Our Work
Explore our upcoming training opportunities on community systems development and early childhood collaboration topics, accredited by both Gateways and The Center: Resources for Teaching and Learning.
Watch this webinar to learn how our new handbook, Facilitating Effective Community System Development Meetings: A Handbook for Collaboration Leaders can build your facilitation competence. Learn how it is unique, who can benefit, an introduction to the contents, and additional related supports.
DeKalb BASICS June 3, 2025, 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Get inspired by the groundbreaking work happening across our state in our Community Collaboration Highlights Lunch & Learn series! This series offers four opportunities to hear directly from partners who are leading the way in innovation and excellence in early childhood community systems. Discover the successes of community collaboration partners making a significant impact, take away fresh ideas and strategies to implement in your own organization, and connect with a network of professionals dedicated to advancing community collaboration.
Stay tuned to find out who will be featured at each event!
June 13, 2025, 10:00am – 1:00pm – Naperville, IL
Join us in person for this exciting and interactive session to learn how strong family engagement leads to lasting impact for early childhood community collaborations! The session will provide a structured approach to strengthening family engagement and participants will walk away with strategies and tools for meaningful and inclusive family involvement.
Training Objectives:
This training will be facilitated by Janet Vargas and Dra. Alexandra Escobar.
July 10, 2025, 10:00am – 12:00pm
July 17, 2025, 10:00am – 12:00pm
July 31, 2025, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Discover the transformative power of community storytelling in our 3-part series, The Power of Storytelling: Honoring Community Voices and Experiences. This series is designed to center family voices, creating authentic, impactful narratives that reflect the true experiences of those within our communities. You’ll learn how to elevate these voices, challenge dominant narratives, and develop practical techniques for collecting and sharing stories that drive meaningful change.
Through interactive sessions, you’ll explore ethical storytelling practices, build connections, and integrate authentic and inclusive storytelling into your initiatives. This series will equip you with the tools to enhance your storytelling, inspire action, and make a lasting impact in your community by focusing on the voices that matter most.
This series will be led by Jaclyn Vasquez and Rebecca Halperin.
July 10, 2025, 10:00am – 12:00pm
July 17, 2025, 10:00am – 12:00pm
July 31, 2025, 10:00am – 12:00pm
August 8, 2025, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Please note, this series will not be recorded.
If you are an early childhood community collaboration leader or partner, we invite you to join our Power of Storytelling Mini Cohort as a representative of your collaboration! Participants must have the approval of their collaboration and attend all four sessions, so please only register if you are able to do so.
Addressing the popular demand, this cohort dives deep into how storytelling can be used as a tool for trust-building, collective action, funding, and systemic change. Whether you’re strengthening partnerships, advocating for policies, or writing your next grant proposal, these sessions will equip you with the skills to center authentic community narratives and shift how stories are heard and used.
Cohort Overview:
Session 1: Storytelling for Connection & Collaboration We’ll explore how storytelling builds trust and shared purpose in community work. Learn to challenge deficit narratives, apply asset framing, and practice ethical storytelling that centers and honors lived experiences.
Session 2: Techniques for Collecting Community Stories This session offers hands-on tools for capturing stories through oral histories, digital storytelling, and collaborative story mapping. Learn how to plan and launch storytelling efforts rooted in healing and advocacy.
Session 3: Interviewing with Integrity & Intention Learn how to design and lead interviews that center trust, voice, and inclusion. You’ll practice writing strong questions, holding space, and using interviews to strengthen partnerships and deepen community understanding.
Session 4: Storytelling for Funding, Advocacy & Policy Change Apply storytelling to grant writing, advocacy, and systems change. Practice reframing deficit-based narratives and aligning stories with funder and policy priorities—while staying grounded in authenticity and community voice.
This series will be led by Jaclyn Vasquez and Rebecca Halperin.