The Start of Our Work
In October, 2004, individuals across our community came together to form  the Washtenaw Project Great Start Leadership Commission, committed to addressing the challenges of providing supportive and positive early childhood development to all children in Washtenaw County.

This commission is made up of community members from throughout Washtenaw County, and includes leaders of area businesses, city and county governments and school districts, parents, labor organizations, social service agencies and non-profit organizations.  The Commission continues to act as the policy and planning board behind the activity of the full initiative. 

The Six Recommendations
The Commission developed these six recommendations for change in Washtenaw County – all  focused on supporting the Washtenaw Success by 6®, A Great Start Initiative, mission:  to ensure that every child in Washtenaw County will start school ready to succeed.

1. Conduct a public education campaign with ongoing, long-term focus on promoting supportive and safe parenting and quality child care/early education.

2. Launch a county-wide campaign to increase and maintain enrollment of eligible children in publicly-funded children’s health insurance programs as early as possible in their lives.

3. Make training and skill building in best practices increasingly available and accessible to child care and early education workers.

4. Increase the quantity and coordination of home visiting services and parenting support services.

5. Develop an easily accessible and coordinated approach to providing contact information, assistance and referral about
available services.

6. Formalize a planning and policy support entity that parallels the state’s Early Childhood Investment Corporation approach to implement the recommendations of Great Start.

The Implementation Groups
Groups are now meeting to address each of the Leadership Recommendations.  The volunteer task groups are made up of a diverse variety of community members—business people, parents, city and county government leaders, members of local labor unions, social service agencies, non-profit organizations, school districts, and interested community members. These groups will work to develop and implement action plans to fulfill the Commission’s recommendations