Realigning Systems to Support the Well-being of Families and Children. June 5-9, 2013.  University of Hawaiʻi , Mānoa. 

ʻAʻohe hana nui ke alo ʻia (No task is too big when done together by all) is the theme of our first Learning Exchange (LE) in 2013, which we are hosting with Engaging Communities in Education. This theme inspires our goal of reimagining how our systems can align more meaningfully across similar and dissimilar organizations in and across our local communities, and across both geographical and philosophical boundaries. Embedded in native Hawaiian culture for the LE, we will honor our own cultures, histories, spirits, and connection to place in order to build strong relationships capable of sustaining our communities. Throughout we will look to these roots as we explore how to create more innovative systems to support and engage families and children. We will weave our work together so we can support stronger infrastructure that builds stronger and healthier families. We will consider how our collective efforts bring together cultural and market systems to create social enterprise and entrepreneurialism. In the end, our work together will assist us to create cutting-edge, innovative collective endeavors that form culturally grounded, systemic and sustained systems that support our families and children.

Youth Voice and Engagement. July 25-28, 2013.  Location: San Marcos, Texas.

A unique aspect of the CLE network is our intergenerational partnerships.  We tap into the wisdom and passion of youth to shape the institutions that in turn shape their futures.  To increase high school graduation, access to college, college completion, career readiness, and foster opportunities for students of color, we need to engage youth as partners in the work.  This LE will bring together a variety of youth/adult partnerships that are implementing innovative approaches to reach youth from diverse backgrounds, including those who are disconnected, disengaged, or from vulnerable communities.  Participants will attend in intergenerational teams, develop action plans for the future, and stay connected with other participants after the LE through our national network.  Together we will build a network of opportunity for youth in our communities.

School Leadership as Community Engagement. October 10-13, 2013.  Location: North Carolina.

Public schools need to be engines for social equity by creating successful pathways of opportunity for all youth – particularly youth of color, and youth from immigrant, indigenous, and low-income communities.  To create such opportunities, we need school leaders who can partner with and engage the community in improving schools for all children.  This learning exchange will focus on engaging schools and communities in a holistic approach to improvement.  We look for teams across roles-- administrators, teachers, parents, community organizations, and students – who can partner to improve schools for all children.