Driving Change Through Training: Advocacy Session #2

On Saturday, October 12, our Early Childhood Education (ECE) Advocacy Training Series continued with its second session, bringing together 48 passionate early educators and community members. The series aims to empower participants with the advocacy and community organizing skills necessary to drive change in Milwaukee - particularly when it comes to increasing investment in ECE.

The virtual trainings began in September with a overview of collective impact and advocacy, focusing on the power of lived experience to drive change. Participants also explored the broken business model behind ECE and the critical need for funding in this struggling sector.

“I gained a renewed understanding of advocacy and its significance in our field,” explained one early educator. “This is how we can transform the ECE system to better support the needs of teachers, children and parents.”

The goal of the second session was to further explore the importance of advocacy, while examining ways to better support our centers and early educators. Participants explored critical topics surrounding the YoungStar program (Wisconsin’s child care quality rating and improvement system), how high-quality ECE is defined and the challenges facing undeserved centers in Milwaukee. Attendees also dove into the power of data storytelling, learning how they can rally together to advocate for much-needed improvements and supports.

Guest speaker Ashley Harrell received outstanding praise for her candid insights and extensive knowledge, helping participants understand how they can collectively create impactful change within Milwaukee’s ECE system.

One participant shared, “I am new to advocacy and starting a committee at my center. This gave me a good base to take back and speak with my colleagues about. I was blown away by the YoungStar information.”

Another remarked, “The training was incredibly informative, offering a lot of knowledge from the experiences of others.”

As we move forward in this series, we look forward to continuing to build our community’s capacity for advocacy, ensuring that every child and educator in Milwaukee receives the support they deserve. Register now to join us for our next session and discover how you can become an advocate for ECE!