WEST BEND 鈥 The West Bend Community Fund (WBCF) announced on Wednesday a $400,000 investment in early childhood education and development in the West Bend area to help meet the significant community need of child care access.
"We believe that by increasing the quality and access of child care along with providing development opportunities for young children to aid in their brain development will not only have a big impact on the child, but it will help the entire family unit, the workforce, and the community at large," WBCF Community Initiatives Chair and Kettle Moraine YMCA CEO Rob Johnson said in the release.
According to a news release, the WBCF formed the Community Impact Committee in 2023 to identify and help meet outstanding community needs, with the most significant need identified being access to child care.
To address the need, the WBCF Community Impact Committee set the following four priorities to help address the need:
鈻 Invest in high-quality early childhood education facilities.
鈻 Invest in expanding workforce options.
鈻 Advocate for increased child care access.
鈻 Work with agencies to provide four areas of development around physical, cognitive, language and social emotional development for children birth through 8 years old.
According to the release, the WBCF will be allocating $150,000 over the next three years to address these priorities. In addition, the SM天地论坛 Foundation has matched the WBCF investment with a $150,000 contribution and Washington County will contribute $100,000.
鈥淲e are seeing a great need to provide training and opportunities to engage current and future childcare workers, a critical consideration for families choosing to live here,鈥 Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann said in the release. 鈥淭he county鈥檚 $100,000 contribution from ARPA funds to the West Bend Community Foundation, along with contributions they will receive from the SM天地论坛 Foundation, represent an infusion of dollars that relate directly to the County鈥檚 workforce attraction initiative.
鈥淭his type of investment from WBCF, GMF and Washington County shows that Early Childhood Education and Development is a priority,鈥 Johnson said in the release.
WBCF will be collaborating with several community partners to help expand the child care workforce in the county, including Forward Careers, Moraine Park Technical College (MPTC) and 4C For Children.
鈥淓ach organization has made substantial progress in partnering with local employers and aspiring early childhood educators to obtain certifications and access opportunities in a field facing a critical worker shortage,鈥 the release said.
At MPTC, students in the West Bend area will be able to benefit from a unique scholarship opportunity through their partnership with the WBCF, which will help train students to be early childhood education professionals while making a degree from the college even more affordable.
鈥淢oraine Park has deep roots in Washington County and our goal is to be a collaborative partner to solve workforce issues, like the early childhood education staffing shortages,鈥 Chris Schatz, dean of health and human services at MPTC, said in the release. 鈥淲e understand that for many individuals, the cost of education is a significant barrier. In addition to the various scholarships and grants available through the College, our partnership with WBCF will enable us to extend scholarships to current and future students from the West Bend area who are interested in pursuing a degree in early childhood education.鈥
4C for Children will also provide an extensive array of training opportunities for those interested in pursuing a career in child care or establishing their own child care business.
鈥淭his project is designed to equip participants with the critical skills and insights needed to deliver exceptional care and manage successful childcare programs,鈥 said the release. 鈥淏y enhancing the capabilities of individuals in this field, they aim to significantly elevate the quality of childcare services available within our community.鈥
The courses from 4C for Children have been crafted to address the various facets of child care to ensure participants receive well-rounded and practical training, according to the release.
Through its partnership with the WBCF, Forward Careers will be introducing the Childcare Advancement Readiness Employment (CARE) Initiative, which will be a work-based learning program to address the acute shortage of early childhood educators in West Bend.
鈥淭his program offers a dual benefit: it provides participants with critical occupational skills training while supporting employers in the childcare sector. Through partnerships with Moraine Park Technical College and 4C For Children, participants will receive comprehensive training, equipping them with the necessary skills to deliver high-quality care,鈥 said the release. 鈥淎dditionally, the program ensures financial support by reimbursing employers for up to 350 hours of wages at $15 per hour for each new hire.鈥
The CARE Initiative from Forward Careers also allows parents to participate more fully in the workforce, according to the release.
鈥淭he CARE Initiative is a transformative step towards building a robust early childhood education workforce,鈥 said Forward Careers President and CEO Cindy Simons. 鈥淏y investing in our community's future caregivers, we are fostering a brighter future for our children and supporting the economic vitality of our region.鈥
