Advancing Canal Alliance’s Youth Programming

The UnidosUS and Canal Alliance’s partnership continues to grow

Last year, Canal Alliance was honored to be recognized as a UnidosUS’s California Regional Affiliate of the Year. 

This year, we are heartened to report that our collaboration continues to deepen, and we are have been granted a number of additional investments from UnidosUS, including a workforce grant of $50,000, and grants to our youth education programs from the Escalera, Padres Comprometidos, and Avanzando programs at UnidosUS. 

These new investments will help Canal Alliance advance its programs in a multitude of ways. 

A recent $10,000 grant from the UnidosUS Escalera program will support our core University Prep! (UP!) program activities, helping us to provide comprehensive college and career readiness resources, mentorship, and leadership development opportunities to the young people in our programs as they navigate the transition to adulthood and pursue their aspirations. The UnidosUS Escalera program, like Canal Alliance’s UP! Program, emphases academic success, financial literacy, and professional development, and will enhance our whole student approach to immigrant empowerment, ensuring that participants have the tools, skills, and support systems needed to thrive in preparation for higher educational studies.  

A $5,000 Padres Comprometidos grant is targeted at providing appropriate support to the parents of our students to support their – and their children’s – success. Most parents of our University Prep! (UP!) students are unfamiliar with navigating the U.S. school system, and often experience a language barrier when attempting to communicate with their children’s teachers and school staff. Canal Alliance’s long-term aim is to increase parent involvement and empower them to advocate for their children’s education to best support students to achieve their dreams. This new funding from UnidosUS will allow us to implement inclusive programming for parents each month, through activities, presentations, gatherings and more.  

Finally, $15,000 in funding through the UnidosUS Avanzando Through College program is going to allow Canal Alliance to extend and enhance existing programming and services for our UP! students through college and beyond. With a curriculum that is designed specifically for Latino college students, the workshops we can offer as part of the Avanzando programming include cultural awareness components that meet the needs of our students.