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3.Unmet Need
<br /> KidWorks'three neighborhood-based community centers are located in under-resourced and gang-active neighborhoods in SantftIAM&ices are
<br /> most needed.As predicted in the beginning months of the pandemic,"for most students...COVID-19 raises concerns related to danger,safety,and the
<br /> need for protection.For others,the pandemic brings new grief,loss,and trauma,which may include increased risk for violence and abuse in the home.
<br /> Many families will experience secondary adversities related to their isolation,economic hardship,and unmet basic needs."(The National Child Traumatic
<br /> Stress Network,2020)
<br /> Young people and parents at KidWorks are living through community trauma in a COVID-19 hotspot.For nearly the past two years,KidWorks staff
<br /> members have been talking to families every day about their experiences of loneliness,anxiety,and depression.The pandemic has taken its toll on this
<br /> community with countless sick and dying friends,family,neighbors,and co-workers.Parents have been anxious about keeping their families healthy and
<br /> how to afford their basic needs.Students have been overwhelmed with keeping up with school work,especially when they had to do it virtually from
<br /> crowded apartments with unreliable internet connection.
<br /> "It is next-to-impossible to expect teaching and learning to occur in a crisis without attending to our emotions."(Christina Cipriano,Director of Research
<br /> at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence,2020).Recognizing this,KidWorks has been committed to supporting the overall social-emotional wellness
<br /> of young people.The Collaborative for Academic,Social,and Emotional Learning(CASEL),defines social emotional learning as"how children and
<br /> adults learn to understand and manage emotions,set goals,show empathy for others,establish positive relationships,and make responsible decisions."
<br /> The social and emotional wellness of young people is a significant concern for KidWorks,as neglecting the emotional health of young people will likely
<br /> lead to deeper trauma that can impact brain development and future behaviors.During the pandemic,KidWorks maintains a strong focus on helping
<br /> young people and families develop their coping and communication skills in order to become more resilient than ever.
<br /> 4.Collaboration
<br /> KidWorks'program model relies heavily on strategic partnerships to increase the breadth and depth of services for the youth and families served.The
<br /> After School Program specifically partners with Bloom Foundation(social and emotional learning and peer mentorship for young women),Child
<br /> Creativity Lab(Science,Technology,Engineering,Arts,and Math--STEAM workshops),Dragon Kim Foundation(music instruction),FranklinCovey
<br /> Leader in Me(leadership development curriculum),Girl Scouts of Orange County,Ignite Leadership Program,Love in Music(music instruction),Mater
<br /> Dei High School(scholarships for private high school),MIND Institute(math promotion),PBS SoCal(educational workshops and resources),Pure Game
<br /> (soccer and character education),Search Institute(asset-based program assessments),Start Well OC,and Tilly's Life Center(mental health workshops for
<br /> teens).KidWorks also partners with businesses such as BBVA,Edwards Lifesciences,Taco Bell Corporate,and Kingston Technologies to provide career
<br /> exploration workshops,presentations,and job site visits for students.
<br /> KidWorks'After School Program also collaborates with the Santa Ana Unified School District(SAUSD)and their new mental health team.This
<br /> partnership ensures students receive timely support during a crisis or urgent need within their family.Mental health needs are the second most common
<br /> reason for KidWorks to make referrals for additional services,number one is food and number three is for housing.
<br /> In partnership with Community Action Partnership of Orange County and the Orange County Food Bank,KidWorks hosts mobile food trolley called
<br /> "Clementine."This provides KidWorks the opportunity to serve an average of 50 families each month with healthy foods,including fresh meats,fruits,
<br /> vegetables,and dairy products.
<br /> Through a collaboration with the Community Health Initiative of Orange County(CHIOC),KidWorks promotes healthcare coverage and other social
<br /> services outreach and enrollment.CHIOC's health care navigators provide group and one-on-one education and enrollment services for families to help
<br /> them access eligible health and social services benefits and programs.
<br /> Lastly,Families Together of Orange County has become a new partner with KidWorks throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.This community health
<br /> center has provided health information,COVID-19 testing,and vaccination services to the families at KidWorks.In addition,KidWorks has been able to
<br /> refer families to the health center for their medical,dental,vision,and behavioral health needs.
<br /> 5.Innovation
<br /> What makes KidWorks innovative is the pledge to walk alongside children and families from the time they enroll in preschool to when they finish their
<br /> college education,"from Pre-K to B.A."
<br /> KidWorks' community centers are located in challenged neighborhoods that,despite many negative statistics,are home to strong and hardworking
<br /> families.KidWorks uses an asset-based approach to programming,providing a supportive environment to nurture the positive social and emotional
<br /> development of individuals that affirm their identities and strengths.By helping young people develop positive relationships with their peers,parents,and
<br /> KidWorks' staff and volunteers,students stay in school and on track for college.
<br /> Over the past two years,KidWorks has partnered with leadership training pioneer,FranklinCovey,to bring a new and innovative program to central Santa
<br /> Ana called Leader in Me.KidWorks is the first After School Program in the nation to implement this curriculum.The program is transforming the
<br /> approach of staff and parents to best support leadership development in young people.This powerful curriculum is based on the Seven Habits of Highly
<br /> Effective People and has been used successfully in thousands of schools around the world.Leader in Me is helping students learn how to become self-
<br /> reliant,take initiative,plan ahead,set and track goals,do their homework,prioritize their time,manage their emotions,be considerate of others,express
<br /> their viewpoint persuasively,resolve conflicts,find creative solutions,value differences,and live a balanced life.
<br /> Along this line of leadership development,KidWorks involves youth and parents in decision-making for the organization through youth and parent
<br /> leadership councils.Two of the themes for KidWorks this past year has been"Youth as Innovators"and"Parents as Partners."In the summer of 2020,the
<br /> program staff led a series of Dream Sessions with youth and parents to inform program design and help staff understand the strengths,weaknesses,
<br /> opportunities,and threats to the programming.This was particularly important as the organization was pivoting services to meet the new realities of
<br /> programming during the pandemic.
<br /> During these Dream Sessions,youth vocalized needing opportunities to socialize and connect with others outside their households,this provided
<br /> necessary feedback to successfully launch KidWorks'virtual Youth Nights series.Parents talked about the importance of continuing to provide tutoring
<br /> services to help their children complete school assignments.This inspired the creation of a Homework Hotline which has become the after-school
<br /> program's most requested offering.As KidWorks includes youth and parents in the planning of its programming,the organization keeps young people
<br /> engaged and furthe i Y ounCi 26 — 276 5/3/2022
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