 
              							Strong work ethic, confidence and a desire to learn are attributes that can be instilled at a young age and carried through adulthood.
Our Preparing for Success focus area is centered on providing the communication, teamwork and critical-thinking skills people need to grow and adapt throughout their life and career.
This begins with building a strong foundation of social-emotional skills for young children by supporting the capacity and quality of Early Childhood providers and programs across our two regions. In Afterschool, the Foundation seeks to support activities outside the classroom that play a critical role in allowing children and teens to explore their interests and talents, ultimately preparing them for tomorrow’s workforce. For Young Adults & Working Families, the Foundation looks to create pathways for people to achieve greater economic mobility through honing technical and employability skills that are necessary to access good jobs and that fill current and future skills gaps in the economies of the two regions we serve.
 
								
							We want to help children get the best beginning possible towards a bright future. Across both our regions, we are working in partnership with other early childhood initiatives and collaborations to help maximize the reach and impact of our investments in early childhood.
 
								
							During non-school time, there is a tremendous opportunity to expose kids to activities that not only complement what’s learned in school, but also prepare them for meaningful work in the future and spark a journey towards becoming curious, fulfilled and well-rounded adults.
 
								
							Western New York and Southeast Michigan have rich industrial roots and working-class values. The Young Adults & Working Families strategy works to create pathways to middle-skill, middle wage jobs by equipping people with the technical and employability skills and knowledge relevant to in-demand jobs now and in the future.
