Training The Trainers for Arizona Early Childhood

When First Things First of Arizona (FTF) needed powerful plans for community outreach and communications to educate families statewide about the importance of early childhood education, they called on ACS. Now, ACS is assisting FTF with building the capacity of its regional community outreach staff and regional council directors to successfully facilitate community stakeholder conversations and negotiate difficult conversations around strategic priorities.

Scarlett Bouder and Rebecca Cohen recently spent several days in Phoenix training more than 30 regional staff and directors who came to the table with a wide variety of experience levels. ACS created custom tools and scenarios for FTF to help regional directors work through concepts and resources that will help them facilitate conversations with various early childhood stakeholders in their unique communities. The training also provided plenty of opportunity for participants to reflect on their facilitation work and work through the challenges of coalition building, coming to consensus, and identifying priorities.

The ACS team will continue providing 1-1 assistance throughout the summer so that FTF staff is well-prepared and highly effective in engaging their communities to support Arizona’s youngest residents.

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