Family Opportunity Roadmap Austin/Travis County 2-Generation Strategic Plan 2019-2023 Table of Contents Introduction to 2-Gen Acknowledgements Support & Endorsements Community Context Action Plan Policy Priorities Introduction All families deserve access to opportunity. However, systems that perpetuate intergenerational poverty threaten the well-being of Austin’s residents and its economy, leaving far too many families behind. Although there are many promising anti-poverty programs, most focus solely on adults with low income or their children, missing the opportunity to foster economic mobility for whole families. There are numerous efforts to grow the economy by developing the local workforce in the Austin area; however, the lack of quality, affordable child care and out-of-school time (OST) programming remain significant barriers to participation in education, training, and the workforce for parents, particularly those with low incomes.[1] Similarly, the benefits of quality early childhood education (ECE) and OST are well known, but the likelihood of a child succeeding later in life is still affected by the education and income levels of his or her parents.[2] Research indicates that a dual-generational (2-Gen) approach to whole-family support can lead to better outcomes for both generations of a family.[3] Over the course of 2018, nearly 200 individual stakeholders from Austin and Travis County came together to develop the Austin/Travis County 2-Gen Strategic Plan (this Plan) in order to integrate the 2-Gen approach within our entire community. This Plan – the first community-wide strategic plan for 2-Gen in the nation – articulates common goals and strategies to strengthen and expand 2-Gen services and resources for Austin families. About the 2-Gen Approach The 2-Gen Approach Is Both A Strategy For Economic Development And A Mechanism To Create Economic And Social Opportunity For Families. Rather than being a new or different intervention in and of itself, the 2-Gen model is a paradigm for thinking about social service delivery in which parents and children from the same family are served deliberately and simultaneously, leading to greater economic mobility over time. This benefits participating families as well as the economy. Economic mobility across generations – or the ability for children to do better financially than their parents – has diminished over time. Austin is no exception, with lower mobility rates than many major cities.[4] The 2-Gen model aims to reverse this trend, helping families with low income create an intergenerational cycle of opportunity by intentionally focusing on the separate but linked needs of both parent and child. 2-Gen approaches work to better coordinate services across generations and to better coordinate systems and sectors that are traditionally siloed. 2-Gen approaches can take various shapes and forms, but most encompass some combination of the following supports and services: For children: ECE for children 0-5, OST programs for children six and older, mentorship. For parents: parenting classes, financial education, English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult Basic Education (ABE), high school diploma or equivalency (HSE), postsecondary education (associate or bachelor’s degree programs), workforce training, and certification programs. For whole families: home visiting, health and mental health services, stable housing, financial stability, case management, and networks of support. Nationally, the most effective 2-Gen approaches incorporate strong connections and coordination between services for parents and children, making it easier for families to participate and succeed. Additionally, 2-Gen models with the greatest impact include high-quality programming in the above areas. About the Strategic Plan Over the past several years, leaders across sectors in Austin/Travis County have worked together to better understand and promote a 2-Gen approach. In 2015, these efforts culminated in the creation of a 2-Gen Vision for Austin, which outlined the basis for a multigenerational approach to disrupting the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Building on this vision, United Way for Greater Austin (UWATX) convened a network of service providers to support organizations currently taking a 2-Gen approach and encourage adoption by other providers. Over the course of 2018, this network greatly expanded, and members worked collectively to develop this Plan to put the 2-Gen Vision for Austin into action. 2-Gen Vision for Austin (2015) Policies and programs are designed, and their resources are aligned, to help parents improve educational skills and become economically stable, to strengthen parents’ ability to be positive influences on their children’s development, and to help children achieve their maximum potential by simultaneously addressing the needs of parents and children. Meeting the needs of both generations will produce larger and more enduring effects than can be achieved by serving parents and children separately. Austin/Travis County 2-Gen Strategic Plan Logic Model This Plan establishes a set of common goals, strategies, and metrics for the Austin/Travis County community as we work to create an ecosystem of programs and services that support intergenerational economic opportunity for families with low income. By executing the strategies and advocating for the policy priorities included in this Plan, we will accomplish two primary objectives over the next five years (2019-2023): Increase the number of families in Austin/Travis County who are served through a 2-Gen approach; and Improve family outcomes by strengthening existing 2-Gen programs and services. The numbers below are the baseline numbers that have been calculated at the time of publication (December 2018). Over the course of the first year of implementation (2019) stakeholders will work together to set targets for each of these measures, as well as each performance measure listed in Part V of this Plan (the Action Plan). Annual progress reports will detail our community’s progress toward our goals for each year of this Plan. Altogether, this Plan strives to change systems to serve whole families, rather than asking families to navigate siloed systems. The research-based assumption that is foundational to this Plan asserts that if systems are aligned and services are integrated so that parent and children have access to comprehensive, wraparound support, both generations will achieve greater economic well-being. Baseline Information 2-GEN 682 families served 17 approaches NEAR 2-GEN 2,809 families served 7 approaches To develop these metrics, UWATX administered a survey to 52 family-serving agencies and organizations in the Austin/Travis County area, asking them to identify the extent to which they meet the following 2-Gen criteria, based on national research on the 2-Gen model: Services are delivered deliberately and simultaneously for both generations (parents/caregivers and children); Outcomes are measured for both generations; Services for children include interventions that promote the development of the child(ren) between the ages of 0-12; and Services for parents/caregivers include adult education and/or job training leading to the potential of employment with a family-sustaining wage. For the purposes of our community efforts, a 2-GEN APPROACH meets all four criteria. A NEAR 2-GEN APPROACH meets criteria 1-3 and also includes services that advance family economic mobility in ways other than adult education and/or job training, such as services that promote health/mental health, social capital, financial security, and/or stable housing.
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