IMAGINE INSTITUTE
16000 Christensen Road No 201, Tukwila, WA 98188

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Organizations Filed Purposes: The Imagine Institute's primary mission is to elevate the conditions of the early childhood education profession while maintaining its incredible diversity by providing culturally responsive professional development support that is respectful of provider skills, knowledge, home culture, and language and is accessible to those already working long hours, often for low pay.

The Imagine Institute is a grassroots professional development organization for early care and education professionals. The organization offers groundbreaking programs that provide support to child care center workers, licensed family child care providers, and family, friend, and neighbor caregivers. All the programs are built on the core tenants of relationship-based professional development and the belief that education professionals learn best from their peers.

IMAGINE U:Imagine U is a relationship-based mentorship program designed to increase the number of licensed family child care providers who can care for children in Washington State. Imagine U pairs experienced and talented licensed child care providers with those interested in becoming licensed, and offers both the mentor and intern support to help them grow professionally. As interns progress through the program, they complete assignments such as cost benefit analyses, budgets, program policies and practice licensing visits while also working 20 hours per month in their mentor's child care facilities. At the conclusion of the program, successful participants receive a bonus to invest in their child care businesses. Imagine U's peer-to-peer model honors the knowledge and skill that exists in the field and helps ensure that new providers can benefit from their mentor's expertise.

TRAINING AND INCENTIVES:The Imagine Institute provides free training to licensed family child care providers and family, friend and neighbor providers who serve low-income children throughout Washington State. Our training is developed in conjunction with early childhood educators to ensure it is meaningful and responsive to the field. The Imagine Institute created an innovative program to develop licensed family child care providers as state-approved trainers representing some of the first licensed family child care providers delivering STARS training (continuing education) to their peers in this state. Our trainers represent their communities speaking English, Spanish, Arabic and Somali. Importantly, these trainers have a deep understanding of life as a child care provider, which allows them to effectively educate and mentor their peers. A majority of our active trainers are women of color, speak a language other than English, and approximately 60% of our active trainers in central and eastern Washington are monolingual Spanish-speakers.

WASHINGTON STATE EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION SUBSTITUTE POOLSince its inception, the WA State ECE Substitute Pool has distributed millions of dollars in substitute relief funding to hundreds of licensed family child cares and child care centers throughout Washington State. As part of administering the substitute pool, the Imagine Institute provides training and orientation to community members so that they can become approved to work as a substitute, increasing the number of ECE workers in Washington State. The Imagine Institute also provides technical assistance to both substitutes and providers to assist them in effectively participating in the program.

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