PARENTS & ADULT LEARNERS
PARENTS & ADULT LEARNERS
OVERVIEW 
HEA is committed to helping meet the education and training needs of all adults in Elkhart County, through developing new systems of parenting support, providing education and training opportunities for adults at all levels, and connecting adults with other opportunities in the county. Adults increasing their educational attainment, career prospects, and life skills has strong benefits for their children and for the community, in turn impacting the outcomes of future generations. HEA believes in a lifespan approach, as investments into adult capabilities and skills impact our community’s economic vitality, educational success and social fabric. Many of the core skills that support adults in effective parenting are the same skills that employers look for in workers. As Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child states in the report Building Core Capabilities for Life: “If we can systematically provide opportunities for adults to build the core skills that are needed to be productive participants in the workforce and provide stable, responsive environments for the children in their care, our economy will be stronger, and the next generation of citizens, workers, and parents will thrive.”
OVERVIEW
HEA is committed to helping meet the education and training needs of all adults in Elkhart County, through developing new systems of parenting support, providing education and training opportunities for adults at all levels, and connecting adults with other opportunities in the county. Adults increasing their educational attainment, career prospects, and life skills has strong benefits for their children and for the community, in turn impacting the outcomes of future generations. HEA believes in a lifespan approach, as investments into adult capabilities and skills impact our community’s economic vitality, educational success and social fabric. Many of the core skills that support adults in effective parenting are the same skills that employers look for in workers. As Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child states in the report Building Core Capabilities for Life: “If we can systematically provide opportunities for adults to build the core skills that are needed to be productive participants in the workforce and provide stable, responsive environments for the children in their care, our economy will be stronger, and the next generation of citizens, workers, and parents will thrive.”
OUR APPROACH
HEA collaborates with school, community and business partners to build a system of world-class education and training to equip all Elkhart County adults with the practical, emotional and social skills to thrive as the nature of work changes.
OUR APPROACH
HEA collaborates with school, community and business partners to build a system of world-class education and training to equip all Elkhart County adults with the practical, emotional and social skills to thrive as the nature of work changes.
PRIORITIES
In order to reach the goal of 50% of adults with a postsecondary credential or degree, our county needs diverse pathways to earn credentials. Credential and degree programs designed around the needs of industry have not traditionally been the focus of postsecondary institutions or adult basic education programs, but economic data demonstrates an increasing need for workers in middle-skill jobs. Currently about 26% of adults in Elkhart County have a post-secondary degree (associate’s degree or above) and 19% of Elkhart County adults do not have a high school diploma. The percent of adults with a postsecondary degree in Elkhart County has only increased by about 6 percentage points since 1990.
Our priorities for increasing educational attainment are focused on supporting adults in acquiring the skills and competencies they need for success. In our relationships with employers, community agencies, and adults in our community, we have identified the need for stronger supports that remove barriers for adults in accessing the types of services and educational opportunities they need. This includes supports for formal education and training opportunities and also supports for parenting skills. As an organization committed to lifelong learning, and building adult capabilities, we believe strongly in the need for accessible and high-quality parenting support. Through implementing the Triple P Positive Parenting Program in collaboration with Child and Parent Services (CAPS) and many other community partners, Elkhart County is becoming a community that makes parenting support widely accessible. In each of the opportunities we offer adults, whether education, training or parenting support, we strive to expand access through partnering with organizations across the county to provide services in locations that are close and familiar for adults, ensuring bilingual offerings across all program areas, and using data to understand and improve our success at reaching diverse populations.
GOALS
PRIORITIES
In order to reach the goal of 50% of adults with a postsecondary credential or degree, our county needs diverse pathways to earn credentials. Credential and degree programs designed around the needs of industry have not traditionally been the focus of postsecondary institutions or adult basic education programs, but economic data demonstrates an increasing need for workers in middle-skill jobs. Currently about 26% of adults in Elkhart County have a post-secondary degree (associate’s degree or above) and 19% of Elkhart County adults do not have a high school diploma. The percent of adults with a postsecondary degree in Elkhart County has only increased by about 6 percentage points since 1990.
Our priorities for increasing educational attainment are focused on supporting adults in acquiring the skills and competencies they need for success. In our relationships with employers, community agencies, and adults in our community, we have identified the need for stronger supports that remove barriers for adults in accessing the types of services and educational opportunities they need. This includes supports for formal education and training opportunities and also supports for parenting skills. As an organization committed to lifelong learning, and building adult capabilities, we believe strongly in the need for accessible and high-quality parenting support. Through implementing the Triple P Positive Parenting Program in collaboration with Child and Parent Services (CAPS) and many other community partners, Elkhart County is becoming a community that makes parenting support widely accessible. In each of the opportunities we offer adults, whether education, training or parenting support, we strive to expand access through partnering with organizations across the county to provide services in locations that are close and familiar for adults, ensuring bilingual offerings across all program areas, and using data to understand and improve our success at reaching diverse populations.
GOALS
MEASURES
One of our key measures of success is the overall adult educational attainment rate in our county, with a focus on disaggregating data to look at attainment gaps. As population-level data on certification completion is not available, we are tracking the number of adults who are earning new certifications through our programs. We also have specific measures in place to evaluate the success of each of our initiatives in helping adults build critical skills, whether for the workforce or for parenting.
MEASURES
One of our key measures of success is the overall adult educational attainment rate in our county, with a focus on disaggregating data to look at attainment gaps. As population-level data on certification completion is not available, we are tracking the number of adults who are earning new certifications through our programs. We also have specific measures in place to evaluate the success of each of our initiatives in helping adults build critical skills, whether for the workforce or for parenting.
AREAS OF WORK
TRIPLE P
Triple P is a population-level, public health approach to parenting support that has been proven to reduce rates of child abuse and neglect and improve children’s mental and behavioral health. Triple P is designed for “every parent” with multiple levels of support available in locations across the community. Triple P was launched in Elkhart County in 2015 and has provided thousands of Elkhart County parents with evidence-based parenting support.
ADULT PATHWAYS
HEA’s Adult Pathways model is designed to be flexible and adaptable, providing multiple entry points so that any adult, regardless of skill level, can work towards increasing their educational level and advancing in their career. Specific opportunities include literacy classes and tutoring, High School Equivalency preparation and testing, English as a New Language classes, remediation support for students entering into post-secondary, and industry-recognized certifications.
AREAS OF WORK
TRIPLE P
Triple P is a population-level, public health approach to parenting support that has been proven to reduce rates of child abuse and neglect and improve children’s mental and behavioral health. Triple P is designed for “every parent” with multiple levels of support available in locations across the community. Triple P was launched in Elkhart County in 2015 and has provided thousands of Elkhart County parents with evidence-based parenting support.
ADULT PATHWAYS
HEA’s Adult Pathways model is designed to be flexible and adaptable, providing multiple entry points so that any adult, regardless of skill level, can work towards increasing their educational level and advancing in their career. Specific opportunities include literacy classes and tutoring, High School Equivalency preparation and testing, English as a New Language classes, remediation support for students entering into post-secondary, and industry-recognized certifications.
