Community Engagement
HeadStart.gov describes community engagement as:
mutually respectful, strengths-based relationships between Head Start staff and families, community members, and agencies. These relationships support parents' roles as valued community members and their progress toward their goals for themselves and their children. Community partners can work with families and program staff toward such goals as parents' educational advancement, economic mobility, and other aspects of family well-being.
Head Start staff actively seek out and respond to community voices, strengths, and needs. Staff know their communities, and many are members of the communities they serve. They collaborate with families, community members, and other local agencies to identify common goals, align resources, and share data for continuous improvement and effective partnerships.