Programs

Early Childhood Education

Early Care and Education Services are supervised by our Program Coordinator and are offered year-round from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. five days a week. Children are engaged in a developmentally-appropriate curriculum of activities designed to enhance their physical, cognitive, language, and socio-emotional development. Our program recognizes the developmental challenges which are present for many homeless children and provides a low child:staff ratio of 5:1 for children 3 years and under. In addition to a loving, nurturing, educational environment, the children receive breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack all prepared in compliance with USDA standards. All of our activities are structured to feature the key factors that build confidence, self-help skills, and resiliency, which pave the way for school readiness and future success.

Family Advocacy

The Supportive Services component of Our House is designed to help families stabilize and to provide parents with the tools necessary to succeed as productive members of the community. Our Family Advocates work with families to identify areas of strengths and need, and connects them with appropriate resources and support systems within the community. Families will participate in goal setting and are expected to demonstrate effort and progress toward their goals. Because many of our parents are young single mothers who often began parenting in their teens, we provide parenting education and life skills workshops over the course of the year. As part of our support services, family advocates also provide resources and referrals for job training, mental health services, budgeting, and many other services related to housing, family strengthening, and resource building. Monthly parent meetings serve as a venue for education, with guest speakers who facilitate discussion on a variety of topics including, financial management, housing maintenance, resume writing, and other desired topics.

Parent Intern Program

Additionally, Our House offers ten parents a six month paid internship each year. The program is designed to help parents gain knowledge and experience in early childhood education, increase their work history, and give them an immediate steady source of income. After completion of the internship, parents are assisted in obtaining further education and/or employment. We currently have three former parent interns as full-time permanent staff members. We further expanded the program by partnering with area childcare facilities to serve as hosts for parent interns. In 2006 we are adding a new component, the Child Development Associate Credential or CDA. The CDA is a nationally recognized certificate in Early Childhood Education and a stepping stone to an AA degree. Possession of a CDA in Georgia counts towards three required Early Childhood classes in most technical colleges. These changes will increase the available knowledge base for parents, offer further exposure in the job market, and ultimately provide an experience that more closely mirrors a real work environment.