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“Caregivers have to be a really critical part of the equation in more ways than we have done before. We have to proactively engage them, and also we have to proactively build on what their own hopes and dreams are for this next phase.”

- Yi-Chin Chen, Executive Director

During the course of the global pandemic, our youth and families bore the brunt of the impact, including loss of employment, inadequate support in remote learning transition, and significant threats to physical and mental health. As a response, we added enhanced family support elements and structured programming to support both Achievers and caregivers.

What we learned in this crisis is what we have known all along – children thrive when their caregivers thrive. It demonstrated and underscored the power of a 2Gen model—that of supporting the whole family by intentionally and simultaneously working with our Achievers and their caregivers will result in greater stability and success for children and youth.

With our two-generation approach, we are leveraging our proven model to impact generational change for both youth and caregivers. 

Friends of the Children-Boston's 2Gen Approach was featured in the nationally publicized Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Read Our Feature in the Chronicle of Philanthropy

WHAT IS A TWO-GENERATION APPROACH?

Two-generation (2Gen) approaches build family well-being by intentionally and simultaneously working with children and the adults in their lives together. As children, parents, and families grow and change across their lifespan, 2Gen approaches align opportunities to help families pursue their goals and thrive, optimizing each person’s potential along the way. The results are healthy children meeting developmental milestones, healthy parents with family-supporting jobs, and better-connected individuals able to participate in civic and family life.

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FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN: 2GEN APPROACH

Caregivers have told us that what they need to achieve their hopes and dreams are people who believe in their power, potential and contributions. They've told us that trusting, long-term relationships with Friends empower change across generations – for both themselves and their children.

The youth and families we serve are resilient in the face of systemic and institutional barriers: systems that are inequitable, unfair and working against them at every turn. Those systems, and the resulting trauma they create, negatively impact both our youth and their caregivers, which is why Friends of the Children is adopting a two-generation approach.

Emerging research shows when a child does better, a parent does better and vice versa.

As we continue to build Core Assets, collaboratively set goals and empower youth to meet long-term outcomes, our 2Gen approach leverages the power of the Friend relationship with caregivers to support them to meet their own goals as caregivers.

HOW WE ARE DOING IT

Impacting change across generations - for both youth and their families: Empowering families to move beyond obstacles such as poverty, foster care and criminal justice involvement, and toward health, well-being and community.

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2GEN IMPACT

Impacting change across generations - for both youth and their families: Empowering families to move beyond obstacles such as poverty, foster care and criminal justice involvement, and toward health, well-being and community.

Accountability for results is in the Friends of the Children DNA. After 12+ years with a Friend, we want caregivers to be able to say that their families are more stable, that their relationship with their child is stronger and that they see themselves as contributors with strong ties to the community.

In just two years since implementing our 2Gen approach, caregivers have reported that Friends of the children has helped them with:

  • Stronger family relationships (88%)
  • Improved understanding of how to support their child's school success (91%)
  • Systems navigation and advocacy (77%) and
  • Connections to resources that enrich and stabilize their family (92%).

According to the Harvard Business School of Oregon, every $1 invested in program youth returns $7 to the community. That $7 return on investment becomes almost $27 when siblings, classmates and the next generation are included in the equation.

Our model is real, and it works – for youth, for caregivers and for the next generation.