Family Support & Education

The Family Support and Education Program creates a positive, nurturing environment for multi-cultural, multi-lingual children and their parents/caregivers, focused on children’s literacy and school readiness. Through activities and resources, parents are provided with skills to ensure their child’s academic success and healthy development.

Baby Talks
Baby Talks teaches teen mothers and teen-mothers-to-be the skills, knowledge and confidence to thrive as contributing community members, through three main focus areas:

Case Management – Case managers assess the needs of teen mothers and teen-mothers-to-be and develop goals that promote healthy mother and child relationships, preventive health care, education planning and more.
Parenting and Life Education Support Services – Participants engage in “Life Skills” and “Parenting Education” classes plus are invited to collaborate with St. Paul Public Schools to receive support through additional education.
Resource Referral Information – Staff performs individual intake assessments, offering referrals to critical services, such as child care, education, employment, food resources, health care, housing, and pregnancy and reproductive health information.

Together Time
Promoting school readiness by teaching age-appropriate English language, educational and social skills, parents/caregivers and children ages birth to 5 years participate in programming together to learn about school behavior and academic expectations through story, circle time, games, singing time and other activities.

Skills for School
Offering a structured environment to help children get ready for and promote success in kindergarten. A licensed Early Childhood Educator and assistants involve each child in activities, such as learning numbers, letters and colors. In addition, Family Workers schedule home visits to educate parents on school and cultural expectations, child development and promote family involvement.

Children’s Literacy Activities in the Discovery Room
Children learn English, and participate in an enriching educational experience through songs, stories, rhymes and conversations. Activities promote the development of cognitive, motor and social skills necessary for educational success. For children 18 months to 6 years; this care is provided to children in The Wellstone Center Children’s Discovery Room while their parents participate in cooperative programs.

Family Literacy
Family Literacy at Neighborhood House combines adult English language instruction and school instruction for children with parenting instruction and parent/child activities.

Success Story

First Annual Youth Awards at Neighborhood House
This June, programs serving our multi-cultural, multi-lingual youth participants joined together to spotlight their outstanding achievements during the First Annual Youth Awards Ceremony at Neighborhood House. Staff from programs including Youth Leadership, Baby Talks, Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Gang Reduction & Intervention Program (GRIP), and College Access organized delightful details, like formal invitations translated into multiple languages, cultural performances celebrating the diversity of our youth, and a home cooked dinner prepared by the family of AmeriCorps member, Stephen Yeboah.

Neighborhood House President, Armando Camacho, spoke to families about the value of education and learning, sharing challenges from his past and explaining how hard work and dedication allowed him to become the successful community leader he is today. One high honor of the evening was receiving the “Armando Camacho Leadership Award” for clearly demonstrated leadership skills. Certificates were given in several categories, recognizing youth as Rising Stars and Most Valuable Players, for example.

“This event was created to celebrate the successes and positive choices that youth have made during the year,” said Michelle Ness, Director of Programs and Evaluation, “Recognizing their accomplishments in this way is both a reward to them and an incentive to others.”

Eligibility

The Highland Family Center: Available for walk-ins and by appointment services to families in need. Even though the focus is families, individuals without children can also receive assistance. Most participants reside in St. Paul, although residents of other cities can also receive services or referrals.

Skills for School: Pre-school/school readiness program from children ages 3-5. Registration is required.

Together Time: Year-round and intergenerational programming for children ages birth-5 and their parents and/or caregivers. Registration is not required.

Children’s Discovery Room: Children’s Literacy Activities available for children ages 18 months-6 years of age. Parents must remain in the building while their children are in the Discovery Room. Registration is required.

Baby Talks: Pregnant and parenting teens ages 14-24. The child of the teen parent has to be under 1 year of age at the time of registration. Registration is required.

Summer in the City: 7-8 week summer program for elementary school aged children (1st-6th grades) who live in the Sibley/West 7th neighborhood. Limited space; registration is required. Fee is approximately $40 per child.

View class schedules here.