AVANCE to College

AVANCE to College

In the Fall of 2023, we are piloting a new model for the Parent-Child Education Program (PCEP) that will strengthen our two-generation approach and directly impact the economic mobility of our families. This newly developed model is a collaboration between us, Workforce Solutions Capital Area and Austin Community College (ACC). It combines PCEP with exposure to the possibilities and opportunities offered by postsecondary education and workforce development.

Through this partnership, ACC will list PCEP as a non-credit bearing course, so when parents enroll in PCEP, they became an ACC student. By implementing PCEP onsite at community college campuses, we aim to streamline and facilitate low-income Latino families’ transition to continued education, whether as first-time or returning students. Parents learn about the institutions as well as opportunities and resources available to support them in pursuing their education, and they become acquainted with staff and students who help demystify stereotypes about postsecondary education.

AVANCE to College recipients will also receive these services from the signature PCEP model.

Parenting Education Class

While exploring child growth and development, parents learn they are their child’s first and most important teacher, and home is the first classroom. Sometimes, parents feel unqualified to fill this role. AVANCE breaks that myth!  Parents are given tools and techniques to understand their child’s Social, Emotional, Cognitive and Physical growth. We show how everyday situations demand strong reading, writing, science, and math skills. With this knowledge, parents often become leaders in their school and community.

Toy Making Class

The purpose of the toy making class is to teach participants how to create educational toys from inexpensive, readily available materials such as balls, baby dolls, or books from file folders.  The toys are used to promote bonding, encourage educational play, and serve as the basis for monthly home visits. Through group activities, this class serves to create a peer support group. While parents are cutting or sewing, they are talking, comparing notes on their child’s development and offering a reassuring voice for each other.

Community Resources

The AVANCE to College Program will include a College Readiness and Resource Hour. During this time, parents are connected to opportunities for postsecondary education and workforce development. Caregivers enrolled in this program will be able to tour classrooms and other programs offered at Austin Community College and will also hear from other trusted workforce partners, such as Workforce Solutions Capital Area.

Home Visits

AVANCE-Austin conducts monthly home visits with each family. The visits offer parents one-on-one skill-based training based on their needs. During the home visit, parents have an opportunity to demonstrate their learned parenting skills through play and appropriate environmental stimulation.  This observation gives staff members better insight into the family’s individual needs. Case management offers families information and referrals based on their individualized needs.