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United Way of Delaware

United Way of Delaware

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About United Way of Delaware

Since 1946, United Way of Delaware (UWDE) has connected individuals, organizations, and communities through advocacy, volunteerism and investments to create short and long-term change. With a mission to unite people, ideas and resources to improve lives and to build a stronger community , UWDE strives to help children and families realize their full potential regardless of zip code, race or ethnicity. UWDE is a community leader, convener, and community stakeholder serving to advance the human condition for those Delawareans in need. Together with our partners, UWDE creates measurable and lasting collective impact, levels the playing field by accelerating equitable access to opportunities and drives positive change. UWDE’s key strategic focus, through an equity lens and collective impact framework, is four-fold:

  1. Crisis Intervention/Delaware’s Helpline
  2. Early Student Success
  3. Career and College Success
  4. Financial Empowerment.

 

UWDE has long been an integral part of the human services continuum in the state of Delaware serving to advance the human condition for those Delawareans in need. Partnering with other organizations and institutions (e.g., state agencies, the Governor’s Office, CBOs, foundations, other non-profit organizations, employers, business leaders, educational institutions, healthcare providers, etc.) is in our DNA, and we have a long history of actively leading and/or participating in key human service, education, and workforce development initiatives across the state. In many ways, UWDE serves as the connective tissue within and across Delaware’s communities, with a specific focus on traditionally underserved and disadvantaged groups.

Pathways Partnership

United Way of Delaware is one of the original founding partners of the Delaware Pathways Partnership which began in 2014. In 2017, UWDE helped develop a statewide strategic plan for the Partnership that included scaling and sustaining the State-model and CTE pathways with meaningful work-based experiences for students. With equity and access at the core of UWDE’s mission and vision, its historic and continued role in Pathways development and planning is to build awareness of underserved student needs and provide insight into the community connections that can cultivate solutions.

Knowing that preparation for pathways requires differentiated and culturally appropriate engagement beginning well before high school, UWDE created and spearheads our GUIDES program designed to provide middle school students with dedicated in-school mentors whose role is to help students gain exposure to a wide array of careers, nurture self-discovery, build developmental assets, develop foundational and technical skills, and connect with out of school time opportunities to explore their interests. The pilot for the program, made possible by a grant from DDOE and strong community partnerships, is part of the expansion of Delaware Pathways into middle schools to support students on their personal journey toward a thriving career. GUIDES help ensure that all students have equitable career exposure and maximize school choice and Delaware Pathway enrollment. Once in high school, our UWDE Stand By Me NexGen team provides continued career exploration and financial literacy programming in-school as well as leads the state’s initiatives to ensure that all students have access to the information and support they need to pay for college or post-secondary credentialing utilizing Federal Student Aid through FAFSA.

Testimonial

Anaya Patterson
former Delaware Pathways student, current UWDE Employee

Delaware Pathways was instrumental to helping me find my passion. Before taking photography and audio/video engineering in high school, I never knew it was something I could be interested in and the interpersonal workforce skills I would learn. Taking those courses set the foundation for the work I do today and allowed me to tap into a creative side of myself, I didn’t know existed. If it wasn’t for Delaware Pathways, I am not sure I would have been able to create the art I create today. I love making others feel beautiful and collaborating to make their ideas come to fruition. Also, being able to assist in capturing lifelong memories is something I cherish, and it is all thanks to my high school and Delaware Pathways.

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