By Lisa Armao
I read the Daily Post article: Solving Pagosa’s Child Care Shortage, Part One.
Our organization, the Early Childhood Service Corps, understands the need for more childcare options across the state of Colorado and the need for trained Early Childhood staff to work in those facilities and with our youngest children.
We are hoping to be a small part of the solution! Early Childhood Service Corps (ECSC) is an innovative, inter-generational response to the critical workforce need in the Early Childhood Field and to the unprecedented departure of older Americans from the workforce. ECSC provides training, education and support for adults (50+) to become Early Childhood Teachers who are qualified to work as substitute teachers, part-time floaters, classroom teachers or assistant teachers in licensed Early Childhood Education (ECE) facilities.
We are actively recruiting adults 50+ to serve as Corps Members in our program, and help the struggling Early Childhood industry in Pagosa Springs and all of Colorado. We are recruiting in rural areas and mountain communities throughout our state, including Pagosa Springs where we already have a trained substitute ready to work. So if an ECE site Director or licensed home/family care provider is reading this, please reach out to become an ECSC Partner Site to use our volunteers and substitutes.
Early Childhood Directors report to ECSC spending 45-70% of their time subbing in classrooms due to inadequate staffing and lack of qualified substitutes. More than 50% of those EC Directors reported that they had to close classrooms, move children to different classrooms to support ratio and decrease operation hours in order to navigate through the staffing shortages. The field’s annual turnover rate is four times greater than among elementary school teachers.
The economic impact of insufficient childcare on Colorado parents, business and taxpayers is tremendous; 1.22 million for parents, $680 million for business, and $270 million on taxpayers annually in lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
We believe older adults can be part of the solution. Don’t retire, Rewire! Use your business experience & passion to make a difference as a Volunteer Business Advisor or become an Encore Sub or Classroom Volunteer to assist Early Childhood sites in your area, who are in need of trained, qualified substitute teachers and support staff.
If you are 50+ and looking to make a difference in the lives of children and families in Pagosa Springs, please reach out to us!
For more information visit https://earlychildhoodservicecorps.org/
Lisa Armao is Executive Director for Early Childhood Service Corps.