Because children need adults who care & understand
Parenting Resource Associates' COMPASS for homeless families program has provided direct services for homeless parents and children living in under-resourced shelters since 2002.
Each year COMPASS has served approximately 125 homeless families.
In 2007, COMPASS partnered with the Massachusetts Community Colleges to kick it up several notches - and end family homelessness in Massachusetts through education, workforce development training, life skills development, and long-term support. The resulting program is the COMPASS Community College Collaborative (click for brochure)
Watch the COMPASS Community College Collaborative video:
THE COMPASS MISSION
COMPASS for homeless families prepares homeless families to be successful in communities going forward – preventing future family homelessness one family at a time.
COMPASS works intensively with families while they are in shelter. Families are provided with a range of direct support and empowerment services that individually and collectively serve to strengthen families while they are waiting for permanent housing.
COMPASS addresses issues that families bring into shelter as well as serving to prevent the well documented, deleterious impacts associated with shelter life.
COMPASS serves a leadership role in bringing together other agencies and organizations to provide a constellation of coordinated, complimentary services that provide critical workforce development skills; life skills – including communication, problem solving, conflict resolution and advocacy; parenting skills; family literacy; and parenting skills, grounded in an understanding of child development.
The COMPASS team believes that parents, particularly those who have histories of deprivation and/or trauma need nurturing, support and direct education to best fulfill their parental responsibilities.
COMPASS ensures the healthy development of homeless children, making sure that the adults responsible for the care and welfare of homeless children – their parents – are best equipped to do their job as parents. Successful parenting includes providing children with the emotional, financial, and educational support that will best facilitate their becoming productive and contributing, well-adjusted adults.
COMPASS facilitates homeless mothers in becoming the best parents they can be by empowering them to be strong mentors for their own children.
COMPASS provides single parent, homeless families with intervention services that support family cohesiveness and economic self sufficiency, ensuring that families are successful in communities beyond shelter.
COMPASS works to promote the end of family homelessness, one family at a time.
HOW CAN YOU LEARN MORE?
COMPASS INFO SESSIONS
Plan a COMPASS Information Session for your group (businesses, civic groups, private groups, etc.) E-Mail us at: compass@parentingresource.org for further information.
