The Challenge:
Help low-income families and individuals achieve economic and social stability.
What does the Community Action Partnership (CAP) do?
Oscar Chavez: Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County is the county’s poverty fighting agency. We partner with low-income families and individuals to help them achieve economic and social stability and build community. Our Head Start/ Early Head Start programs serves over 500 Sonoma County children.
What inspired CAP to develop its AVANCE program?
Oscar Chavez: Teachers experience firsthand, the problems that immigrant parents face in navigating the American school system and understanding the demands made of their children. They often have only an elementary school education. The teachers’ experiences led us to believe that AVANCE seemed like a perfect answer for many of the families with whom we partner.
What is the AVANCE program?
Oscar Chavez: AVANCE means ADVANCE in Spanish. The program, funded by First 5 Sonoma County, concentrates on helping children and their parents with programs such as: parenting education; early childhood development, and school readiness to name a few.
It also encourages parents to participate in adult literacy classes, which better prepare them for obtaining their General Educational Development Diploma (GED), English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, or attend college.
What is your most memorable moment from the program to date? Why?
Oscar Chavez: Lupe lives farther away than most of the parents and had trouble getting to class. She had been absent for a couple of weeks, and she stopped answering her phone. We sent two parent educators to make an unannounced home visit. She was there, and explained that she was having trouble finding transportation to class. The educators explained how these classes benefit her and her son. They helped her arrange for a ride with a classmate.
She showed up to the next class, and pulled the parent educator aside. The visit to her house showed her how much we care for her and her child. She was amazed that they would actually go out of their way to help her. Building a parent’s self esteem is important because they are their child’s role model.
Working on programs where the need is greater than the available resources is really hard. What keeps you motivated to continue working on it?
Oscar Chavez: Without programs like AVANCE, the need will only continue to grow. There is a waiting list of families interested in participating in our program, and we know that it improves lives. It’s also an efficient investment for our community as a long-term solution to cutting spiraling costs in the criminal justice system.
The Curriculum
In the first hour, parents make ‘AVANCE toys with a purpose’ like the ‘Happy/Sad’ pillow that helps children express their emotions. Toy making encourages understanding of age and developmentally appropriate play, self confidence, and a sense of community as parents work together in a group setting, reminiscent of a sewing circle.
The second hour is a child development class. Cognitive, social, physical, and emotional needs are emphasized. Parents are taught that the home must be rich in language for it is through language and experience that learning occurs.
In the final hour, information is provided on topics identified during class discussions such as: health issues, stress management, nutrition, and how to access supportive services. Participants tell staff that learning about new resources gives them the courage to seek the assistance needed to overcome family problems.
At home, parents are encouraged to read from a weekly selection of books given to them by AVANCE with their children, and initiate interactive play. AVANCE staff members make monthly home visits where parent-child interaction is observed and videotaped for discussion.
AVANCE By The Numbers
The AVANCE 1991 Seventeen-year Reunion Survey found that:
- 94% of children who attended AVANCE had either completed high school, received their GED, or were still attending high school
- 43% of children who graduated were attending college
- 57% of mothers who had dropped out, returned to complete their GED
- 64% of mothers who completed high school or GED had attended college or a technical program
A survey conducted in 2000 of children whose parents had graduated from the AVANCE Parent-Child Education Program showed that:
- 82% know their letters
- 60% know their numbers
- 86% understand the concept of time
- 89% listen and follow directions
- 89% can express themselves verbally
- 91% are able to sit and attend to tasks
- 93% know songs and rhymes
- 93% participate in the classroom
- 94% play or work by themselves
- 96% know their colors
Read in print format. (PDF)
Community Champions is produced by the Marketing Department and the Celebrate Community Partners and does not involve The Press Democrat reporting staff.
Community Champion: Oscar Chavez
The Challenge:
Help low-income families and individuals achieve economic and social stability.
What does the Community Action Partnership (CAP) do?
Oscar Chavez: Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County is the county’s poverty fighting agency. We partner with low-income families and individuals to help them achieve economic and social stability and build community. Our Head Start/ Early Head Start programs serves over 500 Sonoma County children.
What inspired CAP to develop its AVANCE program?
Oscar Chavez: Teachers experience firsthand, the problems that immigrant parents face in navigating the American school system and understanding the demands made of their children. They often have only an elementary school education. The teachers’ experiences led us to believe that AVANCE seemed like a perfect answer for many of the families with whom we partner.
What is the AVANCE program?
Oscar Chavez: AVANCE means ADVANCE in Spanish. The program, funded by First 5 Sonoma County, concentrates on helping children and their parents with programs such as: parenting education; early childhood development, and school readiness to name a few.
It also encourages parents to participate in adult literacy classes, which better prepare them for obtaining their General Educational Development Diploma (GED), English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, or attend college.
What is your most memorable moment from the program to date? Why?
Oscar Chavez: Lupe lives farther away than most of the parents and had trouble getting to class. She had been absent for a couple of weeks, and she stopped answering her phone. We sent two parent educators to make an unannounced home visit. She was there, and explained that she was having trouble finding transportation to class. The educators explained how these classes benefit her and her son. They helped her arrange for a ride with a classmate.
She showed up to the next class, and pulled the parent educator aside. The visit to her house showed her how much we care for her and her child. She was amazed that they would actually go out of their way to help her. Building a parent’s self esteem is important because they are their child’s role model.
Working on programs where the need is greater than the available resources is really hard. What keeps you motivated to continue working on it?
Oscar Chavez: Without programs like AVANCE, the need will only continue to grow. There is a waiting list of families interested in participating in our program, and we know that it improves lives. It’s also an efficient investment for our community as a long-term solution to cutting spiraling costs in the criminal justice system.
The Curriculum
In the first hour, parents make ‘AVANCE toys with a purpose’ like the ‘Happy/Sad’ pillow that helps children express their emotions. Toy making encourages understanding of age and developmentally appropriate play, self confidence, and a sense of community as parents work together in a group setting, reminiscent of a sewing circle.
The second hour is a child development class. Cognitive, social, physical, and emotional needs are emphasized. Parents are taught that the home must be rich in language for it is through language and experience that learning occurs.
In the final hour, information is provided on topics identified during class discussions such as: health issues, stress management, nutrition, and how to access supportive services. Participants tell staff that learning about new resources gives them the courage to seek the assistance needed to overcome family problems.
At home, parents are encouraged to read from a weekly selection of books given to them by AVANCE with their children, and initiate interactive play. AVANCE staff members make monthly home visits where parent-child interaction is observed and videotaped for discussion.
AVANCE By The Numbers
The AVANCE 1991 Seventeen-year Reunion Survey found that:
A survey conducted in 2000 of children whose parents had graduated from the AVANCE Parent-Child Education Program showed that:
Read in print format. (PDF)
Community Champions is produced by the Marketing Department and the Celebrate Community Partners and does not involve The Press Democrat reporting staff.