Change the ECE system through relationships.
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Welcome to the Alliance! Your voice can help change the ECE system for the better. Join the conversation with other community members at an upcoming event—we want to hear from you.
Let’s connect.
Join our mailing list to be part of the Gateway Alliance community of parents, families, providers, educators and partners. Stay up-to-date about events and opportunities to use your voice.
GET INVOLVED
OUR VOICES, TOGETHER
Change Starts with Conversations
Many of our community-led conversations have directly shaped our programs, and led to positive change. We also support and participate in events and efforts led by others in the St. Louis region.
Community-led conversations helped create the Day of Play. Participants from our admin capacity cohort came together from various organizations to put on a Day of Play in June 2023. Day of Play was created in partnership with Harris-Stowe to help child care professionals in their classrooms and programs. It was an incredible celebration and convening of passionate folks!
These conversations helped create the ECE Workforce Study. Gateway Early Childhood Alliance commissioned a survey to help determine the needs of the early childhood workforce in the St. Louis metropolitan area. It asked essential questions about the experiences of ECE professionals and their workplaces. This workforce study was developed in collaboration with the Community Innovation and Action Center (CIAC) at the University of Missouri—St. Louis.
We hosted a conversation with Missouri Senator Brian Williams and Representative Ian Mackey to speak with ECE professionals. At this Town Hall, we talked about state level legislative priorities around early childhood education, and we discussed provider priority issues. The discussion was facilitated by Adesha Armstrong, PPAG coalition member and Home based Childcare provider.
READY TO DO MORE?
Two Ways to Commit to Change
Community Connections are just the beginning. Check out our two groups below if you’re ready to be more involved.
POWER BUILDING AND ADVOCACY
This monthly gathering for Families, Providers, and Community turns ideas into action by advocating for funds, speaking to people in leadership, and galvanizing people for change.
Photo: SouthSide Early Childhood Center CAPACITY BUILDING
Geared towards Providers, Educators, and Partners, these groups offer support and strategy for improving the ECE environment through better resources, training, and tools.
“We need to move from competitive ideation, trying to push our individual ideas, to collective ideation, collaborative ideation. It isn’t about having the number one best idea, but having ideas that come from, and work for, more people.”
—Adrienne Maree Brown, Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds