Staff in the Program Services section are responsible for assisting families in developing and implementing an individualized Family Partnership Agreement, where goals, strengths, interests and necessary services are identified to support the development of the child being served through Head Start / Early Head Start. The staff of Program Services also are responsible for tracking attendance, developing collaborative agreements with the community as well as completing parent training in areas such as literacy and safety.
The Program Services section of Head Start / Early Head Start also prioritizes involving parents in the program. Parents are considered the cornerstone of an enrolled child’s success as well as the Head Start/Early Head Start program’s success. Activities such as monthly parent meetings held at each center, workshops for the families during evening and weekend hours, and special initiatives for both men and women help build self-esteem and parenting skills. Job training programs, literacy classes and support groups are also offered to parents on an ongoing basis.
Women’s Involvement Project
LILIES: Ladies Interested In Life Involvement Education and Self-motivation
The LILIES Project’s mission is to provide an opportunity for female family members and caregivers of children enrolled in Head Start to learn skills that will encourage personal growth while building on the power of themselves, their families, their communities and the relationships they build with other women.
The LILIES Project enables women to achieve:
- Improved self-esteem
- Increased independence
- Identification of short and long-term goals for personal and professional growth
Gatherings for LILIES participants are held on a monthly basis and new participants are always welcome.
Male Involvement Project
HIM: His Involvement Matters
The Mission of Male Involvement: Hillsborough County Head Start/Early Head Start will implement quality initiatives under the His Involvement matters (HIM) program. These initiatives will seek to enhance the male’s influence in the home by creating positive, skill building, interactive activities and programs geared toards males and the children and families they influence.
The Vision of Male Involvement: Strong men developing into great leaders in the home and in the community.
Head Start’s male involvement program, HIM, is open to fathers and significant others (uncles, grandfathers, boyfriends, friends or other males) that play a role in a Head Start enrolled child’s life. The program is made up of monthly trainings and special events, such as trips to local sports games and father/child movie sessions.
The His Involvement Matters program is designed to increase the participation of fathers and significant others in the Head Start program. This program is a male discussion group partnered with Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc.’s Gamma Zeta Lambda Chapter, with a focus on strengthening the role that men take in their families and to better their communities.
New participants in HIM ALC are always welcome. |
