As part of the Coalition's Child Care Subsidy Campaign, Coalition staff will work with interested individuals, organizations and Building Bright Futures Councils across the state to organize a series of events and activities, similar to the Virtual Strike in October 2008. These events and actions will be aimed at raising awareness among community leaders, including elected officials and employers, regarding the link between child care and Vermont’s economic development/recovery.
GENERAL TOOLKIT
Detailed Week of the Young Child Plan
Week of the Young Child letterhead in color (for letters, invitation, flyers, etc.)
Week of the Young Child letterhead in black & white (for letters, invitation, flyers, etc.)
Button instructions (postcard to attach to buttons)
Media advisory (1st page)
Media advisory (2nd page)
Sticker sheets ("This Employee Made Possible By Child Care")
Sticker sheets ("Support Vermont's economy. Support quality child care")
Overview of Early Care and Education in Vermont
For more information about this plan or to join the Week of the Young Child Organizing Committee, contact Kim Friedman at (802) 348-9879 or kfriedman@svcable.net.
CHILD CARE PROGRAM TOURS
The Child Care Center Tours Project is designed to invite local leaders to visit child care programs, illustrate to them high-quality child care and ask them to take action.
One of the best ways to help community leaders understand child care is to show them child care. Visits to a high-quality program and direct requests for support move the conversation beyond fact sheets and numbers and lead to shifts in understanding and positive changes in policies.
As a part of the Week of the Young Child events, the Kids Are Priority One Coalition is organizing tours of accredited early care and education programs for legislators, employers and other community leaders. We are grateful to the generous support of the tours provided by the Permanent Fund for the Well Being of Vermont’s Young Children.
The following items were created to support programs in their role as hosts for the tours.
Program Host Toolbox
- Planning checklist/timeline
- Regional Calls (call-in number: 1-877-216-1555; pass-code: 746079#)
- Legislative Invitational Power Point Presentation (details of a successful tour planned and hosted by Stepping Stones in Burlington, Vermont)
- Sample newsletter article to share with your program community (staff, families)
- Ideas for engaging participants while on the tour
- Tips to Design Your Tour
- Talking Points about early childhood policies
- Data about affordability, accessibility and quality
- Ideas for items to provide to your tour guests
- Kids Are Priority One Coalition 2010 Policy Agenda
- Ways You Can Stay Involved (coming soon)
- Sample thank you letter for after the visit (coming soon)
- Follow-up evaluation to send to the Kids Are Priority One Coalition (coming soon)
- Sample Letter to the Editor (coming soon)
- Sample Op-ED piece (coming soon)
- Press advisory template for distribution prior to the tours (coming soon)
- Press release template for distribution after the tours if there was no media coverage (coming soon)
- Video Presentation (coming soon)
- Ideas for displays (coming soon)
- Invitation Template (coming soon)
2010 Tour Host Programs