Ywca Duluth

Spirit valley childcare: Ywca Duluth early childhood education center provides high quality early educaiton and care for children ages 6 weeks to the day before they begin kindergarten. We focus on building relationships with families and providing a safe, structured, and secure environemnt for children to learn and grow. This allows families to access support services designed to eliminate barriers to enrollment, enabling them to be actively employed. Support services include but are not limited to ccap advocacy, scholarship tuition or transportation assistance, and training and education for both families and staff in the circle of security relationship attachment model. In 2022, 48 kids and 36 families were served. The center uses evidence- based literacy and developmentally appropriate curriculum to ready children for school. Infant and toddler age classrooms utilize pitc, while preschool classrooms use the creative curriculum and second step. They also implemented the pyramid model for behavior development starting in 2020. All classrooms take an anti-bias approach to teaching, learning, and interacting with children, families, and staff. Other opportunities provided to families include family nights and participation in field trips. Family participation in policy change focus groups provides us with the feedback we then use to provide the most beneficial services to those who use them.

Mentor/girlpower: girlpower provides after school and summer programming for girls grades 3 -8. During the school year, gp is offered at 6 elementary/middle schools and three drop-in community sites, now being held at our building for women due to covid restrictions.summer camp runs 5 weeks and provides full-day progarmming and field trips to develop leadership, career readiness, financial literacy, music, art, and stem skills. Gender/social and racial justice are the focus of our programming throughout the year. Gp creates a safe place for participants to explore issues that are important to them and their communities.

Spirit valley residence: Ywca Duluth spirit valley Young mothers program provdies supportive, transitional housing to Young female identifying people between the ages of 16 and 21 who either are with child or have one child. They come to us from homelessness, have typically experienced a high level of trauma in their lives, and are considered vulnerable families. We offer safe, stable housing and supportive services aimed at disrupting cycles of poverty, homelessness, and trauma, and developing self-sufficiency. Beyond housing, our ymp offers health and wellness support, case management, advocacy, and parenting education open to all. In 2022 we housed 9 moms and their children. Area of programming include: education support, employement and training, financial literacy, parenting education, positive support systems, safety net relationships, and on-site early childhood education.

Social justice