NHSA Releases Two Generations Together Report

Washington, D.C. – NHSA, in partnership with Ascend at the Aspen Institute, released “Two Generations Together” a case study report highlighting the exceptional efforts of Head Start programs in designing effective two-generation solutions aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty and putting families on the path to self-sufficiency.

Head Start and Early Head Start programs in diverse communities across the country have pioneered new and innovative designs for whole-family approaches that best meet the distinct needs of their children and families. The report details some of the unique and effective strategies the programs are implementing to establish a successful two-generation infrastructure in their communities. The Head Start programs featured in the report are:

• Friends of Mississippi, TANF to Work and Ownership Project, Jackson, Mississippi
• Educational Alliance, College Access and Success Program, New York, New York
• Southwest Human Development, Live and Learn: CDA Credentialing Program, Phoenix, Arizona
• Pacific Clinics, Mothers’ Club Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership, Pasadena California
• AVANCE-Houston, Parent Child Education Program, Harris County, Texas
• Parents in Community Action, Inc, Parent Training Program, Hennepin County, Minnesota

These programs represent the many ways in which effective two-generation efforts can be designed, funded and evaluated. The report examines common mechanisms for funding, partnerships and research in an effort to disseminate strategies that will help other Head Start and early learning programs develop or enhance two-generation work of their own. The case studies also highlight the remarkable improvements in the lives of the families these Head Start programs serve. The research in this Aspen Institute report reinforces the value of Head Start’s longstanding, two-generational approach to achieving stability and success.

“Head Start has always emphasized that parents are their children’s first teachers and a program’s most important partners,” said NHSA Executive Director Yasmina Vinci. “These case studies are a testament to the truly transformative power of two-generational approaches to breaking the cycle of poverty and empowering families to achieve their own goals for education, employment, stability, and success.”