Local Autonomy and Cross-County Collaboration: Visions for Early Learning Coalition

Author: Brenna Bream

Relationships weave communities together through connections and shared experiences. Visions for Early Learning (VEL) Coalition embraces the way these ties can shape partnerships between families, communities, and organizations. VEL is a regional coalition that encompasses Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, North Pacific and Thurston Counties; home to many small, unique cities. The network values the individuality of each of these communities and emphasizes engagement at the local level. By fostering relationships with partners across the spectrum of early learning, the coalition is dedicated to collaboration. As Regional Lead Emily Wilson-Edge says, “Relationships aren’t built as a means to an end; they are the goal.”

Community members of all ages gathered in January of 2020 for Lewis County Early Learning Coalition’s community resource fair featuring Recess Monkey.

One way Visions for Early Learning supports county coalitions in their region is by creating connections to the larger Washington Communities for Children statewide network. However, they also aim to respect the power of local links as they know each county coalition functions in their own authentic way. “We want to be protective of family opportunities in their own communities,” Emily explains.

This interplay of local autonomy and cross-county collaboration is dependent on robust, transparent communication. Sheila Kavanaugh, VEL’s Communications Lead, says, “A key to a good, strategic network is when we can leverage the ability to marshal information, support, and resources from one sector of a network to achieve results in another.” This is a critical role of the regional coalition—creating linkages, sharing resources, and aligning opportunities.

“The power of relationships, maintaining trust and connection is critical,” Sheila reflects.

The regional coalition considers diverse forms of engagement and communication across the five counties to ensure that members are connected and informed as it works best for them, regardless of resource capacity. One of these access points is through inter-county communication. If a county is unable to attend a regional coalition meeting, other counties will consider an activity, initiative, or funding opportunity on their behalf and direct connections their way. The network also utilizes newsletters to disperse information, to highlight new and adapting programs and local organizations, and to celebrate successes.

A broad range of early learning supporters gather for a community training on ACES and Health Equity in Mason County. This training was attended by over 200 people ranging from early learning providers, admin, law enforcement, DCYF staff, community resource staff, DOH, medical professionals, and more.

In addition to strengthening connections across the county coalitions, a priority for the region is connecting local resources to families in their neighborhoods and communities. As a rural region, it is common for families to be referred to an organization or agency in a larger metro area like Seattle, which presents challenges and barriers and often leads to inaccessible and ineffective referrals. As such, Visions for Early Learning is excited to be a participating region in the first cohort of a statewide Department of Health Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems grant coordinated by Washington Communities for Children. Facilitated by the Open Referral Initiative, the project will support counties to explore and assess options for creating and maintaining localized resource directory information with an emphasis on rural communities. Sheila is the project lead for her region, and she affirms the critical groundwork the county coalitions have laid. The work of their local Coordinated Access Workgroups prepared them to increase their focus and capacity in this area of resource coordination and access when the opportunity arose. There is momentum around the project, and Visions for Early Learning is working to identify how to further engage county coalitions, knowing not everyone is at the same starting place.

Trust between partners allows communities to voice their strengths, to articulate their needs, and to empower individuals to be part of something bigger.

These efforts to build network connections and improve resource linkages are all about children and families. Elevating family voice is an ongoing focus for the coalition. They hope to welcome more families into the network through family-focused events. All five counties in VEL’s region have historically hosted events as a way to bring families together for fun, and to see resources in action. While families have continued to receive services at home during the pandemic, it’s not the same as the magic of making connections in person. Thurston, Mason, & Lewis counties are actively planning for summer resource events, and North Pacific county is already scheduled to participate in one in their area. Greys Harbor county is currently planning and looking for a new venue for their annual Early Learning Expo. These in-person events are also opportunities for providers to network with each other after two years of isolation, Emily explains. As grants have changed organizations’ funding parameters and projects over the last couple of years, these events give the community a chance to reorient to each other’s work.

Looking ahead, Visions for Early Learning is working to expand their reach while ensuring they do so in ways that support existing efforts and make sense to individual counties. This is where, “The power of relationships, maintaining trust and connection is critical,” Sheila reflects. Trust between partners allows communities to voice their strengths, to articulate their needs, and to empower individuals to be part of something bigger.

The regional coalition will continue to cultivate relationships locally and regionally as they strive to achieve greater outcomes for children and families.

Active membership has increased, but the coalition recognizes they are a homogenous group. Their equity work is an active, ongoing conversation. “It’s a marathon,” Emily says. She also takes into consideration the role funding plays in bringing work to fruition. A coalition of volunteers, while dynamic and necessary, doesn’t always make for swift work. Someone has to be paid for the administrative labor that furthers progress—making phone calls, following up, sending out meeting minutes, and coordinating projects. For this reason, Emily is deeply grateful for the funding the coalition secured under the WCFC’s 2022 legislative budget proviso to continue network coordination. It has been a huge benefit for each county to have their own paid County Coalition Lead, and has truly allowed VEL’s region to capitalize on opportunities in the last year. Each coalition has immense appreciation for their county leads, Molly Leithold (Grays Harbor), Juli Jagar (Lewis), KayC Parks (Mason), Rhonda Johnson (North Pacific), and Shawn Thurman (Thurston). The statewide WCFC network infrastructure is vital for the region and local county coalitions to thrive.

You can follow Visions for Early Learning’s work through their website, where you can find contact information by county. Engagement with the coalition happens at the local level, where county leads are the faces of their coalitions as active members of their communities. The regional coalition will continue to cultivate relationships locally and regionally as they strive to achieve greater outcomes for children and families.