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SOAR: Building effective partnerships for children, youth & families
SOAR is the community coalition that advances the healthy development of children, youth & families in King County. Doing work that no single agency can accomplish alone, SOAR builds and strengthens effective partnerships and aligns community strategies to support children and youth (birth-18).
SOAR is an initiative of the community and works to create alignment between systems, sectors, organizations, providers and practice to ensure children succeed in school and in life.
Partners:
SOAR is a partnership of business and community leaders, grant makers, organizations, schools, governments, parents and faith-based groups in Seattle and King County. SOAR's Partnership Council and partner groups guide its direction and growth as a community-wide initiative.
Overall Goals:
Funding Structure:1. Improve the quality of information and support for parents.
2. Improve the school readiness of children.
3. Improve the quality and affordability of early learning and childcare.
4. Improve the quality and affordability of afterschool programs and youth development.
United Way of King County, the King County Children & Family Commission and the King County Developmental Disabilities Board partner to fund the operational costs of SOAR. Projects and activities set within the community are supported by the funding partners and the United Way School Readiness and Youth Impact Councils, private/public partnerships, foundation grants, and corporate giving. SOAR invests $250,000-300,000 annually in community partnerships. These are matched grants which typically leverage $1-7 from other investors for every SOAR dollar invested.
Policy Analysis/Action Agenda:
The work of SOAR is guided by two research and policy documents: the Early Childhood and School Readiness Action Agenda and the School Age Children and Youth Action Agenda. Compiled by working groups of community stakeholders and with broad public input, these agendas analyze the need for support for children and youth 0-18 and outline specific goal areas and strategic actions that can be taken to achieve these goals.
Action Agenda Goals:
Early Childhood and School Readiness Action Agenda
Nurturing: Children have strong bonds and nurturing relationships with their parents/guardians and other significant adults in their lives- Prevention/Early Intervention: Children and families most in need of services to help their development get high-quality, affordable and culturally competent services early.
- Early Care and Education: Children and families have access to high-quality, affordable and culturally competent early care and early education.
- Successful Transitions: Children are prepared, from infancy, for a successful transition into school by the adults in their lives, working in concert with their communities and schools.
Access to Quality Out-of-School Programs: Children and youth have full and safe access to local, quality, engaging and culturally relevant programs that help them succeed in school and in life. - Meaningful Roles: Children and youth have culturally relevant and age-appropriate opportunities to be leaders, decision makers, and engaged members of a community that values them.
- Meaningful Relationships: Children and youth have positive, healthy, and nurturing relationships with caregivers, family, peers, mentors, program staff, and their community; these relationships guide and inspire them toward success.
- Resiliency & Valued Identities: Children and youth build resiliency and participate safely, without experiencing or expressing bias, as valued members of diverse, conscientious communities.
Action Teams transform goals into actions across the county. The strategies planned and implemented range from public awareness to community-based projects to impacting policy changes. The action team members represent organizations serving children and youth, businesses, grant makers, schools, governments and faith-based groups countywide, plus parents and community leaders.
View a complete list of Action Teams and descriptions
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