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The Office of Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Boston Centers for Youth
and Families (BYCF), the Boston Housing Authority (BHA), the Boston
Public Schools, the Boston Public Health Commission, the Family
Nurturing Center (FNC) and key community organizations have joined
together to launch Smart from the Start (S2) - a family support
and community engagement initiative that will promote low-income
children entering school with the cognitive, language, physical,
and social/emotional assets that facilitate school and life success.
S2 expands and strengthens early learning opportunities, promotes
parents' role as their children's first teacher and builds neighborhood
will, understanding and capacity to support school readiness.
Smart from the Start brings together low-income parents around
something all parents have in common -love and concern for their
children; provides services and activities that are well-evaluated,
non-stigmatizing, highly sought-after, and just plain fun for families;
and offers the services, activities and opportunities right where
people live.
Starting in Boston's neighborhoods of Charlestown, Mattapan and
Roslindale, the partner organizations will introduce a comprehensive,
community-based S2 family support system for children birth to five
years old and their families living in or near a BHA housing development
co-located with a BCYF community center. The S2 family support system
will include multiple programming options that build on neighborhood
strengths and interests and are integrated into (and sustained by)
local neighborhood resources and institutions.
S2 will offer a menu of eight services at each site, with input
from parents and community leaders to shift, add or subtract services
as appropriate to each community.
- Pre-natal Outreach and Welcome Baby Home Visits
- Parent/Baby Groups to increase early learning and decrease social
isolation
- Play-to-Learn Groups for children 11 months -3 years and their
caregivers
- Parenting Workshops on topics identified by neighborhood parents
- Family Nurturing Programs to engage the entire family in a
weekly fun and educational program to strengthen communication
and promote nurturing discipline techniques.
- Adult Education and Family Literacy courses
- "Urban Gymboree" programs to increase opportunities
for recreation and health promotion activities
- Community School Readiness activities defined by the neighborhood
For more information about Smart from the Start, please contact
Cherie Craft, Smart from the Start Director, at 617-635-4920 x 2155
or .
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