Expanding the Reach: Phase 2 of the Spanish Mental Health Trainings
Last year, three tenacious members of the MKE Early Childhood Education (ECE) Coalition banded together to create a series of mental health trainings specifically for Spanish-speaking providers. 22 educators took part, spending six weeks learning, growing and developing tools they could take back to their classrooms.
Following this clear success, the program was expanded to include a train-the-trainer model. This new phase represents a bright step forward, broadening the scope of the program to include even more educators and, by extension, the children and communities they serve.
“In the first phase, the feedback we got from the pilot group not only confirmed the need for this training, but helped to continually refine and improve it. This was an important step,” explained Sara Daniel, one of the coalition members behind the mental health trainings. “In phase 2, it has been even more powerful to see this knowledge transferred into the hands of 6 new Spanish-speaking ECE providers who are now trainers and trusted messengers for this community. I am hopeful that this can be expanded even further.”
A Look Back
In the first phase, Yimma Davila-Castro of Yimma’s Bright Beginnings Daycare (and now Milwaukee Succeeds), Sara Daniel of Daniel Educational Services and Diana Billstrom of Bay View Community Center developed a culturally relevant mental health curriculum designed to meet the unique needs of Spanish-speaking early educators.
The courses launched in late 2023, with 22 participants taking part in the 6-week training. These sessions covered essential mental health and well-being topics such as co-regulation, joining/relationships, positive identity and demonstration, and help and responsibility. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with nearly 100% of the participants indicating that they had significantly increased their knowledge and felt equipped to apply what they had learned in their child care settings.
Launching Phase 2
With additional funding secured, program staff embarked on Phase 2, which introduced a train-the-trainer model. This innovative approach involved selecting six outstanding educators from the fall 2023 training cohort to become aspiring trainers. These educators received specialized support and training in facilitation techniques to prepare them for their new roles.
“The six trainers learned how to organize, prepare and get tips to manage the participants while facilitating, and for all, it was the first time they had experienced the process,” explained Yimma. “They learned how to implement and promote a curriculum, practiced, and supported each other to improve their facilitation skills.”
“This training gave us the tools to be successful and proved that we could do it,” said one participant.
Thanks to this well-designed curriculum, the aspiring trainers successfully developed the skill sets and confidence they needed to lead. Participants reported feeling well-supported in their journey and comfortable with taking on their own training sessions.
One project team member shared, “To see them (the aspiring trainers) grow over the course of the training and see them succeed, it filled my cup.”
Becoming Trainers
All six aspiring trainers successfully completed 18 hours of intensive training during the winter of 2024. In June, they received T-TAP trainings and are now working to become Wisconsin Registry approved trainers. This important milestone will increase the number of Spanish-speaking Wisconsin Registry trainers by 150% - from 4 to 10.
Along the way, these aspiring trainers tested and honed their new skills by facilitating sessions for 29 additional child care educators. These sessions were held at Bay View Community Center, the agency which houses the mental health project, and created a safe space for both trainers and trainees to learn and grow together.
Successful Sessions
Similar to the initial sessions back in 2023, these new trainings successfully equipped participants with the mental health tools they need to be successful in their classrooms.
Among the 31 educators who began the sessions, 29 completed them, with 96% strongly agreeing or agreeing that the trainings increased their knowledge. Participants highlighted that the sessions helped them improve their self-care routines, implement new child care strategies and better understand children’s development.
Additionally, 92% of participants strongly agreed that they could use what they learned in their child care settings.
“Thank you to everyone," expressed one trainee. "This training is proof that we are able to do this type of work and give people the tools to improve their mental health. Thank you.”
A Broader Impact
“The outcome exceeded my expectations,” shared Yimma. “It was amazing to see educators who are usually shy and quiet being courageous and facilitating this curriculum to other colleagues.”
Phase 2 of the culturally relevant mental health trainings marks a significant step in this journey. By expanding the training program through a train-the-trainer model, we are not only increasing the number of trained educators but also ensuring the sustainability and scalability of these efforts.
"The ability to create a culturally relevant curriculum tailored specifically to the needs of Spanish-speaking providers is incredibly motivating,” shared Diana. “The expansion and sustainability of this work excite me, as well as having the train-the-trainer model to empower educators, benefiting more Spanish-speaking communities and increasing the number of Wisconsin Registry-approved trainers."
In the coming months, the project team hopes to secure the necessary funding to expand the training to additional providers in Milwaukee and across the state. We look forward to continuing this vital work and making a lasting difference in the lives of even more children and early educators!
For more detailed insights, check out our Phase 2 impact assessment.
