Education Support

Childrens’ right to education does not just encompass the right to schooling; the right to education is more precisely conceptualized as the right to learn. In fact, the majority (two-thirds) of the 600 million children without minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics are enrolled in schooling. This is where education support comes in. For schooling to result in education, there needs to be adequate infrastructure, quality educational materials and trained staff. In addition, students must be well-fed, well-rested and healthy—in other words, students must be fully capable of being engaged. 

ABP is currently planning a 2024-25 trip to Play Jaco, Costa Rica that is focused on education support. Once we host the participant training for this service-learning trip, educational resources from the training will be posted on this page.

What can I do to help locally?

Below, we’ve listed a local nonprofit and a state nonprofit that you can support:

Monroe Smart Start

About: Monroe Smart Start promotes early childhood education through initiatives that engage several groups. The nonprofit works with community organizations to provide free pre-K to 140 four-year-old children per year. In addition, the organization connects low-income families to affordable childcare options, and supports providers of childhood education through materials, training, mentorship and professional development resources. Monroe Smart Start also advocates for local, state and national policies that support quality education.

Website: https://monroesmartstart.org/ 

Donation Link: https://monroesmartstart.org/advocacy/donate/ 

How To Get Involved: While donations are the straightforward way to help, college students with background/experience in childcare can fill out the form on this page to assist child care programs with substitute needs: https://monroesmartstart.org/providers/emergency-childcare/ 

INSource

About: INSource is dedicated to helping parents of children with disabilities navigate the special education process as effectively as possible. To accomplish this mission, INSource provides one-on-one assistance to families with disabled children, conducts online and in-person training sessions on special education topics, trains school interpreters to understand unique needs of disabled children, trains youth with disabilities in advocating for themselves, provides and updates online resources regarding special education, and more.

Website: https://insource.org/ 

Donation Link: https://www.mightycause.com/story/Hoopswithheart 

How To Get Involved: One can serve as a volunteer at the annual Hoops with Heart event, “a one-day basketball camp for students with disabilities” (Link: https://insource.org/help-others/hoops-with-heart/). There are also year-round volunteering opportunities including educating the community on the resources offered by INSource, representing INSource at fairs and events, helping plan fundraisers, assisting families directly, as well as supporting INSource trainings. The steps on how to get involved, as well as more details on what involvement would entail, are on this page: https://insource.org/help-others/volunteers/