Washington Cradle-to-Career Convening

Washington State Cradle to Career Convening
Date: November 6-8, 2024
Location: [TBD]

The Washington State Cradle to Career Convening brings together 2-3 representatives from each organization to collaboratively address the comprehensive needs of children and youth across Washington State. This convening will focus on thinking and acting politically to ensure that children from cradle to career receive the support they need.

Key Themes:

• Educational Justice: Advocating for equitable funding, policies to close achievement gaps, and inclusive curricula to create a more just educational system.
• Economic Mobility: Exploring solutions that strengthen educational pathways, affordable childcare, early education, and vocational training to promote upward mobility.
• Collective Action: Emphasizing community partnerships among parents, businesses, non-profits, and local governments to create a supportive environment for youth development.

Agenda Highlights:

• Learning of Eastside Pathways’ work and discussing partnership agreements and collective initiatives like EPEP.
• Cultural experiences and site visits, including the NAAM, KidsQuest, Gates Center, Botanical Gardens, Microsoft, and BAM.
• Sessions on policy advocacy and engagement with elected officials like Jeni Craswell, Jim Lopez, and Claudia Balducci.
• Opportunities to connect with EP Council members, explore regional strategies, and engage in mindfulness practices for awareness and reflection.

This convening will foster a shared commitment to improving educational and economic outcomes for Washington’s children and youth. By coming together, we can build a stronger, more equitable future through policy, partnerships, and community action.