National and Federal Level ECE Communities

On a national level, there are a number of organizations that are interested in supporting the social-emotional development of young children. The following are three in particular that appeal to my interests and passions in the field.

Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL)
This national group based out of Vanderbilt University has state partners in a number of states, however, Georgia is not yet one of them. Seems like room for growth! CSEFEL is specifically interested in supporting the social-emotional development of children birth to 5 years. The Pyramid Model is based in evidence-based practices targeted at increasing social competence and addressing challenging or at-risk behaviors. The organization offers a wealth of free resources and information for educators, caregivers,  and parents. At this time the organization does not have any openings listed (through Vanderbilt University Human Resources), however being a trainer or coach for this organization would be fascinating, as it would allow direct influence on children and families, supporting the community by supporting the children within it.


The Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) “takes the research that shows which practices improve the social-emotional outcomes for young children with, or at risk for, delays or disabilities and creates FREE products and resources to help decision-makers, caregivers, and service providers apply these best practices in the work they do every day”. TACSEI bases it’s work on the CSEFEL Pyramid Model as well, and is linked with the organization. The primary functions of TACSEI are research synthesis and dissemination; collaborative partnerships; consulting; providing technical assistance with model delivery; product creation; and distance or e-learning opportunities. Again, at this time there appear to be no job listings for this group, however, they are sponsoring an upcoming conference, the 15th Annual National Institute on Effective Practices: Addressing Challenging Behavior. Volunteering to a help at this conference would be an ideal way to learn more about the organization, meet important players within the organization, and develop partnerships with both this organization and others that they collaborate with.

Finally, Ashoka is an international organization dedicated to supporting young changemakers who are interested in creating positive change for society. One area of focus for the group is Every Child Practicing Empathy. According to the organization’s website, “Effective collaboration in this [global] environment is only possible with empathy: the ability to understand and respond to the feelings of others. In a changemaker world, empathy is as fundamental as reading and math. This creates a new social imperative to ensure that every child fully develops their own innate capacity for empathy”. Ashoka sponsors Changemaker Schools in which “students are learning the essential skills of empathy, creativity, thoughtfulness, leadership, and teamwork so that they can thrive in the modern world and find solutions to our most complex problems”. In addition, Ashoka sponsors the Start Empathy Initiative which develops and disseminates research and resources related to fostering empathy and kindness in young children.

These organizations represent just a few of the groups who are dedicated to creating a kinder world by supporting the social-emotional development of young children.

References:

Ashoka. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ashoka.org/en

Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations of Early Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/

Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://challengingbehavior.fmhi.usf.edu/

Communities of Practice

Three organizations that appeal to my passion for early childhood social-emotional development include: Voices for Georgia's Children, the Georgia Association for the Education of Young Children, and the Easter Seals of North Georgia.  Each group is dedicated to the health, safety, education, and well-being of children, and each group strongly identifies social-emotional development as a major contributor to a child's overall healthy development and life success.

Voices for Georgia's Children describes a vision/mission of "promo(ing) equity, quality, and accessibility in systems created to serve children’s needs.  Our work advances policies and implementation actions that ensure the best possible outcomes for children.  Voices’ vision is that all children in Georgia will thrive because they are safe, healthy, educated, connected to family and community, and prepared to be productive and responsible citizens.". They maintain four strategic areas, the second of which is  to "increase the availability of quality out-of-school time opportunities and promote the social and emotional development of children". This strategic area, along with the overall mission of the group, resonates strongly with my own concerns and passions for fostering social-emotional and empathy development in young children. The group is multidisciplinary and maintains relationships with "public officials, advocates, and policy experts at all levels of government". Voices is currently seeking a Communications Manager. This role is "charged with using a variety of communication channels to promote the organization’s priorities and will play a significant role in implementing the organization’s overall communications strategy". Ideal candidates will posses strong multi-modal communication skills, and "thrive in a fast paced environment". While my communication skills are strong, in order to be considered for this position, I would want to increase my web and social media skills, as my experiences with these are primarily personal, and not professional.

The Georgia Association for the Education of Young Children is an affiliate of the NAEYC and "supports the education and development of Georgia’s young children ages birth – 8". Most appealing was a link that I found to a past event: GAEYC Infant-Toddler Super Saturday. The event is described as "Are you an infant-toddler teacher looking for new ideas to support children’s social-emotional development and guide their behavior?" Y.E.S. If only it hadn't already occurred! However, based on the fact that this type of event is sponsored by the group, I feel that this would be a strong community of practice to be involved in. Strengthening Georgia Families is a multidisciplinary partnership administered by the GAEYC and aims to strengthen children and families through specific domains related to parenting and social-emotional skill development of young children. While no employment opportunities are currently listed for either group, multiple opportunities for volunteering exist and range from short term conference helpers to longer term board membership.


Easter Seals of North Georgia has an Early Childhood Social/Emotional Development Program which "target(s) children ages three to five who exhibit aggressive behavior, need additional support in developing pro-social skills or are considered “at risk” due to exposure to a number of demographic risk factors". The program is based in a "comprehensive curriculum designed to promote social competence and prevent, reduce and treat aggression and related conduct problems in young children". The organization currently lists multiple opportunities for employment as Lead Teachers, Family Support Advocates, Head Start Teachers, and Physical, Speech, and Occupational Therapists. In addition, the agency is seeking a Special Instructor/Early Interventionist for their Babies Can't Wait program aimed at supporting the healthy development and well-being of children with developmental delays and disabilities. With a background in both Mental Health Counseling and Early Childhood Studies, this may be an ideal position, enabling me to work directly with families and children in developing strong family bonds, the precursor to healthy social-emotional development.