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Early Childhood & Family Literacy
Southwest Early Learning Communities
Our Southwest Early Learning Communities (ELC) program is located at five different sites in Detroit. All sites provide an ongoing quality improvement program for early care and education providers. Parents, kinship caregivers, care providers and early childhood professionals can attend trainings and use the lending library on site. Consultants are available to help licensed centers, family homes and kinship care homes through assessment of the childcare environment and support with licensing requirements.

 


Services:

Southwest Early Learning Communities (ELC) provide free training and resources to parents and caregivers so that they can prepare children to be “ready to learn” when the children enter school. The ELC hub:

  • Promotes child development and early literacy
  • Provides a safe, inviting space to learn new techniques and network with peers
  • Mentors and supports parents, family members, friends and neighbors who care for young children
  • Gives lessons in health, safety, nutrition, conflict resolution, child development, and learning through play
  • Includes a lending library that offers educational materials that can be taken home
  • Provides incentives and free childcare for those attending the training sessions

The sessions are conducted in both English and Spanish. Free trainings are available during the day or the evening, allowing participants to find a time that suits their schedule. The ELC Incentive Program allows caregivers to earn points for participating in ELC events. The points earned can be redeemed for gift cards or professional development op­portunities to help participants advance their childcare skills. Caregivers can start redeeming points after attending just one or two trainings.

The Larkins ELC is located at 5675 Larkins Street, 48210 (former convent of St. Andrew Church). See the Larkins ELC class schedule.

The Southwestern ELC is located in Southwestern High School at 6921 W. Fort Street, Detroit, MI 48209. See the Southwestern ELC class schedule.

The St. Cecilia’s Catholic School ELC is located at 6327 Burlingame Street, Detroit, MI 48204. See the Cecilia ELC class schedule.

The Gesu Catholic School ELC is located at 17139 Oak Drive, Detroit, MI 48221. See the Gesu ELC class schedule.

The Phoenix Academy ELC is located at ‪7735 Lane Street‬, Detroit, MI 48209‬. See the Phoenix ELC class schedule.

To learn more about the Southwest ELC program, contact Emma Herdean at 313.896.2800 or email her.  Interested caregivers may arrange to visit our centers.

Our Early Childhood & Family Literacy main office is located at 7060 McGraw Street, Detroit, MI 48210 (in the former rectory of St. Andrew Church). For more information about any of our programs and how to enroll, please contact us at 313.896.2800 or email us.

 

 


   Results
  • Our Early Learning Communities (ELC) Hubs provide training and support to 1,000 parents and childcare providers, impacting 4,000 children annually
  • 130 caregivers graduated from our ELC program in 2010, representing more than half of all 2010 ELC graduates in the tri-county area
  • Research shows that ELCs enhance the cognitive development of children

We know that the majority of development occurs before a child enters school, which means he or she must be exposed to educational opportunities from birth. In fact, studies have shown that children who can’t read by the first grade will spend their lifetimes catching up. Our ELC program supports parental and caregiver efforts to help their children gain the right skills for school. Whether the caregiver is a parent, grandmother, aunt, neighbor or professional childcare provider, our ELC provides additional resources for free to ensure that children start school prepared and ready to learn.

The Southwest ELC program is funded by the United Way for Southeastern Michigan and:

In partnership with the United Way for Southeastern Michigan and ECIC, Detroit Public Television (DPTV) has produced 41 one-minute video vignettes that focus on the importance of early childhood learning and encourage parents and caregivers to take advantage of ELC programs in metro Detroit. Each vignette provides tips on positive ways to interact with children to stimulate their interest in learning and promote healthy development. At the end of each vignette, viewers are invited to contact 211 for more information about early childhood development and ELC programs. The vignettes will appear on DPTV's new channel (56.2) and will be distributed to many outlets - such as hospitals, doctors' offices, Department of Human Services' offices - where parents, caregivers and families would have opportunities to see them. The vignettes:
  1. Labeling and sorting toys
  2. Laundry basket classroom
  3. Treasure basket
  4. Make a shopping list
  5. Outdoor play is good
  6. Emphasizing sizes and shapes
  7. Measuring with shoes
  8. Kids help in the kitchen
  9. Talking to infants
  10. It's all about me
  11. It's alive!
  12. Just around the corner
  13. More crackers
  14. Opening the curtains
  15. Put kids' names in stories
  16. I spy
  17. Counting game
  18. Open ended material
  19. Ingredients for a play space
  20. Things to discover outdoors
  21. Hide and seek
  22. Estimation games
  23. Mealtime
  24. Child-sized choices
  25. Waiting in line
  26. Moving with infants
  27. Naptime rules
  28. Talking with kids
  29. Furniture structures
  30. Bringing the outdoors in
  31. Silent moves
  32. Getting down on kids' level
  33. Reverse copycat
  34. Traffic light
  35. Avoid labeling
  36. Benefits of problem solving
  37. Find something to wiggle or twist
  38. Miniature milestones
  39. Nutrition
  40. Create activities based on kids' interests
  41. Have kids tell their own stories

 

 
Early Childhood & Family Literacy Programs
 

Chase Family Literacy Program
English Language Learners-Even Start
    Great Parents, Great Start