Cradle to Career – Powered by United Way
United Way’s all-in on the Cradle to Career (C2C) strategy – a new approach to support children and youth from the time they’re born until they find a career. The C2C strategy leverages the combined investments of a broad cross-section of community partners through a community
collective called ProsperUs.
United Way has a unique role in this collective – we are the proud Backbone Organization for the Cradle to Career strategy. As the Backbone Organization, we’re guiding the work, engaging with
residents, convening partners, and supporting partners to drive results.
What’s Happening at United Way
Every kid deserves the chance to succeed.
You can help to put local youth on a path to success in school and in life.
Select a heart image below to learn more.
Ensure children and youth have the supports they need in and out of school
OUR GOAL
More kids are meeting math and literacy standards in elementary school.
When a child meets provincial standards in math and literacy, they’re more likely to graduate high school.
OUR SOLUTION
We invest in out-of-school programs that provide homework help, healthy snacks, recreational activities, and the care of supportive adults to help students succeed in West Windsor, Downtown Windsor and Leamington.
Hear what the Community Action Network residents have to say
about the solution they helped to build.
You can help children succeed in school when they’re young, setting the foundation for success in high school and in life.
Show Your Local Love
Help families access healthy food and local mental health services
OUR GOAL
Families and children have access to nutritious food and mental health counselling.
1 in 3 food bank users in Windsor and Essex County are children.
In Canada, only 1 in 5 children who need mental health services receives them. (Source: Canadian Mental Health Assn)
OUR SOLUTION
We invest in the local food bank system and feed children during the summer when school nutrition programs are closed. We also invest in programs that provide low-to-no-cost mental health counselling.
Watch Matthew’s story and learn how mental health supports made a difference for him during the pandemic.
You can wrap your LOCAL LOVE around children and their families to support them every step of the way.
Build a skilled local workforce, ready for the 21st Century job economy
OUR GOAL
More kids are graduating high school and getting a post-secondary education.
Students who attend post-secondary education for at least one year are shown to earn $11,000 -17,000 more per year.
OUR SOLUTION
We invest in wrap-around supports for high school students who have the potential to succeed but are facing barriers to their education. Students receive academic tutoring, social and career mentoring, and some financial support to attend a post-secondary or trade education program.
Meet Amber, a recent graduate of our
On Track to Success Program
Remove barriers that prevent families from getting the help they need by working differently with community partners and residents
OUR GOAL
To transform whole communities, we must think beyond individual programs and services and see ourselves as one united system. Creating equitable outcomes for children requires community partners to work together to remove roadblocks for families. This is called Collective Impact.
Other communities which have implemented collective impact strategies have seen improvements in high school graduation rates, healthier families, and stronger accountability to the community.
OUR SOLUTION
Cradle to Career is a community wide strategy which leverages the time, talent and treasure of 50+ community partners. Local residents are at the heart of the work, building solutions with partners that will best serve their neighbourhoods. United Way powers the work of this collective partnership through collaborative called ProsperUs.
You can support this new community wide strategy by donating to the organization that is bringing its community engagement expertise to the table. We’re driving community investment in new solutions which will support children from the time they’re born until they find a meaningful career.
Show Your Local Love
You Can Unlock Youth Potential From Cradle to Career.
Our Impact
Ignite Academy launch
Hear what the Community Action Network residents have to say about the solution they helped to build.
Where are they now?
Amber reflects on the On Track to Success program and her success coach, Liam, and its impact on her life now that she is in university.
Feeling Supported
Matthew is a former student of our On Track to Success Program. He talks about how his success coaches helped him navigate mental health issues during the pandemic.
We give to United Way because we know they have done the hard work to determine how to generate the greatest impact in our community by improving the outcomes for those most in need.
– Kyle and Kara Kootstra
Make a Difference In The Life Of A Child
Generosity powers United Way’s Work. It allows us to tackle complex, persistent and #UNIGNORABLE issues
that are preventing far too many kids and families from getting ahead.