November 2, 2023 Apply for the 2024 Early Childhood Education Advocacy Fellowship Trying Together invites early care and education providers, families, and other caregivers of young children to apply for the 2024 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Advocacy Fellowship to become a catalyst for change as an early childhood advocate. During the 12-month program, ECE Advocacy Fellows will: strengthen advocacy skills; develop leadership skills that drive positive change; gain expertise in utilizing research-based communication strategies; and receive a stipend for their time. Who Should Apply: Families and caregivers of young children Relative Care Providers Family Child Care Home Group Child Care Home Child Care Center administrators and teachers Head Start teachers Pre-k teachers PK-4 teachers and principals Home Visitors School-age Child care providers Trainers Professors in higher education Child care resource and referral professionals. Fellowship Details The program involves monthly in-person meetings, as well as dedicated small group and individual work time between these meetings. At each workshop, an informed early childhood, public policy, or community leader will facilitate, drawing on information from regional or national experts to share the latest news, research, and strategies to improve early childhood public policy. Workshops will include opportunities for networking, professional growth, and community development. Fellows will receive a stipend for their dedicated time. Trying Together offers the fellowship program at no cost to the participant and will provide lunch and snacks at each session. Travel stipends will be provided on a case-by-case basis. Application Details Apply online by December 22, 2023. Chosen participants will be notified in early January 2024. For more information or to ask questions, contact Hailee B. Roye at hailee@tryingtogether.org or 412.213.8870.
June 26, 2023 Trying Together Shares Advocacy Tools for Families and Child Care Providers Trying Together has created two new advocacy tools to aid families and child care providers in their efforts to impact state budget negotiations and persuade state legislators to directly invest in the workforce behind the workforce by raising child care wages. Trying Together Advocacy Tools Simple, everyday advocacy efforts often start with quick, common interactions between providers, educators, families, and legislators. Calling your state representative or emailing with waitlisted families are great ways to communicate challenges facing the child care industry and advocate for change. Phone and email scripts can assist on these occasions. For Providers & Families: Phone Scripts for Calls to State Representatives & Legislators For Providers: Email Response to Waitlisted Families Take Action with PennAEYC Tell your legislators how important child care is to you and take action in seconds. The Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children (PennAEYC) has constructed a tool that allows you to send an email to your legislators stressing the importance of child care with a single click. Take action now. Additional Advocacy Tools The Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA campaigns, of which Trying Together is a partner, have also compiled advocacy tools for family and provider use. Some of these include: State Fact Sheet: Pre-K in Pennsylvania County Fact Sheets: Pre-K in Pennsylvania County Fact Sheets: Child Care in Pennsylvania Pre-K and Child Care Maps: High-Quality Child Care in Pennsylvania EI Fact Sheet: Infant and Toddler Early Intervention in Pennsylvania Learn More To learn more, visit the Trying Together “Take Action” page.