The Thrive From the Start network is powered by four dynamic work groups—each one a hub where real progress happens and where organizations can actively shape the movement. To join and contribute to our work, reach out to the contact listed for the group that sparks your interest and get involved!
Communications Work Group
The Communications Working Group works to advance one of the main goals of TFTS – increasing awareness of the scope of expectant parents, infants, toddlers, and their families experiencing homelessness and the deleterious short and long-term impacts of this critical issue. Through critical comms functions such as disseminating best practices and case studies, providing tools to promote policies, and strategizing about products and PR, the Communications Working Group engages organizations in sharing TFTS efforts. In many ways, the Communications Working Group serves to uplift the work of the other three working groups. This group meets bi-monthly.
For more information, please reach out to Abra of Housing Is at housingis@housingis.org.
State Capacity Building Support Work Group
The State Capacity Building Support Work Group develops and implements a set of activities/resources to increase states’ capacity to identify and advance policy/system priorities aimed at solving prenatal-three homelessness. It will also serve as a space for coordinating activities related to this goal across national partners (both those funded by this initiative and not).
Work group membership:
- National organizations participating in the TA bench that will support funded state partners.
- Additional national organizations working in this space that may not have capacity to provide individualized TA to funded partners, but are interested in informing, collaborating, and/or promoting Thrive From the Start’s field-wide capacity-building activities (e.g. resources, webinars) and/or getting input from group on their related activities/resources.
- 1-3 funded-state partners to bring state perspectives to inform capacity-building activities/resources..
Target audiences for work group activities/resources:
- Funded states (individual TA, Community of practice, in-person meeting)
- State and local organizations interested in building their capacity to advance policy/system priorities in this space – advocacy organizations, direct-services providers, state/local government agency staff, groups that apply but are not funded through state selection process, etc. (field-wide activities)
- National organizations with state affiliates working on homelessness/housing insecurity who are interested in increasing their capacity to focus on P-3
For more information, please reach out to Jamie from Zero to Three at jcolvard@zerotothree.org.
Federal Policy Work Group
The Federal Policy Working Group exists to elevate the needs of infants, toddlers, and their families experiencing homelessness in federal policy through national coalition building and coordinated advocacy, ultimately leading to better systems that break the cycle of homelessness. Our working group advances the Thrive From the Start policy agenda by coordinating advocacy, sharing data and resources, and informing federal policy to improve outcomes for expectant parents, infants, toddlers, and families experiencing homelessness.
Who should join the TFTS National Policy Working Group?
We welcome organizations committed to improving outcomes for infants, toddlers, and their families experiencing homelessness through federal policy.
As a working group member, your organization will have the opportunity to:
- Collaborate and coordinate with leading national partners across housing, early childhood, health, and child welfare sectors.
- Contribute to federal policy strategies, legislative priorities, and public communications.
- Access shared research, tools, and advocacy resources.
- Amplify the Thrive From the Start message across national platforms and in federal advocacy initiatives.
For more information, please reach out to TJ at SchoolHouse Connection at tj@schoolhouseconnection.org.
Research and Data Work Group
The Research + Data Work Group (RD Work Group) shares knowledge and lessons learned to advance what works and build a more supportive system for families. Aligned with our Thrive from the Start Policy Agenda we will create materials that summarize state- and national-level action to address infant and toddler homelessness in the U.S. We also provide direct consultation to and training for our state grantees and partner with our parent leaders with lived experience.
The RD Work Group structure is based on the research-practice-policy partnership (RPPP) model (see Schelbe et al., 2020). An RPPP brings together experts in the areas of research, practice, policy, and those with lived experience (i.e., those who have experiences homelessness and/or housing insecurity) to provide input on the project. The RPPP framework represents a unique strategy for approaching the research process, one that requires researchers to engage in authentic partnership with those who have intimate knowledge of the subject. Through this process, we can better answer the problems of practice and policy.
For more information, please reach out to at Catherine of Prevent Child Abuse America at cmurphy@preventchildabuse.org.