Karan Finds His Voice Through COA’s HIPPY Program

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Karan Finds His Voice Through COA’s HIPPY ProgramDevelopment2018-12-17T14:13:57-06:00

Project Description

When four-year-old Karan first joined COA’s Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program, he had trouble speaking. According to his concerned mother, Sarah, he was too shy to talk to other people. Whenever he did he could only say small words. When Sarah learned about COA’s HIPPY program in fall 2017, she breathed a sigh of relief. HIPPY was her last resort; Karan had already seen a speech therapist, with little improvements.

Despite feeling nervous at first, Sarah joined the HIPPY program and started working with a Parent Partner in her home once a week. Through one-on-one, peer-to-peer instruction, Sarah’s HIPPY Parent Partner taught her the best ways to interact with her son to promote speech development. Sarah admitted that she did not really talk with her son because she didn’t know which conversation levels were appropriate for his age. Sarah’s HIPPY Parent Partner let Sarah know that it was okay to ask questions that required more than “yes” or “no” answers.

“Now, Karan’s mother is proud to say that her son can pronounce words correctly and can even form and speak full sentences.”

Through the first four HIPPY program sessions, Sarah got to spend more quality time with her son and totally transformed the way she interacted with him. They learned how to communicate better, which ultimately helped improve Kiran’s language skills. After his fourth session, Karan was forming bigger words and started to be more open. Now, Karan’s mother is proud to say that her son can pronounce words correctly and can even form and speak full sentences. No longer withdrawn and held back by a speech delay, Karan is now a confident and vocal young boy ready to take on the world.

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Our Mission

COA Youth & Family Centers helps Milwaukee children, teens, and families reach their greatest potential through a continuum of educational, recreational, and social work programs offered through its urban community centers and rural camp facility. As a multicultural agency, COA values diversity and cooperation, and promotes growth and positive social interaction.

The COA Philosophy

COA Youth & Family Centers’ history is deeply rooted in the American Settlement House movement. The underlying foundation of this movement was that a holistic approach is essential to give children and families the tools to become self-sufficient. And more than a century later, COA continues to provide families with a holistic array of services to give children and families these tools to become stronger, healthier, and more self-sufficient.

Four-Star Organization

For nine consecutive years, COA has received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a national evaluator of nonprofit organizations. Only one percent of the nation's charities have received the highest four-star rating for twelve consecutive years.

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When I was 20 and a new mom, I found the Family Center. At 22 with 2 kids, the center saved me time and time again. Today, 42 and pregnant with 4 kids under 3years old in my care, you brightened my rainy day as usual. So grateful for this resource!

"COA is a lifesaver!! We go stir crazy in the house. The kids love it here. I need to feel a social connection with other parents. I get so bored and lonely and isolated home with the kids all day. Also – social interactions for the toddlers is invaluable."

"I come to the COA to expose my son to other kids, so he can interact and learn from them. I appreciate the many different people from different cultures and walks of life. I love all the difference art projects that my son can try without messing up my house."

"I come to COA because it is an awesome, clean, friendly environment that is very well-suited to my kids. I also really appreciate the educational aspect of drop-in, such as crafts and songs. My kids would not be the same had we not been coming to COA. Thank you Anne and COA."