After-School Program and Summer Program at Bev’s House
The Haven After-School Program runs Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 5:00 pm for school-aged children who are current and former shelter guests, every day that the local school system is in session.
The program also runs on school vacation weeks with special activities and field trips. The Children’s Services Coordinator, two other staff, an AmeriCorps member, community volunteers, and students from Dartmouth College provide a supportive environment in which children build social and emotional learning. Growth in these areas will prepare children for success in adulthood.
The After-School Program’s environment and curriculum is focused on mentoring. The program includes:
- Assistance with homework;
- A wide variety of enrichment activities including rock climbing, music, dance, cultural performances and arts/crafts activities
- Seasonal activities such as skating and hiking
- Life skill components such as:
- Financial Literacy
- Nutrition
- Cooking
The Children’s Services Coordinator also helps connect families with their child’s school by attending conferences as well as special education meetings and works to help build stronger relationships with the school community.
This is a special place for children who have all shared the experience of being homeless. The environment is trauma informed, and children gain mastery of the core principles of the Haven at their own level: being safe, respected and respectful, healthy, and communicating with words.
In the summer, the program runs all day, and often has a theme that focuses on some aspect of:
- Community engagement
- Future planning
- Engagement with the natural environment
- Career visioning
- Skill building in swimming and bike riding
Haven staff work with families to help as many children as possible have some other exposure to different environments during the summer season by attending specialty camps or sleep-away camp for at least a week.
Preschool Program
The Children’s Services Coordinator works closely with families of preschoolers to help them meet the goals they have for their children.
This might involve:
- Assisting parents complete an application for a child care subsidy.
- Visiting child care providers with families.
- Connecting them with local agencies and support services.
- Brainstorming ways to help a child with a special medical or developmental need.
The Haven partners with The Family Place for a deeper level program for some parents of infants and preschoolers.
