First 5 Ventura County (F5VC) is pleased to join Interface Children & Family Services (ICFS) in announcing 13 Neighborhoods for Learning (NfL) locations scheduled to open in late August. Services will be provided across the county with locations in Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and Ventura. The sites will help provide essential learning opportunities and services for Ventura County’s nearly 60,000 children prenatal – 5 and their families.
This announcement marks another milestone achieved as part of F5VC’s newly redesigned NfL model. First 5 Ventura County will be investing $2.9 million annually in the First 5 Neighborhoods for Learning, powered by Interface, with classes beginning in late August and early September 2019.
“We are committed to continue delivering Parent and Child Together (PACT) Classes and family support services throughout the county and in neighborhoods where our most vulnerable families and young children reside,” said First 5 Ventura County Executive Director Petra Puls. “Together with ICFS, we have thoroughly reviewed and selected 13 easily accessible locations to serve as neighborhood hubs for early learning and family support services. Many of the sites are in familiar locations, like schools.”
The centrally located NfL locations will offer programs including Parent and Child Together (PACT) classes to help parents and caregivers enhance their knowledge of child development and positive parenting practices to support their children’s learning and development. Parent education classes provide a venue for parents to connect with peers and benefit from social support. Families will also have access to developmental screenings, assistance with care coordination and referral to services such as housing, dental, and Cal Fresh programs.
“We’re excited to partner with F5VC in establishing these prime NfL locations,” said Interface Executive Director Erik Sternad. “The carefully selected NfL sites will allow us to work collaboratively to ensure our Ventura County children and families are served in the best and most cost-effective manner possible.”
“To help us best serve the families with young children, F5VC and ICFS will be hosting a series of local open house events in early August offering opportunities for parents to enroll in classes and engage with the community,” said Puls. “We hope our neighbors will come out and explore all we have to offer and meet our NfL staff.”
The first of these events will be on Tuesday, August 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Justin Early Learner Academy in Simi Valley and Sespe Elementary in Fillmore. All those interested in joining the F5VC and ICFS family to learn more about classes and programs are encouraged to drop by.
Additional locations will be announced in the next few weeks. To view a current list of locations and open house opportunities, please visit www.First5Ventura.org
