certifications to improve their employment prospects and the program acts as a launchpad for immigrant adults to pursue their dreams for themselves and their families.

Valley Settlement's parent mentor program is an adult volunteer program in elementary schools, providing classroom support to children and teachers, building a bridge between parents and the schools. The parent mentors engage in weekly trainings to encourage personal and professional growth.

Valley Settlement's alma program is a research study co-created with the university of Colorado, boulder, department of psychology and neuroscience to provide an innovative peer-support program for women experiencing perinatal depression. It uses an evidenced-based approach for depression, behavioral activation, and gives "companeras" tools to share with pregnant women and mothers of children ages 0-3.

Valley Settlement's emergency relief programs provided community assistance and grants for rental assistance, medical assistance, access to food and funeral expense support.

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