Partnerships with Latino Communities
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EDC has a long history of working with Latino communities throughout the United States, particularly in the areas of school improvement, community building, and health promotion. Our approach is collaborative, with a determination to address the true needs and priorities of our community partners. |
Preparing for College
The PALMS (Postsecondary Access for Latino Middle-grades Students) project seeks to increase the number of Latino students who continue their education beyond high school. The project’s Web site provides information and resources for university-, school-, and community-based outreach programs that want to involve Latino parents in planning for their children’s college education.
- Visit the PALMS Web site
- Read a feature article about this project
- Read an interview with project director Amy Aparicio Clark
Traffic Safety
Latinos in the United States are at higher risk for traffic-related injuries than the general population. The Education in Traffic Safety/Educación de seguridad en el tránsito project is fostering development of effective Spanish educational materials by producing guidelines for developing materials that are culturally and linguistically appropriate for Spanish-speaking audiences.
Mantengase Alerta/Stay Alert materials show children, their caregivers, and drivers how and why pedestrian injuries and deaths can be prevented. In the form of a “photo novella” or brief story with photos, the booklets were developed with and for the Latino population of three Massachusetts communities: Holyoke, Chicopee, and Springfield. EDC project directors are hoping this local pilot project will be expanded into a national campaign.
Violence Prevention
EDC’s National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention provides technical assistance and training to 115 school districts and communities that receive grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The center has created two briefs dealing with violence prevention among Latino youths.
- Visit the National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention
- Download “Meeting the Needs of Latino Youth: Part I: Risk” (PDF, 117 KB)
- Download “Meeting The Needs of Latino Youth: Part II: Resilience” (PDF, 117 KB)
Early Childhood Education
Connections and Commitments provides a framework that helps educators teach Latino students more responsively by focusing on four key values shared by many Latino cultures: Familia/Family (forming true alliances with the family network); Pertenencia/Belonging (creating a sense of family and belonging in the classroom); Educación/Education (learning together); Compromiso/Commitment (taking the lead in changing professional development).
The Improving Access & Opportunity for Latinos in Early Childhood Web site provides resources for educators, administrators, and families who are working to improve access and opportunities for Latino school children. The site offers materials, resources, and guidance for early childhood educators.
HIV/AIDS Prevention
VOICES/VOCES is a video-based intervention program designed for African American and Latino audiences that has been proven effective in reducing new sexually transmitted disease infections, including HIV/AIDS, and encouraging condom use. EDC created a Web site that describes the research methodology used to develop VOICES/VOCES and explains why the program has been so effective.
Child Care for Migrant Workers
Arranging affordable, quality child care can be difficult for migrant families, who need programs that are accessible around the clock and adaptable to changing schedules and moves. EDC’s report, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start and Child Care Partnerships, examines priority areas of concern for these families and their children.
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