La Colectiva de Delaware is working hard to bring you, its Network members, together to meet, to discuss challenges and successes and to share resources and information. In these days when we cannot be together in the same room, we can meet in the comfort of our homes and offices through virtual meetings and our new Forum with focused “Affinity Groups.” The Forum provides a platform to advance our work with young immigrant families; families of school-age children; high-schoolers/parents planning for careers and college; and women with families. Support for the community is the focus of Affinity Groups for ESL/family literacy providers; family stability, housing and financial coaching; community groups; and a general support group. Our mission continues to “inspire, facilitate and advance the development of sustainable, collaborative approaches” for “an empowered, trusting and connected Latinx community.”
From the beginning of the La Colectiva initiative, it was apparent that many community and government agencies, while specializing in various areas and with different target populations, shared goals of healthy, educated and integrated Latino families. At the same time, the barriers to reaching these goals continue to challenge families and those who want to reach and support them. The pandemic has increased needs and made it difficult to deliver on our missions.
I have had the pleasure to work with our new director, Laura Zuniga, and members of our ESL Providers Affinity Group rather intensively during the past five weeks. This group included representatives of more than six ESL-family literacy programs across Southern Delaware. While each program maintains its identity, expertise and history of excellence, each has tried to determine how it will provide classes, tutoring and online learning. How can programs plan and manage logistics such as space availability, permissible group size, in-person registration and teaching methods during a time of uncertainty?
During our weekly Zoom ESL meetings, we shared our concerns: student needs and available resources to learn remotely; marketing the programs and options available to the community; in-person/online program registration; managing (and cleaning) meeting space; instructor recruitment and preparation/coaching for online teaching; and adapting curriculum for online instruction. As members were laser-focused on preparing for current and fall programs, many shared what they were learning and planning to support each other.
The work of this Affinity Group is supported by La Colectiva Forum tools – the chat space where members interact and assemble an up-to-date description of ESL programs, which will be translated, shared in the community, and used to coach those looking for the program that works best for them. Informative articles, webinars, our meeting agendas and progress notes are posted in the ESL Providers Affinity Group Forum.
But this is just the start. We will continue to meet to discuss progress and adjust to unknowns that can seem unpredictable. What is predictable is that we all will continue to forge new and better ways to reach those who want to learn English. Developing trusting relationships, testing new methods with students at different instructional levels, and member discussions of innovative ideas plant the seeds of sustainable collaborations. Members will determine if an ESL/family literacy network across Southern Delaware – or a different collaborative approach — will be designed to benefit their organizations and, most importantly, our immigrant families working to invest in their futures.
Work within La Colectiva’s Affinity Groups can bring members and organizations together so their contributions benefit common or mutual goals. Register for La Colectiva’s Forum and join an Affinity Group now. We look forward to your active participation in networking within your group(s) – and more. If you have questions, email La Colectiva.
Have a safe and relaxing summer,
Dr. Christine Cannon
Steering Committee Co-Chair and Funder