How Do Early Childhood Professionals Use The Ymca?

The YMCA is committed to making high-quality career pathways accessible for early childhood educators, partnering with funders to provide apprentices with no fees and offering support such as tuition, fees, books, child care, transportation, case management, technology, soft skills training, tutoring, and more. The Early Care Programs at the YMCA provide a nurturing and educational environment for children from infancy through preschool, using The Creative Curriculum®, a state-approved, research-based curriculum.

The YMCA of San Francisco Early Childhood Education Programs provide high-quality professional and nurturing care to infants, toddlers, and preschool children. They create community college early childhood classes virtually or at one of their centers, embed tutors and success coordinators in classes, and offer community college early childhood classes virtually or at one of their centers.

YMCA Playing to Learn is a research-based early childhood education curriculum that recognizes play as the primary way children learn. Child Care at the Y prioritizes social and emotional learning and engagement with peers, aligning with all provincial early learning frameworks adopted since 2007.

The YMCA believes that building strong foundations during the early years helps prepare children for academic and lifelong success. Their play-based early learning curriculum focuses on allowing children to “learn in action” and encourages them to use their imagination.

New YMCA staff participate in orientation and training on policies and procedures, child care licensing regulation, and the YMCA Playing to Learn curriculum. The Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program offers training and support for aspiring early childhood professionals.

YMCA’s early learning, child care, and out-of-school time child care services are always focused on meeting social, emotional, and academic needs. Full-time Early Childhood Educators are required to provide professional, high-quality play-based licensed child care programs that meet developmental needs.