EnrichEd is a therapeutic after-school program that serves low-income youth, most of whom have experienced homelessness and have a history of complex trauma. The EnrichEd team strives to provide a safe and inclusive environment that fosters students’ abilities to engage in individual or group tutoring, individual or group counseling, and enrichment clubs.
The Challenge
Education is a powerful tool for all children, but depending on their income level and housing stability, their experiences in school and access to the opportunities that school offers can differ. When a child experiences the trauma of homelessness, it impacts cognitive and social-emotional development, making it hard for them to build strong academic skills and navigate mental health challenges. According to the Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness, housing instability brings about school instability; namely, homelessness causes a higher rate of frequent school transfers and absenteeism, which can prevent children from accessing educational supports or reaching their highest academic potential. When a child’s housing status prevents them from attending or succeeding in school, they do not have access to the same possibilities as their housed classmates.
0x
more likely to show delayed development are homeless children, when compared to housed peers, according to the Institute on Children, Poverty, and Homelessness
1%
of homeless children repeat a grade in school, a rate 100% higher than their non-homeless counterparts (National Network for Youth)
Our Solution
1%
of children involved with EnrichEd experienced growth in social skills
1%
of children improved their academic skills through EnrichEd
Children who participate in EnrichEd establish healthy relationships with their peers who have experienced homelessness or lived in a low-income setting. In collaboration with the youth and their support networks, EnrichEd utilizes a strengths-based, culturally humble, and trauma-informed approached to assess the needs of each individual, develop an individualized schedule, and identify client centered goals to increase social emotional skills. Our program provides children with the academic and social support necessary to build housing stability in the future.
EnrichEd Services
Each student participating in EnrichEd has an individualized weekly schedule of tutoring and therapeutic activities that meet their specific academic and social-emotional needs. During daily after-school programming, staff and trained volunteers work one-on-one or in small groups with children to work on homework or play engaging academic games.
Youth can sign up for after school programming through our annual application. Families who work with other programs in the agency will receive information from their case managers. Youth in the community can reach out to our program manager for more information on enrollment.
EnrichEd staff help families navigate the school system and receive the accommodation and support they need to be successful. In collaboration with the youth, their caregivers, and other members of their support network, our Academic Coordinator assists families by meeting with them to understand their current needs, identify accommodations or services that may be useful, and provide support by attending school meetings.
School vacation camps are run during the February and April break weeks of most Massachusetts Public Schools. During these weeks, students enrolled in the after-school program engage in enrichment activities. During the summer, EnrichEd runs multiple week-long sessions of summer camp programming. Youth have enjoyed field trips to Nature Linc, Museum of Science, Stoneham Zoo, Breakheart Reservation, and more destinations during school vacation and summer programming.
In partnership with local school districts , EnrichEd collaborates with the McKinney Vento Liaisons to provide a 10-week long weekend programming to youth who are currently experiencing homelessness. Through a culturally humble and trauma informed lens, the team provides academic support and enrichment programming, both at our main site in Malden and on-site as some shelter locations.
EnrichEd provides transportation both to and from programming, picking students up from school, bringing them to our program site in Malden, and dropping them off at home afterwards. Transportation is a major barrier to access for many families for Out-of-School time, so we provide pick-up and drop-off vans ourselves, instead of asking youth to rely on public transportation or asking caregivers to try to arrange transportation.
I’m thankful for all that I have and I’m proud of my children. My children have been in EnrichEd since kindergarten…everyone at EnrichEd was always helpful and always supportive. No judgment. My children are happy and well-adjusted coming to EnrichEd. My son and daughter both want to go to college. EnrichEd saved my life.