September 19, 2024
On July 17th, Early Edge California convened the twelfth and final Community of Practice (CoP) for the California Leading from Home (LFH) program. For this CoP, the cohort celebrated a successful advocacy day at the state capitol, and all of their successes throughout the program year. Over the past 12 months, these 10, Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) leaders have learned about policy surrounding home-based care, utilizing communications channels effectively, and how to develop and advocate for policy proposals based on their needs and issues important to them and their caregiving. Most importantly, the program provided FFN leaders a sense of camaraderie and support through a community of caregivers.
During the last CoP, FFN caregivers shared their reflections on their experience in the program. Many reflections from the LFH cohort emphasized personal and professional growth and underscored the critical value of a supportive caregiver community. The monthly CoPs fostered the exchange of best practices, solutions, and ideas, while also offering a cathartic space for sharing challenges and generating meaningful calls to action. One FFN leader commented in the program evaluation survey: “I am just grateful for everything I have experienced and learned. I am looking forward to growing more and being able to impact more lives and spread the information so other children can have amazing caregivers that feel supported”. A spanish-speaking FFN leader shared with us: ”Ha sido una experiencia muy enriquecedora, gracias por la oportunidad, fue muy bonito conocer a todo el equipo, he aprendido tanto de todos ustedes, es muy bonito saber que hay personas que se interesan por las FFN y sobre todo los niños que necesitan tanto de su ayuda.” (“It has been a very enriching experience, thank you for the opportunity. It was very nice to meet the whole team and I have learned so much from all of you. It is very nice to know that there are people who care about FFNs and especially the children who need so much help.”)
For Early Edge, the self-acknowledgements from FFNs on their individual growth and sense of community were a testament to the program’s success in fostering meaningful home-based caregiver engagement and advocacy since the program launched in August 2023. Feeling accomplished and satisfied with what they learned and achieved throughout the program, each of the FFN leaders expressed their desire to remain committed to FFN advocacy work with Early Edge.
Early Edge is enthusiastic about the participation of ten passionate and seasoned FFN providers in our initiative to gain profound insights into the unique needs and barriers faced by FFN providers and ultimately amplify their voices throughout California. For further details about this program, please visit the California Leading From Home webpage on the Early Edge website.
The California Leading from Home (LFH) Program, is a 12-month program which seeks to support Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) caregivers in developing their advocacy skills and helps them establish grassroots support networks within their communities. These monthly Community of Practice (CoP) gatherings aim to foster mutual learning and collaboration, empowering these caregivers to elevate their voices and needs within their local communities and across the state. The purpose of LFH is to invest in and empower FFN caregivers, enabling them to inform policymakers about the importance of FFN child care and what is needed to support them in their caregiving. The cohort members also receive a monthly stipend for their participation and commitment to the program.