Mar Vista Family Center

TO PROVIDE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WITH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, YOUTH ENRICHMENT AND EDUCATIONAL TOOLS TO CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES AND IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

YOUTH PROGRAM:LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY YOUTH, AGES 13-21 (77 YOUTH) TOOK PART IN LEADERSHIP AND JOB SKILLS DEVELOPMENT TRAINING WORKSHOPS AND ACTIVITIES AIMED AT TEACHING TRANSFERABLE JOB SKILLS, INCLUDING PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, PROBLEM-SOLVING, COMMUNICATIONS AND GOAL-SETTING. THESE YOUTH, IN TURN, ORGANIZED AND SUPERVISED YEAR-ROUND EDUCATIONAL AND ENRICHING ACTIVITIES FOR THE YOUNGER YOUTH, AGES 5-12, WHICH INCLUDED A SIX-WEEK SUMMER CAMP (OVER 108 CHILDREN, YOUTH AND VOLUNTEERS), AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING AND COMPUTER LAB, PRE-TEEN BOYS AND GIRLS GROUPS (35 YOUTH), ART, MUSIC, EXERCISE AND DANCE CLASSES (OVER 80 YOUTH), AND HOLIDAY EVENTS FOR MORE THAN 200 CHILDREN. THE YOUTH WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM ALSO RECEIVED COLLEGE PREPARATION COUNSELING TO FACILITATE THEIR ACCESS TO COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. IN ADDITION, APPROXIMATELY 165 CHILDREN AGES 6 TO 12 RECEIVED 3 HOURS OF ACADEMIC AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING FROM LOCAL COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED AS VOLUNTEER TUTORS.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM:THE ECE PROGRAM HAS TWO COMPONENTS: (1) BABY AND ME CLASSES FOR INFANTS 0-3 (67) AND THEIR MOTHERS AND/OR CAREGIVERS (67), LEADING TO POSITIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT WILL SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT. (2) THE TWO-YEAR PARENT PARTICIPATION PRESCHOOL ENROLLED 34 CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME AND POVERTY-LEVEL FAMILIES AND IS BASED ON MVFC'S PHILOSOPHY THAT PARENTS MUST BE EMPOWERED TO BE PARTNERS IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. IN LIEU OF TUITION, PARENTS PARTICIPATED SIX HOURS PER WEEK AS ASSISTANTS.THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FOR THE PRESCHOOL CHILDREN INCLUDED ART, DRAMATIC PLAY, MUSIC AND STORYTELLING- ALL OF WHICH ALLOWED THE CHILDREN TO ACHIEVE AGE-APPROPRIATE PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE, LITERACY, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCIES AND TO BE FULLY READY FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. PARENTS SERVED AS ASSISTANT TEACHERS, WHICH ALLOWED THEM NOT TO ONLY ASSIST THE PRESCHOOL STAFF, BUT TO ALSO DEVELOP AND PRACTICE IMPORTANT PARENTING AND LIFE SKILLS.

COMMUNITY PROGRAM:MVFC INVOLVES THE COMMUNITY IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF ITS PROGRAM AND PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS TO PERSONALLY GROW AND DEVELOP LIFE SKILLS. AT MONTHLY MEETINGS, PARENTS IDENTIFIED PROBLEMS IN THE COMMUNITY AND EXPLORED WAYS TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR NEEDS WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS, SCHOOL AND LEGISLATORS. SENIOR CITIZENS RAN THEIR OWN PROGRAMS, INCLUDING COMPUTER, COOKING, NUTRITION AND ART CLASSES. COMMUNITY CAFE PROVIDED EVENING SNACKS TO OVER 100 LOCAL CHILDREN AND YOUTH. PANTRY PROGRAM PROVIDED BOXES OF FOOD TO MORE THAN 100 FAMILIES ONCE A WEEK. MORE THAN 500 LOCAL RESIDENTS PARTICIPATED IN MVFC'S COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING A SPORTS PROGRAM, EXERCISE CLASSES, SENIOR ACTIVITIES, FAMILY FESTIVALS, COMMUNITY GARDEN AND STREET CLEAN-UP DAYS.