Children and Families

Approach

Child development

Provide children and families with access to high quality educational opportunities that reinforce their socio-emotional skills and multigenerational outcomes.

Trauma-informed

Our staff and partner organizations understand the widespread impact that trauma has on children and families, and work to address signs and symptoms while fostering individual and collective resilience.

Gender equality

To achieve equality between men and women, we must facilitate equitable access to resources and opportunities and facilitate positive changes between attitudes, beliefs and behaviors with respect to gender.

Social cohesion

Promote inclusive participation, equitable access to resources, and trust and solidarity among all members of the community to create unity and mutual growth.

Financing early childhood education services

Almost 15 years ago, we began financing scholarships for children to attend the Development Center run by our partner organization, ANADES, in the community of San Ramón.

Access to Early Education and Family Support Services
Access to Early Education and Family Support Services
In partnership with the local nonprofit organization ANADES (New Dawn Association of El Salvador) and its Center for Child Development, PV helps children from low-income families (two to six years of age) have access to a transformative, rights-based and playful education characterized by a trauma-based approach. With the generosity of our sponsors, PV offers 50 scholarships per year and enrichment activities such as weekly yoga classes, quarterly walks and annual medical check-ups. Scholarships and high quality education create a multiplier effect throughout the community, as they allow parents to work or seek employment opportunities. These educational opportunities would not be offered to children without the financial support of the Velasco Program. Thanks to this same support from PV, children, their parents and their families can also benefit from comprehensive support services, such as mental health counseling, case management and monthly educational workshops for parents.
Technical assistance
Technical assistance
PV offers the Child Development Center technical assistance, monitoring and evaluation support for educational programs and mental health services to ensure that participants access high-quality and evidence-based services. Our technical assistance efforts include the evaluation of children's development milestones. Currently, the Center has an evaluation tool to assess children's progress in achieving developmental milestones, however, the tool is not as objective and informative as they would like. With the guidance of professionals and researchers in early childhood education, PV adopted a tool to better measure children's development.
Professional Development for Teachers
Professional Development for Teachers
PV prepares the educators of the Center with the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the social and emotional needs of the integral development of children. We support educators in two ways:1) We use our experience to facilitate personal empowerment workshops with entrepreneurs and adapt that methodology to train the educators and support staff of the Center. The workshops focus on topics such as self-knowledge, collaboration and conflict resolution. Educators gain greater understanding of themselves, manage their stress and strengthen ties with their colleagues.2) PV finances the development of technical skills of educators by offering them a scholarship to attend continuing education courses. Each of PV's efforts to equip teachers with the skills and knowledge is necessary to teach children and their parents more effectively.

Families United Project

The goal is to strengthen each of these families by working to improve the abilities and self-confidence of parents and caregivers, who are children’s first “teachers,” by providing them opportunities to learn about early childhood development and help them put that learning into practice.

Educational Workshops

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Using participatory methodology, each family's bonding, training, protective, and reflective skills are reinforced by each workshop theme.

Practical Workshops

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Knowledge gained during educational workshops is put into practice through recreational, interactive activities where the bonds of trust and communication between PMC and boys and girls are strengthened.

Counseling Sessions

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Facilitate mental health care and prepare treatment plans for participants as requested.

Psychosocial support

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Follow up by telephone with the participants to learn about their situations and daily life.

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Impact

228 +
Boys and girls have received a preschool scholarship, for an average of 3 years
504 +
Families have accessed counseling services and case management services funded by PV
20 +
Educators have participated in opportunities for professional development and development of socio-emotional skills
14 +
Years of experience supporting access to high quality early education for families living on the fringes of society