Leading Edge™ For Childcare Providers (Center-Based)
2024-06-22 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-06-29 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Denver) | Online
Leading Edge™ For Childcare Providers (Center-Based)
In partnership with Joint Initiatives for Youth + Families/Foundations, the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center LEADING EDGE™ for Childcare Providers helps both licensed child care providers (Center-based) and start-ups. The six-week program assists child care providers in strengthening business practices when coping with the challenges of the ever-changing landscape of the Colorado workforce.

Understanding Resiliency in Young Children
2024-08-20 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
Children and youth with special healthcare needs (CYSHCN) experience childhood adversities and trauma at a much higher rate (2X) than children without special healthcare needs. CYSHCN are more susceptible to trauma for a variety of reasons. Join us for this virtual training to learn about trauma and resiliency in CYSHCN and how to help them gain skills to face future adversities. You will have the opportunity to walk through examples of how to help this population to develop or reinforce resiliency.
Instructor: Kyrsten Hall, MPH

Beyond the ACEs Score | Parts 1, 2, and 3
2024-09-19 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-10-03 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-10-17 18:00 - 20:00 | Joint Initiatives for Youth + Families, 1600 N. Union Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO, 80909, United States
Promoting Positive Childhood Experiences: Through the Lens of the Neurosequential Model in Early Childhood Education.
Parts 1, 2, and 3 build upon each other. Children’s mental health training provides early childhood educators an opportunity to better understand the impact of childhood trauma and how to implement strategies to prevent or reduce the effects. Through building nurturing relationships, providing positive experiences, and offering safe environments for children to live, play, and learn, individuals can contribute to the healthy development and well being of all children in our community.

Part 1: Toxic stress, often precipitated by adversity in childhood, is the body’s response to lasting and serious stress. This type of stress affects how the brain and the body grow and develop, often causing lifelong behavioral and physical health issues. Join us to learn how Adverse Childhood Experiences may have impacted your life personally, those whom you love, or those whom you work with.
In Part 2, participants will learn ‘why’ adversity, especially in the early stages of development, creates the foundation for all future growth.
In Part 3, participants will address the question, “So, now what?” Participants will be introduced to primary concepts of the Neurosequential Model in Education to start creating relationships and environments where all children can flourish.

Instructor: Paula Hergert, M.A.Ed.
Part 1 • September 19 | Register HERE
Part 2 • October 3 | Register HERE
Part 3 • October 17 | Register HERE

Career Navigator Virtual Office Hours
2024-10-07 11:30 - 14:30, 2024-10-21 11:30 - 14:30, 2024-11-04 11:30 - 14:30, 2024-11-18 11:30 - 14:30, 2024-12-02 11:30 - 14:30, 2024-12-16 11:30 - 14:30, 2025-01-06 11:30 - 14:30, 2025-02-03 11:30 - 14:30 and 7 more dates
FREE SUPPORT TO PURSUE OR ADVANCE YOUR CAREER!
Do you need guidance navigating the many paths toward a rewarding career in early childhood? Have you been in the field and would like to know the opportunities for advancing your career? Joint Initiatives offers free career navigation! It includes PDIS support, assistance with college enrollment or applying for the Advancing Early Childhood Educators program (below), answering CDA questions, portfolio support, + more!
NEW! Virtual Office Hours via Zoom!
1st and 3rd Mondays | 11:30 am–2:30 pm
¡Ofrecemos nuestros servicios en Español!
For the Career Navigation flyer in Spanish, click HERE.
Download our Navigator Flyer for details and the link to virtual office hours or visit our BuildMyECECareer.com to schedule a free time to chat.
SHARE THE OPPORTUNITY
If you know someone considering a career in early childhood education, BuildMyECECareer.com has complete details for getting started, including inspiring videos highlighting those in the field!
Advancing Early Childhood Educators FLYER 11.8.24

The Growing Brain | Parts 1, 2, and 3
2024-11-05 18:00 - 21:00, 2024-11-06 18:00 - 21:00, 2024-11-12 18:00 - 21:00 | Online
All babies are born with billions of neurons bumping around their brains… but very few of those neurons are connected. That’s where YOU come in! The Growing Brain professional development curriculum provides early childhood professionals with the knowledge, support, and evidence-based strategies they can use in everyday moments to support healthy brain development and build the connections babies need for success now and later in life.

Active Shooter Survival Skills Training
2024-11-20 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
This training will include emergency preparedness training on active shooter survival skills. Topics will include: Run/Hide/Fight, preparation, and planning.

A Deeper Dive into Suspension + Expulsion Practices
2025-01-25 09:00 - 10:30 | Joint Initiatives for Youth + Families, 1600 N. Union Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO, 80909, United States
This training is for individuals who have completed the PDIS training “Ending Suspension and Expulsion in Early Care and Learning Settings.” Participants will review material covered in the PDIS training and have the opportunity to engage with colleagues around this difficult topic.
Instructor: Erika Cincotta, Foundations Mental Health Practitioner

BrainWise
2025-02-18 18:00 - 20:00 | Joint Initiatives for Youth + Families, 1600 N. Union Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO, 80909, United States
BrainWise provides a comprehensive package of ideas, providing a framework and tools to help teachers teach what children at a young age need to possess the social, emotional, and critical thinking skills necessary to analyze and respond to complex situations and to recognize, understand, and appropriately manage their own emotions. This training will offer strategies for supporting children in controlling impulsive behavior, accurately identifying choices, assessing the consequences of actions, and making responsible decisions.
Instructor: Paula Hergert, M.A. Ed.

Emergency Preparedness for Early Childhood Professionals
2025-03-12 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
The ChildCare Aware of America training aims to help childcare programs and providers better prepare for emergencies. Participants will receive resources and the training covers:
• Importance of emergency preparedness for childcare
• Actions required for different emergencies
• Supporting children’s needs
• Writing an emergency plan
Instructor: Geanina Brown, Foundations Workforce Manager

Early Childhood Staff Recruitment + Retention
2025-05-03 09:00 - 12:00 | Online
While there is no easy answer to solve the early childhood workforce crisis, this session will support directors and administrators to think about the factors within their programs that support recruitment and retention. This session will provide meaningful insights and practical ideas into why turnover happens and how to reverse this trend within their programs and centers. It will also provide time to brainstorm together and learn how others are tackling the challenges of recruitment and retention.
Trainer: Maegan Lokteff, PhD
Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance (ECCLA)

Nature Play at Home | Family, Friend + Neighbor Training
2025-05-28 09:30 - 11:00
The objective of this training is to encourage participants to engage in nature-based outdoor play and learning with young children on a daily basis to promote healthy physical, social-emotional and cognitive development. Participants will be introduced to simple, low-cost ways to support nature-based experiences in home-based care environments and will practice these approaches through hands-on demonstration activities. Participants will receive this training at no cost and will be provided with a materials grant to support the purchase of materials and supplies.
Training facilitated by ECHO (Early Childhood Health Outdoors)
