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DENVER, CO – A Colorado program is offering a novel solution to the state’s childcare crisis: recruiting and training older adults, including retirees, to fill crucial roles in preschools. The Early Childhood Service Corps, founded by Lisa Armao, is rapidly expanding and demonstrating the benefits of intergenerational learning for both children and seniors.
The program, which began in 2023, addresses two pressing needs: a shortage of qualified early childhood educators and opportunities for meaningful engagement among older Coloradans. Colorado faces a notable childcare access gap,with nearly 60% of families with children under 5 struggling to find affordable care,according to a 2023 report by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood.
So far, the Early Childhood Service Corps has trained 118 individuals, and recently added a summer cohort, increasing its offerings to three training sessions annually. The program provides complete training in early childhood development, classroom management, and safety protocols. Participants receive a stipend to cover training costs and a small hourly wage during their placements.
“I knew that older adults would enjoy being with children and I knew that children would enjoy being with older adults and having a grandparent in the classroom,” Armao explained. “But the thing that’s happening, which is just gorgeous, is the thread between all the other staff of varying ages, the parents who were younger and the connections that are happening with our older adults.”
The program isn’t just filling a staffing need; it’s fostering a unique learning environment. Participants like 72-year-old Evelyn Babu, a former researcher, are finding renewed purpose and utilizing their existing skills in a new context. Babu, who stopped dyeing her hair after joining the program, remarked, “I’m fascinated by their development… Once I came to preschool, I said, ‘OK I don’t need to look young anymore.’ I stopped dying my hair.… The 70s are the new 60s.As long as I have my health, I can work.”
Armao believes that fostering intergenerational
