Last year, Lund’s Early Childhood Education Program (LECP) Coordinator, Judy Harvey, came up with an idea for a program to respond to pressing needs she saw in the early childhood education landscape, including:
- Needing to grow the childcare workforce
- Increasing childcare spots across Vermont
- Diversifying Lund’s childcare staff to truly represent the children and families we serve
- Breaking down barriers to jobs for New Americans
This idea came to life when Lund launched the Pathways for New Americans program in January 2024 with an Opportunity Grant from Building Bright Futures. The program provides an opportunity for New Americans who are interested in working in early childhood education, but who don’t know where to start. This summer, four trainees completed paid on-the-job training, early childhood education courses and professional development—and now they are finishing up the program fully qualified to apply for early childhood teaching positions!
People from other countries have so much knowledge, but don’t always know where to start. I knew I wanted to work with kids, and this program was something I could do for myself, and it’s been the best thing I’ve done in my life and for my career.
-Gita, Pathways for New Americans Graduate
In August, we hired one of the program graduates, Gita, as a full-time LECP staff member. Hiring Gita made it possible for Lund to open four new childcare spots in our infant room. We were able to fill these with four infants currently living with their mothers at Lund’s Residential Treatment Program, ensuring that these families have access to high quality education and compassionate care for their young child, while allowing the parents the ability to focus on their own treatment and recovery goals.
